Cwmbran Colliery roof fall, 1905

A fall of roof in an old stall being stowed with rubbish killed two young men knocking out timber at Cwmbran Colliery in March 1905; the rescuers carried the first body to the wrong house.

Cause

A fall of roof while timber was being drawn from an old stall being stowed with rubbish.

What happened

In March 1905, at a time of timber shortage in the district, George Andrews, 19, a collier, left his stall at food time to knock timbers out of an old stall being stowed with rubbish at Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds' Cwmbran Colliery, with Frederick Thornbury, 22. The roof came down on them while they were drawing the timber, and both were killed.

The rescuers recovered one body from under the fall and carried it to Andrews's house. Finding a second lamp at the fall, they dug again and uncovered a second body, which was Andrews: they had taken the wrong man home. One record dates the accident 7 March and another 8 March; the inquest was reported on the 9th.

Rescue & recovery

Workmates dug out the two bodies, finding the second only after a second lamp was found at the fall.

Investigation & inquiry

An inquest was reported on 9 March 1905.

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 fall was on 7 March 1905. (disputed) ^1,2
• The fall was on 8 March 1905. (disputed) ³

Recorded claims

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

• The fall was on 7 March 1905. (disputed) ^1,2
• The fall was on 8 March 1905. (disputed) ³
• The dead were George Andrews, 19, and Frederick Thornbury, 22. ^3,1,2
• They were knocking out timber in an old stall being stowed with rubbish, at a time of timber shortage, when the roof fell. ^3,1
• The first body recovered was taken to Andrews's house; the second, found later, was Andrews. ³
• The colliery was owned by Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd. ¹

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: “…with rubbish killed two young men knocking out timber at Cwmbran Colliery in March 1905; the rescuers carried the first body to the wrong…”
• Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A fall of roof in an old stall being stowed with rubbish killed two young men…”
• Stall (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “A fall of roof in an old stall being stowed with rubbish killed two young men knocking out timber…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Cwmbran, 7 March 1905 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Frederick Thornbury, Cwmbran, 1905 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Welsh colliery fatalities, 1905 (Welsh Coal Mines) — Welsh Coal Mines website
4. (primary) Cwmbran Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026