LLAN. Cardiff, Glamorganshire. 6th. December, 1875.

The colliery was the property of Messrs. T.K. Booker and Company Limited and was about six miles from Cardiff. It worked the Hard Vein, Bras Vein and Forked Vein coals which were reached by a drift from the surface which ran for 700 yards into the mountain and sloped at an angle of thirty degrees and intersected these seams at different points. The men walked down the mine after having their lamps checked at the surface. Those who worked in the upper seams carried naked lights but the Bras Vein was known as a fiery seam and there was a regulation that naked lamps were permitted only in the heading. The colliery was ventilated by fans which blew air down the incline so the men seldom worked with naked lights.

The explosion occurred in the Bras Vein, in which the workings were only of a limited extent owing to the number of faults that had been encountered and at the time there were only nine men working in this seam. It was not regarded as a fiery seam and over a considerable period of time, gas had been encountered in only two places and when the gas was found measures were taken to allow the men to work with naked lights.

Two exploring levels had been driven and since the coal was not of good quality it was decided to abandon them and work out the pillars. When this was done, the roof began to fall and the airway which took the air to the faces was neglected and became so bad that it could not be travelled. As a consequence, no air reached the face. The ventilation was not only defective in the quantity of air that was reaching the faces but the Inspector thought that the method in which it was distributed was “of the worst possible kind”.  He commented:

Instead of conveying the fresh air to the lowest point, and allowing it to ascend as it became rarefied by the heat of the mine, it was taken into the workings at the highest point which necessitated the gas being forced downhill. Such a system, of ventilation, always conduces to accumulations of gas in different parts, and especially in the elevated parts of the colliery.

The manager had been at the post only a few weeks and at the inquiry stated that he was not aware of the bad state of the road. The Inspector commented that it was a pity that he had not inspected it himself. The manager stated that he had drawn the attention of the overman, who was his superior, to the situation and the overman had always replied that as they were only working the pillars, the air was sufficient. The overman was among the 16 who lost their lives.

The pit employed 300 men and boys and they did not enter until the overman had given the signal that all was clear. On the morning of the explosion, only about 150 went down the mine at 6.30 a.m. and the enginemen worked drawing coal and the officials checked the tubs as the came to the surface. All went well until suddenly, about 9.30 a.m., three men rushed out shouting for help and saying that an explosion had occurred in the Bras. Men and boys continued to come out for some time and it was not known exactly what had happened.

An anxious crowd gathered at the mouth of the pit and Mr. Edwards, the manager was informed and tried to get down the pit but the atmosphere was very heavy. They managed to get in to find that there had been an explosion.

They found that Abraham Phillips, the overman had been thrown against the sides and was dead. They found some men and boys who had been injured, including two colliers named Edwards and Evans and they, were brought to the surface to be tended by the doctors that had arrived. Others were found so badly burned that were said to be burnt to a cinder.

Those who lost their lives were:

  • William Llewellyn, wife and 3 children.
  • Moses Llewellyn, a boy.
  • Thomas Llewellyn Jnr., single.
  • Thomas Llewellyn Snr., wife and 4 children.
  • Robert Taylor, single.
  • Daniel Evans, wife and child.
  • John Thomas, single.
  • John Pritchard, single.
  • William Peters, wife and 2 children.
  • Abraham Phillips, overman, wife and 6 children.
  • Henry Slant, left a wife and 4 children.

All were all burnt and suffocated. David Rees, a boy, was killed by a ventilation door being blow on him which caused massive head injuries.

Four other workmen who were rescued alive were reported to have died within two weeks but their names are not recorded.

The injured were:

  • Shadrach Davies,
  • Evan Davies,
  • Samuel Evans
  • John Flym,
  • William Harding,
  • Abraham Williams.

The inquest was held by Mr. Rees and the jury returned the verdict that:

Henry Smart died of chokedamp from an explosion at the colliery on the 6th. How the explosion occurred we are not agreed but the deficiency in the ventilation had been shown and we recommend more vigilance in the future.

 

REFERENCES
Mines Inspector Report, 1875. Mr. Thomas E. Wales.
Colliery Guardian, 10th December p.874, 17th December p.913, 24th December p.955.
”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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