Llanhilleth Colliery

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Adams, William Henry, 08 Mar 1929, (accident: 21 Feb 1929), aged 50, Haulier, Derailed tram thrown into side struck his leg. Died 8th Mar

Beard, William, 06 Jan 1911, aged 63, Labourer, Owing to the opening of a coupling, three trams ran down an incline and crashed into others standing at the bottom, causing one of these latter to pin him against the wall

Birchall, Thomas, 22 Aug 1884, aged 29, Collier, His stall dipped outwards for about 20 yards, and the custom was to take the trams down with three sprags in, the man shoving behind. On the day in question he took out all but one, and went in front of the tram to steady it, but was overpowered, lost his light, and was killed

Burton, Joseph, 05 Oct 1907, 6.30 a.m., 1st hour of shift, aged 68, Timber-drawer, Two colliers filled two trams of rubbish at a fall on an incline, and left them scotched instead of spragged, with the result that they, from some cause unknown, ran wild and killed Burton 60 to 70 yards lower down, when on his way in to work. The two men were seriously to blame, which was also found to be the case by the Coroner's jury

Carroll, Dennis, 10 Mar 1905, aged 31, Haulier, Knocked about and fatally injured by an air-blast, or rush of wind, caused by a fall of stone in a large cavity from which a heavy fall had previously occurred, which blocked up the engine plane which was being repaired. It was at first thought to be an explosion of gas, but subsequent investigation proved conclusively that it was not so. Six others were also injured more or less seriously [More information ...]

Cook, Harry, 30 Sep 1902, aged 28, Haulier, He was bringing fuil trams out on a heading about 40 yards behind another haulier, when by some means he fell under his tram. The gradient was from 1½ inches to 2 inches to the yard, the heading was from 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 11 inches high and 6 to 9 feet wide. The other haulier did not hear anything and could not account for it

Cornick, John, 29 Sep 1894, aged 22, Collier, Partridge, Jones, and Co., Limited, Llanhilleth Colliery. — John Cornick, a collier, 22 years of age, on the night of the 29th September, died suddenly in his working place in the Black Vein from failure of the heart's action, entirely unconnected with any mining circumstances [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Davies, William, 14 Nov 1908, aged 20, Collier, Coal which he was getting down at the face fell against a prop and knocked it out. This in falling struck his head and fractured his skull

Evans, Charles, 17 Nov 1905, aged 33, Master Haulier, Crushed by an empty tram by the side of which he was walking on the engine plane. It was only going at a walking pace, and he was either knocked down by it or fell under it. The road was roomy, being 7 feet high and 9 feet wide, with double rails laid in it

Evans, John, 24 Nov 1900, aged 30, Cog drawer, Fall of roof in a roadway (near the face of the working) along which he was passing. He was engaged during the shift repairing near the place, but owing to there being a heavy "weight" on, instead of going the shortest way to the point he wanted to reach, he went out to the heading and up to a stall road above and was killed while coming down by the face. He was not missed for several hours, and when found was dead

Griffiths, Griffith, 01 Sep 1896, aged 36, Collier

Griffiths, Hopkin, 11 Sep 1903, aged 68, Timber Drawer, Hopkin Griffiths, 68, timber drawer at Llanhilleth Colliery, died suddenly from "natural causes" on the 11th September, when waiting to ascend the shaft after his day's work [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Griffiths, John, 11 Dec 1900, aged 24, Rider, When walking out behind a journey, some overhanging coal in the last tram caught against, and knocked out, a set of timber, resulting in a fall from the roof, which killed him

Grunow, Albert, 24 May 1905, aged 38, Haulier, When driving his horse up a heading a fall of roof ocourred at the entrance to a stall. The supporting timbers were knocked out by the fall, apparently not having been efficiently set

Gwynne, James, 09 Oct 1910, (accident: 07 Sep 1910), aged 28, Haulier, A runaway tram ran into his horse and journey and he was so injured that he died on 9th October, 1910

Harvey, Jasper, 18 Dec 1906, aged 21, Collier, After loosening a sprag, the coal which it was supporting moved and stuck on the sprag. He struck the top end of the sprag with his mandril, when, instead of its falling away from him as he expected, the coal forced it out, so that it struck his head and killed him instantly. Apparently a pure accident and bad luck, but a gablock and chain would have saved him

Hemming, N. G., 22 Nov 1882, aged 18, Screener, Crushed between railway trucks

Holland, William, 14 May 1904, aged 19, Collier, Fall of side. Deceased was sitting down near the face when a piece of clod burst off the top of the coal and killed him

Hughes, Reginald, 20 Aug 1906, aged 13, Oiling Boy, This boy was killed while improperly oiling a rope sheave in motion. The sheave was not properly fenced, and the boy was in any case not suitable for the work. The mechanic who was immediately responsible for this got his notice on account of it and other things being unsatisfactory

James, Daniel, 15 Dec 1900, aged 39, Collier, He was ripping the roof in his roadway, and instead of carrying it forward towards the coal face he began working from the face outwards, thinking it would be easier. He appears to have knocked out two posts, add was working under the roof thus liberated with the result that it fell and killed him

Jones, Arthur Thomas, 31 Aug 1901, aged 19, Timberman's Labourer, A fall of roof on the Main North Level had loosened a pair of timber, and while the rubbish from the fall was being cleared, a quantity of timber packed on the collars gave way, and falling upon him caused his death

Jones, David, 23 Nov 1901, (accident: 09 Jun 1900), aged 41, Haulier, David Jones, 41, a haulier at Llanhilleth Colliery, died on the 23rd November from cancer, the result of injuries received while at work on the 9th June, 1900. This accident is also out of date, and, therefore, not comprised [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Jones, Edward, 19 Feb 1905, (accident: 13 Oct 1904), aged 29, Collier, It is alleged that he strained himself when at work laying down a parting. He died on the 19th February, 1905, from tubercular peritonitis, which, according to the medical evidence of a post-mortem at the inquest, was accelerated by accidents on the 24th March and 13th October, 1904

Jones, Henry, 19 Mar 1904, aged 31, Labourer, While letting a truck down to the corn store he tried to use the brake where there was not sufficient space for him between the truck and the wall of the store, and in doing so was fatally crushed, he was unfamiliar with the work and should not have attempted it

Leader, William, 23 Oct 1899, aged 13, Collier's boy, Fall of coal which burst off from a "face slip" and a "grimy back slip" in his working place. The coal does not appear to have been overhanging, thus proving that spragging is necessary in a thick seam, even with a straight-up face

Lewis, Albert, 25 Mar 1904, aged 31, Rider, The front tram of his journey, on an endless rope haulage road, having left the rails at a curve, he loosened the clip attaching it to the rope, but did not take it off. While passing the tram at the side to get a sprag a splice in the rope caught in the clip and, pulling the tram forward, crushed him against the side

Lewis, J. S., 13 Apr 1910, aged 16, Collier boy, Fall of side at working face. A lump of coal in which was a band of brass fell off face and struck him. The face was not overhanging

Mapps, William, 13 Mar 1905, (accident: Jul 1903), aged 35, Collier, William Mapps, 35, collier, employed at Llanhilleth Colliery, died on the 13th March from acute pneumonia. He had been injured when at work in July, 1903, and it was attempted to prove that death resulted from that accident, but the doctor, in spite of much unfair criticism and heckling stuck to his diagnosis that it was not so, and a verdict was given accordingly. In any case as death resulted more than a year and a day after the accident it would not be comprised under the Act [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Martin, Robert, 10 Dec 1906, aged 16, Collier's Boy, Fall of coal from the "face," it having been given off at a "sooty grime" which ran up from a reverse slip and could not be seen. Generally I have found the places in this colliery spragged and kept in good order, but the coal which is about 7 feet thick requires to be well spragged whether overhanging or not, and this was not done in this case

Mayo, John, 18 Feb 1905, aged 58, Ostler, Hearing a noise of trams running into the cage in which he was about to ascend from the bottom of the pit he stepped out just as it began to move, and was crushed against the edge of the pent-house

Mills, Samuel, 11 Jun 1907, Noon, 5th hour of shift, aged 26, Collier, Fall of coal from the face, in the Black Vein, which was about 7½ feet thick. He stood between two sprags about 4½ feet apart, and was pulling down some coal. It broke off differently to what he expected and knocked out a sprag which, in falling, struck his head

Morgan, Charles, 10 Nov 1914, aged 30, Chaff Cutter, He was crushed between a pulley wheel and belting as he was applying grip paste to the belt. The machinery which was in motion was improperly fenced

Morgan, James D., 12 May 1909, aged 45, Labourer, Crushed on a main endless rope haulage road by a set of six trams running wild owing, it is supposed, to the pin of one of the coupling shackles rising out of the shackle from one cause or another. Deceased with another man was engaged clearing up the road, which rises at this place about 2½ to 3 inches to the yard. There was ample room at the sides for them to stand clear, and a manhole within a few yards. As the trams passed, the last one appears to have caught deceased's clothing, and, dragging him along with it, caused his death. This is dealt with as a rope or chain breaking, as it seems practically of that class of accident

Morgan, William, 08 Nov 1898, (accident: 20 Oct 1898), aged 70, Collier, Fall of coal in his working place in consequence of inefficient spragging. He died 8th November

Morgan, William, 08 Mar 1907, 1 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 28, Collier, Fall of coal from the face of their working place in the Black Vein where the seam was about 7½ feet thick with 10 inches of clod above it. The coal was worked on the face slip and overhung about a yard. The lump which fell measured about 7 feet across the face and had both ends loose. Against this there was only one sprag which was totally insufficient. Prior to the 1905-6 strike this colliery enjoyed considerable immunity from this class of accident under the same conditions, but, whatever the cause, since the resumption of work there have been several [More information ...]

Morgan, William, 09 Jul 1908, aged 24, Fireman, In doing some repairs for the purpose of removing a small accumulation of gas in a hole in the roof of a roadway, he appears to have disturbed the timbers, which resulted in a fall of roof

Morgen, Walter, 08 Mar 1907, 1 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 20, Collier, Fall of coal from the face of their working place in the Black Vein where the seam was about 7½ feet thick with 10 inches of clod above it. The coal was worked on the face slip and overhung about a yard. The lump which fell measured about 7 feet across the face and had both ends loose. Against this there was only one sprag which was totally insufficient. Prior to the 1905-6 strike this colliery enjoyed considerable immunity from this class of accident under the same conditions, but, whatever the cause, since the resumption of work there have been several [More information ...]

Morris, Thomas, 02 Aug 1911, aged 37, Haulier, Fall of side on road while walking in front of his horse

Nurden, George, 20 Dec 1901, aged 27, Hitcher, A small lump of coal, not larger than a man's hand, fell from the surface, and struck his head. He was about to walk through the cage to give the signal from the other side of the shaft for men to ascend

Pond, Henry, 18 Jul 1906, (accident: 17 Jul 1906), aged 34, Labourer, He strained and ruptured himself while unloading pitwood from railway trucks. An operation was performed the same day, but proved unsuccessful, and he died early next morning

Pontin, Thomas, 03 Jan 1907, 12.50 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 35, Underground Traffic Foreman or Chief Master Haulier, He was in charge of the bottom of the pit while the Hitcher was having dinner. As he and others were putting two trams in the cage a piece of coal appears to have fallen from the surface and struck his head. He died on the way home. This is a constantly recurring source of accident due to the system of loading trams in the South Wales Coal field

Preece, Joseph, 21 Sep 1906, aged 36, Collier, He was engaged, about 5 yards back from the face, ripping top in his road about 10 inch thick, and was trimming the sides to make place for timber, when a large piece of the upper top came down upon him. There seems to have been no sign of smooth joints, &c., before the accident. A general "squeeze" seems to have been taking place there at the time

Pritchard, Edmund James, 04 Sep 1913, aged 32, Labourer, When walking outbye alongside a set of full tubs, he appears to have struck his head against a low collar and was thrown and crushed between the trams

Sims, Gilbert Hendy, 17 Apr 1908, aged 14, Collier's boy, Fall of coal from the face. It came from a back slip and broke off over a sprag catching him against a post set 3½ feet from the coal

Smith, E. A. T., 09 Feb 1909, aged 17, Collier, Fall of roof at the face from a glassy parting more or less all around and on the top of it, which owing to a scale of coal under the stone could not be seen beforehand. Size of stone, 4½ feet by 2½ feet by 9 inches thick

Thomas, Thomas, 04 Mar 1913, (accident: 18 May 1912), aged 62, Collier, Fall of side at working face. A prop being discharged by a fall of coal struck him on the head. He appeared to recover from the accident and resumed work, but died suddenly on 4th March, 1913. Medical evidence was to the effect that his death was due to the accident

Tidley, John Jasper, 14 Aug 1908, aged 31, Labourer, Fall of roof on roadway when passing on their way to work. The place was timbered with collars let into the strata on the one side, the collars on the other side resting on posts. Apparently the strata on which these rested gave way owing to a squeeze, and let the roof down, the ground not being very strong. The road had been examined by the examiner shortly before, and it is thoroughly overhauled once a month by a timberman, who had done so within the last fortnight (after the holidays), and who found only two broken collars requiring to be changed

Tippings, William, 25 May 1914, aged 53, Ripper, He was spare hand pitman, and as he was at work on a staging in the shaft he stepped back and fell through a small hole on to a stage below

White, George, 04 Jan 1910, (accident: 08 Apr 1909), aged 17, Surface Rider, When taking two trams of coal along an endless rope haulage road from the pit to the screens he stumbled, and falling in front of the trams was run over. The practice is to walk in front of the trams, holding the clip fast on the rope, which is apparently undesirable. He died on January 4th, 1910. I have been promised that this arrangement shall be altered in a short time

Williams, David, 11 Aug 1904, aged 28, Shackler, A tram having got off the rails in consequence of the dirty condition of the road, he and others were trying to get it on again, when apparently it slewed round or fell slantwise and crushed him causing death on the spot. This accident seems attributable to the dirty and untidy state of the road, the space outside the rails being filled with rubbish to such a height, that anything dropping there would roll onto the rails

Williams, Herbert, 19 Feb 1903, aged 33, Labourer, He was using a bar to lift a tram on to the rails while attached to the endless rope, which started too quickly, he was knocked down and run over by the tram