Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	30th March 1925
Colliery:	Montagu, Scotswood
Cause:	Inrush of water from old Paradise Pit
Lives Lost:	38

It is with deep regret that I have to record the loss of 38 lives at Montagu View Colliery, situated at Scotswood, in the county of Northumberland, owned by Messrs. W. Benson and Son, Ltd.

This disaster is the worst that has occurred in the Division for a number of years, and was caused by an inrush of water into the workings of the Brockwell Seam at almost the lowest point in the colliery. The accident happened about 10.30 a.m. on Monday, 30th March, in a district known as Robson's Bord Flat, following the firing of three shots by the deputy in charge.

New pumping plant had to be installed, and the last body was not recovered from the mine until 19th October.

The water broke in from the old Paradise Pit, Brockwell Seam workings, which had been abandoned about the year 1848.

The circumstances of this accident were the subject of a special inquiry by the Right Hon. H. P. Macmillan, K.C., with H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines acting as Assessor. The inquiry was held on 26th and 27th January, 1926, at the Moot Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. The report* of the inquiry was published in April, 1926.

A relief fund was opened by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and met with a ready response by the general public.

* Report on the Causes of and circumstances attending the Inrush of Water which occurred at the View Pit of the Montagu Colliery, Scotswood, Northumberland, on 30th March, 1925. by the Right Hon. Hugh Pattison Macmillan, K.C. (Cmd. 2607).

Source:

1925 Mines Inspectors Report

Photograph(s) of the memorial for this disaster are shown in the Memorials section

	Batey, Christopher
	Batey, Robert Heslop, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Batey, Thomas William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Booth, Isaac, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Carr, Ralph, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Danskin, Thomas, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Dent, Frederick Thomas, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Dixon, David Griffin, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Errington, Matthew H., Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Evans, Samuel George, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Fitzpatrick, John Robert
	Fowler, William Alnwick, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Gray, Charles Edward, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Guthrie, William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Halliday, William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Havelock, Robert, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Hetherington, George Gill
	Hetherington, Matthew
	Jackson, Edward
	Johnson, William James, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Latchman, Thomas Alfred, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Learmouth, Alexander, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Lee, John William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Lyons, William Armitage, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Martin, John William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Murthwaite, John William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Nixon, James, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Nixon, Joseph, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Potts, John William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Rogers, Richard, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Salmon, John Charles, aged 17
	Simpson, Charles, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Steele, James, his brother-in-law, John Dodd, was killed in the same pit in 1929, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Thompson, John, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Thompson, Robert, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Thompson, William, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Trewick, John Thomas, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	Trewick, William Armstrong, Buried: disaster plot in Elswick Cemetery
	All names found
	Those names marked with , have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the web page.

31 Mar 1925	Flooded Pit, 38 Miners Trapped By Water, Rescuers Baffled (The Times)
01 Apr 1925	The Flooded Mine, Hope Abandoned, 38 Men And Boys Lost (The Times)
02 Apr 1925	The Flooded Mine, Message From The King (The Times)
18 Jun 1925	Montagu View Colliery Inquiry (The Times)
28 Aug 1925	Scotswood Colliery (The Times)
30 Apr 1926	The Scotswood Mine disaster, Official Report On The Causes (The Times)
29 Sep 1927	Charge Against Mine Officials (The Times)
27 Oct 1927	Breach Of Coal Mines Act, Colliery Officials Fined (The Times)

• Mines Inspectors Report into the 1925 Montagu View Pit Disaster (Cmd 2607)

 

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