MineArchiveSeven Sisters Colliery cage accident, 1879
On Tuesday 26 August 1879 the cage taking seven men down the Seven Sisters pit, near Neath, stopped and tilted about 60 yards from the bottom. Three men were thrown down the shaft and killed; the other four clung to the cage and were brought back to the surface, seriously injured.
| Date | 26 August 1879 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Seven Sisters Colliery |
| Region | Neath Port Talbot |
| Type | Winding / Shaft Accident |
| Fatalities | 3 (Thomas Thomas, 31, his brother John Thomas, 20, and William Lewis, 15. Two died at once; the third lived about three hours, unconscious.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
The cage stuck and tipped in the shaft: the newspapers put it down to a hitch or defect in the guides, the colliery's own account to a broken guide rope.
What happened
Two of the men thrown out died at once and the third lingered for about three hours without regaining consciousness. When the cage righted itself the engineman, realising something was wrong, reversed the engine and drew it to the top, where the four survivors were found holding on to its sides. The pit's owner was D. Bevan.
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 cage stopped and tilted because of a fault in the guides. (disputed) 2,3
- A guide rope broke and tipped the men out of the cage. (disputed) 4
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On Tuesday 26 August 1879 the cage carrying seven men down the Seven Sisters pit tipped about 60 yards from the bottom, throwing three of them down the shaft to their deaths; the other four were injured. 1,2,3
- The cage stopped and tilted because of a fault in the guides. (disputed) 2,3
- A guide rope broke and tipped the men out of the cage. (disputed) 4
- The four survivors clung to the cage, which the engineman reversed and brought back to the surface. 2,3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Cage (contextual relationship)
Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “On Tuesday 26 August 1879 the cage taking seven men down the Seven Sisters pit, near Neath, stopped and…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s cause: “…the newspapers put it down to a hitch or defect in the guides, the colliery's own account to a broken guide rope.” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…about 60 yards from the bottom. Three men were thrown down the shaft and killed; the other four clung to the cage and were brought back…”
Sources
- (secondary) Welsh coal mine fatalities, 1879 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (primary) South Wales Daily News, 27 August 1879: Fatal accident at the Seven Sisters' Colliery — South Wales Daily News (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
- (primary) Monmouthshire Merlin, 29 August 1879: Neath: three men killed and several injured — Monmouthshire Merlin (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
- (secondary) Seven Sisters Colliery, Dulais Valley — Welsh Coal Mines
Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 19 October 2026