MineArchiveBwllfa Dare Colliery Sinking Explosion (1874)
| Date | 18 May 1874 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Bwllfa Dare Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Primary type | Explosion |
| Associated types | Gas / Asphyxiation |
| Fatalities | 2 (Named as Lumley Ellis (Aberystwyth) and William Davies (Llandinam) by NMRS; Durham Mining Museum's own fatalities register instead gives "Ellis, L., aged 40" and "Davies, H., aged 23", both sinkers, both dying on 20 May -- two days after NMRS's stated accident date of 18 May. Both sources agree the cause was an explosion of gas while sinking, and the surname/occupation match makes clear this is the same incident; the exact date and Davies's forename are not reconciled here.) |
| Injuries | John Jones of Llanidloes, newly started at the colliery, was seriously injured. |
| Context | During active mining |
| Status | Researched |
Two sinkers were killed and a third badly injured when they ignited gas blowers while sinking a new shaft at Bwllfa Dare Colliery, Cwmdare, on 18 May 1874.
Cause
Ignition of gas blowers encountered during shaft-sinking work.
What happened
On 18 May 1874, two sinkers -- Lumley Ellis of Aberystwyth and William Davies of Llandinam -- were killed roughly 160 yards below the surface when they ignited blowers of gas while sinking a new shaft at Bwllfa Dare Colliery. The explosion was powerful enough to destroy the surface headframe and associated framework, and seriously injured John Jones of Llanidloes, who had only just started work at the colliery.
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…they ignited gas blowers while sinking a new shaft at Bwllfa Dare Colliery, Cwmdare, on 18 May 1874.” - Headgear (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…Colliery. The explosion was powerful enough to destroy the surface headframe and associated framework, and seriously injured John Jones of…” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…badly injured when they ignited gas blowers while sinking a new shaft at Bwllfa Dare Colliery, Cwmdare, on 18 May 1874.” - Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…killed and a third badly injured when they ignited gas blowers while sinking a new shaft at Bwllfa Dare Colliery, Cwmdare, on 18 May 1874.”
Sources
- (primary) Bwllfa Colliery (UK) -- named fatalities register — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Bwllfa Dare Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 1 September 2026 · Last researched: 1 September 2026