MineArchiveGelli Colliery shaft accident, 1878
Two sinkers were killed in the Gelli sinking pit in the Rhondda on 31 May 1878, while the colliery was being deepened to the steam coal seams.
| Date | 31 May 1878 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Gelli Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Type | Winding / Shaft Accident |
| Fatalities | 2 (Two.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Disputed: a falling bucket whose handle broke, or a fall down the shaft.
What happened
Gelli, sunk in 1870 as a house-coal pit, was being deepened to the steam coal seams. On 31 May 1878 two of the sinkers, John Morgan and Isaac Morris, were killed in the sinking pit: by Welsh Coal Mines' account a full bucket fell on them when its handle broke; NMRS records that they fell down the shaft.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
- A full bucket fell on them when its handle broke. (disputed) 2
- NMRS records that the two sinkers fell down the shaft. (disputed) 1
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Two sinkers, John Morgan and Isaac Morris, were killed in the Gelli sinking pit on 31 May 1878. 1,2
- A full bucket fell on them when its handle broke. (disputed) 2
- NMRS records that the two sinkers fell down the shaft. (disputed) 1
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Coal (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…on 31 May 1878, while the colliery was being deepened to the steam coal seams.” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…in the Gelli sinking pit in the Rhondda on 31 May 1878, while the colliery was being deepened to the steam coal seams.” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Disputed: a falling bucket whose handle broke, or a fall down the shaft.” - Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “Two sinkers were killed in the Gelli sinking pit in the Rhondda on 31 May 1878,…”
Sources
- (secondary) Gelli Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
- (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: fatalities, 1878 — Welsh Coal Mines
Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026