Lan Colliery explosion, 1875

At about half past nine on 6 December 1875 firedamp exploded in the Brass Vein workings of T. W. Booker and Co.'s Lan Colliery at Gwaelod-y-garth, near Pentyrch, killing twelve men and boys outright; four more died within a fortnight.

Cause

Gas accumulated in the Brass Vein, where pillars were being worked and the return airway had been neglected until it could not be travelled, and was fired by a naked light; a pillar against the windway had been pierced and patched with straw.

What happened

About 150 of the colliery's 300 men and boys were underground on the snowy morning of Monday 6 December 1875 when, at about 9.30, men began rushing out of the drift crying that there had been an explosion in the Brass Vein. A search party led by the manager went in through the afterdamp; the colliery itself was little damaged and the dead and injured were brought out within four or five hours, some badly burned, others killed by afterdamp; the boy David Rees died when a ventilation door was blown onto him. Two doctors, F. G. Evans and Edwards, went into the drift to tend the injured. The overman, Abraham Phillips, was among the dead.

Rescue & recovery

Overmen and firemen from neighbouring pits joined the search; the dead and injured were carried home on makeshift stretchers covered with brattice cloth.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest opened on 8 December at the Junction Hotel, Walnut Tree, before the coroner E. B. Reece and closed on 21 December; the inspector Thomas Errington Wales investigated. Evidence showed lax ventilation, old workings poorly sealed and return airways not maintained. The inspector called the distribution of the air, taken in at the highest point and forcing gas downhill, 'of the worst possible kind'; the new manager said he had raised the bad road with the overman, who had held the air sufficient for pillar working.

Recorded claims

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

• On 6 December 1875 the mine suffered an explosion that killed 12 men and boys immediately and three or four more in the following week or so; William Morgan, his father Morgan Morgan, Evan Howell and William Harding died later, bringing the total to sixteen. ¹
• The explosion occurred in the Bras Vein, where pillars were being worked and the airway to the faces had been neglected until it could not be travelled; the overman was among the 16 who lost their lives. ²
• The inquest, which opened at the Junction Hotel, Walnut Tree, before E. B. Reece and concluded on 21 December, heard that a pillar against the return airway had been pierced and patched with straw. ¹
• The inspector described the way the air was taken in at the highest point, forcing gas downhill, as of the worst possible kind. ²

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…Brass Vein. A search party led by the manager went in through the afterdamp; the colliery itself was little damaged and the dead and injured…”
• Brattice (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “…and injured were carried home on makeshift stretchers covered with brattice cloth.”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…been neglected until it could not be travelled, and was fired by a naked light; a pillar against the windway had been pierced and patched with…”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…G. Evans and Edwards, went into the drift to tend the injured. The overman, Abraham Phillips, was among the dead.”
• Return Airway (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…in the Brass Vein, where pillars were being worked and the return airway had been neglected until it could not be travelled, and was fired by…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) Lan Colliery - Welsh Coal Mines — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Llan Colliery Explosion - Cardiff - 1875 - Northern Mine Research Society — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026