MineArchiveLlay Hall Colliery fall of coal, 1888
On 14 April 1888 two colliers at Llay Hall Colliery, near Cefn-y-bedd, were buried when a mass of top coal they were wedging down, having knocked out its props, came away with the clod above it. The inspector put it down entirely to carelessness.
| Date | 14 April 1888 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Llay Hall Colliery |
| Region | Wrexham |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (Robert Davies, 28, and Thomas Jones, 24, colliers.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Top coal left after a pillar was worked out was brought down by wedging after its props had been knocked out and not reset; it came away whole with the overlying clod.
What happened
Robert Davies and Thomas Jones were getting down the top coal after working out a pillar. They knocked the props out, expecting it to fall. When it did not come, they started wedging it down without first resetting the props, and the whole of it suddenly came away, bringing a large quantity of the clod above with it and burying both men.
Investigation & inquiry
The inspector examined the place and attended the inquest, and recorded the accident as entirely due to carelessness.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 14 April 1888 two colliers, Robert Davies, 28, and Thomas Jones, 24, were killed at Edwin S. Clark's Llay Hall Colliery. 1
- Getting down top coal after working out a pillar, they knocked out the props and, when it did not fall, began wedging it down without resetting them; the whole came away with the clod above and buried them. 1
- The inspector made an inspection, attended the inquest and recorded the accident as entirely due to carelessness. 1
- The two colliers had been working out a pillar and were getting down the top coal when it fell. 2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Coal (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Llay Hall Colliery, near Cefn-y-bedd, were buried when a mass of top coal they were wedging down, having knocked out its props, came away with…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “On 14 April 1888 two colliers at Llay Hall Colliery, near Cefn-y-bedd, were buried when a mass of top coal they were…”
Sources
- (primary) Disasters - Names: Llay Hall, 14 April 1888 (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) Llay Hall Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 23 October 2026 · Last researched: 25 October 2026