Gwendraeth Colliery explosion, 1866

An explosion of gas at Daniel Watney's Gwendraeth Colliery, Pontyberem, killed a collier and a thirteen-year-old boy on 16 October 1866.

Cause

An explosion of gas.

What happened

On 16 October 1866 gas exploded at Daniel Watney's Gwendraeth Colliery at Pontyberem, killing the collier Thomas Griffiths and Henry Richards, a collier's boy of 13.

Recorded claims

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

• On 16 October 1866 an explosion of gas at Gwendraeth Colliery, Pontyberem, killed the collier Thomas Griffiths and the collier's boy Henry Richards, 13. ^1,2
• The deaths were caused by an explosion of gas. ^1,2
• The colliery belonged to Daniel Watney. 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: “An explosion of gas at Daniel Watney's Gwendraeth Colliery, Pontyberem, killed a collier and a thirteen-year-old boy on 16…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Glamorgan colliery fatalities, 1866 — Welsh Coal Mines website
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1860-1869, surnames Q and R (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026