Bute Colliery shaft accident, 1872

A father and son coming up the Bute Colliery shaft at Treherbert in January 1872 were killed when a full tram ran into the shaft and broke their cage loose.

Cause

A full tram being shunted at the pit top ran into the shaft and struck the ascending cage, breaking its link.

What happened

Early on a January morning in 1872 Thomas Davies, 50, and his son John, 22, had finished their night's work at the Bute Colliery, Treherbert, and were being wound up the shaft. When they were only a few yards from the surface a full tram that was being shunted at the top of the pit ran into the shaft and struck their carriage. The link holding the carriage broke and it fell to the bottom, killing both men. The shaft was badly damaged and work stopped for several days. The deputy coroner opened the inquest at Treherbert and adjourned it so the evidence could be prepared. The papers date it to the Wednesday, 10 January; Welsh Coal Mines gives 11 January.

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 accident happened on 11 January 1872. (uncertain) ¹
• The accident happened at about three in the morning of Wednesday 10 January 1872. (uncertain) ²

Recorded claims

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

• A father and son, Thomas Davies, 50, and John Davies, 22, were killed in the shaft of the Bute Colliery, Treherbert, in January 1872. ^1,2,3
• The accident happened on 11 January 1872. (uncertain) ¹
• The accident happened at about three in the morning of Wednesday 10 January 1872. (uncertain) ²
• Coming up at the end of the night shift, the two were a few yards from the surface when a full tram being shunted at the pit top ran into the shaft and struck their carriage; the link broke and the carriage fell to the bottom. ^1,2
• The shaft was badly damaged and work was suspended for several days. ²
• The deputy coroner opened the inquest at Treherbert and adjourned it to later in January. ³

Related terminology

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

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…1872 were killed when a full tram ran into the shaft and broke their cage loose.”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…The shaft was badly damaged and work stopped for several days. The deputy coroner opened the inquest at Treherbert and adjourned it so the…”
• Heapstead (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “A full tram being shunted at the pit top ran into the shaft and struck the ascending cage, breaking its link.”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 6 times in this record, first in the summary: “A father and son coming up the Bute Colliery shaft at Treherbert in January 1872 were killed when a full tram ran into…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Colliery shaft at Treherbert in January 1872 were killed when a full tram ran into the shaft and broke their cage loose.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Bute Colliery, Treherbert — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) Treherbert: two men killed (Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, 13 January 1872) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) At the Bute Colliery: inquest on Thomas and John Davies (The Cardiff Times, 13 January 1872) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026