	Cwmtillery Colliery	Index	Cwmtillery Colliery

Cwmtillery Colliery

Location:	Blaina 11 miles [18 km] E of Merthyr Tydfil
Map Ref:	(Sheet 161 The Black Mountains) SO217067, 51° 45' 11" N, 3° 8' 4" W
Opened:
Closed:
Owners:	Lancaster's Steam Coal Collieries Ltd.
	1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
Output:	1947 - Coal: Coking, Household, Manufacturing, Steam. (300,000 tons)
Employment:	1923 - No. 1 - 870 (730 below, 140 surface)
	1923 - No. 2 - 820 (700 below, 120 surface)
	1933 - No. 1 - 820 (700 below, 120 surface)
	1933 - No. 2 - 670 (600 below, 70 surface)
	1940 - No. 1 - 820 (700 below, 120 surface)
	1940 - No. 2 - 670 (600 below, 70 surface)
	1947 - 1,216 (1,004 below, 212 surface)
Notes:	Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete!

Description

Disasters (5 or more killed)

	27th	May	1857		Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, 13 lives lost (Show Names)
	5th	Apr	1873		Explosion of firedamp, 8 lives lost (Show Names)

Those entries marked with , signify a disaster for which a memorial has been erected or for which we have images concerning the disaster, alternately their name may be mentioned on a memorial plaque. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

						Andrews, Stanley, 14 Mar 1924, 12.0 noon, 5th hour of shift, aged 31, Collier, He was taking down a piece of coal at the working face, and the coal, in falling, forced the point of his pick into his side, penetrating the lung. He died shortly afterwards. Electric safety lamp used
						Bagnal, Emmanuel, 01 Jun 1866, (accident: 18 May 1866), aged 20, Collier, Explosion of gas. A canvas sheet or door turned it into its channel and was imperfect. Gas accumulated and fired at the younger Bangall's naked light. Died 1st June [More information ...]
						Bagnal, John, 24 May 1866, (accident: 18 May 1866), aged 55, Collier, Explosion of gas. A canvas sheet or door turned it into its channel and was imperfect. Gas accumulated and fired at the younger Bangall's naked light. Died 24th [More information ...]
						Barnes, Thomas, 24 Apr 1870, (accident: 09 Apr 1870), aged 57, Roadman, Explosion of firedamp. He went into an old heading with a naked light to search for a sleeper and so fired the gas and was so badly burned he died 24th Apr
						Barwell, Thomas, 27 May 1857, aged 18, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Bendell, Francis, 21 Feb 1871, aged 40, Collier, Explosion of firedamp on the 21st, in consequence of door being left open ; Bendell was so badly burned that he died some days afterwards. There was plenty of air for all the purposes of safety if they had but minded their doors as was in fact their bounden duty
						Bennett, George, 05 Feb 1912, aged 24, Collier, Fall of side at working face. He appears to have been working underneath some top coal, which was spragged, when it fell upon him
						Brown, Jonas, 27 May 1857, aged 52, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Clark, Henry, 27 May 1857, aged 40, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Clark, John, 19 Jun 1871, aged 50, Brancher, Killed by fall of stone
						Corbett, John, 05 Apr 1873, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Corbett, William, 05 Apr 1873, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Evans, George, 05 Apr 1873, aged 17, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Evans, John, 26 Jan 1863, aged 30, Collier, Heavy fall of coal. They had neither "cropped" their work, nor timbered it up. With a top so smooth on its under surface, they were not safe a moment without "cropping" [More information ...]
						Gregory, James, 27 May 1857, aged 18, Haulier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Gregory, James, 26 Jan 1863, aged 36, Collier, Heavy fall of coal. They had neither "cropped" their work, nor timbered it up. With a top so smooth on its under surface, they were not safe a moment without "cropping" [More information ...]
						Hawkins, John, 27 May 1857, aged 51, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Heard, Harold Owen, 01 Apr 1924, 1.30 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 18, Collier's Helper, It was his duty to get the full trams away from a face conveyor. A small haulage gear pulled the trams at a speed of about 1½ miles per hour for a distance of about 80 yards against a gradient of 1 in 12. Heard went in front of the journey to signal it away, and after it had travelled a short distance he was heard to cry out. The journey was stopped, and he was found under the third tram. He stated that he did not think the trams were so near. He was so badly injured that he died the same day. Electric safety lamp used
						Jones, George, 25 Nov 1896, aged 24, Shunter, He stumbled when getting under the buffers of some waggons which he wanted to uncouple before they had come to a standstill and was pushed along by the wheel of the second tram (which was loaded with pit wood) and killed. The man was to blame for doing what was dangerous and the management for (although cautioning him) not previously enforcing the prohibition of this dangerous practice
						Jones, John, 27 May 1857, aged 12, Door boy, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Jones, Thomas, 18 Feb 1925, aged 36, Truck machineman, Run over by wagons. Died same day
						Kirkham, John, 12 Jul 1866, aged 45, Sinker, Being at the bottom and about to fasten a tram to the chain he was suddenly struck on the head and killed by a piece of stone which fell from the side of the pit
						Matthews, James, 05 Apr 1873, aged 39, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Merrifield, Charles, 27 May 1857, aged 58, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Merrifield, Samuel, 27 May 1857, aged 29, Fireman, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Moor, Joseph, 27 Jun 1884, aged 14, On June 27th a boy, 14 years of age, named Joseph Moor, was playing by a sheave on a rubbish tip at Cwmtillery, and got into the wheel and was killed [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]
						More, William, 05 Apr 1873, aged 25, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Owen, Thomas, 05 Apr 1873, aged 26, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Parry, Thomas, 27 May 1857, aged 50, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Phillips, Henry, 05 Apr 1873, aged 24, explosion of firedamp [More information ...]
						Pound, William, 19 Jan 1911, aged 23, Timberman, Fall of roof from an unseen slip on the side of his road where he was building a pack wall
						Shaw, William, 02 Sep 1897, aged 25, Collier, Fall of coal which he had holed and insufficiently spragged
						Silcox, John, 27 May 1857, aged 30, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Taylor, George, 27 May 1857, aged 58, Sinker, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Thomas, Isaac, 07 Feb 1855, Collier, Fall of earth from heading
						Thome, William, 16 Feb 1900, aged 18, Shackler, When spragging trams on the endless haulage road he fell under a full tram and was drawn by it several yards. The road being high and wide it is difficult to account for the accident, but it is possible that he did not notice the approaching empty tram, which may have caught him in a stooping position and knocked him over
						Whitcombe, John, 05 Oct 1860, (accident: 01 Oct 1860), aged 30, Collier, Fall of stone overlying coal ; happened on the 1st, and he died on the 5th
						Williams, William, 27 May 1857, aged 40, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]
						Wiltshire, John Charles John, 12 Jul 1924, 8.30 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 54, Collier, He had set three sprags against the clod and one against the top coal at the face. He removed two of the sprags supporting the clod, and after the clod fell was clearing it away, when a large piece of the top coal broke off and crushed him against a cog. It is probable that when the clod fell the sprag against the coal was knocked out. He was killed instantaneously. Electric safety lamp used
						Wyatt, William, 27 May 1857, aged 58, Collier, Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by safety lamp, Explosion of firedamp from using naked lights whilst breaking through into old an work. Five others injured [More information ...]

						40 names found

If you know of any fatalities missing from the above list then please contact us with the details and we will add them to our database.

For those names marked the text of the Mines Inspectors report into the incident is available online. Click on the icon to display the report.

Those names marked with , were killed in a disaster for which a memorial has been erected or for which we have images concerning the disaster, alternately their name may be mentioned on a memorial plaque. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.

Those names marked with , have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the web page.

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this page have been kindly provided by Ian Winstanley of the Coal Mining History Resource Centre (CMHRC) and are marked with . The CMHRC is available here.

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Cwmtillery Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Cwmtillery Colliery

Gallery Images:

Memorial Images:

Memorial: 1857 Tyr Nicholas, Cwmtillery Colliery Disaster

Memorial: 1873 Cwmtillery Colliery Disaster

Memorial: 1876 Cwmtillery Colliery Disaster

Credits

Sources:

1855 Mines Inspectors Report, by Herbert Mackworth, H.M. Inspector of Mines
1857 Mines Inspectors Report, by Herbert Mackworth, H.M. Inspector of Mines
1860 Mines Inspectors Report, by Lionel Brough, H.M. Inspector of Mines
1863 Mines Inspectors Report, by Lionel Brough, H.M. Inspector of Mines
1871 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 653), South-western District by Lionel Brough, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1056), South-western District by Lionel Brough, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1884 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4429), South Western District by Thomas Cadman,, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1900 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 536), South Western District (No. 12) by Joseph S. Martin, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), South Wales District (No. 7) by W. N. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1912 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6983), South Wales District (No. 7) by W. N. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1923 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1924 Mines Inspectors Report, Cardiff and Newport Division (No. 6) by J. M. Carey, H.M. Inspector of Mines [DMM Ref: L-01624 - Tom Bainbridge Collection]
1933 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1940 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1947 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
OS Grid Reference from Adit Now website

Pictures:

Colliery picture from old postcard