Rhydding Colliery roof fall, 1876

Three men clearing an earlier fall in Evans and Bevan's Rhydding drift near Neath were killed by a fall of roof on 11 January 1876.

Cause

A fall of roof over men clearing an earlier fall without first propping the roof.

What happened

On Tuesday 11 January 1876 men in the Rhydding drift near Bryncoch, Neath, a colliery of Mr D. Bevan's, were removing part of a fall that had come down earlier when the roof above them gave way. They had not propped the roof over the place where they were working. Three were killed: J. Jones, a fireman of 48, David Thomas, a labourer of 21, and J. Jones, a labourer of 35. A fourth man was badly injured. As was the custom, all the men left the pit and walked home with the bodies. The inquest was opened at the Town Hall and adjourned until the Inspector of Mines, Mr Wales, could attend.

Recorded claims

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

• On 11 January 1876 three men were killed by a fall of roof at the Rhydding drift near Neath, belonging to Mr D. Bevan. ^1,2,3
• The dead were J. Jones, 48, fireman, David Thomas, 21, labourer, and J. Jones, 35, labourer. ¹
• They were removing part of an earlier fall and had not propped the roof above them. ^2,3
• A fourth man was badly injured. ^2,3
• The inquest was opened at the Town Hall and adjourned for the Inspector of Mines, Mr Wales. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…11 January 1876 men in the Rhydding drift near Bryncoch, Neath, a colliery of Mr D. Bevan's, were removing part of a fall that had come down…”
• Drift (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Three men clearing an earlier fall in Evans and Bevan's Rhydding drift near Neath were killed by a fall of roof on 11 January 1876.”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…the place where they were working. Three were killed: J. Jones, a fireman of 48, David Thomas, a labourer of 21, and J. Jones, a labourer of…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…The inquest was opened at the Town Hall and adjourned until the Inspector of Mines, Mr Wales, could attend.”
• Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…fall in Evans and Bevan's Rhydding drift near Neath were killed by a fall of roof on 11 January 1876.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Cilfrew Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) Three men killed at the Rhydding Colliery (South Wales Daily News, 12 January 1876) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Three men killed at the Rhydding Colliery (The Cardiff Times, 15 January 1876) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 9 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026