BLACK VEIN IRONSTONE MINE. Aberdare, Glamorganshire, 21st. June, 1848.

The No.9 Black Vein ironstone pit was at the Victoria Iron Works and mined both coal and iron ore. Mr. James Beaumont was the manager and John Frazer, the agent. The winding was done by a water balance by which a tank of water was filled and this counter-balanced the bucket. When the water tank got to the bottom of the shaft, a valve at the bottom of the tank, opened and the water went into the sump to be pumped to the surface and used again.

The men were descending to work and when some had already gone down eleven men got into the bucket. When they were about halfway down the chain began to run at a great speed and the bucket and then crashed into the bottom of the shaft. The chain on the other side of the pit came to the surface with only the crosspiece. On investigation it was found that the bucket with its contents and the balance chain had descended on the poor fellows. They were killed on the spot.

Those who died were:

  • Thomas Owen aged 18 years, unmarried.
  • James Davies aged 39 years, left a widow and two children.
  • John Harris aged 47 years, left a widow and two children.
  • Emanuel Stilman aged 27 years left a widow.
  • Isaac Williams aged 23 years, unmarried.
  • John Harris aged 47 years, left a widow and four children.
  • David Thomas aged 29 years left a widow and two children.
  • Richard Edwards aged 26 years, unmarried.
  • J Phelps aged 29 years, unmarried.
  • R Williams aged 27 years, unmarried.
  • John Morgan aged 32 years, left a widow.
  • Herbert Chivers aged 13 years.

An investigation revealed that the bucket at the pit bottom, which should have been balancing the descending bucket, had somehow become detached from the rope. The men in the bucket had nothing to act as a drag on them. It is recorded that the Victoria Company gave every assistance to the grieving relatives.

 

REFERENCES
“And they worked us to death” Vol.1. Ben Fieldhouse and Jackie Dunn. Gwent Family History Society.
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway. Vol.2, p.138.
Mining Journal. Vol. xviii, p.202.
Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian.

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

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