BWLLFA. Aberdare, Glamorganshire. 27th. December, 1867.

The colliery was situated about two miles from Aberdare and was owned by Messrs Lockett and Coles. Mr. Herbert Kirkhouse is the manager and the colliery employed over 100 men and boys. There were three or four shafts at the colliery and at the time of the accident coal was being worked from the Four Feet Vein and the Two Feet Mines. The upcast had been sunk a short time before the accident and a drift to lower coals, was being driven. There was only one shaft below the Four Feet and wooden boxes had been placed in the shaft to carry the air from the Four Feet to ventilate the drift in which six men were working at the time of the disaster.

A heading was being driven from the bottom of one of the unused shafts across the measures to the Six Feet coal beneath. This heading had been in construction for two years, being driven through hard rock. It was ventilated by a wooden tube through which the air was conducted to the face and then went through the open roadway and then to the shaft.

On the morning of the disaster, there were five men at work and at 6 a.m. Five others went down to relieve them but as soon as the incoming men got down they saw smoke and an unsuccessful effort was made to signal the banksman. Going further into the heading the men fell insensible. About that time the man at the top became aware that something was wrong when he saw smoke coming from the shaft and on looking down he saw that the air tube was on fire. How it had become ignited nobody knew but it was thought that it was caused by the friction of the rope; the smoke from the burning wood was carried to the face.

A wire rope was being carried down the shaft in a wooden box that was set on fire by sparks from the furnace and this cut off the ventilation to the men when other boxes were ignited. The smoke passed along the drift at a time when the shift was changing so there were eleven men in the drift.

The brave a praiseworthy conduct of several volunteers went into the heading and managed to rescue seven who were brought out in a weak state. One later died and four were found to be dead. The manager hurried to the pit when he heard of the accident and all the men were brought out unconscious after a great effort. Some were able to walk home but others died.

Those who died were colliers:

  • Richard Lloyd aged 44 years, married with four children,
  • Thomas Wood aged 28 years, married with two children,
  • Thomas Howell aged 28 years,
  • Benjamin Thomas aged 55 years, widower,
  • John Daniel aged 50 years, married with two children.

There was no Relief Fund available and the colliery manager arranged for a payment to be made to the bereaved families for the cost of a decent coffin and funeral.

 

REFERENCES
The Mines Inspectors Report 1867. Mr. Wales.

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

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