Mynydd Newydd Colliery explosion, 1845

Shortly after six on Saturday morning, 17 May 1845, an explosion at the Swansea Coal Company's Mynydd Newydd Colliery, Fforest-fach, killed boys aged twelve to seventeen. A boy was believed to have taken a naked light into a heading marked as unsafe to fetch a shovel.

Cause

A naked light taken into a heading that had been pointed out as unsafe, where gas had gathered.

Contributing factors

Safety lamps were required and men were fined for not using them, but John Davies was thought to have believed the stall clear because the night shift had only lately left it.

What happened

The night men had just come up and many of the day men had gone down, so a few minutes later the toll would have been worse. The dead were David Jones, 14, his cousin David Jones, 12, John Davies, 17, William Lodwick, 12, and Thomas Griffiths, 13; one was so badly mutilated that his remains were brought up in a blanket. A month before, on 19 April, an explosion of foul air had burned three men and a boy taking timber from old workings.

Rescue & recovery

Unknown.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest was held at the Corner House, Cwmbwrla, before C. Collins, coroner, and returned accidental death.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Unknown.

Changes to practice & legislation

After an explosion the miners began holding prayer meetings underground and cut a chapel in the Five Feet seam, where the first service was held on 18 August 1845; Welsh Coal Mines instead ties the chapel to an explosion of 1869.

Memorials & commemoration

Unknown.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Welsh Coal Mines dates it May 1846 and Amgueddfa Cymru 1844, both with five dead. (disputed) ^2,3
• A boy named Davies was conjectured to have gone for a shovel into a heading pointed out as unsafe, with an uncovered light. (uncertain) ^1,3
• After the explosion the workmen held prayer meetings underground and built a chapel; the first meeting was on 18 August 1845. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• The Welshman of 22 May 1845 reports the explosion on Saturday 17 May 1845. ¹
• Welsh Coal Mines dates it May 1846 and Amgueddfa Cymru 1844, both with five dead. (disputed) ^2,3
• Five youngsters died: David Jones 14, David Jones 12, John Davies 17, William Lodwick 12 and Thomas Griffiths 13. ³
• A boy named Davies was conjectured to have gone for a shovel into a heading pointed out as unsafe, with an uncovered light. (uncertain) ^1,3
• After the explosion the workmen held prayer meetings underground and built a chapel; the first meeting was on 18 August 1845. (disputed) ²

Related terminology

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

• Bad Air (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…up in a blanket. A month before, on 19 April, an explosion of foul air had burned three men and a boy taking timber from old workings.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…May 1845, an explosion at the Swansea Coal Company's Mynydd Newydd Colliery, Fforest-fach, killed boys aged twelve to seventeen. A boy was…”
• Naked Light (direct cause)
  A candle was taken into gas.
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Lamps were required at the colliery.
• Stall (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s contributing factors: “…for not using them, but John Davies was thought to have believed the stall clear because the night shift had only lately left it.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Mynydd Newydd Colliery Explosion - Swansea - 1845 — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Underground Bible — Amgueddfa Cymru — Museum Wales
3. (secondary) Mynydd Newydd Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 22 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026