Old Castle Colliery inrush, 1862

On 3 July 1862 water from the old workings of the adjacent Bres colliery broke into Old Castle Colliery, Llanelli, drowning four men in the Bushy seam and two in the Golden Vein above. Sixty or more escaped up a second shaft that had been sunk only shortly before, after the Hartley disaster.

Cause

An inrush from old abandoned workings of the Bres colliery through a barrier weakened by an old top hole.

Contributing factors

The barrier had been weakened by an old top hole, though boreholes had been kept on each side of the face.

What happened

Old Castle, opened by General Warde about 1811 and in 1862 the property of Willyams, Nevill and Company, was among the most extensive collieries in Carmarthenshire, producing over 200,000 tons a year. On the morning of Thursday 3 July 1862 water from long-abandoned workings broke into the Bushy seam. Sixty to seventy men and boys were underground; those in the upper workings escaped by the newly sunk second shaft, and a boy, David Phillips, whose horses and trams were swept away, held on to a post and reached the ladder. Six men did not get out.

Rescue & recovery

The water rose to about 60 fathoms in the 90-fathom shaft. Large pumps were brought in and pumping continued for weeks; the two bodies in the upper seam were not recovered until September, with the other four still 19 fathoms below.

Investigation & inquiry

Mr Evans, the inspector, examined the colliery months later and found boreholes on each side of the face, but an old top hole had weakened the barrier so that it could not hold the water.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Unknown.

Changes to practice & legislation

The escape shaft had been sunk after the New Hartley disaster of January 1862, though the company could have delayed it until the end of 1864.

Memorials & commemoration

Unknown.

People

6 of the 6 who died are named in the archive; the rest are not named in the sources read for this record.

• David Christopher (d. 1862) · victim, 1862 — Married man of Llanelli.
• Benjamin Harry (d. 1862) · victim, 1862 — Married man of Llanelli.
• David Harry (d. 1862) · victim, 1862 — Married man of Llanelli.
• Walter Hoskins (d. 1862) · victim, 1862 — Married man of Llanelli.
• David Phillips · survivor, 1862 — Young driver swept off his feet, who held a post and reached the escape shaft ladder.
• David Thomas (d. 1862) · victim, 1862 — Married man of Llanelli.
• William Thomas (d. 1862) · victim, 1862 — Married man of Llanelli.

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 shaft was 90 fathoms deep (NMRS) or some 95 fathoms (WCM). (disputed) ^1,2
• NMRS names the owners Simms, Williams, Neville and Company; WCM Willyams, Nevill and Co. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• Water from the old Brea (Bres) workings broke into the Bushy seam, killing four men; two more drowned in the Golden Vein 19 fathoms higher. ^1,2
• Sixty to seventy men escaped through the newly sunk second shaft. ^1,2
• The shaft was 90 fathoms deep (NMRS) or some 95 fathoms (WCM). (disputed) ^1,2
• NMRS names the owners Simms, Williams, Neville and Company; WCM Willyams, Nevill and Co. (disputed) ^1,2
• Inspector Evans found an old top hole had so weakened the barrier that it could not hold back the water. ²

Related terminology

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

• Fathom (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the rescue and recovery: “The water rose to about 60 fathoms in the 90-fathom shaft. Large pumps were brought in and pumping…”
• Inrush (direct cause)
  Water from old Bres workings broke in.
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…and two in the Golden Vein above. Sixty or more escaped up a second shaft that had been sunk only shortly before, after the Hartley disaster.”
• Thirling (contextual relationship)
  The barrier between the old and new workings failed.
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…newly sunk second shaft, and a boy, David Phillips, whose horses and trams were swept away, held on to a post and reached the ladder. Six men…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Castle Colliery (Old Castle section) — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Old Castle Colliery Inrush - Llanelli - 1862 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 19 September 2026 · Last researched: 21 September 2026