MineArchivePrince of Wales Colliery haulage accident, 1877
On the morning of Saturday 15 December 1877 a haulage rope flew off its sheave wheel on the incline at Abercarn Colliery, killing Abraham Terrell and injuring a second man, Moore, so badly that he died later.
| Date | 15 December 1877 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Prince of Wales Colliery |
| Region | Caerphilly |
| Type | Haulage / Transport |
| Fatalities | 2 (Abraham Terrell, 24, collier, killed outright, and Moore, 45, who died later (Benjamin in Welsh Coal Mines, Charles in the Western Mail).) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A haulage rope came off a sheave wheel and struck the men on the incline.
What happened
Terrell, a young collier, was killed on the incline. Moore was so injured that he was not likely to recover, and is recorded as dying later; a third man fell and was also hurt.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On the morning of Saturday 15 December 1877 a young man named Terrell was killed on the incline at Abercarn Colliery. 1,2
- The men were struck by a haulage rope that flew off a sheave wheel. 1
- A second man, Moore, was so badly injured that he was not expected to recover; Welsh Coal Mines records that he died later. 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…a haulage rope flew off its sheave wheel on the incline at Abercarn Colliery, killing Abraham Terrell and injuring a second man, Moore, so badly…” - Haulage (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On the morning of Saturday 15 December 1877 a haulage rope flew off its sheave wheel on the incline at Abercarn Colliery,…” - Incline (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…15 December 1877 a haulage rope flew off its sheave wheel on the incline at Abercarn Colliery, killing Abraham Terrell and injuring a second…”
Sources
- (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Fatalities 1877 — welshcoalmines.co.uk
- (primary) The Western Mail, 17 December 1877: Shocking accident at Abercarn Colliery — The Western Mail (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 19 October 2026