Fernhill Colliery sinking accident, 1874

At about two o'clock on the afternoon of Friday 14 August 1874 the stage on which a shift of sinkers stood in the new shaft at Fernhill Colliery, Blaenrhondda, tipped as they loaded rubbish from a shot. All fell into the shaft; most were rescued, but David Jones and Henry Lloyd, both from Cardiganshire, drowned in the water at the bottom.

Cause

The stage, hung by a rope at one end, gave way on its other side under a heavy load of rubbish and a loaded bowk.

Contributing factors

A shot fired just before had left an unusually heavy quantity of rubbish on the stage, and only one rope supported it; the inspector thought two crab ropes should have been used.

What happened

The pit was being sunk to about 270 yards, with seven or eight yards of water standing at the bottom and the men about to put in the first arch at the 2 ft 9 in seam. Nine men were on the stage, which hung from a rope about an inch and three-quarters thick at one end. Some of the rubbish from the shot had already been sent to bank, and the men were filling the bowk, which rested on the side of the stage, when the side furthest from the rope went down suddenly and men, rubbish and bowk all fell. Most of the men were got out, two of them badly hurt, but Jones and Lloyd sank in the black water and were drowned.

Rescue & recovery

Men were brought up from the water at once; two of the survivors were seriously injured.

Investigation & inquiry

The deputy coroner, Thomas Williams, held the inquest on the Monday. The overman, John Williams, and the manager, John Roy, said the stage had been fixed the day before and found firm; the inspector, Henry Hall, criticised the load on the stage and its single rope. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

Recorded claims

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

• On Friday afternoon, 14 August 1874, two sinkers were killed at the Fernhill Colliery, Blaenrhondda, when the stage they were working on in the shaft gave way. ^1,2,3
• The side of the stage away from its rope dropped suddenly while men were filling a loaded bowk with rubbish from a shot, and everyone on it fell into the shaft. ^1,2
• The two men drowned in the water standing in the bottom of the shaft; the others on the stage were rescued. ^2,3,4
• The inspector of mines, Henry Hall, thought the quantity of rubbish on the stage unusually heavy and that two crab ropes should have been used. ²
• The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. ²

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Capstan (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s contributing factors: “…the stage, and only one rope supported it; the inspector thought two crab ropes should have been used.”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “The deputy coroner, Thomas Williams, held the inquest on the Monday. The…”
• Kibble (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the cause: “…way on its other side under a heavy load of rubbish and a loaded bowk.”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “…deputy coroner, Thomas Williams, held the inquest on the Monday. The overman, John Williams, and the manager, John Roy, said the stage had been…”
• Pithead (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…one end. Some of the rubbish from the shot had already been sent to bank, and the men were filling the bowk, which rested on the side of the…”

Sources

1. (secondary) 1874 fatalities — welshcoalmines.co.uk
2. (primary) The Aberdare Times, 22 August 1874: The fatal accident at Blaenrhondda (inquest) — The Aberdare Times (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard, 21 August 1874: Two Cardiganshire men drowned at Fernhill Colliery — The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
4. (primary) The Aberystwith Observer, 29 August 1874: Lampeter: colliery accident — The Aberystwith Observer (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)

Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 19 October 2026