BLACK VEIN PIT. Risca, Monmouthshire. 1st. December, 1860.

The colliery was the property of Mr. J. Russell and Company and there had been several explosions at this pit. The condition of the pit was of serious concern to Herbert Mackworth, the Inspector of Mines and he had sent the following report to the owners:

Notice To John Russell And G.R. Hookey, Esqrs., And Other Owners Of The Risca Collieries In The Parish Of Risca And The County Of Monmouth.

having, during my inspection of the Risca Collieries on the 10th inst. found them still in a dangerous state and having thereupon summoned before me the manager, Mr. William Bedlington, I hereby give notice in accordance with the Act 13th and 14th. Vic, cap. 100, that they are dangerous and defective, chiefly on the following grounds:

Notwithstanding the numerous explosions and the sacrifices of life which occurred in the years 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849 and in 1853, firedamp is still allowed to stand in many of the working places and candles or unlocked lamps are still employed.

It is my opinion, as well as that of Government officers who have examined the workings of the Black Vein coal, confirmed by the evidence at the inquests, that as long as properly locked safety lamps are not exclusively used in these pits, explosions are certain to recur.

The responsibility of allowing any other lights, or any exposed flame or fire, rests now, after what has passed, with the proprietors of the colliery and I am surprised to learn that my previous letters, and the cautions and information given at each inquest, or published by command of the Government have not been communicated to the colliery manager.

The safety lamps should not be locked with the common screw, but with a padlock or in some equally safe manner, and given locked to the men before they enter the pit.

Blasting should not be allowed as long as there is any accumulation of firedamp in the colliery. The shots should only be fired by careful men appointed for this duty and after a minute examination of the surrounding works.

Smoking, except in appointed places, should be strictly prohibited.

The return air from the Black Vein should not pass within 20 yards of the furnace.

The amount of ventilation is very inadequate. Many of the working places have no current of air, even for 20 or 40 yards, going into them. The air which has passed through one range of working places is used for airing a second range.

Many of the working places are not examined by the firemen for twelve hours before the men come in.

Danger signals are not put up, so as to prevent the men from going into places where there may be firedamp and into abandoned works. Those signals consist of props with a painted board secured to them.

The men are not withdrawn until the air becomes explosive.

Brushing out of firedamp is still continued.

Adequate means, such as stoppings, working in panels, &c., are not adopted to prevent a repetition of the destruction of life which has been caused by afterdamp. More extra doors are required for the same object.

The printed rules at all collieries are far from being precise, complete, or carried into effect.

The props and other timbers should not be set by inexperienced hands.

The safety of the roof in each working place should be examined several times each day by the firemen and overmen. They should be responsible for its safety, and for the proper supply and use of timber and punch props.

The tops of the shaft require fencing.

The hitchers and other persons should be prevented from crossing the bottom of the shaft whilst the shaft is at work.

The chains are in bad order, and the placing of the guide does not allow sufficient play for the cage in descending the shaft.

There are no beaks to the engines, the bearings are out of order. There are no covers on the cages. There are no shaft indicators in the engine house.

No person should be allowed to ride or be upon the inclines when they are at work

I beg to call your attention to my letters addressed to Mr. Russell on the 5th. May and the 3rd December 1853, respecting the danger of the Risca Collieries, which apply with almost equal force to its present condition. I remark that the colliery boys under fourteen do not go to school on weekdays and that there is no benefit society attached to the works, and no accident room for keeping simple remedies, and the speedy relief of cases of accident, which on former occasions might have been the means of saving lives.

The plans are not yet in conformity with the Act.

I must beg you to communicate the contents of this notice to those persons who may nor or at any time in the future time be in charge of the Colliery works.

HERERT MACWORTH.

Inspector of Mines.

Clifton, July 25, 1855.

About 1858 the 70 yards upcast shaft had been dispensed with and the other shaft which was 16 feet by 10 feet was made into the upcast. A more efficient ventilating system was introduced by a pair SturvŽs air pumps which was capable of producing 51,000 cubic feet of air per minute but usually produced 37 to 38,00 cubic feet at 8 r.p.m. Of this quantity, 3,000 cubic feet were scaled off to keep a feeder of gas clear and aid the foul returns. The remainder escaped, divided at the bottom of the slope, 11,000 cubic feet going to the east, and making a circuit of about four miles and 10,000 going to the west. Some of the airways had an area of only 12 square feet. The fan was driven by an engine with two cylinders, eighteen feet six inches in diameter with a six-foot stroke. The ventilation was considered to satisfy the law but the Inspectors stated, “it was too near a balance to be satisfactory”.

The other oval shaft, 16 feet by 10 at the 146 yards winning was the downcast shaft and a circular pit near it was used solely as a smoke pit for the boiler fires. The only air that went to the boilers was what escaped through the main separation doors.

Davy safety were used in the workings and there was very little blasting in the mine. The workings were of the dip of the old winning and there was an engine plane or slope driven for 650 yards, which dipped to the north with levels and numerous heading on both sides. From six to eight and half feet of the coal was worked on the system of pillar and single stalls which were driven with little regard to their direction or of keeping a uniform thickness of pillar between the stalls. The roof was dangerous under this system and the floor often heaved

In addition to the old goaves on the rise, there were now numerous ones on the dip where it was said emitted blackdamp not firedamp.

The discipline in the mine proved not to be as strict as it was said to be. Four safety lamps were found unlocked and although smoking was prohibited, pipes and tobacco were found n the pockets of a few of the victims and lamp keys in others. The lampman told the court that on the morning of the disaster he gave out 200 lamps and there were 33 lamps missing.

Mr. Thomas Evans, Inspector believed that there had been some gas standing in the gobs near the stalls and that a sudden fall of the roof had taken place which released considerable quantities of gas under pressure. Mr. Brough that the first gas that fired came from the Black Mine itself but he agreed with Mr. Evans that the roof rippings had fallen.

A new shaft on the dip was recommended and the ventilation to be arranged, so that in the event of an explosion, its results would be confined to one district and that the working places would be inspected every six hours. An opinion was expressed at the inquest that the Stephenson lamp was the best and safest.

On the day of the disaster, about 200 men and boys descended the shaft and all went well until 9.30 a.m. when the explosion occurred.

Those who lost their lives were:

  • David Bailey aged 27 years.
  • John Banfield aged 40 years.
  • Joseph Banfield.
  • William Banfield.
  • Isaac Bateman.
  • Levi Bateman.
  • William Bath aged 31 years.
  • Thomas Bath aged 15 years.
  • Evan Beddoe aged 43 years, overman.
  • Stephen Beddoe aged 17 years.
  • William Bevan.
  • Elijah Binding aged 36 years.
  • Enock Binding aged 34 years.
  • Joshua Binding aged 36 years.
  • Joseph Bowen.
  • Mark Brace.
  • James Brimble aged 35 years.
  • Thomas Brimble aged 12 years.
  • William Brimble aged 13 years.
  • Benjamin Britain aged 22 years.
  • Moses Bryant aged 49 years.
  • Thomas Chivers.
  • Henry Court aged 13 years.
  • James Cousener aged 28 years.
  • Charles Cox.
  • John Crew aged 34 years.
  • Emanuel Crew aged 34 years.
  • Alfred Davies aged 24 years.
  • Hopkin Davies.
  • William Davies aged 35 years.
  • William Davies..
  • William Davies aged 22 years.
  • Henry Edwards aged 22 years.
  • Jonathan Edwards aged 29 years.
  • David Edwards.
  • Edward English.
  • Thomas Evans aged 41 years.
  • Charles Evans aged 20 years.
  • Joseph Evans.
  • Isaac Evans.
  • George Fisher.
  • James Fisher aged 18 years.
  • John Fisher.
  • George Goulding aged 23 years.
  • Henry Goulding.
  • George Gough.
  • John Griffiths aged 18 years.
  • John Griffiths aged 23 years.
  • James Grindle.
  • Joseph Grindle.
  • Frederick Gullick.
  • Charles Hale aged 34 years.
  • William Hale.
  • James Hammond aged 25 years.
  • John Harris aged 25 years.
  • John Harris aged 32 years.
  • William Harris aged 32 years.
  • Edwin (or Edward) Holder aged 21 years.
  • William Hughes aged 40 years.
  • Morgan Hughes aged 39 years.
  • Joseph Jacquey.
  • Henry James aged 45 years.
  • David Jenkins aged 28 years.
  • Phillip Jenkins aged 22 years.
  • William Jenkins aged 24 years.
  • Thomas Jenkins aged 24 years.
  • Richard Jenkins.
  • William John.
  • William Jones aged 42 years.
  • John Jones aged 16 years.
  • John Jones aged 29 years.
  • Thomas Jones.
  • Thomas Jones aged 21 years.
  • William Jones.
  • John Jones.
  • William Kealing aged 18 years.
  • Nathaniel King.
  • Charles Ledbury aged 24 years.
  • James Lewis aged 41 years.
  • George Lewis aged 19 years.
  • William Lewis aged 28 years.
  • John Lippiett.
  • John Morgan aged 35 years.
  • John Murray aged 23 years.
  • Thomas Nelmes aged 22 years.
  • George Newport aged 27 years.
  • James Newport aged 27 years.
  • James Nicholas aged 17 years.
  • Frederick Norris aged 11 years.
  • Aaron Parry aged 15 years.
  • George Pearce aged 13 years.
  • William Perry aged 13 years.
  • John Phillips aged 35 years.
  • John Phillips.
  • James Phillips aged 20 years.
  • John Phillips aged 26 years.
  • George Pike aged 52 years.
  • James Plumber.
  • Jenkin Pritchard aged 15 years.
  • James Pritchard.
  • Thomas Prosser aged 22 years.
  • Henry Purnell.
  • Daniel Rees aged 17 years.
  • Abraham Rees aged 31 years.
  • Rees Morgan aged 27 years.
  • George Robbins aged 38 years.
  • Gething Roberts.
  • Thomas Rosser.
  • Isaac Sage aged 32 years.
  • George Sage.
  • John Sage.
  • Isaac Saunders aged 42 years.
  • George Skidmore aged 35 years.
  • Llewellyn Thomas aged 15 years.
  • Henry Thomas aged 11 years.
  • James Vizard.
  • Nathaniel Watkins.
  • Isaac Watson.
  • Abraham Watson aged 32 years.
  • Isaac Watson aged 12 years.
  • George Watson aged 10 years.
  • John Watts aged 15 years.
  • George Webb aged 40 years.
  • John West aged 24 years.
  • Joseph West aged 13 years.
  • George West aged 11 years.
  • Frederick White.
  • Charles White aged 17 years.
  • Daniel Wilkins aged 41 years.
  • John Williams aged 26 years.
  • William Williams aged 17 years.
  • John Williams aged 31 years.
  • John Williams aged 17 years.
  • William Williams aged 55 years.
  • William Williams.
  • Edmund Williams.
  • Thomas Williams.
  • William Wilson aged 18 years.
  • John Wilton aged 29 years.
  • William Wilton aged 12 years.
  • John Woolley aged 17 years.

Llewellyn Saunders, was rescued from the pit alive but died 30th November 1861.

Moses Banfield overslept on the day of the explosion but he lost three of his family. Included in the list were five men from the same house and a woman named Sage, whose husband was killed in the pit five years before, now lost two sons, two brothers and a lodger in this disaster. Abraham Watson was killed along with his two sons. At the inquest at the Albert Inn, Fanny English said her husband, the overman, made his escape from the pit and then went down again with a search party. He was never seen alive again. James Plummer alias Ashman, was a native of Somerset as were John and Joseph West, Frederick Gullick, Isaac Sage aged 32, Joseph Jacquey who appears as Jackway in some reports. George Webb was from Little Dean in Gloucestershire and George Bullock was a native of Warwickshire. George West could be identified by the wellingtons he wore as he was the only man to wear them and William Bevan was reported to be “nothing but coke.”

The inquest on the disaster was held by Mr. Brewer, Coroner at the British Schoolroom, Risca on the 12th January 1861, and later moved to the New Inn at Bridgend.

Charles Anderson Harrison, the manager, produced plans of the colliery and said:

On the 1st December a little after 6 o’clock in the morning, I descended the No.1 Black vein Pit. I examined the intake air with my lamp and found it good. I then went through the double doors to the east side return and found the return air good. I proceeded to the east return to what we term the mountain side cross-heading and examined the in-return and the upcast pit, and we found that all was right. I proceeded down the west return, the west side of the shaft and came through the two west-side separation doors to the east side of the pit, and then crossed the pit to the east side. There I met overman Evan Beddow. I asked him how it was going this morning and he replied, “All right”. I then measured the air in the main intake and found 37,500 cubic feet per minute passing. I then came up the pit with my son and had breakfast. My son went down into the Black vein again and I went to the Rock Vein Pit to examine the workings there. William Cocker, the banksman at the Black vein came to me at the Rock Vein to inform me that sulphur had gone off in the Black vein Pit. I went down the black vein at once, and told Cocker I could not believe is, as it could not happen in so short a time. I took off my coat and trousers, got a lamp, and descended the pit immediately.

As soon as I descended, I first went to the west side separation doors and found them all right. I then ram to the east side separation doors and found them all right. I then went to the top of the slope, there I met a man, who told me that Palmer and Wyld had gone to the first east. I then examined the separation doors at the first west and found them all right. I also found that the regulator through the second door was right. I went down the slope to the second east, where I found my son, Thomas Harrison alive. I lifted up so that he could get fresh wind and then I left him. I then saw David Jenkins dead. He was some three or four yards from my son. I saw a boy named George Lewis alive. I next saw Lewis Thomas and William Thomas, both alive. We went to the second west and found the two doors gone there. We got the sheet put up. As soon as it was done I directed some of the men to remain there and I ran down the slope to the third west, over a small fall. I tried to go over the big fall but was unable. It was so high that I could not get over it, there being no room. It was not on account of the air. I then had to go to the fourth east. I could not progress in consequence of a fall. I next came up the slope towards the second east. I then tried to go down the return to the fourth east. I could not get there in consequence of the fall. I went up the slope to see about a man and a boy who were working there. I went down the slope again and assisted in getting bodies out. I went on with this for several days. When I went down the slope to assist in getting bodies up, I can’t say how many we found alive. Forty-two were brought up during the day of the explosion.

John Grey, the colliery engineer said that he was 70 to 80 yards from the top of the pit when the explosion occurred. He sent for Mr. Harrison who was in the Rock Vein and he arrived in about ten minutes. He looked after the ventilation machine and rendered assistance to the 60 men who were brought up alive. The lampkeeper, George Hemmons gave out 200 lamps on the day of the explosion.

The fireman in the Black Vein Pit left twenty minutes before the explosion and came up with Evan Beddow and he had found no gas in his morning examination. When he heard of the explosion he went to the pit and immediately went underground. He went to the second west and found John Davies alive who was carried out of the pit. He then went to the No.3 cross-headings and found Daniel Wilkins, George Newport, and James Hammond, all dead. By that time, he was exhausted by chokedamp and went home for the day.

David Thomas, a collier was working with two boys, one about 17 years and the other 12 or 13 years old. Between nine and ten o’clock, he felt a change in the wind and knew that an explosion had occurred. He had the boys immediately went to the level and were going up the slope when they encountered afterdamp which blocked their way. They turned back and went to the wind road to the top level on the east side. They managed to get out of the pit and saw no bodies.

Thomas Errington Wales, H.M. Inspector of Mines, told the court of his experiences at the disaster. He said:

I heard of the explosion on Sunday evening, December 2nd. 1960, and on the following morning came to Risca to give all the advice and assistance I could in recovering the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers

On my arrival, I descended the Black Vein workings in company with several others. We found the men engaged in ridding a fall of stone in the No.2 east level, which was stopping the current of air, and preventing the men, who were engaged in recovering the bodies, getting into the workings in No.3 and 4 east levels where it was known a large number of men would be found. The workings at this time were still heavily charged with gas. During the time the men were engaged in clearing the fall on No.2 east level, the gas continued to issue from No.3 and 4 east workings to such an extent that it was deemed advisable to reverse the air current and so take it from the east side to the west side, leaving only sufficient fresh air to pass along the No.2 east level for the workmen engaged at the fall. This fall was cleared after two days and the air was again reversed with a view to clear the No.3 and 4 east level workings of gas and so enable the work of recovering the bodies there.

By the time the quantity of air was improved and I think, the discharge of gas from 3 and 4 east workings had, to some extent, diminished and the men proceeded to recover the bodies in the district, but great hindrances were met with, both as to the quantity of gas remaining in the workings, and also by the great falls. So great were those difficulties to overcome that, although relays of men were sent into the pit every six hours, the last body was not recovered before Tuesday 5th February, nine weeks after the explosion.

After all the bodies had been recovered Mr. Wales along with other Inspectors and experts, made a detailed inspection of the mine to try to ascertain the cause of the disaster. Thomas Evans, H.M. Inspector of Mines gave the following evidence to the court:

To account for the explosion it will be necessary to see how the gas accumulated or was given off and by what means it was fired. From the evidence of the witnesses and from personal observation, I am induced to believe the explosion did take place at No.3 cross-heading, fourth east level, but the exact spot I am unable to define. The marks of the fire, the way in which the timber was blown and other indications all tend to this conclusion. After the great explosion in the east level, I am of the opinion there must have been some others, for we trace considerable distances without marks of fire and then it appears with signs of violence.

The effect of the first explosion was felt by the timbers being removed or knocked down and heavy falls of the roof. This disturbed the ventilation very many lost their lives from afterdamp. I believe that there was some gas standing in the gobs about the stalls in that heading, No.3, around Sage’s stall and others, that a sudden fall of the roof took place, liberating large quantities of gas under considerable pressure. This, together with a very low barometer, was too much to be diluted by the air passing and to render it explosive. The mixture came into contact with a flame, it might have been a defective lamp or one injured by the fall but there is no evidence to lead time to suppose it was from Richard Jenkin’s lamp as he and his companion were found some distance from the explosion.

Mr. Evans, along with the other Inspectors who gave evidence at the inquiry, was critical of the ventilation of the mine. After a lengthy summing up of the evidence by the Coroner, on the eighteenth day of the inquiry, the jury deliberated for about an hour. When they returned, Mr. Banks, the foreman delivered the following verdict:

We find that the deceased, James Hammond, died December 1st, 1860 from the effects of an explosion of firedamp at the Black Vein Pit, which gas was given off suddenly in the group of stalls, third cross-heading, fourth east level but there is no evidence to show how the gas was ignited.

We further recommend, first that the present rules shall be revised secondly, that the working places in the pit shall be frequently inspected and thirdly that the suggestions of Mr. Brough, the Government Inspector, – that the ventilation and underground workings shall be so arranged that, in case of any future explosion unfortunately occurring, the disastrous results would be confined to the district in which it took place, and that a new pit shall be sunk for the permanent improvement of the ventilation of the colliery – should be taken into the serious consideration of the directors and proprietors of the works. We take this opportunity of remarking, that it appears to us that the Stevenson lamp is the best and safest.

Some time after this about 1862 the system of working was changed from single stall to double stall and the colliery was worked for many years until it was close without another serious explosion. By that time the workings had become greatly extended on the dip, the lowest sets of level being about 730 yards down the engine slope, one pair of drifts being driven below that past where the new collier was as sunk, about 1,200 yards on the dip of the old 146 yard winning. The Stephenson lamp was tried at the colliery but given up two years later as the colliers did not like them. The colliery closed in 1878.

 

REFERENCES
The Mines Inspectors Report, 1860. Mr. Evans.
The Colliery Guardian, 12th January 1861. p.22, 19th January 1861, p.38., 2nd February 1861. p.68., 16th February, p.101., 23rd February, p.116., 3rd August. p.73., 27th July, p.59.
The Risca Colliery Explosion: A full Report of the Evidence Given at the Inquest carefully compiled from the Reports of the “Star of Gwent,” “Merlin” and shorthand notes were taken on the spot by Henry Evans, Reporter.
Appendix to the joint report by Messrs. Dickinson, Wales and Cadman as to the cause of the frequent explosion in the Risca coalfield. Mines Inspectors Report 1880.
“And they worked us to death” Vol.1. Ben Fieldhouse and Jackie Dunn. Gwent Family History Society.

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

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