Penydarren Colliery sinking accident, 1870

On Friday 3 June 1870 five sinkers being lowered down the shaft of a new pit the Dowlais Iron Company was sinking near Cwm Bargoed fell to the bottom when the rope slipped off the drum of the hand winch. Owen Williams and John Jenkins were killed and the other three badly injured.

Cause

The rope slipped off the drum of the winch crab, worked by four men at the handles, while the men were still far from the bottom.

What happened

The Dowlais Iron Company had been sinking the shaft of a new coal pit near Cwm Bargoed for some months, with gangs of sinkers lowered to their work by a winch crab turned by four men. On the Friday morning of 3 June 1870, with the sinking well advanced, five men were being let down: Owen Williams, John Jenkins, Hugh Hughes, William Jenkins and William Davies. While they were still a long way from the bottom the rope slipped off the drum, the men at the crab said, and the carriage fell to the bottom of the shaft. Williams and Jenkins were killed instantly and the other three were badly hurt. The Cardiff Times called for a stringent inquiry, since several accidents of the same kind on the company's works suggested laxity by its officers or neglect of the rules by the men.

Investigation & inquiry

The deputy coroner, T. Williams, opened the inquest, viewed the bodies and adjourned it for three weeks to learn the fate of the injured men.

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 at Cwmbargoed Colliery, near Fochriw. (disputed) ¹
• T. Jenkins and C. Williams, sinkers, died at Penydarren Colliery on 29 May 1870 when the 'grab ran wild'. (disputed) ^4,5

Recorded claims

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

• On 3 June 1870 two sinkers, Owen Williams and John Jenkins, were killed and three injured when they fell down a sinking shaft near Cwm Bargoed. ^1,2,3
• The rope slipped off the drum of the winch crab that was lowering the five men. ^1,2,3
• The deputy coroner opened the inquest and adjourned it for three weeks. ^2,3
• The accident happened at Cwmbargoed Colliery, near Fochriw. (disputed) ¹
• T. Jenkins and C. Williams, sinkers, died at Penydarren Colliery on 29 May 1870 when the 'grab ran wild'. (disputed) ^4,5

Related terminology

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

• Capstan (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the cause: “The rope slipped off the drum of the winch crab, worked by four men at the handles, while the men were still far…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “The Dowlais Iron Company had been sinking the shaft of a new coal pit near Cwm Bargoed for some months, with gangs of sinkers lowered to…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “The deputy coroner, T. Williams, opened the inquest, viewed the bodies and…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On Friday 3 June 1870 five sinkers being lowered down the shaft of a new pit the Dowlais Iron Company was sinking near Cwm Bargoed…”
• Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
  Named 5 times in this record, first in the summary: “On Friday 3 June 1870 five sinkers being lowered down the shaft of a new pit the Dowlais Iron Company…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Glamorgan colliery fatalities, 1870 — Welsh Coal Mines website
2. (primary) 'Dowlais: fatal accident at a Cwm-Bargoed pit, two men killed', The Cardiff Times, 4 June 1870 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) 'Dowlais: fatal colliery accident', Monmouthshire Merlin, 4 June 1870 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
4. (secondary) NMRS: Penydarren Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
5. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Pen-y-darren and Black Vein Drift — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 11 October 2026 · Last researched: 11 October 2026