Gethin Colliery Explosion – Merthyr Tydfil – 1865

GETHIN. Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire. 20th. December, 1865.

The colliery was the property of William Crawshay of Caversham Park and Mr. Moody was the manager. Almost immediately after the blast, the ventilation in the mine was reversed which helped the exploring parties to get to places where they knew men were working and rescue them. Some were, however, injured when they were found.

Mr. Wales arrived at the colliery at 2 p.m. on the day of the disaster and went down the pit with the manager and other officials. They went to the east side of the shaft into the Nine Feet Vein coal and found unmistakable signs that there had been an explosion. Doors and stopping were blown apart and there were traces of afterdamp. They found gas in a stall and the roof of the stall was still falling in but the coal was not burnt or charred. There had been a danger signal at the entrance to the stall and this had been blown across the heading.

Two more inspections were made by the Inspector on the 26th and 28th when he was accompanied by officials and several colliers who had survived the blast. Gas was found lodged in a hole in the roof near and in John Hall’s old stall and the gas extended about 6 or 8 yards from the face. On the 5th, Mr. Wales and Mr. Brough inspected the mine and they measured the total quantity of air passing through the mine at 30,937 cubic feet per minute. They thought that the gas gad accumulated in Vavasour Rees’s stall and the explosion was caused by this collier firing shots.

The men who died were:

• Alexander Richards, aged 23 years, of Caepantywyll who left a blind father and sister.
• John Lewis, aged 16 years, left a widowed mother with 8 children.
• Vavasour Rees, aged 51 years of Park View, Grawen Terrace, left a wife and 2 children.
• William Rees, aged 16 years, son of Vavasour.
• Griffith Morgan, aged 42 years of 2, Sunny Bank, Brecon Road, left a wife and 3 children.
• David Thomas, aged 20 years, left a wife and child.
• Roderick Thomas, aged 20 years.
• John James aged 22 years of 22, Parrot public house, single.
• Thomas Bowen, aged 42 years of 8, Temperance Street, left a wife and 2 children.
• Thomas Morgan, aged 35 years of Cwmglo, left a wife and 3 children.
• John Phelps, aged 13 years of 23, Garden Street.
• John Luke, aged 34 years of 26, Tramside Road, Pontmorlais, left a wife and 6 children.
• Harding Lewis, aged 35 years of 7, George Street, left a wife and mother.
• Samuel Harris, aged 28 years of 11, George Street, left a wife and 2 children.
• Cardiff Stevens.
• Rees Davies, aged 11 of 5, Aberdare Road.
• Rees Davies, aged 75 years of 31, Ynysfach.
• John Morgan, aged 21 years of Ynysfach, left a wife.
• Morgan Thomas, aged 16 years.
• David Beddoe, aged 19 years, overman of Nantygwenith, left a wife and 2 children.
• John Morgan, aged 33 years of 13, Cyfarthfa Row, left a wife and 5 children.
• Lewis Price Thomas, aged 20 years, left a wife and child.
• Daniel Thomas, aged 24 years, of 3, Tabernacle Row.
• James Thomas, aged 22 years.
• Griffith Ellis, aged 48 years of Newton Street, Abercanaid.
• William Morris, aged 42, of 26, Brewery Street, left a wife.
• John Daniel, aged 47 years of 10, David Street, Morgantown, left a wife and 3 children.
• Joseph Rees, aged 29 years of Yew Street, left a wife and child.
• David Davies, aged 18 years of 79, Ynysgau.
• Henry Lewis, aged 13 years of 9, Pond Row, Abercanaid.
• David Luke, aged 12 years of 26, Tramroadside, Pontmorlais, son of John.
• Thomas Morris, aged 35 years, of Cwmglo, left a wife and 3 children.
• Joseph Morgan, aged 23 years, of 23, Garden Street, son of Thomas.
• Thomas Morgan aged 46 years, father of Joseph.
• David Ellis aged 41 years of 3, Newton Street, Abercanaid.

The Inspector’s Report lists two men named “Rees Davies” and two “John Morgans” The Report also states that there are 34 victims but lists only 33 due to an error in the numbering that leaves out No.28. The report also states that 10 or 12 others were seriously injured.

The inquest was held before Mr. George Overton and lasted several days. Mr. Lionel Brough Inspector for the South-Western District of Great Britain attended the inquiry under directions from the Secretary of State. He thought that the explosion occurred in Vavasour Rees’s stall and thought that the gas had gathered there due to an obstruction in the crosshole and the one just below it and was an infringement of the First General Rule. He thought the men should have been withdrawn and the firedamp swept away by an adequate current of air.

In his report the Inspector commented:

From the evidence, I believe proper danger signals had been placed at the entrance into the three stalls which contained gas, but in my opinion, the quantity of air passing south from the top or upper level should have been increased and after level in the face of the middle level, diverted into Vavasour Rees’s stall to clear away the gas here. No men should have been allowed to work the lower side of the middle level until the gas had been cleared away.

I have no hesitation in stating that the gas in this stall was ignited and was the cause of the sad explosion, but inasmuch as this pit is worked with locked safety lamps, I am unable to state with any amount of certainty by whom or by what means, whether a naked light or a defective lamp or improper use of an efficient one, the gas was fired.

A damaged lamp had been found belonging to David Beddoe who was acting overman and the Inspector went on to say:

I need hardly add that the painful facts have been elicited in this inquiry present a sad picture of the utter want of even the ordinary care in regard to the use of safety lamps, lamp keys, or contrivances for opening lamps, lamps unlocked, matches, pipes, and tobacco have been found in the pockets of several of the unfortunate suffer in this sad calamity.

The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against the colliery manager, Mr. John Moody, and his underviewer Mr. William Davies, both of whom were tried before Mr. Justice Blackburn at the Swansea Assizes the following March. After hearing the evidence against the two, His Lordship said that there was no case against William Davies and a verdict of not guilty was returned against Mr. Moody.

REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report. 1865.
“And they worked us to death” Vol.2. Ben Fieldhouse and Jackie Dunn. Gwent Family History Society.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.