MineArchiveGadlys Colliery explosion, 1871
An explosion of gas at Gadlys Colliery, Aberdare, on 4 October 1871 killed four men and boys outright: two packers, a haulier of eighteen and a door boy of eleven. A fifth, the packer William Isaac, died later of his injuries.
| Date | 4 October 1871 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Gadlys Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 4 (Four killed outright (NMRS); Welsh Coal Mines adds William Isaac, who died later of injuries, for five.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
An explosion of gas.
Contributing factors
Unknown.
What happened
Gadlys was a small, long-worked pit serving the Gadlys ironworks; in 1871 it had one 68-yard winding shaft on the Upper Four Feet seam, furnace ventilation and about a hundred men underground. On 4 October 1871 an explosion of gas killed the packers David Davies, 27, and David Jones, 28, the haulier David Morse, 18, and the door boy Thomas Hamlett, 11. The packer William Isaac was injured and died later. It was the pit's second multiple-death explosion, after five were killed in 1848.
Rescue & recovery
Unknown.
Investigation & inquiry
Unknown.
Legal & regulatory aftermath
Unknown.
Changes to practice & legislation
Unknown.
Memorials & commemoration
Unknown.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
- An explosion of gas killed five, William Isaac, packer, dying later of his injuries. (disputed) 2
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 4 October 1871 an explosion killed four: David Davies (27), Thomas Hamlett (11), David Jones (28) and David Morse (18). 1
- An explosion of gas killed five, William Isaac, packer, dying later of his injuries. (disputed) 2
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: “An explosion of gas at Gadlys Colliery, Aberdare, on 4 October 1871 killed four men and boys outright: two…” - Haulier (contextual relationship)
David Morse was a haulier. - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…pit serving the Gadlys ironworks; in 1871 it had one 68-yard winding shaft on the Upper Four Feet seam, furnace ventilation and about a hundred…” - Trapper (contextual relationship)
The youngest victim was a door boy.
Sources
- (secondary) Gadlys Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
- (secondary) Fatalities 1871 — Welsh Coal Mines
Record created: 19 September 2026 · Last researched: 21 September 2026