Aberaman Colliery explosion, 1858

An explosion of gas at Aberaman Colliery on 20 March 1858 fatally injured two colliers, who died two days later.

Cause

An explosion of gas.

What happened

On 20 March 1858 an explosion of gas at Aberaman Colliery injured the colliers Benjamin Stephens, 39, and John Jones, 27. Both died of their injuries on 22 March.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• NMRS gives Benjamin Stephens's cause of death as a fall of roof rather than the explosion. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Benjamin Stephens, collier, of Aberaman Colliery died on 22 March 1858 of injuries received on the 20th by an explosion of gas, with John Jones, 27, collier; two were killed. ¹
• NMRS lists Benjamin Stephens, 39, collier, and John Jones, 27, collier, on 22 March 1858, John Jones by an explosion of gas, two killed. ²
• NMRS gives Benjamin Stephens's cause of death as a fall of roof rather than the explosion. (disputed) ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion of gas at Aberaman Colliery on 20 March 1858 fatally injured two colliers, who died two days…”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1858 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Aberaman Colliery - Northern Mine Research Society — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026