National Colliery explosion, 1887

At 6.40 p.m. on 18 February 1887 an explosion swept the Four Feet seam of the National Colliery at Wattstown in the Rhondda, a dry, dusty and gassy pit where shots were fired in the roads. Thirty-nine died; the last parts of the workings were not reached for five days.

Cause

An explosion of gas; the jury could not determine its cause or origin. Welsh Coal Mines attributes it to shotfiring igniting a pocket of firedamp.

Contributing factors

Shots were fired in ripping without keeping to the owners' instructions, with men in the pit who should not have been; gas found the day before was not recorded; the roads were dry and dusty and watered only irregularly.

What happened

Watts, Ward and Company's two shafts, sunk in 1880, worked the Four Feet seam at 425 yards, where the dry steam coal gave off gas freely and laid thick dust. Shots were meant to be fired only between the day and repairing shifts, with water cartridges and electric firing; the pit was lit by Marsaut lamps. The explosion came at 6.40 p.m., when only about sixty men were underground; the banksman held back a further hundred waiting for instructions. Falls up to 20 feet high blocked the main roads and pockets of gas remained, and the extremities were reached only on 23 February. Among the dead was the night overman Griffith Griffiths.

Rescue & recovery

Exploring parties restored ventilation gradually through large pockets of gas and heavy falls, reaching the farthest workings on Wednesday 23 February.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector Robson reported that discipline was not what it ought to have been, citing unrecorded gas and shotfiring contrary to the owners' instructions and the General Rules, and urged effective means of dealing with dust in dry, gassy mines.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The jury found that an explosion of gas killed Griffith Griffiths and 37 others but that the evidence did not show its cause or starting point, adding that the colliery had been managed 'in a loose manner'. Albert Shewry was found to have fallen down the upcast shaft.

Changes to practice & legislation

Unknown.

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 attributes the explosion to shotfiring igniting a pocket of firedamp; the jury could not find the cause or where it started. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion on 18 February 1887 killed 39 miners; only about 60 were underground, the banksman having delayed another 100. ¹
• Welsh Coal Mines attributes the explosion to shotfiring igniting a pocket of firedamp; the jury could not find the cause or where it started. (disputed) ^1,2
• The jury added that the colliery was conducted in a loose manner and not so carefully as the case required. ²

Related terminology

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

• Banksman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…came at 6.40 p.m., when only about sixty men were underground; the banksman held back a further hundred waiting for instructions. Falls up to 20…”
• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s aftermath: “…'in a loose manner'. Albert Shewry was found to have fallen down the upcast shaft.”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  The night overman was killed.
• Ripping (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s contributing factors: “Shots were fired in ripping without keeping to the owners' instructions, with men in the pit who…”
• Shot-firing (contributing factor)
  Shots fired contrary to instructions.

Sources

1. (secondary) National Colliery Wattstown — welshcoalmines.co.uk
2. (secondary) National Colliery Explosion - Pontypridd - 1887 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 21 September 2026 · Last researched: 21 September 2026