Ponthenry Colliery outburst, 1924

On the evening of 3 September 1924 a sudden outburst of fine coal and gas in 19 East, Pumpquart seam, of Ponthenry Colliery's Glynhir slant killed five men; two more were seriously gassed. Over twenty survived by lying face down, and eight rescuers were later honoured by the Carnegie Hero Trust.

Cause

A sudden outburst (blower) of fine coal and methane from pockets of gas in the soft coal.

Contributing factors

The colliery's history of blowers: fatal ones in February 1920 and March 1923.

What happened

The colliery belonged to the Ponthenry Coal Company; George Roblings was agent and manager. The fireman John Harris had found a slight blower in No. 25 West that afternoon, bratticed it, and fired shots in 19 East at 3.45 p.m. and later elsewhere. That evening, fewer than 40 men were at work when the blower came; men heard a noise like thunder and a great wind. More than twenty in the area lay face down, some with faces in running water, and came through the gas using their caps as respirators.

Rescue & recovery

The undermanager Rees Morgan crawled on hands and knees through gas to find delirious men and sent them up; rescuers went back to the face to reach those overcome. William Henry Evans was found dead beside his gassed son. Eight rescuers received Carnegie Hero Trust certificates dated 25 June 1925.

Investigation & inquiry

At the inquest at Llanelli Town Hall on 25 September 1924 the jury found death by suffocation by gas, recommended boring through soft coal to release the gas pockets and longwall working where practicable, and paid tribute to the rescuers.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Unknown.

Changes to practice & legislation

The jury recommended boring straight through soft coal to the gas pockets, and longwall working.

Memorials & commemoration

Unknown.

People

5 of the 5 who died are named in the archive; the rest are not named in the sources read for this record.

• George Buck (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Labourer, 48, of Llandefeilog.
• Henry Butterfield · rescuer, 1924 — Fireman, Ponthenry; Carnegie certificate.
• Rees Charles · rescuer, 1924 — Miner of Trimsaran; Carnegie certificate.
• Stephen Charles · rescuer, 1924 — Miner of Mynydd-y-garreg; Carnegie certificate.
• Samuel Philip Evans (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Collier, 33, married with four children.
• William Henry Evans (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Collier, 35, of Mynyddygarreg, married with eight children.
• John Harris · survivor, 1924 — Fireman, sole survivor of the men in the slant.
• Wilfred Hughes · rescuer, 1924 — Miner of Pontyates; Carnegie certificate.
• William David Jenkins (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Collier, 34, of Pontyates, married with five children.
• William King · rescuer, 1924 — Miner of Ponthenry; Carnegie certificate.
• John Morgan · rescuer, 1924 — Under-manager, Ponthenry; Carnegie certificate.
• Rees Morgan · rescuer, 1924 — Under-manager in charge that day; Carnegie certificate.
• Stanley Morris (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Collier's helper, 17, of Mynyddygarreg.
• David Walters · rescuer, 1924 — Fireman, Ponthenry; Carnegie certificate.

What's uncertain

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

• An older list in NMRS's source (Samuel Pascoe, Isaac James, Timothy Jones, William David, Peter Williams) has been corrected by a researcher. (disputed) ²
• Newspapers called George Buck single; he had married Emily Green in August 1913. (disputed) ^2,3

Recorded claims

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

• Five men lost their lives in a sudden outburst of gas from a blower in 19 East, Pumpquart seam, Glynhir slant, on 3 September 1924. ^1,2,3
• Carnegie Hero Trust certificates were awarded to Wilfred Hughes, William King, Rees Charles, Stephen Charles, John Morgan, Henry Butterfield, Rees Morgan and David Walters. ³
• An older list in NMRS's source (Samuel Pascoe, Isaac James, Timothy Jones, William David, Peter Williams) has been corrected by a researcher. (disputed) ²
• Newspapers called George Buck single; he had married Emily Green in August 1913. (disputed) ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Blower (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the cause: “A sudden outburst (blower) of fine coal and methane from pockets of gas in the soft coal.”
• Brattice (relevant method/equipment)
  The fireman bratticed an earlier blower.
• Longwall (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the investigation: “…recommended boring through soft coal to release the gas pockets and longwall working where practicable, and paid tribute to the rescuers.”
• Outburst (direct cause)
  A blower of coal dust and methane.
• Slant (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…and gas in 19 East, Pumpquart seam, of Ponthenry Colliery's Glynhir slant killed five men; two more were seriously gassed. Over twenty…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Ponthenry Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Ponthenry Colliery Suffocation - Llanelli - 1924 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Ponthenry Mining Disaster — Llanelli Community Heritage

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