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	Individual Details		Individual Details

Age:	38
Died:	15th Apr 1878
Accident:	15th Apr 1878
Year Born:	abt. 1840
Colliery:	Westernmoor
Company:	Westernmoor Colliery Co.
Occupation:	Collier
Notes:	Killed by an inundation of water from old workings
Buried:	[not known]
Category:

Inundations of Water.

About 9.30 a.m. on the 16th of April an inundation of water took place at the Western Moor Colliery, situated near Neath and belonging to Messrs. John and Williams, resulting in the loss of four lives. At the time of the inundation 17 men were in the mine, 13 of whom fortunately made their escape and reached the surface safely. At the inquest, which continued several days, and was of a most searching nature, nearly all the survivors, together with the manager and overman, were examined as witnesses, and I beg to append a copy of their evidence, &c.

"The Western Moor Colliery Accident.

"The Adjourned Inquest.

"Mr. Cuthbertson, coroner, resumed his inquiry on Thursday, at the county police station, Neath, into the circumstances attending the death of the three men — Rees, Williams, and Llewellyn, and the boy David Davies — in the accident at the Western Moor Colliery, on Tuesday, the 16th instant. Mr. Wales, Government Inspector of Mines, was present. The first witness called was Mr. Thomas, mining engineer, who handed in plans of the colliery, which, he said, had been made under his supervision. He examined the slant on the 5th of April before the accident. He went in with the proprietors, but did not hear anything said about water, nor was there any reason to suspect anything out of the ordinary course.

"Sarah Davies said she lived at the Rope Walk. Her son's name was David Davies. His age was 14. He had worked at the colliery about six months. On Tuesday week he went to work at the colliery about 6 o'clock in the morning, and was drowned there. He had never said anything to her about the workings, or that there was water there. She had never asked him to leave the colliery.

"David Llewellyn, fireman at the colliery, residing in Bush Row, said the slant was made about the beginning of last summer. It was about 100 yards long, and there were workings on both sides of it. The workings on the north side of the slant were from 120 to 140 yards long. There was a fault there which stopped any further working. He didn't know anything about the old workings. Was in the colliery on Tuesday, the 16th instant. There were about 15 men working there that morning, on both sides of the slant. There was no working going on at Nos. 1 and 2 stalls on the south side of the slant. They had struck a fault there. They were cutting coal. He was there when the water broke in, repairing the road, six or seven yards from the stall where the water broke in. It was about a quarter or half-past 9, when the water broke in. He did not expect to find any water there. Saw nothing to lead him to suppose they were getting into any old workings. There were a few drops of water in the stalls leading to the fault. No. 6 was the stall where the water broke in. He expected to get to the fault there. There were five stalls between No. 6 and the slant. Had struck the fault in three stalls on the south side of the slant. In the other two stalls between he had not struck the fault, not having got to them, but he expected to strike the fault there in two or three days, as well as in the other three. John Williams was the man who struck into the water, and he (Williams) escaped. Three men and a boy were drowned, and the body of one of the men had not yet been found. When Williams broke into the water there was not a very great quantity there; it was going down hill. The man did not strike the mandril into the old workings, but the weakness of the coal gave way before the water. Witness did not know of the existence of the old pit. He knew of an old pit or two on the north side of the drift, but not on the south side.

"By Mr. Wales : Had been fireman there since the works commenced. There was a fault on the north side of the slant. They went through it at the drift. It was a down-throw, about five yards. Did not know why the fault was not put through on the north side. The reason they stopped the stalls on the south side was that there was no coal there. Had not seen any water in the old pit nearest the slant, when he went down it last summer, and before they began this slant. They did not use bore rods for water. They thought the fault sufficient, and they did not think of water. After the water had burst in it continued to run for about a quarter of an hour, and it filled up to the roof, and that prevented them from getting down to the men and the boy. They rescued two men, who were coming out. The name of the man still missing was Rees Llewellyn. He was working on the south side of the slant, and the others who were drowned were working on the north side.

"By a juryman: No attempt was made to ascertain what was on the other side of the fault. They drove through it at the drift, and did not meddle with it afterwards.

"By Mr. Wales: When the water burst away there were from 2½ feet to a yard of coal there. John Williams was working there when the water broke in.

"Morgan Mainwaring, residing at Neath, said he was a collier working at Western Moor Colliery. Was working there on the 16th of April, on the south side of the slant, in the sixth stall beyond where the water broke in. Had worked there about four months. Knew nothing of any old workings there. He knew of the fault, but nothing of the old workings the other side of it. They expected nothing but the fault before them. Never heard the colliers say anything of old workings there. There were four stalls between where he was working and where the water broke in. The water went down on the lower side. Had no idea of any old workings surrounding the spot in question.

"By Mr. Wales: Witness saw the fault, and proved it. It was running towards the slant. Didn't know the reason why they did not go through the fault on the north side, except that they thought the coal had been worked out. James Lewis told witness he had proved the fault in his (Lewis's) stall. That was a day or two before the accident happened; that was before the water broke in. Could not tell which stall James Lewis worked in.

"Ellis Parry, of Carisddu, collier, said he had been working at the Western Moor Colliery. Was there on Tuesday, the 16th instant, when the accident occurred. Was working on the south side in No. 5 stall. Did not hear the water break in. Witness was about 40 or 45 yards from the heading. He expected every minute to come against the fault. Knew nothing of old workings on the south side. If he had, he would not have been so foolish as to work there. The reason they did not work through the fault was because they did not expect coal above it. He did not know why. Had heard nothing of water being on the other side. None of the water came into his stall. Knew John Williams, into whose stall the water came. Did not know whether Williams struck his mandril into the water, or whether the water burst in. He could not see, as there was a pillar between them. Heard nothing about the water until Thomas Llewellyn told him they had struck the water. He and his son were quietly working at the time Llewellyn told them. Witness told his son to take time, not to be too wild, and they would find their way out through the air-way. Witness did not get into six inches of the water in going to the slant.

"By Mr. Wales: The fault was now to be seen in stalls Nos. 1 and 2, on the south side. The same fault was to be seen in the slant.

"By a juryman : Had been a collier 42 years, and had worked in many other collieries besides the Western Moor Colliery. Was quite satisfied to work in the Western Moor Colliery so far as its safety was concerned.

"Thomas Griffiths, Pantyrheol, collier, said he was working at the Western Moor Colliery when the water broke in. Was working at the bottom of the north heading. Went to work about 7, or a quarter past 7, that morning. Saw Llewellyn that morning, who told him all was right. Witness had worked at this colliery about two years, and had been a collier for 40 years. He never knew of any old workings near the slant. Was at his work at the time the water broke in. When he heard the water coming down he went a few yards to meet it. He went through it a short way, but was tumbled back and knocked to the bottom. He worked his way all the time against the water and kept his senses. He saw a light, and drew towards it, and David Llewellyn assisted him when he came up to the drift. Had never heard of any water being close to the place. They were working towards the fault, and they never expected any water. Witness had worked two or three stalls to the fault. Did not know why the fault was not worked through. Knew nothing of the old workings. David Davies, John Rees, and Llewellyn Williams, were working in the same place with him.

"By Mr. Wales : Witness struck three stalls into the fault in the north heading. Found no water in doing so. Had not a drop of water near the fault.

"William Jones, of Neath, said he was a haulier on the slant at the Western Moor Colliery. Was there on the 16th of April, but was on the surface when the water came in. Had worked there about three months. Knew nothing of any old working there, nor ever heard of water being likely to burst in upon them. Witness knew that they had struck a fault. Witness found the bodies of David Williams and John Rees about a quarter of an hour or 20 minutes after the water bursted in.

"James Lewis, collier, working at Weston Moor Colliery, said he had been engaged at the colliery ever since it had been opened. Was there on the 16th of April when the water came in. Was working in the stall next to the slant. Had never heard of any old workings there, nor of any water, except a few drops. Had never anticipated that water would break in upon them. He thought the reason why they did not work through the fault was that they thought there was no coal there.

"By a juryman : Had no reason to find fault with the works.

"At this stage of the proceedings the inquiry was adjourned till half-past 11 on Tuesday next, one of the principal witnesses, who is at present under medical treatment, not being able to attend.

"Inquest resumed.

"John Williams, collier, working in Western Moor Colliery. — I have been a collier 13 years. I was working in the Western Moor Colliery on the 16th of this month. I was working on the south side of the slant. I worked in No. 6 stall. Rees Llewellyn worked in the same stall with me. His body has not yet been recovered. When I first went that morning I was cutting coal. We had worked two trams of coal that morning. Rees Llewellyn was waiting for the boy to bring the tram, and I was standing timber when the water burst in without any notice at all. I never heard of any old workings being near the place. I saw no signs of water, and we were expecting every day to strike the same fault which had been struck in the other stalls. I was on my knees. I was struck on the head, but I could not say whether by coal or a stone. We were both washed down the stall to the heading, and from there to where the trams were sent up the slant. I do not know what thickness of coal there was when the water broke in. I had worked on the north side of the fault I had not struck the fault. They never worked through the fault on either side. They told me that there was no coal on the other side of the fault, and not because there were any old workings on the other side, oh dear, no. I have worked in the Western Moor five months. I never heard of any old workings at all, nor I never saw any signs of water. I worked in the stall No. 6 up to between 3 and 4 o'clock on the Monday, the day before, and I saw no change in anything. We were expecting to strike the fault every minute. I saw no alterations in the coal when I left the day before. I was busy setting a post when the water broke in.

"Mr. William John. — The Western Moor Colliery belongs to myself and Mr. Williams. I managed the colliery. I did not know of any old workings being near us, and I never saw any signs of water. We were working the coal on the north and south sides between two faults. We did not go through the fault on the rise side, because we believed there was no coal beyond it. The body of Rees Llewellyn has not been recovered yet. It is under a large fall. The slant has been working about 18 months. We employed from 20 to 25 men, but never so many as 30. When we were driving down the slant we came across some old workings. The old workings which we went through did not contain any water. I am positive of that. When we had rain we used to get water. My opinion was that the old workings which we struck communicated with all the old workings there, and consequently that there was no accumulation of water. I searched for other old workings, and found all were quite dry and free from water. I had been in No. 6 stall between 11 and 12 o'clock a.m. the previous day. I went through the whole of the colliery that day. I met with nothing unusual in any part of the colliery. I went underground nearly daily. Nobody ever said anything to me about the water, and I made inquiries.

"The jury retired, and after an absence of about 10 minutes returned the following verdict :—

"It is the unanimous verdict of the jury that the two deceased came to their deaths by the accidental flooding of the Western Moor Colliery, and that the manager is exonerated from all blame."

Both from my inspections (one of which was made on the day of the inundation) and the evidence given at the inquest, I entirely agree with the verdict of the jury.

• 1878 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2321), South Wales District by Thomas E. Wales, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 233 Where to find this report
• 1878 Mines Inspectors Report (C 2321), South Wales District by Thomas E. Wales, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 254, Accident Number: 33 Where to find this report

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