MineArchiveCwrt Herbert Colliery roof fall, 1892
A fall of roof killed two colliers at the start of the night shift at Cwrt Herbert Colliery, Neath, on 20 July 1892.
| Date | 20 July 1892 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Cwrt Herbert Colliery |
| Region | Neath Port Talbot |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (Two.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A fall of roof (a 'roll') at the working place.
What happened
Two colliers, Shaddick, of Pentreffynnon, Skewen, and William Thomas, of Neath, had just begun the seven o'clock night shift at Cwrt Herbert on Wednesday 20 July 1892 when a 'roll' of the roof came down on them. Shaddick was killed at once. Thomas was got out and taken home at about midnight, and died soon after. Both were married, Shaddick with five children and Thomas with three.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Two colliers, Shaddick and William Thomas, were killed by a fall of roof at Cwrt Herbert Colliery, Neath, on the night of 20 July 1892. 1,2,3
- A 'roll' fell on them soon after they began the seven o'clock shift. 1,2
- Shaddick was killed outright; Thomas was taken home about midnight and died shortly after. 3
- Shaddick's first name is given as Samuel, James and David in different accounts. (disputed) 1,2,3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…killed two colliers at the start of the night shift at Cwrt Herbert Colliery, Neath, on 20 July 1892.” - Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A fall of roof killed two colliers at the start of the night shift at Cwrt Herbert…”
Sources
- (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Fatalities 1892 — welshcoalmines.co.uk
- (primary) Colliery fatality at Neath (South Wales Daily News, 22 July 1892) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
- (primary) Colliery accident at Neath: two men killed (Western Mail, 22 July 1892) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026