Rhos Amman Colliery explosion, 1924

At about 11.30 p.m. on 4 January 1924 an explosion destroyed a small tin cabin near the mouth of a new slant being driven at Rhos Amman Colliery, near Brynamman, killing seven men gathered there at the change of shift. Explosives in the cabin were thought to have been thawed at its open fire.

Cause

Explosives kept in the cabin, thought to have been thawed at an open fire: gelignite by one account, 10 lb of gunpowder by another.

Contributing factors

Explosives stored in the men's cabin beside an open grate.

What happened

After the old colliery was abandoned, a contractor, George Hughes of Neath Abbey, was driving a new slant; it had gone 45 feet. At the change of shift around 11 p.m. two of the afternoon shift went into the galvanised tin cabin, about nine feet square, near the drift mouth, to see the five night-shift men. The explosion at 11.30 was heard all over the Amman valley; it left a crater four feet deep and destroyed the cabin. Among the dead were Tom Jones, his son Ioan and his brother William, and their brother-in-law Glyn Thomas; William T. Jones survived the blast but died in Swansea Hospital.

Rescue & recovery

Unknown.

Investigation & inquiry

Unknown.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Unknown.

Changes to practice & legislation

Unknown.

Memorials & commemoration

A memorial to the seven stands on the recreation ground that now occupies the old mine site; a printed memorial notice names them.

People

7 of the 7 who died are named in the archive; the rest are not named in the sources read for this record.

• James T. Davies (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Overman, 32 or 33, of Ystrad; held a first-class manager's certificate.
• Willie J. Davies (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Fireman, 24; a Brynamman FC winger (W. H. Davies on the memorial notice).
• George Hughes (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Contractor in charge of the drivage, of Neath Abbey; 42 or 54.
• Ioan Jones (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — 17, son of Thomas Jones.
• Thomas Jones (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Of Rhosamman, 44 or 45; Tom Jones or T. T. Jones in the sources.
• William T. Jones (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — Sinker, 42, brother of Thomas Jones; died in Swansea Hospital.
• Glyn Thomas (d. 1924) · victim, 1924 — 29 or 30, brother-in-law of the Jones 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.

• There were 10 lb of gunpowder in the cabin, thought to have been thawed on the fire in the open grate. (disputed) ²
• Gelignite in the shed, apparently being thawed at an open fire. (disputed) ¹
• Ages differ: George Hughes 42 (colliery page) or 54 (1924 list); James T. Davies 33 or 32; Thomas Jones 45 or 44; Glyn Thomas 29 or 30. (disputed) ^2,1

Recorded claims

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

• On 4 January 1924 an explosion killed seven men resting between shifts in a hut; gelignite was in the shed near an open fire. ¹
• There were 10 lb of gunpowder in the cabin, thought to have been thawed on the fire in the open grate. (disputed) ²
• Gelignite in the shed, apparently being thawed at an open fire. (disputed) ¹
• A memorial notice names the seven: T. T. Jones, Ioan Jones, Glyn Thomas, James T. Davies, W. H. Davies, George Hughes and W. T. Jones. ³
• Ages differ: George Hughes 42 (colliery page) or 54 (1924 list); James T. Davies 33 or 32; Thomas Jones 45 or 44; Glyn Thomas 29 or 30. (disputed) ^2,1

Related terminology

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

• Anthracite (contextual relationship)
  An Amman valley anthracite colliery.
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…tin cabin near the mouth of a new slant being driven at Rhos Amman Colliery, near Brynamman, killing seven men gathered there at the change of…”
• Drift (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…went into the galvanised tin cabin, about nine feet square, near the drift mouth, to see the five night-shift men. The explosion at 11.30 was…”
• Slant (contextual relationship)
  The men were driving a new slant.

Sources

1. (secondary) Gelliceidrim Colliery page (Rhos Amman Colliery section) — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Welsh coal mine fatalities, 1924 — Welsh Coal Mines
3. (secondary) History of Coal Mining in the Amman Valley, Carmarthenshire — GENUKI

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