Ynyshir Colliery roof fall, 1889

On 12 October 1889 the roof came down in a stall turning off a heading in the Two Feet Nine seam at Ynyshir Standard Colliery, killing three: David Jones, thirty-nine, Joseph Jones, a collier's boy of sixteen, and Thomas Griffiths, thirty-seven. The heading was double timbered and cogged, but the roof broke away along a slip parallel to the rib and swept out two cogs and several pairs of timbers.

Cause

A fall of roof from a slip running parallel to the rib, which discharged two cogs and several pairs of timbers.

Contributing factors

The roof broke away along a natural slip despite double timbering and cogs.

Investigation & inquiry

H.M. Inspector Joseph T. Robson recorded the accident in his 1889 report for the South Wales District.

Recorded claims

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

• David Jones, 39, Joseph Jones, 16, and Thomas Griffiths, 37, died under a fall of roof at Ynyshir Standard Colliery on 12 October 1889. ^1,2
• The fall was in a stall turning off a heading that was double timbered and cogged, in the Two Feet Nine seam worked longwall; the roof fell from a slip parallel to the rib and knocked out two cogs and several pairs of timbers. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…turning off a heading in the Two Feet Nine seam at Ynyshir Standard Colliery, killing three: David Jones, thirty-nine, Joseph Jones, a collier's…”
• Longwall (contextual relationship)
  The seam was worked longwall.
• Roof Fall (direct cause)
  A fall of roof in a stall.
• Stall (contextual relationship)
  The fall was in a stall off the heading.

Sources

1. (secondary) Ynyshir Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Ynyshir Standard Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 10 September 2026 · Last researched: 14 September 2026