Cwmbach Colliery explosion, 1855

Firedamp exploded at Cwmbach Colliery, Aberdare, in February 1855, killing a collier of 17 and a boy of 11; the haulier blamed was acquitted and the owners censured.

Cause

Firedamp in a poorly ventilated heading was apparently fired by an exposed lamp flame.

What happened

In February 1855 the fireman at Cwmbach Colliery found a considerable body of gas in a place known as Hopkins Heading and set a mandrel across the entrance as a warning. The haulier, William Hopkins, was told at the surface to use a Davy lamp there and on no account to take its top off. On his second journey of drams into the heading the gas fired, killing David Meredith, a collier of 17, and Thomas Morgan, an 11-year-old who went with the haulier to open the air doors; several others, Hopkins among them, were burnt. The top of Hopkins's lamp was afterwards found in his jacket pocket. He was tried for manslaughter at the Glamorgan Lent Assizes and acquitted, the jury censuring the owners for the poor ventilation. Welsh Coal Mines dates the explosion to 8 February and places the colliery at Cockett, Swansea; the assizes report gives 8 February at Aberdare, and the Northern Mine Research Society's Aberdare list gives 17 February.

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 explosion was at a Cwmbach Colliery at Cockett, Swansea. (disputed) ²
• The explosion happened on 8 February 1855. (uncertain) ^2,3
• The explosion happened on 17 February 1855. (uncertain) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion of firedamp at Cwmbach Colliery in February 1855 killed David Meredith, 17, a collier, and Thomas Morgan, 11. ^1,2
• The explosion was at Cwmbach Colliery, Aberdare. ^1,3
• The explosion was at a Cwmbach Colliery at Cockett, Swansea. (disputed) ²
• The explosion happened on 8 February 1855. (uncertain) ^2,3
• The explosion happened on 17 February 1855. (uncertain) ¹
• The haulier William Hopkins, told to use only a closed Davy lamp where gas had been found, was taking drams into the heading when the gas fired; his lamp top was later found in his pocket. ²
• Hopkins was tried for manslaughter at the 1855 Glamorgan Lent Assizes and found not guilty. ^2,3
• The jury censured the owners for not providing sufficient ventilation. 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: “Firedamp exploded at Cwmbach Colliery, Aberdare, in February 1855, killing a…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “In February 1855 the fireman at Cwmbach Colliery found a considerable body of gas in a place…”
• Haulier (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…in February 1855, killing a collier of 17 and a boy of 11; the haulier blamed was acquitted and the owners censured.”
• Journey (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Davy lamp there and on no account to take its top off. On his second journey of drams into the heading the gas fired, killing David Meredith, a…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…The haulier, William Hopkins, was told at the surface to use a Davy lamp there and on no account to take its top off. On his second journey…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Cwmbach Colliery (Northern Mine Research Society) — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: fatalities, 1855 — Welsh Coal Mines
3. (primary) Glamorgan Lent Assizes, 1855: Aberdare manslaughter charge (Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, 24 March 1855) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026