Seven Sisters Colliery Explosion, 1907

An underground explosion at Seven Sisters Colliery on 10 November 1907 killed five men. It was attributed to a defective safety lamp, and the manager afterwards prosecuted both the fireman who had an unlocked lamp underground and the surface lampman who had let a defective one be given out. Both were convicted.

Cause

A defective safety lamp, in an anthracite district prone to sudden outbursts of gas.

What happened

The explosion came underground on 10 November 1907 and killed five men: Owen Gethin, a shotman of fifty-five; Morgan Hugh Jones, thirty-three, and Evan Harris, thirty-nine, both overmen; Phillip Williams, a collier of seventeen; and Edward Jones, a haulier of forty-five. That two of the five were overmen suggests the blast caught the men responsible for the district as well as those working in it.

The cause was put down to a defective safety lamp. Anthracite fields of this kind are prone to blow-outs — sudden outbursts of gas from the coal — and a lamp that would not contain a flame in such conditions was the difference between a scare and five deaths.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The manager prosecuted the fireman for having an unlocked lamp in the mine, and the surface lampman for permitting a defective lamp to be given out. Convictions were obtained in both cases.

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 explosion was caused by a defective safety lamp. (uncertain) ¹
• The Wikipedia account describes the incident as a blow-out, the sudden outburst of gas to which anthracite coalfields are prone. (uncertain) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Five men were killed: Owen Gethin, 55, a shotman; Morgan Hugh Jones, 33, and Evan Harris, 39, both overmen; Phillip Williams, 17, a collier; and Edward Jones, 45, a haulier. ¹
• The explosion was caused by a defective safety lamp. (uncertain) ¹
• The manager prosecuted the fireman for having an unlocked lamp in the mine and the surface lampman for permitting a defective lamp to be given out. Convictions were obtained in both cases. ¹
• The Wikipedia account describes the incident as a blow-out, the sudden outburst of gas to which anthracite coalfields are prone. (uncertain) ²

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…this kind are prone to blow-outs — sudden outbursts of gas from the coal — and a lamp that would not contain a flame in such conditions was…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…safety lamp, and the manager afterwards prosecuted both the fireman who had an unlocked lamp underground and the surface lampman who had…”
• Haulier (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Phillip Williams, a collier of seventeen; and Edward Jones, a haulier of forty-five. That two of the five were overmen suggests the blast…”
• Outburst (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “A defective safety lamp, in an anthracite district prone to sudden outbursts of gas.”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…10 November 1907 killed five men. It was attributed to a defective safety lamp, and the manager afterwards prosecuted both the fireman who had an…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Seven Sisters Colliery, Dulais Valley — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Seven Sisters, Neath Port Talbot — Wikipedia

Record created: 3 September 2026 · Last researched: 3 September 2026