Albion Colliery shaft collapse, November 1886

The side of the shaft being sunk at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd, gave way on 4 November 1886, bringing down fresh walling on the sinkers and killing four.

Cause

The shaft side gave way at hidden slips near the bottom, undermining fresh walling above, which collapsed onto the sinkers.

What happened

By November 1886 the Albion's upcast shaft had been sunk to about 470 yards and walled with brick. On 4 November the side of the shaft gave way at slips that could not be seen, for seven or eight yards up from the bottom. That undermined the last ten yards or so of walling, whose mortar had not yet set, and it fell in on the nineteen or twenty men working below.

Fourteen of them scrambled into the bowk and were drawn up at once. Of the six left, two were dug out as soon as the rescuers reached them. Evan Williams, 30, was brought out alive but died an hour and a half later. Thomas Jones, 41, who left a wife and six children, David Griffiths, who left a wife and three children, and Morris Jones, 36, were killed. The colliery reached the Six Feet seam the following April.

Rescue & recovery

Fourteen men escaped in the bowk; two were dug out quickly; Evan Williams was dug out alive but died ninety minutes later.

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's account of the collapse gives 5 November 1886. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Four sinkers were killed when the side of the Albion sinking shaft gave way on 4 November 1886. ^1,2
• The side gave way at unseen slips for seven or eight yards from the bottom, undermining the last ten yards of fresh walling. ^1,2
• Fourteen of the twenty men in the shaft got into the bowk and were drawn up at once; two more were dug out alive. ²
• NMRS's account of the collapse gives 5 November 1886. (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: “The side of the shaft being sunk at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd, gave way on 4 November 1886, bringing down fresh walling…”
• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “By November 1886 the Albion's upcast shaft had been sunk to about 470 yards and walled with brick. On 4…”
• Kibble (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…or twenty men working below. Fourteen of them scrambled into the bowk and were drawn up at once. Of the six left, two were dug out as soon…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “The side of the shaft being sunk at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd, gave way on 4 November…”
• Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…gave way on 4 November 1886, bringing down fresh walling on the sinkers and killing four.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1886 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Albion Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026