Gwane Colliery

Overview

A thick-coal pit of William Mills and Son by the Rowley Regis hills where, on 10 September 1857, gas gathered after a roof fall choked its poor ventilation and exploded, killing nine; the inspector had warned the owner and been ignored.

History

Gwane Colliery, called the Gawn pit in the inspector's report, lay close to the basalt hills of Rowley Regis, near Dudley, and in 1857 belonged to William Mills and Son. It was opened by a pair of seven-foot shafts. The downcast was 155 yards deep and passed through the Thick Coal at 135 yards, where part of the air was taken off into the coal workings; the rest went on down to an ironstone working called the Whitestone.

The inspector, Lionel Brough, had been down the pit twice and found that its fault was a narrow intake road to the far end of the crop-side workings, the most dangerous part. William Mills promised to drive a new road but, on his bailiff's advice, did not go to the expense. The charter-masters then worked the coal in a way that brought down the shut, the overlying rock, choking the farthest airway, and the lofty stalls filled with gas. On 10 September 1857 it exploded, probably at a naked candle brought by a boy sent back for tools; six were killed outright and three died of their injuries, the last some weeks later. The inquest juries returned verdicts of accidental death but censured the management for ignoring the inspector, and some criticised the butties for not reporting the danger.

Geology

South Staffordshire coalfield: the Thick Coal at 135 yards, with an ironstone measure called the Whitestone below, near the basalt of the Rowley Hills.

Workings

A pair of seven-foot shafts, the downcast 155 yards; thick-coal stalls on the deep and crop sides, aired by split currents; skips wound in both shafts, closed at the top with runners.

Closure

Unknown.

What remains

Unknown.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• In 1857 Gwane Colliery belonged to William Mills and Son. ^1,2
• The colliery had a pair of seven-foot shafts, the downcast 155 yards deep, passing the Thick Coal at 135 yards. ^1,2
• An explosion on 10 September 1857 killed nine: six outright and three of their injuries. ^1,2
• The inspector had urged William Mills to drive a new intake road, which was never done. ^1,2

Sources

1. (secondary) Gwane Colliery Explosion, Dudley, 1857 (NMRS accidents and disasters) — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Colliery disaster, 10 September 1857: Gwane (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 24 October 2026 · Last researched: 24 October 2026