MineArchiveMarine Colliery roof fall, 1958
On 12 December 1958 the roof caved in without warning on the B7 conveyor face in the Black Vein district of No. 1 Pit at Marine Colliery, Cwm, burying the colliers Cledwyn Timothy and Idris Paul. Workmates dug them out and carried them clear seconds before a second fall.
| Date | 12 December 1958 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Marine Colliery |
| Region | Blaenau Gwent |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (John Cledwyn Timothy, 35, collier, married with four children, and Idris Paul, 32, collier, a married man.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A fall of rippings: the roof caved in without warning on the conveyor face.
What happened
Colliers were spaced every few yards along the B7 face, cutting and loading coal onto the conveyor, when the roof came in. Timothy and Paul were buried before they could get away.
Rescue & recovery
Ignoring the danger of another fall, workmates dug with picks and shovels and pulled the two bodies clear, staying in the danger area for an hour. As they moved away with their dead the rock rumbled overhead, and a few seconds later another big fall came down. Eight men to a stretcher, taking turns, they carried the bodies a mile and a half to the pit bottom, at times stooping or going down on their knees.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 12 December 1958 two colliers, Cledwyn Timothy and Idris Paul, were killed by a fall at Marine Colliery, Cwm. 1,2,3
- They were killed outright when buried by a fall of rippings. 2,3
- Workmates who dug the bodies out escaped a second big fall by only a few seconds. 1
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Coal (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…were spaced every few yards along the B7 face, cutting and loading coal onto the conveyor, when the roof came in. Timothy and Paul were…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…B7 conveyor face in the Black Vein district of No. 1 Pit at Marine Colliery, Cwm, burying the colliers Cledwyn Timothy and Idris Paul. Workmates…” - Ripping (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s cause: “A fall of rippings: the roof caved in without warning on the conveyor face.”
Sources
- (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: fatalities 1958 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: John Cledwyn Timothy, Marine, 12 December 1958 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (secondary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Idris Paul, Marine, 12 December 1958 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 25 October 2026 · Last researched: 25 October 2026