Morfa Colliery explosion, 1890

Early on Tuesday 10 March 1890 an explosion tore through Morfa Colliery at Taibach, Port Talbot, a pit long known as gassy and as the pit of ghosts. Of about 250 men and boys below, some 100 walked out unaided; 87 died, including the manager William Barras and a rescuer, Daniel Brownsell. Five boys climbed out over a roof fall the next morning, and John Franks was found alive twelve hours further in. The jury found that shot firing had ignited a body of gas.

Cause

A body of firedamp ignited in the workings, which the inquest jury attributed to shot firing.

Contributing factors

The pit was notoriously gassy, with fatal explosions in 1850, 1858, 1863 and 1870. After the disaster the only unsafe lamp found near a body was John Morris's, which was unlocked.

What happened

The blast came at the start of the morning shift and ripped through the workings. About a hundred men found their way to the pit bottom and were brought up; others made their escape only after long struggles, one group of six, including the boy Rees Oates who survived, having only two undamaged lamps between them and abandoning men who fell insensible. A large roof fall in a main heading blocked the search. Among the dead were colliers, repairers, hauliers, hitchers and pumpers from Taibach, Aberavon, Constant and the colliery rows, and the manager William Barras, aged 75. At the inquest witnesses spoke of unearthly voices and a smell of roses before the explosion, and the pit's reputation encouraged supernatural explanations.

Rescue & recovery

Rescuers were still clearing the fall the following morning when five young boys climbed through a gap above it, having come out over the bodies of their workmates. Twelve hours further in they found John Franks alive, injured and suffering from afterdamp. On the Wednesday a fire broke out, some of the rescue party were lost in the roadways overnight, and Daniel Brownsell was brought out unconscious from smoke and afterdamp and died soon after. Two rescue parties suffered casualties.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest jury found the explosion caused by shot firing igniting a body of gas. Reports to the Home Secretary were made by Howel Jeffreys, barrister-at-law, and J. T. Robson, H.M. Inspector of Mines.

Memorials & commemoration

A memorial to the men and boys killed in the colliery's six fatal accidents stands within the Port Talbot steelworks.

Recorded claims

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

• On the morning of 10 March 1890 firedamp and coal dust were ignited by shot firing with about 250 men below. Around a hundred survivors walked out unaided. A roof fall blocked the search until, the next morning, five young boys climbed through a gap above it, having come out over the bodies of their workmates; John Franks was found alive twelve hours further in. A fire on the Wednesday scattered the rescue party, and one of them, Brownsell, died of smoke and afterdamp after being brought up. All the bodies were recovered a week after the explosion. ¹
• The official reports and the General Register Office index record 87 dead, including the explorer Daniel Brownsell. (disputed) ^2,3
• Welsh Coal Mines' account gives 89 dead including one of the rescuers. (disputed) ¹
• Isaac Evans of the exploration party examined every lamp found near a body; all were safe except that of John Morris, which had been unlocked. ²
• Reports on the explosion were made to the Home Secretary by Howel Jeffreys, barrister, and J. T. Robson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, published by HMSO in 1890. ²
• At the inquest some witnesses spoke of hearing unearthly voices just before the explosion and of a strong smell of roses in the workings. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Afterdamp (hazard involved)
  Franks and Brownsell were overcome by afterdamp.
• Firedamp (direct cause)
  A body of gas ignited in the workings.
• Haulier (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…heading blocked the search. Among the dead were colliers, repairers, hauliers, hitchers and pumpers from Taibach, Aberavon, Constant and the…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Locked lamps were compulsory; one unlocked lamp was found.
• Shot-firing (direct cause)
  The jury found shot firing ignited the gas.

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (secondary) Morfa Colliery Port Talbot — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) The 1890 Morfa Colliery Disaster — David Morgan (genealogy page, from the official reports and GRO index)
3. (secondary) Morfa Colliery disaster death rolls — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 11 September 2026 · Last researched: 13 September 2026