Weighfach Colliery Explosion – Swansea – 1877

WEIGHFACH. Swansea, Glamorganshire. 10th. March, 1877.

The colliery belonged to the Landore Siemens Steel Company and the explosion cost 18 lives. The colliery was worked with locked safety lamps. There had been an accumulation of gas found on several mornings prior to the explosion which cost eighteen lives. The gas was found at the top of the No.20 top hole at the entrance of which was a small fan which was worked by a boy. This was to force air up the face.

On the morning of the disaster, the fireman found gas in the usual place and put the boy to work the fan to clear the gas. While this was going on the overman went past the lamp station into the return airway where he took off the top of his lamp. The gas that had been swept from the No.20 top hole by the fan, exploded.

Those who lost their lives:

• David Anthony aged 24 years, wife and child.
• Abraham Bevan, overman, wife and 5 children.
• Charles Cooper aged 23 years, wife and child.
• David Davies aged 31 years, fireman, wife and 5 children.
• David Davies aged 30 years.
• Evan Davies aged 29 years, wife and 2 children.
• Job Davies aged 16 years.
• John Griffiths aged 37 years, wife and 2 children.
• Robert Howells aged 15 years.
• Henry Jones aged 27 years.
• William Mathews aged 21 years.
• John Morris.
• John Prosser aged 56 years, wife and 5 children.
• David Thomas aged 29 years, wife and 3 children.
• David Thomas aged 37 years, wife and 6 children.
• Thomas Thomas aged 46 years, wife and 4 children.
• Isaac Williams left a wife and 4 children.
• William Williams aged 20 years.

It was learned at the inquest that on several mornings prior to the disaster gas had accumulated in No. 20 top hole. A small fan worked by a boy was placed at the entrance to force the air up the face. On the morning of the disaster, it was assumed that the fireman found gas as usual and out the boy to work. It was not certain that this was so as both the fireman and the overman were killed in the explosion. While this was being down, the overman went beyond the lamp station to the return airway and removed the top of his lamp which exploded the gas which had been displaced by the fan. The explosion was put down to the reckless conduct of the overman and it was pointed out that his conduct was a flagrant breach of the colliery rules.

The Inspector, Mr. Wales, made an inspection of the mine six or seven hours after the disaster and found that the gas had not been registered by the two firemen and proceedings were taken against the surviving fireman and the manger. The former was fined £20 and the latter £4 which were the full penalties under the Act.

The Inspector, Mr. Wales said:

This explosion and serious loss of life are fairly attributed to the reckless conduct of the deceased overman in removing the top from his lamp at a point beyond the lamps station which was a flagrant breach of the colliery rules.

REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report, 1877.
”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.