Whitworth Colliery (Tredegar) suffocation, 1914

The under-manager, an overman and a fireman of Whitworth Colliery, Tredegar, were suffocated together in old workings on 21 February 1914, two of them apparently going to help the third.

Cause

Foul air (blackdamp) in old workings sealed off six weeks before, entered to recover tools.

What happened

On 21 February 1914 three officials of Whitworth No. 1 Colliery, Tredegar, the under-manager Joseph Parsons, 44, the overman William Harris, 44, and the fireman William Watkins, went into old workings that had been sealed off six weeks earlier, to recover tools. When they failed to return their lamps the manager, Mr Golding, had a search made. A lighted lamp was found at the entrance to a disused heading full of foul air, which the searchers could not enter. Rescue men from the Crumlin and New Tredegar stations, wearing Draeger apparatus, found the three lying together face down. Two had their mufflers tied round their mouths, and it was thought that one man had gone into the heading and the other two had followed to help him.

Rescue & recovery

A search was ordered when the men's lamps were not returned; rescue brigades from Crumlin and New Tredegar, wearing Draeger breathing apparatus, recovered the bodies.

What's uncertain

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

• The three men died on 21 December 1914. (disputed) ⁵

Recorded claims

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

• On 21 February 1914 three officials of Whitworth No. 1 Colliery, Tredegar, the under-manager Parsons, the overman William Harris and the fireman William Watkins, were suffocated in old workings. ^1,2,3,4
• The three men died on 21 December 1914. (disputed) ⁵
• They died of foul air in a disused heading; the men had gone in to recover tools from old workings sealed off six weeks before. ^1,6,5,2
• When they failed to return their lamps, the manager, Mr Golding, had a search made and a lighted lamp was found at the entrance to a disused heading full of foul air. ^1,6
• Rescue men from the Crumlin and New Tredegar stations, wearing Draeger breathing apparatus, found the three lying together face down. ^1,6
• Two of the men had their mufflers tied round their mouths; it was thought that one had gone into the heading and the other two followed to help him. ^1,6
• The colliery belonged to the Tredegar Iron and Coal Co. Ltd. ^2,3,4

Related terminology

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

• Bad Air (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Foul air (blackdamp) in old workings sealed off six weeks before, entered to…”
• Breathing Apparatus (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “…rescue brigades from Crumlin and New Tredegar, wearing Draeger breathing apparatus, recovered the bodies.”
• Chokedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Foul air (blackdamp) in old workings sealed off six weeks before, entered to recover…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “The under-manager, an overman and a fireman of Whitworth Colliery, Tredegar, were suffocated together in old…”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “The under-manager, an overman and a fireman of Whitworth Colliery, Tredegar, were suffocated…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Fatalities 1914 — Welsh Coal Mines — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Accident record: Joseph Parsons, Whitworth No.1, 1914 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Accident record: William Harris, Whitworth No.1, 1914 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (secondary) Accident record: William Watkins, Whitworth No.1, 1914 — Northern Mine Research Society
5. (secondary) Whitworth Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
6. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Whitworth Colliery, Tredegar — Welsh Coal Mines

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