Nantwen Colliery roof fall, 1909

A slab of rock fell on two colliers at Nantwen Colliery, Bedlinog, on 14 October 1909 while their boy was fetching another post; one died at once and the other that afternoon.

Cause

A slab of face rock discharged a post and fell on the two men.

Contributing factors

Water from heavy rain had broken in, and the wet conditions were affecting the roof.

What happened

About 8.15 a.m. on 14 October 1909 Edmund Evans and David Lewis were shovelling small coal into a dram at their face in the Brithdir seam at Nantwen Colliery, Bedlinog, while Lewis's son George, fifteen, went for a post. A slab of rock six and a half feet by five came away, knocked out a post and fell on both men. Evans was killed on the spot; Lewis was got out alive with great difficulty but died at four that afternoon. Recent heavy rain had let water into the workings and the roof was wet.

Recorded claims

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

• On 14 October 1909 a fall at the face in the Brithdir seam at Nantwen Colliery, Bedlinog, killed the colliers Edmund Evans, 49, and David Lewis, 47. ^1,2
• A slab of rock 5 feet by 6 feet 6 inches by 8 inches thick discharged one post and fell on both men while their assistant was cutting another post. ²
• Heavy rain had let water break in, and the wet conditions were affecting the roof. ¹
• The colliery belonged to Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Ltd. ²

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: “…14 October 1909 Edmund Evans and David Lewis were shovelling small coal into a dram at their face in the Brithdir seam at Nantwen Colliery,…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A slab of rock fell on two colliers at Nantwen Colliery, Bedlinog, on 14 October 1909 while their boy was fetching another…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…1909 Edmund Evans and David Lewis were shovelling small coal into a dram at their face in the Brithdir seam at Nantwen Colliery, Bedlinog,…”

Sources

1. (secondary) 1909 fatalities — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames E, part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026