MineArchiveGlamorgan Colliery roof fall, 1891
On the afternoon of Thursday 14 May 1891 a fall of clod in a stall at the Glamorgan Colliery Company's Llwynypia Colliery killed the collier John Gardner and the thirteen-year-old boy working with him, Rees Hughes.
| Date | 14 May 1891 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Glamorgan Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (John Gardner (Gardener), 33, collier, and Rees Hughes, 13, his boy helper.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A fall of clod (soft roof shale) at the working face.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On the afternoon of Thursday 14 May 1891 a collier, John Gardner, and his boy helper, Rees Hughes, were killed instantly by a fall of clod at the face in the Llwynypia Colliery of the Glamorgan Colliery Company. 1,2
- Gardner, 33, lived in one of the huts near the pits; Hughes, aged 13, lived with his parents at Granes Terrace. 1,2
- The two were working together in a stall when the clod fell. 2
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: “…of Thursday 14 May 1891 a fall of clod in a stall at the Glamorgan Colliery Company's Llwynypia Colliery killed the collier John Gardner and the…” - Stall (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “On the afternoon of Thursday 14 May 1891 a fall of clod in a stall at the Glamorgan Colliery Company's Llwynypia Colliery killed the…”
Sources
- (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: fatalities, 1891 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (primary) South Wales Daily News, 15 May 1891: Rhondda Valley: shocking colliery accident — South Wales Daily News (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 20 October 2026