Llanbradach Colliery roof fall, 1900

A collier and his fifteen-year-old boy were killed at Llanbradach Colliery on 30 August 1900 when the stone they were about to prop with a cog fell on them.

Cause

A large stone from a greasy slant, probably shaken by a bump, fell before a cog could be built under it.

What happened

On 30 August 1900 George Sands, a collier at Llanbradach in the Rhymney valley, and his boy Thomas Parsons were preparing to build a cog under a large stone at their face, and had set a few posts ready. The stone, from a greasy slant probably shaken by a bump, fell before the cog was finished and killed them both.

Recorded claims

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

• On 30 August 1900 a large stone fell at the face at Llanbradach Colliery, killing the collier George Sands, 38, and his boy Thomas Parsons, 15. ^1,2,3
• They were preparing to build a cog under the stone and had set a few posts ready. ^1,2,3
• The stone came from a greasy slant, probably shaken by a bump. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “A collier and his fifteen-year-old boy were killed at Llanbradach Colliery on 30 August 1900 when the stone they were about to prop with a cog…”
• Slant (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “A large stone from a greasy slant, probably shaken by a bump, fell before a cog could be built under…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Fatalities 1900 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames S, part 1 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
3. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames P, part 1 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

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