Naval Colliery roof fall, 1903

Two roadmen were killed in the Ely Pit of Naval Colliery, Penygraig, in October 1903 when a rotten framing collar broke over a main heading and the roof fell on them.

Cause

A framing collar over a main heading, rotten at the point of fracture, broke and let down the roof it and four other collars had been holding.

What happened

In October 1903 two roadmen at the Ely Pit of Naval Colliery, Penygraig, Thomas Stradling, 64, and Charles Hill, 49, were walking along a main heading in the Five Feet seam on their way to work when a framing collar broke. It released the four collars it had been holding up, and a mass of roof about 11½ feet by 12 feet and 33 inches thick came down on the two men, killing them both. The collar was found to have a good deal of dry rot at the break, although it was said to have been set only a month earlier. The day is given as the 13th in one account and the 20th in another.

What's uncertain

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

• The accident happened on 13 October 1903. (uncertain) ²
• The accident happened on 20 October 1903. (uncertain) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• Two roadmen, Thomas Stradling, 64, and Charles Hill, 49, were killed by a fall of roof in the Ely Pit of Naval Colliery, Penygraig, in October 1903. ^1,2
• The accident happened on 13 October 1903. (uncertain) ²
• The accident happened on 20 October 1903. (uncertain) ¹
• As the two men walked along a main heading to their work, a framing collar broke and released the four collars it had been supporting, bringing down the roof on them. ^1,2
• The broken collar showed a good deal of dry rot at the fracture, although it was said to have been set only a month before. ²
• The colliery belonged to the Naval Colliery Co. (1897) Ltd. ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two roadmen were killed in the Ely Pit of Naval Colliery, Penygraig, in October 1903 when a rotten framing collar broke over…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Mining fatalities, 1903 - Welsh Coal Mines — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Accident record: Charles Hill, Ely, 1903 — Northern Mine Research Society

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