Werfa Colliery roof fall, 1876

A runaway dram knocked out the supports and brought down the roof on two young workers clearing rubbish at Werfa Colliery, Abernant, on 15 July 1876.

Cause

A runaway dram left the road and dislodged the roof supports.

What happened

On 15 July 1876 John Enoch and James Richards were clearing rubbish underground at Werfa Colliery when a dram ran away, left the rails and struck the supports. The roof came down and killed them both. Both were in their teens: 15 and 16 by Welsh Coal Mines' account, 17 and 18 by NMRS's.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• NMRS gives their ages as 17 and 18 and both as hauliers; Welsh Coal Mines gives 15 and 16. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• Two young workers, John Enoch and James Richards, were killed by a fall of roof at Werfa Colliery on 15 July 1876. ^1,2
• While they were clearing rubbish, a runaway dram left the road and knocked out the supports, bringing the roof down on them. ²
• NMRS gives their ages as 17 and 18 and both as hauliers; Welsh Coal Mines gives 15 and 16. (disputed) ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…brought down the roof on two young workers clearing rubbish at Werfa Colliery, Abernant, on 15 July 1876.”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A runaway dram knocked out the supports and brought down the roof on two young…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Werfa Dare Colliery (The Werfa Pits) — Northern Mine Research Society (information supplied by Ray Lawrence)
2. (secondary) Fatalities 1876 — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026