MineArchiveGlamorgan Colliery roof fall, 1871
On 19 December 1871 a bell stone fell on two men driving a heading in No. 3 pit at Llwynypia, the Glamorgan Colliery. Daniel Richards was killed on the spot and David Davies, who had arrived from Carmarthenshire a few days earlier, died of his injuries the following week.
| Date | 19 December 1871 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Glamorgan Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (Daniel Richards, 29, heading driver, killed on the spot, and David Davies, collier, aged 22 or 24, who died later of his injuries.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A bell stone fell from the roof of the heading.
What happened
Davies had come to Llwynypia from Carmarthenshire only a few days before. He survived the fall but died of his injuries; the Western Mail put his death on the Saturday after the accident, the Welsh Coal Mines list on 27 December.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 19 December 1871 a bell stone fell on two men in No. 3 pit at Llwynypia, killing Daniel Richards outright and fatally injuring David Davies. 1,2
- David Davies died some days later of his injuries; he had come to Llwynypia from Carmarthenshire only a few days before. 1,2
- The stone that fell from the roof of the heading was a bell stone. 1
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…two men driving a heading in No. 3 pit at Llwynypia, the Glamorgan Colliery. Daniel Richards was killed on the spot and David Davies, who had…”
Sources
- (secondary) Fatalities 1871 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (primary) The Western Mail, 29 December 1871: Llwynypia — The Western Mail (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 19 October 2026