Black Vein Colliery explosion, 1850

In mid-November 1850, just after the shift had gone down, firedamp exploded again in the Black Vein pit at Risca. Two young colliers, James Strickland and Thomas Edmunds, were killed and nine men badly hurt; one of them, George Perry, a father of four, died of his burns a week later.

Cause

An explosion of firedamp in the Black Vein pit soon after the men had gone down to work.

What happened

The explosion came just after the men had gone down to work, in the pit where some five years earlier a far worse explosion had killed many. Two young men, James Strickland, 18, and Thomas Edmunds, 21, lost their lives, and nine men were severely hurt. One of the burnt, George Perry, died about a week later, leaving a young widow and four children, two of them twins in arms.

Investigation & inquiry

The coroner, William Brewer, held an inquest on George Perry, and the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the circumstances.

What's uncertain

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

• The Welsh Coal Mines list gives 14 November, a Thursday; the North Wales Chronicle reports the explosion as on a Friday. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• In mid-November 1850 an explosion of firedamp in the Black Vein pit at Risca, just after the men had gone down, killed James Strickland and Thomas Edmunds, and George Perry died of his burns a week later. ^1,2,3
• Nine men were severely hurt. ²
• William Brewer held an inquest on George Perry and a verdict in accordance with the circumstances was returned. ³
• The Welsh Coal Mines list gives 14 November, a Thursday; the North Wales Chronicle reports the explosion as on a Friday. (disputed) ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “In mid-November 1850, just after the shift had gone down, firedamp exploded again in the Black Vein pit at Risca. Two young colliers,…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1850 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) South Wales: fatal explosion at Risca, North Wales Chronicle, 23 November 1850 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Risca: the late explosion, Monmouthshire Merlin, 30 November 1850 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
4. (primary) South Wales: the late explosion at Risca, North Wales Chronicle, 7 December 1850 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 23 October 2026 · Last researched: 23 October 2026