Wernffraith Colliery explosion, 1770

On 12 June 1770, twelve years after the first disaster there, an explosion caused by naked lights at Wernffraith Colliery, Neath Abbey, killed seventeen miners; the Cadoxton register says they were 'all burnt to death in the coal pits'.

Cause

Firedamp ignited by the miners' naked lights.

What happened

The second explosion at Wernffraith was caused by naked lights. Two days later, on 14 June 1770, the burial register of Cadoxton recorded seven of the dead: Griffith and William Griffith, sons of William; Griffith John, son of Griffith; John Richard, son of John; Evan Rosser, son of Rosser; John Mordecay; and Edward, son of John Edward, with the note 'all burnt to death in the coal pits'. Rees and William Charley, sons of William, buried the same day at St Thomas' churchyard, were almost certainly also victims.

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion at Wernffraith Colliery on 12 June 1770 killed seventeen miners. ^1,2
• The explosion was caused by naked lights. ^1,2
• Seven were buried at Cadoxton on 14 June 1770, the register noting 'all burnt to death in the coal pits'. ¹

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: “…disaster there, an explosion caused by naked lights at Wernffraith Colliery, Neath Abbey, killed seventeen miners; the Cadoxton register says…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp ignited by the miners' naked lights.”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…twelve years after the first disaster there, an explosion caused by naked lights at Wernffraith Colliery, Neath Abbey, killed seventeen miners; the…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) Cilfrew Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Wernfraith Colliery Explosion - Neath - 1770 (Northern Mine Research Society) — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 10 October 2026 · Last researched: 10 October 2026