Wynnstay Colliery fall of coal, 1897

A contractor and his loader at Wynnstay Colliery, Ruabon, were crushed on 22 September 1897 when four yards of coal he was wedging down came away from a slip.

Cause

A four-yard piece of coal came away from a slip as it was being wedged down, knocking out two props.

What happened

On 22 September 1897 the contractor Isaac Evans, 40, was wedging down coal on the rise side of a level at Wynnstay Colliery, Ruabon, with his loader Allen Edwards, 21. A piece four yards long came away from a slip, knocked out two props and crushed them both. Evans died that day and Edwards in hospital the next.

Recorded claims

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

• On 22 September 1897 a fall of coal at Wynnstay Colliery, Ruabon, fatally injured the contractor Isaac Evans, 40, and the loader Allen Edwards, 21. ^1,2,3
• The contractor was wedging down coal on the rise side of the level when a piece four yards long came away from a slip, knocking out two props and crushing the men. ^1,2,3
• Evans died the same day and Edwards in hospital the next day. ^1,3
• The colliery belonged to the Wynnstay Collieries Company. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Ruabon, were crushed on 22 September 1897 when four yards of coal he was wedging down came away from a slip.”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A contractor and his loader at Wynnstay Colliery, Ruabon, were crushed on 22 September 1897 when four yards of coal…”
• Filler (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A contractor and his loader at Wynnstay Colliery, Ruabon, were crushed on 22 September 1897 when…”
• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Isaac Evans, 40, was wedging down coal on the rise side of a level at Wynnstay Colliery, Ruabon, with his loader Allen Edwards, 21. A…”

Sources

1. (primary) Wynnstay Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames E (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
3. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames E part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

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