MineArchivePentre Colliery runaway journey, 1894
A train of trams broke loose in a drift at Pentre Colliery, Rhondda, on 31 August 1894, killing a shackler and fatally injuring a door boy of 13.
| Date | 31 August 1894 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Pentre Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Type | Haulage / Transport |
| Fatalities | 2 (Two.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A shackle broke and a train of trams ran away down a drift.
What happened
On the morning of Friday 31 August 1894 a train of trams broke loose in a drift being driven in the new Six Feet seam at Pentre Colliery, the Cory brothers' pit at the head of the Rhondda Fawr. A shackle had broken. The runaway killed the shackler William Thomas, 22, outright and so badly injured the door boy John Hunt, 13, that he died the same day. The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- A shackler, William Thomas, 22, and a door boy, John Hunt, 13, died after a runaway at Pentre Colliery on 31 August 1894. 1,2,3
- A train of trams broke loose in a drift in the new Six Feet seam when a shackle broke. 1,2
- Thomas was killed instantly; Hunt was badly injured and died later. 1,2
- The inquest at the Pentre Hotel, attended by the deputy inspector of mines, returned a verdict of accidental death. 3
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: “A train of trams broke loose in a drift at Pentre Colliery, Rhondda, on 31 August 1894, killing a shackler and fatally injuring…” - Drift (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A train of trams broke loose in a drift at Pentre Colliery, Rhondda, on 31 August 1894, killing a shackler…” - Tub (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A train of trams broke loose in a drift at Pentre Colliery, Rhondda, on 31 August…”
Sources
- (secondary) Mining fatalities, 1894 - Welsh Coal Mines — Welsh Coal Mines
- (primary) Summary of news: distressing accident at Pentre Colliery (Western Mail, 1 September 1894) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
- (primary) Pentre: colliery accident inquest (South Wales Daily News, 5 September 1894) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026