MineArchiveCwmaman Colliery gas explosion, 1911
| Date | 16 September 1911 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Cwmaman Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Primary type | Explosion |
| Associated types | Rescue |
| Fatalities | 2 (William Bryant, 45, lampman, who died a few hours afterwards; Thomas Davies, 32, haulier, a married man of Glanaman Road, Cwmaman.) |
| Injuries | Rees Harris, a haulier, was thrown down by the blast and seriously injured about the face, arms and body; a boy, Moses Johnson, suffered from shock. |
| Context | During active mining (Shepherd's Pit at Cwmaman, near Aberdare, a steam-coal colliery of about a thousand men, joined underground to Fforchwen Colliery.) |
Around midday on Saturday 16 September 1911 an outburst of gas and an explosion in the main intake of the Hafod district at Cwmaman Colliery, near Aberdare, killed the lampman William Bryant and the haulier Thomas Davies and injured two more. Dust poured from the top of the pit. About 600 men were brought out, and the 1,600 at neighbouring Fforchwen, joined to Cwmaman underground, were ordered out too. Davies was a sergeant in the rescue brigade that came to recover him.
Cause
An outburst of gas in the main intake of the Hafod district, followed by an explosion.
What happened
About a thousand yards from the pit bottom, ten men were working in the main intake. Rees Harris, standing at the double parting ready to hitch his horse to a loaded dram, told the inquest he heard no noise or signal: something seemed to take hold of him from behind and lift him off his feet against the dram. Clouds of dust came out of the top of the pit, and people in the village feared the worst. The officials cleared Cwmaman and sent word to Fforchwen to bring its men out.
Rescue & recovery
Rescuers under Mr Phelps of the rescue brigade were soon on the scene; one of the dead, Thomas Davies, was a sergeant in the brigade, and his body was found quickly. Bryant died a few hours later. The company's agent, W. J. Heppel, drove back from Cardiff and went straight down the pit.
Investigation & inquiry
An inquest was held before the coroner R. J. Rhys, at which Rees Harris gave evidence.
Memorials & commemoration
The funerals, at Aberdare Cemetery, drew one of the largest processions seen in Aberdare for some time, with lodges of the Ancient Britons, the Bristol and West Friendly Society and the Rechabites, of which both men were members. Bryant was also acting postmaster at Cwmaman.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- William Bryant, 45, lampman, and Thomas Davies, 32, haulier, were killed by an explosion of gas at Cwmaman Colliery on 16 September 1911, and two others were injured. 1,2,3
- The Welsh Coal Mines 1911 list, from press reports, describes an outburst of gas in the main intake of the Hafod district, about a thousand yards from the pit bottom, where ten men were working, between midday and 1 p.m. on the Saturday. 2
- About 600 men were brought out of Cwmaman and orders were given to clear the 1,600 at Fforchwen, which was joined to it underground by a roadway. 2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Firedamp (hazard involved)
The gas exploded. - Haulier (contextual relationship)
Thomas Davies and the injured Rees Harris were hauliers. - Outburst (direct cause)
An outburst of gas in the main intake. - Return Airway (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…16 September 1911 an outburst of gas and an explosion in the main intake of the Hafod district at Cwmaman Colliery, near Aberdare, killed the…” - Tub (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…standing at the double parting ready to hitch his horse to a loaded dram, told the inquest he heard no noise or signal: something seemed to…”
Sources
- (secondary) Cwmaman — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1911 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) Cwmaman Colliery (Internet Archive capture, 15 August 2024) — Northern Mine Research Society (information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre)
Record created: 10 September 2026 · Last researched: 14 September 2026