Blaenclydach Colliery roof fall, 1880

On the afternoon of Friday 31 December 1880 a father and son, David Thomas, 60, and James Thomas, 15, of Tonypandy, were killed together at Blaenclydach Colliery in the Rhondda when a huge stone fell on them in their stall.

Cause

A large stone fell from the roof of the stall in which the two were working.

What happened

David Thomas and his son James were at work in their stall at Blaenclydach Colliery on the last afternoon of 1880 when a huge stone fell on them, killing them both. The deaths caused considerable sensation in the district.

Recorded claims

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

• On Friday 31 December 1880 David Thomas, a collier of 60, and his son James, 15, were killed by a stone that fell on them at Blaenclydach Colliery, Rhondda. ^1,2
• A huge stone fell on them while they were working in their stall. ¹
• The South Wales Daily News reported the deaths of David Thomas of Tonypandy and his son the next day, noting that an inquest would be held. 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: “…James Thomas, 15, of Tonypandy, were killed together at Blaenclydach Colliery in the Rhondda when a huge stone fell on them in their stall.”
• Stall (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Colliery in the Rhondda when a huge stone fell on them in their stall.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1880 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) Terrible fatality in the Rhondda: father and son killed, South Wales Daily News, 1 January 1881 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 22 October 2026