Aberaman Colliery explosion, 1855

On 20 April 1855 firedamp fired by naked lights in the pillar workings of Aberaman Colliery, Aberdare, killed five men and boys, one of them a sixteen-year-old haulier blown into the sump and drowned.

Cause

Firedamp ignited by naked lights in pillar workings.

What happened

Aberaman Colliery, near Aberdare, was worked in 1855 by David Williams. On 20 April gas in the pillar workings was fired by the naked lights the men were using, and the explosion killed five: William Davis, 26, Richard Lovett, 23, and Evan Thomas, 23, colliers, and two hauliers, Thomas James, 12, and James Williams, 16, who was blown into the sump and drowned.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector, Herbert Mackworth, found that the colliery had no rules and that his cautions had been neglected.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• On 20 April 1855 an explosion of firedamp at David Williams's Aberaman Colliery, Aberdare, killed five men and boys. ^1,2
• The gas was fired by naked lights in the pillar workings; the colliery had no rules, and the inspector's cautions had been neglected. ^1,2
• Two of the dead were hauliers of 12 and 16; James Williams, the elder, was drowned when he was blown into the sump. ^1,2

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…firedamp fired by naked lights in the pillar workings of Aberaman Colliery, Aberdare, killed five men and boys, one of them a sixteen-year-old…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 20 April 1855 firedamp fired by naked lights in the pillar workings of Aberaman Colliery,…”
• Haulier (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…Aberdare, killed five men and boys, one of them a sixteen-year-old haulier blown into the sump and drowned.”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On 20 April 1855 firedamp fired by naked lights in the pillar workings of Aberaman Colliery, Aberdare, killed five…”
• Sump (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…men and boys, one of them a sixteen-year-old haulier blown into the sump and drowned.”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Aberaman, 20 April 1855 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Aberamman Colliery Explosion - Aberdare - 1855 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 5 October 2026 · Last researched: 5 October 2026