Tynybedw Colliery shaft accident, 1882

On 6 November 1882 the rope broke in the upcast shaft at Tynybedw Colliery, Pentre, and the mechanic Samuel Phillips and his assistant, William Jones, fell to their deaths. The inquest jury blamed the agent and manager for failing to see that the rope was properly examined.

Cause

The winding rope in the upcast pit broke while the two men were in the shaft.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest was resumed at the Queen's Hotel, Pentre, before T. Williams, deputy coroner, with T. E. Wales, Inspector of Mines, and his assistant Treharne Rees present. The jury found death from falling down the upcast pit after the rope broke, that Phillips was incompetent as a mechanic, and that the agent, Edmund Thomas, and the manager, Thomas Salathiel, had greatly neglected their duty in not seeing the rope properly examined.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

For the owners, Thomas and Griffiths, their solicitor said they would reasonably compensate those who had depended on Jones.

Recorded claims

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

• Two men were killed by falling down the Tynybedw upcast shaft at Pentre when the rope broke. ^1,2,3
• The rope broke on Monday 6 November 1882. ^1,3
• The jury found that Samuel Phillips was incompetent as a mechanic and that the agent, Edmund Thomas, and the manager, Thomas Salathiel, had greatly neglected their duty in not seeing the rope properly examined. ²
• The rope had been made by another firm and only tested by George Elliot and Co. at Cardiff. 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: “On 6 November 1882 the rope broke in the upcast shaft at Tynybedw Colliery, Pentre, and the mechanic Samuel Phillips and his assistant, William…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “…was resumed at the Queen's Hotel, Pentre, before T. Williams, deputy coroner, with T. E. Wales, Inspector of Mines, and his assistant…”
• Downcast Shaft and Upcast Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On 6 November 1882 the rope broke in the upcast shaft at Tynybedw Colliery, Pentre, and the mechanic Samuel Phillips and…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “…Hotel, Pentre, before T. Williams, deputy coroner, with T. E. Wales, Inspector of Mines, and his assistant Treharne Rees present. The jury found death from…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…winding rope in the upcast pit broke while the two men were in the shaft.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh coal mining fatalities, 1882 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News, 18 November 1882: The Tynybedw inquest, important verdict — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) The Western Mail, 18 November 1882: The Tynybedw Colliery accident — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 11 October 2026 · Last researched: 11 October 2026