Tynybedw Colliery bowk accident, 1895

With the winding shaft at Tynybedw Colliery in Pentre out of action, the men were brought up the upcast shaft in a bowk, a barrel wound by a haulage engine. About eight in the evening of 9 September 1895 the bowk, carrying six colliers and a conductor, caught a byat supporting the Nine Feet landing and tipped over. The six fell 73 yards to the bottom of the shaft; the conductor clung to the chains and survived.

Cause

The bowk caught on a byat, a timber supporting the Nine Feet landing, as it was being wound up the upcast, and capsized.

Contributing factors

The upcast had no cage, only a haulage engine at the surface that could wind a barrel or bowk for men or water, and it was pressed into use for raising men because the winding shaft was out of action.

What happened

Tynybedw's shafts were 240 yards deep to the Nine Feet landing, 318 to the Seven Feet and 330 to the bottom of the sump. After an accident made the winding shaft unusable, the men underground were brought out through the upcast in the bowk. At about 8 p.m. the load of six men and the conductor struck the byat at the Nine Feet landing; the bowk turned over and the six men fell 73 yards to the shaft bottom, while the conductor held on to the bridle chains until he was drawn up.

Rescue & recovery

The conductor was brought to the surface still clinging to the bridle chains.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

When the winding gear broke down again in October 1912 and men were once more raised through the ventilating shaft, it took until nine in the evening to bring the last of them out.

Recorded claims

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

• About 8 p.m. on 9 September 1895, with the winding shaft out of use, a bowk carrying six men and the conductor up the upcast caught a byat supporting the Nine Feet landing and capsized, and the six fell 73 yards to the bottom. ^1,2
• The conductor clung to the bridle chains and was brought to the surface with slight injuries. ¹
• Those killed were Thomas Jones, 28, shackler, and the colliers Morgan Rees Williams, 24, Richard Humphreys, 31, Edward Willey, 24, and the brothers Richard Morris, 21, a renowned musician and church organist, and Ebenezer Morris. ²
• When a winding breakdown in October 1912 again forced men to be raised through the ventilating shaft, the Rhondda Leader recalled the earlier occasion when the bowk upset and six men were killed. 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 summary: “With the winding shaft at Tynybedw Colliery in Pentre out of action, the men were brought up the upcast shaft in…”
• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…Colliery in Pentre out of action, the men were brought up the upcast shaft in a bowk, a barrel wound by a haulage engine. About eight in the…”
• Kibble (contextual relationship)
  Named 6 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Pentre out of action, the men were brought up the upcast shaft in a bowk, a barrel wound by a haulage engine. About eight in the evening of 9…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 7 times in this record, first in the summary: “With the winding shaft at Tynybedw Colliery in Pentre out of action, the men were brought…”
• Sump (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Feet landing, 318 to the Seven Feet and 330 to the bottom of the sump. After an accident made the winding shaft unusable, the men…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Tynybedw Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1895 — Welsh Coal Mines
3. (secondary) Pentre news (Rhondda Leader, 19 October 1912) — The Rhondda Leader, via Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 11 September 2026 · Last researched: 13 September 2026