Fochriw Colliery cage accident, 1867

At about a quarter to eight on the morning of Thursday 10 January 1867 a cage carrying seven men down No. 2 pit at the Dowlais Iron Company's Fochriw Colliery was drawn upwards instead when the winding engine reversed. The sudden jolt threw four men out; two fell some 440 yards down the shaft and were killed, and two were badly hurt.

Cause

The winding engine ran the wrong way when steam was put on, driving the descending cage up towards the rope fastening; the jolt threw men out of the cage.

What happened

A party of seven men got into the cage to go down to work, and the hitcher, William Richards, gave the usual signal to lower. The engineman, Thomas Lewis, answered by putting on steam, but for a reason not explained the engine turned the wrong way and drove the cage upwards to where the rope was fastened. Four men were thrown out by the sudden, unexpected shock: David Williams and David Thomas fell down the shaft, about 440 yards, and two others were seriously injured. One man escaped almost miraculously by hanging on to the side of the cage, and the rest were badly shaken.

Investigation & inquiry

An inquest was to be held at the Greyhound Inn, Dowlais.

Recorded claims

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

• At about a quarter to eight on Thursday 10 January 1867 two men were killed at No. 2 pit, Fochriw, belonging to the Dowlais Iron Company. ^1,2
• The winding engine reversed after the signal to lower a cage carrying seven men, drawing the cage up to the rope fastening; the jolt threw four men out and two fell about 440 yards down the shaft. ^1,2
• Two more men were badly injured and one escaped by clinging to the side of the cage. ²
• An inquest was to be held at the Greyhound Inn, Dowlais. ²

Related terminology

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

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named 6 times in this record, first in the summary: “…a quarter to eight on the morning of Thursday 10 January 1867 a cage carrying seven men down No. 2 pit at the Dowlais Iron Company's…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…seven men down No. 2 pit at the Dowlais Iron Company's Fochriw Colliery was drawn upwards instead when the winding engine reversed. The…”
• Onsetter (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “A party of seven men got into the cage to go down to work, and the hitcher, William Richards, gave the usual signal to lower. The engineman,…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…The sudden jolt threw four men out; two fell some 440 yards down the shaft and were killed, and two were badly hurt.”
• Winding Engine (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…Iron Company's Fochriw Colliery was drawn upwards instead when the winding engine reversed. The sudden jolt threw four men out; two fell some 440…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines fatalities, 1867 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) Baner ac Amserau Cymru, 19 January 1867: Dowlais: damwain angeuol ddychrynllyd yn y Fochriw — Baner ac Amserau Cymru (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)

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