Varteg Hill Colliery

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Alvis, George, 24 Apr 1894, aged 56, Foreman, Having coupled three trucks together on the pit timber siding for a horse to pull out he stood on a pile of timber at the side and in reaching forward to raise a brake he fell in front of the wheels which passing over him caused immediate death. He had been foreman for six or seven years

Anslow, William, 22 Mar 1894, aged 59, Underground Labourer, John Vipond and Company, Limited, Varteg Hill Colliery. — William Anslow, 59, underground labourer, on the 22nd March, died suddenly while sitting in the cabin at the pit bottom. He suffered for years from chest complaint, and had only a few days before recommenced work after some months' absence on account of his health. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

Carpenter, Daniel, 27 Mar 1855, aged 16, Collier, Fall of coal

Chilcott, John, 30 May 1878, Collier, Fall of coal

Collard, William, 24 Dec 1886, (accident: 23 Dec 1886), aged 45, Roadsman, Fall of stone. He was ripping down top more came than he expected and fell on him. He died on the 24th

Cullimore, Henry, 09 Oct 1897, (accident: 07 Oct 1897), aged 60, Surface foreman, Leg injured by a tram on surface engine plane between the entrance to the slope and the screens. A sprag which had been inserted in the wheel of the tram breaking allowed it to run wild down to the screens where he was engaged. The sprag evidently was not a proper one for the purpose or the accident would not have occurred through its breaking. Mortification setting in he died on the 9th

Davies, Ernest, 13 Jun 1893, aged 21, Collier, Fall of roof from slips in Elled Seam. He was alone when it occurred having sent his boy home as the pit was not drawing coal. The coal lies about 6 ft under the Elled and is worked in advance of it consequently the roof is more or less shaken in places and slips affected accordingly. He had fired a shot in the coal and before he could effectual secure the stone (even had he been aware of the slips) he must remove some of the coal which he appears to have been doing

Davies, James, 05 Feb 1880, aged 35, Collier, Fall of stone

Davies, Morgan, 23 May 1917, Knocked down by trams

Davies, Samuel, 19 Jul 1895, aged 24, Rider, While riding in a tram of an empty journey a fall of roof suddenly took place and buried him. The place was apparently well timbered. There is nothing to show whether the timbers supporting the roof were knocked out by the journey or whether the fall was due to a local disturbance of the strata

Davies, William, 16 Aug 1878, aged 26, Screener, The deceased was standing on a railway waggon and directed those above to tip coal down. He neglected to get out of the way and was crushed by the shoot of the screen

Edwards, Albert, 13 Mar 1901, aged 20, Collier, Fall of roof coal at the face from unseen slips. There should have been additional props set, but they were delayed through the bottom coal not having been got up, and the setting of temporary ones was considered too much trouble

Elliot, Jonah, 25 Jun 1920, Killed by a fall of roof

Evans, Stephen, 29 May 1889, (accident: 29 Dec 1888), aged 21, Collier, Fall of roof. He deferred setting timber which he knew was required and it resulted in his being so seriously injured that he died 29th of May from the effects after my 1888 Report had been completed

Fox, Richard, 06 Oct 1904, aged 51, Collier, Fall of roof. Fall of roof, which is rock, while holing on top of the coal. The place had been standing some time, in consequence of which extra precautions should have been taken to secure it before and while engaged holing

Gratton, Albert, 03 Jan 1920, Large stone fell on him

Green, Edward, 29 Oct 1903, aged 60, Mason, A heavy fall of roof occurred from slants in the roof of a roadway where it was 17 feet high and where arching was being put in. The place was apparently well timbered with double timbers and stringers against the sides. The fall occurred without warning and carried the timber away. It was a mercy there were not half-a-dozen men killed, as would have been the case had it occurred five or ten minutes sooner

Grey, William, 13 Jan 1863, aged 45, Roadman, Went alone into an old heading to draw timber ; whilst so employed he probably brought down some of the roof, for, when found, he was buried under the fall, and quite dead

Hill, George, 08 Sep 1913, aged 47, Hitcher, He was fatally injured by two runaway tubs as he was waiting at the junction to receive them

Hosken, Stephen, 15 Feb 1900, aged 24, Collier, He was found directly under a stone which had been brought down by a shot. It is probable that he lighted the squib instead of the match, and that the shot went off before he could get away. Gunpowder and a squib were used. Squibs are a dangerous means of firing shots

Jacobs, Evan, 13 May 1906, (accident: Jan 1906), aged 25, Collier, Evan Jacobs, 25, collier, died at Pontypool Hospital on the 13th May under the effects of chloroform, preparatory to an operation for an abscess. It was alleged that he strained himself when at work at Varteg Hill Colliery, some time in the preceding January, but the occurrence was not reported to any official, and there is nothing to connect the abscess with an accident [fatality reported during the year but not classified as a reportable accident]

James, William, 09 Jun 1873, (accident: 30 May 1873), aged 40, Collier, Fall of coal ; died on the 9th June

Jeffries, Joshua, 18 Dec 1875, aged 36, Haulier, Fell under trams

Jenkins, Thomas, 21 Jun 1916, Crushed by a tram

Jones, Samuel, 01 Jan 1925, Collapsed and died while walking to his work during a violent storm

Jones, Thomas, 05 Dec 1882, aged 58, Collier, When going to work in the morning he was run over by some railway waggons

Marsh, Henry, 10 Aug 1871, aged 30, Labourer, Crush of trucks on incline

Morgan, James, 17 Mar 1899, aged 19, Collier's boy, Fall of roof from a slip in his working place

Morgan, Thomas, 06 Aug 1892, (accident: 23 Jul 1892), aged 17, Collier, He died on 6th August from the results of a fall of roof which was released by a slip leaning over towards the face. The place was enerally well secured and the fireman or examiner had been in the place with him before the accident

Pike, Thomas, 13 Aug 1888, aged 30, Collier, Crushed by trams on the engine plane while with five or six other men on their way to work. He appears to have miscalculated his position with regard to the trams

Powell, John, 09 Jun 1914, (accident: 22 Apr 1914), aged 18, Collier, Fall of roof from edge of rippings as he was coming out from the face with a box of coal, and when in a stooping position. He died June 9th, 1914

Pugh, George, 02 Oct 1907, 12.30 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 64, Collier, Fall of top coal from the face as he was getting out some bottom coal. Due to his not spragging the coal properly

Roynon, John, 14 Jun 1928, Cardiac failure — accident 1923

Smith, Jesse, 13 Jun 1864, (accident: 11 May 1864), aged 32, Fireman, Severely hurt this day by getting in the way of the descending cage at the bottom of the shaft (where he certaily had no possible right to be) ; of which injuries he died on the 13th of June following

Teague, Thomas, 15 May 1889, aged 35, Sawyer, A piece of timber which was being removed from the front of a circular saw caught in the teeth and was thrown violently against him causing death in a few minutes

Thomas, Samuel, 25 Feb 1901, aged 69, Doorman, Run over by empty trams near the mouth of the engine slope. How he was caught is not exactly known, but he was in the habit of leaving his door as soon as the journey had passed, and must have been returning to it at the time

Vey, Charles, 09 Feb 1928, aged 40, Steeplejack, Fell from a ladder

Whitcombe, John, 24 Jul 1888, aged 17, Collier, Fall of clod and coal at the face while passing to get a pick. It was holed and the sprags had been withdrawn

Williams, Alfred, 03 Nov 1903, aged 27, Collier, A piece of coal fell off the face in front of the road and struck his head. According to the evidence at the inquest he was very negligent in the general testing of the roof, his butty stating that he only did so night and morning

Williams, Joseph, 30 Jul 1892, aged 45, Night haulier, While stooping in front of a full tram trying to get it on the rail the horse suddenly jerked it against his head and dislocated his neck. The place where the accident occurred was fairly roomy but the rails were not in good order which accounts for the tram getting off

Williams, Wilfred, 07 Jul 1906, aged 15, Collier Boy, He was filling coal in the "face" when clod, about 1 foot 8 inches thick, between the top and bottom coals, broke over a sprag and fell upon him, causing his ribs to pierce the lung. The sprags had no lids or clits, which would probably have prevented the clod breaking and falling as it did

Williams, William, 28 May 1913, aged 16, Collier, His comrade was about to charge a hole in the coal with compressed powder, and had placed the pellets on the floor near the shot hole ; deceased accidentally dropped his lighted lamp on to the powder and received fatal injuries