Whitworth Colliery (Tredegar) fall of coal, 1880

Two colliers and a boy of fourteen were killed by a fall of coal in the Whitworth Drift at Tredegar on 17 January 1880, although the coal had been spragged.

Cause

A fall of coal at the working place, although the coal had been spragged.

What happened

On 17 January 1880 a fall of coal in the Whitworth Drift at Tredegar killed three: Joseph Davies, 26, a collier of 27 also named Davies (Richard in one account, William in another), and David John Evans, aged 14. The coal had been spragged and had shown no sign of falling.

Recorded claims

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

• On 17 January 1880 two colliers and a fourteen-year-old boy were killed by a fall of coal in the Whitworth Drift, Tredegar. ^1,2
• The dead were Joseph Davies, 26, a collier of 27 named Davies (Richard in one account, William in another), and David John Evans, 14. ^1,2
• The coal had been spragged and had shown no sign of falling. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 6 times in this record, first in the summary: “Two colliers and a boy of fourteen were killed by a fall of coal in the Whitworth Drift at Tredegar on 17 January 1880, although the…”
• Drift (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…and a boy of fourteen were killed by a fall of coal in the Whitworth Drift at Tredegar on 17 January 1880, although the coal had been spragged.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Whitworth Colliery, Tredegar — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Whitworth Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026