Gibfield Colliery

Gibfield Colliery was a coal mine owned by Fletcher, Burrows and Company in Atherton, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England.

[1][2] A shaft was sunk at Gibfield to the Trencherbone mine in 1829 by John Fletcher[3] next to the Bolton and Leigh Railway line which opened in 1830.

On 11 February 1850, workers descended the pit and discovered the presence of gas which they tried to disperse with their jackets.

The gas fired at the flame of a lighted candle causing an explosion which killed five men and burned several others.

[5] In 1872 the colliery was expanded when a second shaft was sunk to access the Arley mine at 1233 feet.