ABER. Ogmore Vale, Glamorganshire. 14th. May, 1888.

The colliery was the property of the Aber Colliery Company. The colliery worked the No.2 Rhondda Seam from a level and the house coal that was produced made very little gas and so was worked with naked lights. It was regarded as so safe and gas-free that the fan which produced the ventilation current was stopped on Saturday afternoons and not restarted until 9 p.m. on Sunday evening.

Shortly before midnight on the 13th May, seven men went into work. One of the men acted, as he had always down, as fireman and carried out an examination of the working with a safety lamp. Instead of the other men waiting at the station for his return, they either accompanied him or followed him into the working road in direct violation of General Rule 4 with the result that gas ignited and all but two were killed. The two who escaped had to make their way through the afterdamp.

Those who lost their lives were:

  • Rees Joseph aged 62 years, fireman,
  • Evan Jones aged 18 years, collier,
  • Jenkin Stanford aged 27 years, collier,
  • David Williams aged 30 years, haulier,
  • Edward Gibbon aged 24 years, haulier.

At the inquiry, the Coroner thought the verdict was equivalent to manslaughter against the manager and the undermanager but the case was subsequently dismissed when it came before magistrates. The agent, manager and undermanager were charged under the Mines Act for a breach of the First General Rule. The case against the agent was dismissed and the manager and undermanager were fined £10 and £5 respectively.

 

REFERENCES
The Mines Inspector Report 1888.
The Colliery Guardian, 29th June, 1888, p.923.
“And they worked us to death” Vol.2. Ben Fieldhouse and Jackie Dunn. Gwent Family History Society.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.

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