MineArchivePenydarren Colliery explosion, 1879
An explosion of gas in a Dowlais Iron Company pit at Penydarren at about two in the morning of Sunday 23 March 1879 killed the haulier Matthew Rees and burnt the rest of a ten-man repairing shift but one.
| Date | 23 March 1879 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Penydarren Colliery |
| Region | Merthyr Tydfil |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 1 (Matthew Rees, haulier, given as 21, 22 or 26. Eight other men were burnt by the first report (seven injured by another, nine by the inquest report).) |
| Injuries | Eight men burnt: Morgan Thomas, timberman; John Evans; John Jones, haulier; Benjamin Bowen, haulier, who also had both legs broken; Thomas Thomas, fireman; Evan Hughes; Meredith Jenkins, timberman; and Samuel Morris, night overman. |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Gas that had accumulated in distant workings was swept to where the men were working, with naked lights, when the air was diverted during work on a door; the inquest found an omission to place a door near a small accumulation of gas.
What happened
Only ten men were down the pit early on Sunday 23 March 1879, a repairing shift getting the workings ready for Monday. Some were working on a door, and when it had to be taken off the air was diverted and carried gas from distant workings to the place where they were working with small naked-flame hand lamps, the part being thought free of gas. The explosion killed Matthew Rees, a haulier, whose horse was killed and fell on him, and burnt all the others except James Jonathan, a labourer forty yards away.
Benjamin Bowen, with both legs broken, hobbled three or four hundred yards towards the shaft with the night overman, Samuel Morris, who then took a safety lamp and went back alone to help the others, for which his fellow workmen commended him. Help came from Dowlais and the injured were carried home, where the first report complained that hours passed before a doctor came.
Rescue & recovery
Samuel Morris, the night overman, though burnt himself, went back alone with a safety lamp to help the injured; men came from Dowlais and the injured were carried out and home.
Investigation & inquiry
The coroner, George Overton, opened the inquest at the Dowlais Inn and resumed it on 10 April with T. E. Wales, the Government Inspector, present. The evidence showed the explosion was caused by an omission to place a door in a part of the workings near a small accumulation of gas, and the jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
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 explosion was at the Dowlais Company's No. 1 Penydarren Pit. (disputed) 3
- The explosion was in the No. 1 Vochriw pit of the Dowlais Iron Company. (disputed) 2
- The explosion was at No. 2 Penydarren Colliery; the inquiry found an error of judgment by the night overman. (disputed) 1
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- An explosion of gas early on 23 March 1879 killed Matthew Rees, haulier, and burnt others of the repairing shift. 1,2,3,4
- The accident was caused by omission to place a door in a part of the workings near a small accumulation of gas. 2,4
- The resumed inquest, with the inspector T. E. Wales present, returned a verdict of accidental death. 4
- The explosion was at the Dowlais Company's No. 1 Penydarren Pit. (disputed) 3
- The explosion was in the No. 1 Vochriw pit of the Dowlais Iron Company. (disputed) 2
- The explosion was at No. 2 Penydarren Colliery; the inquiry found an error of judgment by the night overman. (disputed) 1
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Haulier (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…at about two in the morning of Sunday 23 March 1879 killed the haulier Matthew Rees and burnt the rest of a ten-man repairing shift but one.” - Naked Light (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…in distant workings was swept to where the men were working, with naked lights, when the air was diverted during work on a door; the inquest found…” - Overman (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…hobbled three or four hundred yards towards the shaft with the night overman, Samuel Morris, who then took a safety lamp and went back alone to…” - Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…the shaft with the night overman, Samuel Morris, who then took a safety lamp and went back alone to help the others, for which his fellow workmen…” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…both legs broken, hobbled three or four hundred yards towards the shaft with the night overman, Samuel Morris, who then took a safety lamp…”
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
The first report, naming the ten men in the pit and their injuries.
View sourceSources
- (secondary) Welsh coal mine fatalities, 1879 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (primary) 'Colliery explosion near Dowlais: one man killed and eight severely burnt', South Wales Daily News, 24 March 1879 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
- (primary) 'Colliery explosion at Dowlais: one man killed and seven injured', Weekly Mail, 29 March 1879 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
- (primary) 'The explosion in one of the Dowlais collieries' (resumed inquest), South Wales Daily News, 12 April 1879 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
- (secondary) NMRS: Penydarren Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 11 October 2026 · Last researched: 11 October 2026