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Death Roll

Cambrian Colliery, Explosion, 1905

The following Cambrian information has been researched, written and provided by Bill Richards, extracted from his Cambrian books, mainly "Cambrian Colliery and Connections"

Date Friday, March 10th. 1905
Time 6.25 pm.
Actual thickness Average seam height was 6ft.3ins.
Perpendicular depth 402yds. at shaft.
Horizontal depth Approximately 1300yds. calculated from the mine plan as the shortest distance between the shaft and point of explosion, not underground roadway.
Cause of Explosion Ignition of Methane (Firedamp)*
Fatalities 33
Youngest 21years. (Thomas Davies, 17 Wern Terrace).
Oldest 68 years (William Griffiths, 53 Marian Street). (A second document I refer to in my information source list him as the oldest man 60 years)
Average age 41.55 years, a mean of the ages given in the official inquiry report. (The second document referred to above yields a similar average).
Marital status Married 25, single 8. 22 of the married men, the oldest being 53, were fathers of a total of 77 or 79 children.
Injured 14
Causes of death 5. (a) Violence (b) carbon monoxide and violence, (c) extreme heat, (d) absence of oxygen, (e) shock.

In addition to the human loss, the whole of the Six Feet seam complement of 66 horses died. 65 were killed by the explosion and a final stabled horse was put down after being severely burnt. By 11.00am. on the day following the explosion 78 horses had been safely evacuated from the Coronation seam approximately 100 yards below the Six Feet.

*In his report Mr. F. A. Gray, the mines inspector said he was convinced that a bonneted Clanny safety lamp used by brattice-man David Enoch was instrumental in causing the explosion. He said that when gas is burned in a Clanny lamp there is a sharp explosion when the gas meets flame, more pronounced when the normal working illumination height of the flame was reduced for the purpose of testing for gas.

Such an occurrence, he contended had caused the single gauze (a fine wire mesh construction located under the lamp bonnet, which allowed the passage of flame, but in the process reduced its temperature below that necessary to ignite firedamp), to become removed from its usual position, thus allowing the flame unhindered contact with the gas in the atmosphere.

He recommended that every safety lamp should have two gauzes. This recommendation eventually became generally accepted and standard practise whereby the flange of the inner gauze rested on the wall of the glass with the joint made airtight by an asbestos ring; the outer gauze with its differently shaped flange was placed over the inner resting on that flange ring and also descended over the top of the glass as a sleeve. The two gauzes then needed to be secured in this position and this was achieved by screwing on the lamp bonnet, the inner bottom of which came to a stop on the sleeved flange of the outer gauze.

The Victims

1. Chalker, Joseph 39 ostler, married, 2 children, 14 Park Terrace, Clydach Vale.
2. Davies, Evan 42 fireman, married, 3 children, 50 Charles Street, Tonypandy.
3. Davies, Jenkin 49 repairer, married, 3 children, 17 Adam Street, Clydach Vale
4. Davies, Thomas 21 collier, single, 21 Wern Terrace, Clydach Vale.
5. Edmunds, Noah 48 repairer, single, 22 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
6. Enoch, David 35 brattice-man, single, 3 High Street, Clydach Vale.
7. Evans, Evan 36 labourer, married, 1 child, 57 Gelli Road, Ton Pentre.
8. Evans, William 45 repairer, single, 104 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
9. Griffiths, John 40 horse shoer, married, no children, 94 High Street, Clydach Vale.
10. Griffiths, William 60 locker, married, no children, 53 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
11. Gronow, William 51 haulier, married, 3 children, 40 Howard Terrace, Clydach Vale.
12. Harding, Morgan 47 master haulier, married, 3 children, 43 Bush Houses, Clydach Vale.
13. Harvey, Henry 45 haulier, married, 4 children, 9 Tram Road Side, Dinas.
14. Hawkins, Thomas 48 ostler, married, 1 child, 28 Bush Houses, Clydach Vale.
15. Harris, William 33 fireman, married, 1 child, 87 High Street, Clydach Vale.
16. John, Thomas 36 hitcher, married, 7 children, 62 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
17. Jones, Edward 47 repairer, married, 4 children, 133 Cemetery Road, Porth.
18. Jones, John 38 repairer, married, 4 children, 57 Court Street, Tonypandy.
19. Jones, Joseph 50 brattice-man, married, 3 children, 24 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
20. Lewis, Adam 45 labourer, single, 90 Jones Street, Clydach Vale.
21. Lewis, David 55 repairer, married, no children, 37 Clydach Road, Clydach Vale.
22. Lewis, Rees 53 brattice man, married, 3 children, 98 Wern Street, Clydach Vale.
23. Lewis, William 39 brattice-man, married, 3 children, 46 Court Street, Tonypandy.
24. Morgan, David 35 rider, married, 4 children, 43 Primrose Street, Tonypandy.
25. Morgan, Thomas 26 horse shoer, single, 51 Clydach Road, Clydach Vale.
26. Owen, John 50 repairer, married, 6 children, 21 Evans Terrace, Trealaw.
27. Ridge, John 52 ripper, married, 1 child, 133 Primrose Street, Tonypandy.
28. Richards, Thomas 42 fireman, married, 7 children, 11 Park Terrace, Clydach Vale.
29. Frank Shallish 45 ostler, married, 5 children, 104 Clydach Road, Clydach Vale.
30. Thomas, Edwin 33 hitcher, married, 8 children, 76 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
31. Tudball, William 42 fireman, married, 2 children, 63 Court Street, Tonypandy.
32. Williams, Owen 24 ripper, single, 90 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
33. Williams, Robert 23 labourer, single, 40 Railway Terrace, Clydach Vale.

Victim No.4 was listed as a day collier and as such would have been working past his usual finishing time.

Victims 1, 9, 14, 25, and 29 were carrying out their jobs as ostlers and shoers as they tended day horses in the period between the end of that shift and the beginning of the night shift, and it was possible that the men indicated would have completed the second half of their shift by attending between the end of the night shift and the beginning of the day shift. The day and night shifts were the only ones then worked. All other victims were commencing their night shift, one that seemingly commenced no earlier than 6.30pm. and perhaps even as late as 7.0pm. Banksmen Gab (Gabe or Gabriel?) Edwards told the explosion enquiry that (one hour after the end of the day shift when many men were in their workplaces) there were night shift men still waiting to go down when the explosion occurred.

It seems that some men preferred to descend the mine early whilst others left it until the last minute, preferences I witnessed in my time. I do not know the respective starting hours and duration of the 1905 day and night shifts but it was not until December 21st. 1908 that an Act was brought in that limited the hours to eight on a bank-to-bank (entering and leaving the shaft) basis. The shifts then were day and night shift only but the owners would soon introduce the afternoon shift.

The bodies of victims Nos.2 and 24 were never found and were believed to have been incinerated in a haulage engine-house.

The Injured

1. John Lloyd Ripper/Repairer 26 Adam Street, Clydach Vale.
2. David Wild Collier 52 Morton Terrace, Clydach Vale.
3. George Brace Pulleyman 61 Wern Terrace, Clydach Vale.
4. Richard Pugh Repairer 54 Charles Street, Tonypandy.
5. Robert Jones Assistant Repairer 50 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
6. John Griffiths Haulier 53 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
7. Morgan Thomas Master Haulier 1 Bush Houses, Blaenclydach.
8. Thomas Thomas Pulleyman 27 Howard Terrace, Clydach Vale.
9. James Hall Collier 33 High Street, Clydach Vale.
10. John Jones Roadman 16 Railway Terrace, Blaenclydach.
11. David Griffiths Repairer 91 Wern Street, Clydach Vale.
12. Lewis Thomas Repairer 94 Wern Street, Clydach Vale.
13. John Davies Repairer 53 Court Street, Tonypandy.
14. Thomas Evans Haulier 55 Court Street, Tonypandy.

Of the injured Nos. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 were day shift men seemingly working past their finishing time. The others were night men commencing their shift.

* Information source. Names, ages and occupations of the fatally injured were extracted from the official report on the disaster presented by Inspector of Mines Mr. Fred A. Gray to the Secretary of State on May 20th. 1905.

Addresses, the marital status of the fatally injured, the causes of death and the names of the injured were extracted from a document of unknown source, published some weeks after the incident. Thought seemingly extremely well informed by the presence of certain details, which I thought wise to exclude, I do not claim this source to be incontrovertible.

Death Roll

Cambrian Colliery, Explosion, 1965.

The following Cambrian information has been researched, written and provided by Bill Richards, extracted from his Cambrian books, mainly "Cambrian Colliery and Connections"

Date Monday, May 17 th . 1965
Time Approximately 1.00pm.
Shaft No.1
Seam Pentre.
Average Thickness 36 inches.
Perpendicular depth (shaft) 210 yards approximately.
Horizontal depth Approximately 3000 yards, calculated from the mine plan as the shortest distance between the shaft and point of explosion, not underground roadway.
Cause of explosion Ignition of firedamp (methane).
Fatalities 31.
Youngest 24 years. (Gerald Wayne Davies).
Oldest 56 years. (Henry Lee).
Average age 40.70 years.
Marital status Married 28, single 3. 23 of the married men, the oldest being 56, were fathers of 55 children and this figure was added to as other children of some of the deceased were born.
Seriously injured 1
Cause(s) of death. 1: Cabon monoxide poisoning, 18.
2: Violence, mainly multiple injuries, 13

Information not made widely public but believed to have been two; (1) violence and (2) carbon monoxide poisoning, which accounted for the high majority of the victims.

INFORMATION SOURCE

From a report presented to Parliament in November 1966, by Mr. H. S. Stephenson, B.S.c., M.I.M.E., H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines; the names, ages and occupations of the dead and injured.

Other details acquired from the Rhondda Leader newspaper and other unofficial sources. It is not claimed that these sources are irrefutable; indeed, I discovered Mr.Stephenson's casualty list contained errors that showed Ivor Morgan's age as 46 years when he was actually 32, and Thomas Hann as 42 when he was 52.

 

1. Arnold, Ronald 48 fireman married, no children 26 Pontypridd Road, Porth.
2. Breeze, Ernest John 38 manager married, 3 children Gelli Rise, Gelli.
3. Burnett, Ernest W. 46 chargehand married, 1 child 30 Cae Glas, Penrhiwfer.
4. Calvert, Peter 40 repairer married, no children 96 Charles Street, Tonypandy.
5. Channing, James 46 poster married, no children 31 Brook Street, Williamstown.
6. Colcombe, Albert William 44 team captain married, 6 children 87 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
7. Daniels, Raymond John 34 stableman married, 3 children 108 Park Street, Clydach Vale.
8. Davies, Gerrard Wayne 24 assis. electrical engineer married, no children 170 Court Street, Tonypandy.
9. Davies, Kenneth 26 plough opperator single 8 Railway Terrace, Blaenclydach.
10. Evans, David 28 poster married, 2 children 4 Bryntawel, Blaenclydach.
11. Flower, Ronald 45 repairer married, 1 child 83 Marian Street, Clydach Vale.
12. Gregson, Ronald 28 electrician married, 1 child 154 Dunraven Street, Treherbert.
13. Griffiths, David Alfred 43 repairer married, 4 children 154 Court Street, Tonypandy.
14. Hann, Thomas 42 conveyor opperator married, 1 child 4 Sunny Bank, Blaenclydach.
15. Hucker, Richard W. 32 repairer married, 1 child 4 Sunny Bank, Blaenclydach.
16. Jacobs. Ivor 45 poster married, 1 child 83 Ynyscynon Road, Trealaw.
17. Lee, Henry 56 roadman married, 10 children 70 High Street, Clydach Vale.
18. May, Leonard 33 poster single 347 Brithweunydd Road, Trealaw
19. Morgan, Ivor 32 poster married, 2 children Flat 2 New Century Street, Trealaw.
20. Newman, Arthur James 46 poster married, 3 children 3 Bryn Terrace, Blaenclydach.
21. Nicholas, Vivian 51 poster single 53 Maddox Street, Blaenclydach.
22. Pope, Harold David 50 overman married, 2 children 106 Wern Street, Clydach Vale.
23. Price, Donald 42 stableman married, no children 4 Llwynypia Road, Tonypandy.
24. Rees, Evan Luther 48 poster married, 1 child 57 Edmundstown Road, Edmundstown.
25. Roberts, Richard John 55 repairer married, 1 child 25 Court Street, Tonypandy.
26. Thomas, Gwilym 28 assistant stableman married, 1 child 31 Jones Street, Blaenclydach.
27. Thomas, Williams Isaac 33 poster married, 1 child 13 Francis Street, Clydach Vale.
28. Williams, Edmund William 51 repairer married, 1 child 17 Rowling Street, Williamstown.
29. Williams, Leslie J. 54 undermanager No.1 pit married, 4 children 118 Parc Road, Cwmparc.
30. Williams, Sidney 47 poster married, 1 child 74 Ely Street, Tonypandy.
31. Williams, Trevor John 27 poster married, 2 children 29 Ely Street, Tonypandy.

A SUMMARY OF CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING

THE 1965 EXPLOSION

AS EXTRACTED FROM THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY REPORT

When the P26 district Pentre seam coalface advanced from its formation location, the void created by the excavated coal was subjected to roof pressure, which induced a break in the 24 feet of strata separating the Pentre seam from the Pentre Rider seam above. The break allowed the escape of firedamp from the Rider seam into the Pentre seam and in P26 return air road it drifted in-bye on a rising gradient of 1 in 33 against a much reduced air current for a distance of approximately 130 yards to the area of four electrical panels; each was a very large steel box, which fulfilled a function that in some respects was similar to that of a domestic consumer unit to which electrical circuits are linked.

Along that distance of roadway, which was twelve feet higher on the in-bye end, the firedamp collected in explosive quantities in a layered form from its bottom just below the crowns of the steel road arches. The air current, vital in diluting firedamp, was in a reduced quantity because of two short circuits. The first was in an area known as the “air-bridge”, which in reality was an area where a crude connection was made from the Maendy main return road into P26 intake air road, passing just above it. On the upper level, the connection showed as two apertures, with a combined area of thirteen square feet. These connecting holes in the strata between the two roadways were formed to enable supplies of various items, which had been brought along the Maendy air return road, to be passed to the upper level where they were transported along the intake air road to the face. It was intended that when not in use these holes be covered with loose planks and a sheet of corrugated metal to avoid short-circuiting the ventilation. The precautions and the method of connection between the two roads were poor mining practice, but the arrangement was regarded as temporary until a properly graduated diagonal roadway linking Maendy return air and P26 air intake road was completed; it would incorporate two sets of air-lock doors (four doors in total) between which was sufficient distance to accommodate the storage of supplies-laden trams.

On the intake side at the road-head (near the face) and with both coverings in place at the air-bridge, the post-explosion investigations recorded the passage of 13,000 cubic feet of air per minute; this was a loss of 12,000 on the 25,000 that approached from the other side of the air-bridge and an indication of that facility's poor construction and inefficiency. The investigation also found that with one of the holes uncovered that fell by another 5,000 to 4,000. It also found of that quantity 3,000 were lost to the second short-circuit caused when P26 intake air road struck the former P11 workings, leaving a fatally insufficient 1,000 to ventilate the rest of the district. It seems that this was the amount present at the time of the explosion, for the inquiry heard the statement of a workman who crossed the air-bridge shortly after the explosion, who noted that both holes were uncovered.

The ignition element was provided when arcing (an electrical discharge or sparking) occurred in one of the previously mentioned panels as electricians were attempting to correct a recurring malfunction. The electricity supply inside the panel had to remain isolated before the access door was opened for any reason, such as locating and repairing a fault or maintenance inspection.

The door was held in place by ten large bolts and when replaced against the casing of the panel and secured by these it formed a flameproof flange; in case of fire or sparking inside the panel the flange would reduce the temperature of any flame passing though to below that necessary to ignite firedamp in the outside atmosphere. Unfortunately the door was not secured. Sadly it was found the fault was not in the panel but at the point where the cable leading from it had made contact with the plough (face conveyor) motor. There was a test plug located on the air intake road that would have indicated this but its use was not considered; probably because, as a very bulky piece of equipment, it would have taken a considerable time for a man to transport it as he crawled through an extremely low 200 yards long face, densely populated with supports and equipment that make crawling in a straight and unhampered line impossible, but it is possible that had there been one on the air return road, it would have been used in a fault elimination process.

Mr. Stephenson's report found that the blast of the explosion, which travelled approximately 650 yards was purely of firedamp, and coal dust which can also be explosive if propagated by a firedamp explosion played no part; he also stated that the igniting element was an electric arc within a gate-end switch (panel), which electricians were testing with the front cover unbolted.

He also recommended that the fireproof doors should be so developed that they could be locked with a single bolt and this recommendation came into practice with a door that fulfilled requirements by the twisting of a handle, which activated an automatic lock facility. Another recommendation was that wherever a panel was located, a test plug should be provided, and this, too, became standard practice.