BEDWELTY. Tredegar, Monmouthshire. 4th December, 1866.
The colliery was owned by the Tredegar Iron and Coal Co. in which the partners were Messrs. Freeman, Fothergill and Humphrey. It was worked with naked lights but if gas was found lamps would be used. On the morning of the explosion, David Jones and his son were issued with lamps. It was their duty to go down the mine first and test for gas and if any was found to report to the fireman.
There was a gas notice up and they should not have tested until either the gas had been cleared or until they had orders from the fireman. It was concluded that they had not done this for at 10.30 a.m. there was a sudden rumbling explosion. The effects of the explosion did not reach the bottom of the shaft and exploring parties were able to get into the pit and soon set off. They found that the gas had fired in the Black Vein workings where 46 men and boys were at work in that place.
Many had got out of the mine and had escaped the chokedamp but many had not and bodies were brought out of the pit. News of the tragedy reached Tredegar one and a half miles away and people gathered in their hundreds at the pit top. Mothers were seen in tears for sons, wives for husbands, and children for fathers. In one case a father and two sons were killed. Two brothers and a father and a son also lost their lives.
REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report, 1866.
Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.
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