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  Milfraen Colliery  Index  Milfraen Colliery  
/ Index \

Milfraen Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: Blaenavon
11 miles [18 km] E of Merthyr Tydfil
Map Ref: (Sheet 161 The Black Mountains) SO218100, 51° 46' 58" N, 3° 8' 2" W
Opened:
Closed:
Owners: Blaenavon Co., Ltd.
Employment: 1923 - 494 (431 below, 63 surface)
1933 - 24 (13 below, 11 surface)
1937 - 5 (2 below, 3 surface)
1940 - 5 (2 below, 3 surface)
Notes:

Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete!



  Description Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description


  Disasters Summary Description Names Local Collieries Credits  

Disasters (5 or more killed)


Memorial  4th Mar 1902  5 lives lost (Show Names)
Memorial  10th Jul 1929  Explosion, firedamp, ignition caused by sparking at switch in coal cutter, 9 lives lost (Show Names)

Those entries marked with image, 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 image symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.


  Names Summary Description Disasters Local Collieries Credits  

Names of those killed at this colliery

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

In Memoriam
ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Barrell, Archie, 10 Jul 1929, aged 22, Assistant Collier, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

  Individal page CMHRC 

Davies, John, 11 Apr 1916, Badly cut hand

  Individal page   

Doleman, Arthur, 11 Aug 1882, aged 31, Collier, Fall of coal

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Edmunds, Clifford, 10 Jul 1929, aged 20, Assistant Collier, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

  Individal page CMHRC 

Edmunds, John, 03 Jul 1916, Fall of stone

  Individal page   

Gardiner, John, 02 Mar 1905, aged 62, Collier, Fall of side, which came off at a wet slipin his working place

 MemorialIndividal page   

Griffiths, Elias James, 04 Mar 1902, aged 13, Collier's Boy, They were thrown out of the cage while ascending the shaft, in consequence of it having struck against one of the iron girders or byatts, about 78 yards from the bottom. The cage, which had 8 or 9 inches clear of the girders when steady, is said to have left the bottom steadily, and from some cause unknown, to have got into swing with this result. My own impression is that the cage was jerked off the bottom owing to the lengths of slack rope at the time, and thus got swaying about. There were four wire rope guides to each cage, and subsequently the cages worked all right without any tightening of the guide ropes. There were no indications noticeable of the cage having previously come in contact with the sides of the shaft or the girders [More information ...]

 MemorialIndividal page   

Griffiths, Elias T., 04 Mar 1902, aged 48, Collier, They were thrown out of the cage while ascending the shaft, in consequence of it having struck against one of the iron girders or byatts, about 78 yards from the bottom. The cage, which had 8 or 9 inches clear of the girders when steady, is said to have left the bottom steadily, and from some cause unknown, to have got into swing with this result. My own impression is that the cage was jerked off the bottom owing to the lengths of slack rope at the time, and thus got swaying about. There were four wire rope guides to each cage, and subsequently the cages worked all right without any tightening of the guide ropes. There were no indications noticeable of the cage having previously come in contact with the sides of the shaft or the girders [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Gunter, William James, 27 Nov 1924, 3.45 p.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 18, Pumpsman, He was attending to a three-throw pump, driven by a 5-h.p. A.C. motor, which had been moved from its fixed position, due to the water rising, and had been placed in a temporary position on a dip. The pressure of supply on the circuit was 500 volts. He was switching on the current when, probably due to excessive arcing between the switch contacts, the cast iron switch cover became electrically charged, and his left hand, when he operated the switch, came in contact with the cover, causing a fatal electric shock. It was found that due to the defective method of attaching the cable armouring to the switch case, and which did not comply with the requirements of the Electrical Regulations, the switch case was not earthed at all. There were other breaches of the Regulations on the part of the electricians who had re-installed the electrical apparatus in the temporary position. The pumpsman used an electric safety lamp

  Individal page   

Hill, William, 23 Nov 1911, aged 40, Master Haulier, While waiting at bottom of shaft for the cage he slipped and fell forward, and the cage descended on him

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Holder, Ernest, 10 Jul 1929, aged 57, Collier, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Hopkins, Joseph, 01 May 1924, 1.30 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 18, Collier's Helper, He was pulling down some coal with a pick, after taking out a sprag, and slipped forward as the coal fell being caught by the fall. He died from his injuries shortly afterwards. Electric safety lamp used

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Howells, Evan, 10 Jul 1929, aged 40, Coal cutting machine man, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Hulbert, Richard, 26 Oct 1911, aged 38, Haulier, Fall of roof and side on road on which he was driving a pony. The road was in bad repair and much of the timber rotten

  Individal page   

Jones, Daniel, 13 Nov 1880, aged 53, Collier, Killed by something falling upon his head as he was stepping into the cage to come up after finishing his day's work

  Individal page   

Luff, John, 03 Oct 1911, aged 53, Collier, Fall of roof at working face while pulling down stone loosened by a shot. His boy was also injured by the fall [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Norman, William John, 13 Dec 1912, aged 14, Collier Boy, Fall of coal and clod at working face. A piece fell off from the face, crushing the lad's head against coal-box he was filling, causing a fractured skull

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Parry, David John, 10 Jul 1929, aged 37, Collier, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

 MemorialIndividal page   

Phillips, David, 04 Mar 1902, aged 37, Collier, They were thrown out of the cage while ascending the shaft, in consequence of it having struck against one of the iron girders or byatts, about 78 yards from the bottom. The cage, which had 8 or 9 inches clear of the girders when steady, is said to have left the bottom steadily, and from some cause unknown, to have got into swing with this result. My own impression is that the cage was jerked off the bottom owing to the lengths of slack rope at the time, and thus got swaying about. There were four wire rope guides to each cage, and subsequently the cages worked all right without any tightening of the guide ropes. There were no indications noticeable of the cage having previously come in contact with the sides of the shaft or the girders [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Price, Alfred, 05 Sep 1900, aged 19, Collier, Fall of coal under which he was working with insufficient sprags

  Individal page   

Prisk, John, 26 Jan 1886, (accident: 16 Jan 1886), aged 48, Sinker, Injured by a stone falling and died on the 26th. He was the chargeman of a shift of sinkers and was working in the bottom when a small stone fell on him. He had shortly before examined the pit

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Ricketts, David, 10 Jul 1929, aged 35, Collier, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Snook, Herbert, 28 Jan 1905, aged 20, Haulier, A horse bolted in a stall road and knocked him down, fracturing the base of his skull. The horse was of a nervous temperament and had apparently been frightened

  Individal page CMHRC 

Southcote, Frederick, 27 Feb 1917, Side of workings fell in

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Southcott, Ernest, 29 Jul 1929, (accident: 10 Jul 1929), aged 20, Assistant Collier, died from severe burns, with shock, toxaemia following burns [More information ...]

 MemorialIndividal page   

Stallard, Edward, 04 Mar 1902, aged 53, Collier, They were thrown out of the cage while ascending the shaft, in consequence of it having struck against one of the iron girders or byatts, about 78 yards from the bottom. The cage, which had 8 or 9 inches clear of the girders when steady, is said to have left the bottom steadily, and from some cause unknown, to have got into swing with this result. My own impression is that the cage was jerked off the bottom owing to the lengths of slack rope at the time, and thus got swaying about. There were four wire rope guides to each cage, and subsequently the cages worked all right without any tightening of the guide ropes. There were no indications noticeable of the cage having previously come in contact with the sides of the shaft or the girders [More information ...]

 MemorialIndividal page   

Stallard, William A., 04 Mar 1902, aged 15, Collier's Boy, They were thrown out of the cage while ascending the shaft, in consequence of it having struck against one of the iron girders or byatts, about 78 yards from the bottom. The cage, which had 8 or 9 inches clear of the girders when steady, is said to have left the bottom steadily, and from some cause unknown, to have got into swing with this result. My own impression is that the cage was jerked off the bottom owing to the lengths of slack rope at the time, and thus got swaying about. There were four wire rope guides to each cage, and subsequently the cages worked all right without any tightening of the guide ropes. There were no indications noticeable of the cage having previously come in contact with the sides of the shaft or the girders [More information ...]

  Individal page CMHRC 

Stokes, Robert, 09 Oct 1916, Crushed by a tram

  Individal page   

Walby, Edward, 04 Nov 1876, (accident: 02 Nov 1876), aged 14, Door boy, Fall of stone ; died on 4th

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Williams, Albert James, 10 Jul 1929, aged 21, Assistant Collier, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Williams, Evan James, 10 Jul 1929, aged 20, Assistant Collier, died from severe burns, with carbon monoxide poisoning, shock following burns [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Williams, J., 16 Nov 1904, aged 19, Collier, Fall of roof. After having holed the coal, deceased worked a bunch off and was getting some more down when a stone, shaped like a bell, fell on him. With the exception of this part of it, the stall was well timbered. The examiner should see to these dangers very closely and frequently during the shift

 
  32 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 image the text of the Mines Inspectors report into the incident is available online. Click on the image icon to display the report.

Those names marked with image, 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 image symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.

Those names marked with image, have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the image 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 image. The CMHRC is available here.

More information  more information on some of the fatalities shown above


  Local Collieries Summary Description Disasters Names Credits  

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

Colliery Map  a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Milfraen Colliery

Nearby Collieries  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Milfraen Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Memorial Images:

Memorial: 1902 Milfraen Colliery Disaster Memorial: 1929 Milfraen Colliery Disaster

  Credits Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries  

Credits

Sources:

  • 1876 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1734), 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
  • 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590), Southern District (No. 12) by Joseph S. Martin, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1904 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2506), Southern District (No. 12) by Joseph S. Martin, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1905 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2910), Southern 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
  • 1937 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

  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

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