MineArchiveLletty Shenkin Colliery explosion, 1862
| Date | 9 August 1862 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Lletty Shenkin Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 5 (David Griffiths (or Griffith); John Morgan; Richard Thomas; David Jones, a boy; David Davies, a boy, who died of burns some weeks later.) |
| Context | During active mining (The No. 2 pit of Lletty Shenkin Colliery at Cwmbach in the Cynon valley, a notoriously gassy pit thirteen years after its explosion of 1849 had killed fifty-two.) |
On Saturday 9 August 1862 gas exploded in the No. 2 pit at Lletty Shenkin Colliery, Cwmbach, near Aberdare. Four were killed, among them a boy, David Jones, and a second boy, David Davies, died of his burns some weeks later. It was the third fatal explosion at the colliery in thirteen years. No account of its cause or of an inquest has been found.
Cause
An explosion of gas; how it was ignited is not recorded in the sources read.
Contributing factors
The colliery's coal was exceedingly gassy: explosions in 1849 and 1853 had been blamed on gas leaking from abandoned workings and on a naked light near escaping gas.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Five died in an explosion of gas at the No. 2 pit on 9 August 1862: David Griffiths, John Morgan, Richard Thomas, the boy David Jones, and the boy David Davies, who died of burns some weeks later. 1,2
- The Durham Mining Museum lists an explosion of gas with five lives lost in August 1862, naming David Griffith, haulier, David Jones, and John Morgan and Richard Thomas, labourers, on 9 August. 3
- Welsh Coal Mines describes Griffiths, Morgan and Thomas as colliers; the Durham Mining Museum gives Griffith as a haulier and Morgan and Thomas as labourers. (disputed) 1,3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Coal (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s contributing factors: “The colliery's coal was exceedingly gassy: explosions in 1849 and 1853 had been blamed…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…9 August 1862 gas exploded in the No. 2 pit at Lletty Shenkin Colliery, Cwmbach, near Aberdare. Four were killed, among them a boy, David…” - Firedamp (direct cause)
An explosion of gas. - Naked Light (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s contributing factors: “…1853 had been blamed on gas leaking from abandoned workings and on a naked light near escaping gas.”
Sources
- (secondary) Lletty Shenkin Colliery, Cwmbach — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1862 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) Lletty Shenkin Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 4 September 2026 · Last researched: 13 September 2026