96

Work & Industry in Tredegar

during the 19th century

A Key Stage 2

Educational Resource Pack

Part 3—Health & Dangers at Work

97

How did working underground affect the

health of colliers during the 19th century?

98

What diseases did they suffer from as a result of working underground?

Why was it unusual to meet colliers (coal miners) aged over 50?

Many colliers were injured and killed as a result of gas explosions and

‘roof falls’ and water flooding in from older mine workings.

Children’s Employment Enquiry, 1841

99

Roof falls: When the roofs of tunnels collapsed unexpectedly, many tons

of rock fell down, instantly crushing anyone underneath.

100

101

Testing the roof—a hollow sound was warning of an imminent collapse!

102

Flooding: Mines were flooded when colliers accidentally broke into old,

abandoned mine workings that had filled with water over time.

103

Gas explosions: Methane gas (or fire-damp) is released when coal is

mined. The use of candles caused explosions when the gas ignited.

104

Bedwellty Pits Disaster of 1865

105

106

Bedwellty Pits was a colliery (coal mine) which was started in 1850 by

the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company.

An explosion of methane or fire-damp gas on 16 June 1865, killed 27

miners including 6 boys. The number of people killed would have been

much higher if it wasn’t for the fact that the explosion happened during

the night shift when there were fewer men working underground.

The manager was accused of

the crime of manslaughter,

which means the killing of

another person through

carelessness or neglecting his

duties. However he was found

not guilty because it could not

be proved that the flow of air

through the colliery was poor

when the explosion occurred.

107

Right: Part 1 of

Newspaper article

from ‘The Bristol

Mercury’, 24 June

1865.

108

Right: Part 2 of

Newspaper article

from ‘The Bristol

Mercury’, 24 June

1865.

109

List of accidents in mines and ironworks of

Glamorgan 1839-41

110

111

112

List of unexpected deaths in Merthyr Tydfil

area 1837-1841

113

114

115

116

117

118

119