Times articles about the 1867 explosion at Ferndale No. 1

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The Times, 22 November 1867:

THE FERNDALE EXPLOSION. MERTHYR TYDFIL, Wednesday Night. The bodies which had been cut off from the exploring parties on Thursday by a sudden fall were reached on Tuesday morning by the workmen under Mr. Herbert Kirkhouse, and on that day about 20 were recovered and sent to the bank. They were seen by their friends, and after identification by means of the clothing taken to the mountain churchyard for interment. a few of them were taken to Merthyr and Aberdare and still more distant places for burial. Men from the remotest corners of England have been killed by this explosion, among the missing being some men from Derbyshire and two or three from Yorkshire. Parents walked the distance from Herefordshire and Worcestershire to the pit in search of their children. One of them was a poor woman who arrived on Sunday; the sympathetic bystanders made a collection for her on the spot. The incidents which have come under the notice of the mining engineers in the pit are very affecting, and, could space be devoted, would doubtless be read with interest. One of them can hardly be passed over. A father and son were found locked in each other’s arms. So firmly were they clinging to each other, and with such rigidity, that the arms had to be broken before they could be separated. This was related by one of the engineers now in charge of a working party. On Saturday something like organization in conduction operations below the surface was made, and four gentlemen,—Mr. Richard Bedlington, of Rhymney; Mr Harrison, of Dinas; Mr. Morgan Joseph, of Treherbert; and Mr. Herbert Kirkhouse, of Aberdare.—were placed in charge of the pit to to relieve each other once in 36 hours. Besides them several other engineers have been at work at the head of workmen from their own pits, and it is worthy of remark that the Ferndale men have demonstrated the most decided hostility to the strangers who have come to their assistance, and open fight having been apprehended at one time. They seem anxious to do all the work themselves. After the removal of the great fall of Thursday, which was accomplished by Tuesday morning, the recover of the bodies proceeded rapidly. Twenty were brought up during that day, and during last night and to-day 23 others have been brought up, making in all 145 persons who have been brought out dead, and 148 fatal casualties, three of the injured having died. The bodies when got at in the pit are so far advanced in decomposition that they cannot be lifted from the ground, and are consequently rolled into canvas and packed up mummy fashion, in which state they have to be dragged over falls—a series of miniature hilly ridges—to the tramways. Notwithstanding the free use of powerful disinfectants and an incessant supply of over 100,000 cubic feet of are per minute to the workings, yet in the front where the bodies are found the stench is so intolerable that some of the workmen were obliged to abandon the work for a time. During the clearance of the falls a considerable number of lamps were found with their tops off, but in such a condition as would be altogether incompatible with the supposition that the tops had been blown off by the explosion, and three or four lamp keys were also found. The introduction of these were contrary to the rules of the pit, and, to show that there was a rigid inspection of the miners sometimes before they went down, an instance has been found of a collier sewing a lamp key inside his cap. The cap was found among some rubbish with a fastened to the crown inside, and was to be seen as found at the office to-day. The exact number of persons missing from the houses at Ferndale appears to be 170, but there is some doubt as to whether there may not have been some men down the pit who have not been inquired for. Certain it is that some bodies have been buried as unknown. Two were so taken away to-day, after lying a couple of days exposed to public view. As may be expected, the effluvium of the decomposing bodies is all pervading, and everything around the pit throws off the noisome odour. Disinfectants were freely distributed among the houses where the dead bodies lay last week, and now the whole of the buildings about the pit have been covered with gas tar, which, from the presence of carbolic acid, is a powerful disinfectant. It has undoubtedly contributed much to the purification of the atmosphere around the pit. Mr. Wells, the Government inspector, was at the pit to-day, and thought there could be not many more than 20 bodies still to be brought up. The inquest is expected to be further adjourned from the 25th inst. to a fortnight from this date, in order to give the inspectors time to complete their reports.

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The Times, 23 November 1867:

Ferndale colliery explosion fund. At a public meeting held at Pontypridd to consider the best means of alleviating the dreadful suffering and privation caused by this awful calamity to the widows, orphans and survivors. Mr. H. HUSSEY VIVIAN, M.P. in the Chair, the following resolutions were unanimously passed:—Proposed by Mr. H. Hussey Vivian, M.P., and seconded by the Rev. D. T. Davis, M.A.; That this Meeting sympathises deeply with the poort widows and orphans and other sufferers from the appalling explosion at Ferndale, and is of the opinion that speedy and energetic measures should be taken to raise sufficient funds for their relief. Proposed by Mr. Thomas Llewellyn, Mayor of Newport, and seconded by Mr. Edmund Thomas, Llweyncelyn Colliery; That this Meeting pledges itself to make the most strenuous efforts in appealing to the charitable for contributions towards the fund. Proposed by Mr. Thomas Joseph, Dunraven Collieries, and seconded by the Rev. J. P. Jones, Vicar of Llantrissent; That the clergy and ministers of the gospel of all denominations be earnestly solicited to make collections in aid of the fund in their several places of worship. Proposed by the Rev. D. W. Williams, J.P., and seconded by Mr. Lennox (Brown, Lennox and Co.); That a Committee be formed for the collection and management of the fund; the Committee co consist of H. H. Vivian, Esq., M.P., Messrs. G. W. G. Thomas, Thomas Joseph, David Davies, Ferndale Thomas Fowler, G. J. Penn, J. Chivers, D. Walter Davis, Edmund Thomas, and the Rev. D. T. Davis, M. A., with power to add to their number. Proposed by the Rev. Horatio J. Thomas, Vicar of Pentyrch, and seconded by D. Davis, Esq., Cwm J. P. That a Sub-Committee of three be authorized to confer with the Committee appointed in other towns, and to decide upon the most efficient mode of administering the fund. Moved by Mr. J. Chivers, Pontypridd Chymical Works, and seconded by Mr. Thomas Richards, Pontypridd. That the Lord Mayor of London and the Mayors of other cities and towns in the kingdom be asked to evoke the charity of their citizens. Proposed by Mr. G. J. Penn, Chainworks, and seconded by Mr. Walter Davis, solicitor, Cardiff; That Mr. Evans, of the West of England Bank, and Mr. Bassett, of the Provincial Banking Corporation, at Pontypridd, be the treasurers of the fund, and that Mr. Robert Thomas and Mr. J. Edwards Price act as Honorary Secretaries. From the most reliable information obtainable at the Ferndale Colliery it appears that it is probable 70 widows and 140 orphans will have to be provided for; and, having regard to the magnitude of the disaster and the position of the claimants, the Committee most urgently appeal for the aid of the charitable. Subscriptions will be received by the West of England and South Wales District Bank and Provincial Banking Corporation, at Pontypridd, and all other of their branch banks; their respective London agents, Messrs. Glyn, Mills, and Co.; and the London and County Bank. Pontypridd. Nov.21. 1867. ROBERT THOMAS. J. EDWARDS PRICE. Hon. Secs.

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The Times, 26 November 1867. Much of this article does not relate to the Ferndale explosion in 1867, so I’ve included just the first paragraph of the article, by way of introduction, and the last, which is the only one that mentions events in Ferndale. In summary, the Mansion House fund had a surplus, which could be used to help relief of those affected by the Ferndale explosion:

Mansion-house colliery relief funds. Yesterday the committee formed at the Mansion-House in the mayorality of Sir Thomas Gabriel for raising a fund for the relief of the widows, orphans, and aged parents of the men who perished, in the calamitous colliery accidents at the Oaks Pit, near Barnsley, and at Talk, Staffordshire, held a meeting for the appropriation of the money subscribed on the occasion.

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Both Sir Thomas Gabriel and Mr. Samuel Morley dwelt yesterday upon wisdom of precaution, as shown by the event, without which the whole of the Mansion-house Fund would have been divisible pro rata among the families of the sufferers by the Oaks and Talk explosions without reference to the absolute requirements in either case. But now, by the operation of that saving clause, the committee will have a very considerable surplus at their disposal, probably as much as 12,000l. or 14,000l., for the mitigation of distress consequent upon similar accidents; and, as if to confirm still more the wisdom of that precaution, the Ferndale calamity occurs just at a time when a surplus arises and remains in the hands of the trustees for disposal.

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The Times, 26 November 1867:

Ferndale colliery explosion.—Central Committee Aberdare.—Ferndale Colliery being situate in the Rhondda Valley, only four miles from Aberdare, and Messrs. D. Davis and Sons, the proprietors, residing and carrying on their chief works at the latter place, it has been thought desirable that the Central Committee for relieving the distress of the suffers should be at Aberdare. A Committee consisting of all the influential persons in the neighbourhood has been appointed by one of the largest public meetings ever held in the town, presided over by Richard Fothergill, Esq., of Abernant-house. The Committee regret to learn that some 170 lives have been lost, leaving totally destitute 65 widows, 144 orphans, and several aged persons who depended upon their sons for support; and they now APPEAL to the general public for CONTRIBUTIONS in aid of the widows and fatherless. Contributions may be sent to the West of England and South Wales District Bank, Aberdare; Messrs. Wilkins and Co., bank, Aberdare; or to either of the Secretaries , the Rev. D. M. Jenkins or Mr. William Jenkins, Aberdare. The following amounts have already been received:—
D. Davis and Sons, Ferndale and Blaengwawr £1,000 0 0
The Aberdare Iron Co. 100 0 0
The Plymouth Iron Co. 100 0 0
Richard Fothergill, Esq. 100 0 0
Bute Trustees 105 0 0
David Davies and Co., Ocean Steam Collieries 100 0 0
Gadlys Iron Co. 100 0 0
Aberdare Coal Co. 50 0 0
Lewis Thomas Lewis, Esq., Gadlys 26 5 0
William Asbury, Esq. 20 0 0
Dr. Davies, Bryngolwg 20 0 0
Griffith Davies, Esq. Ynyslwyd 10 0 0
R. Williams, Esq., Sunny Bank 10 0 0
S. and J. Watts and Co., Manchester 10 10 0
Evan Jones, Esq., surgeon 10 0 0
Subscriptions under £10 79 17 6
£1,841 12 6

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The Times, 26 November 1867:

FERNDALE COLLIERY EXPLOSION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—Will you allow us to say, through your columns, that a most enthusiastic and crowded meeting was held here on Thursday last to originate a fund for the relief of the widows and orphans of the sufferers from the late explosion at Ferndale. It was resolved at once to appeal to the country for aid. Mr. Richard Fothergill, of Abernant-house, presided, and headed the list of subscriptions with 300l. from himself and the works with which he is connected, and before the meeting closed 700l. was promised. The proprietors of the Ferndale Colliery have authorized us to put their names down for 1,000l., and, in addition to this, they amply provide for the widows and orphans from the time of the explosion until this relief fund is available. We beg to draw attention to the advertisement which appears in another column, and venture hope that, as in former cases of this kind, our appeal to the country will not be in vain. We are, Sir, D. M. JENKINS, WILLIAM JENKINS, Hon. Secs. to the Central Committee. Aberdare, Glamorganshire, Nov. 23.

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The Times, 28 November 1867:

Ferndale relief fund. To the Editor of the Times. Sir,—The Pontypridd Committee, Mr. H. Hussey Vivian, M.P., chairman, solicit the favour of gratefully acknowledging, through your columns, the munificent donation of 200l. from Her Majesty the Queen. The appalling catastrophe has deprived 70 widows and 140 orphans under the age of 12 of their natural source of support, and we therefore appeal most earnestly to the charitable in aid of our unfortunate and needy neighbours. A subscription list will appear in your Saturday‘s issue, and intending donors may communicate with the treasurer at Pontypridd; the West of England Bank; the Provincial Banking Corporation, at all their branches, or their London agents; Messrs. Glyn, Mills, and Co.; and the London and County Bank. Yours obediently, Robert Thomas, J. Edwards Price, Hon. Secs. Committee-room, Pontypridd, Nov. 26. To the Editor of the Times. Sir,— Will you allow us to draw attention to the corrected list of subscriptions in another column in aid of the Ferndale Relief Fund, amounting to 2,008l. 4s. 6d., in addition to which we are happy to say that Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen has kindly responded to our application of the 21st inst. by contributing the sum of 200l. which Her Majesty has handed to one of our county members, Mr. H. H. Vivian. We are, Sir, your obedient servants, D. M. Jenkins, William Jenkins, Hon. Secs. Central Committee, Aberdare, Nov. 26.

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The Times, 29 Novemver 1867:

FERNDALE RELIEF FUND. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—Will you please say in your next that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has just sent me a check for 100l. towards the Ferndale Relief Fund, and oblige, in haste, Yours &c., D. M. JENKINS, Hon. Sec. Central Committee, Aberdare, Nov. 27.

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The Times, 5 December 1867:

Ferndale Colliery explosion. To the Editor of the Times. Sir,—We have observed with some surprise that several persons have stated that 10,000l. will be amply sufficient to provide for the widows and orphans of the unfortunate men killed by the late explosion. We have, in connexion with two or three gentlemen, gone carefully into the matetr, and, taking the figures and statements of Mr W. P. Pattison, the actuary, in the case of the Oaks and Talk o’ the Hill Funds, and also the actual experience of the Gethin Fund, we find we shall require a sum of at least 21,000l. We therefore most earnestly appeal to the public to aid us in attaining the desired object. A second list of subscriptions appears in another column. We are, yours, &c., D. M. Jenkins, William Jenkins, Hon. Secs. to the Central Committee. Aberdare, Glamorganshire, Dec. 3.

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The Times, 11 December 1867:

THE FERNDALE COLLIERY EXPLOSION. PONTYPRIDD. Monday. The inquiry into the causes of the above explosion was opened to-day by the coroner for the county of Glamorgan, Mr. George Overton, at the New Inn, Pontypridd. Mr. Wales, inspector for the South Wales district, was present on behalf of the Government, and Mr. C. H. James, of Merthyr, appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of the proprietors of the colliery, Messrs. Davis and Sons. There was a numerous attendance of mining engineers from the district. The workmen were represented by a deputation from the Miners’ Association of England. The Coroner, in opening the proceedings, alluded briefly to the appalling extent of the disaster which they were about to investigate, and which involved the death of 175 persons. There were still three or four missing, so that the deaths might be nearly 180 in all. It was a remarkable fact that on the present occasion the majority of the men killed met their deaths from the direct action of fire; whereas at most accidents it was found that about 90 per cent. of the deaths arose from suffocation by after-damp. This showed that there must have been a great quantity of gas in the pit at the time. Nearly all accidents of this kind were traceable to the same cause, and differed from each other only in degree. South Wales, he was sorry to say, had of late years obtained a great notoriety for accidents. In 1865 the number of deaths, as reported by the inspectors, exceeded that of any other district in the kingdom, and was out of all proportion with the quantity of coal raised; and even in 1866, although the death list of the English districts was swelled by the lamentable accident at the Oaks and Talk o’ the Hill, yet there was a greater number of accidents in the South Wales district than in any other district. In sinking new pits in maiden districts, in South Wales, after the steam-coal, the demand for labour had led to the employment of men who were unfitted for the occupation of a collier; and there had not been the proper knowledge accompanying the extension of the mine. Until they had a more educated class of men for viewers and overmen than they found at some pits whey would, he feared, be still exposed to these dreadful accidents. He was of opinion that the system of examination or test of ability adopted in appointing officers in the mercantile marine, together with the logbook or journal, might be applied to collieries with great advantage; another great difficulty with which they had to contend was the looseness and ambiguity of the Mines’ Inspection Act, under which it was impossible to obtain a conviction of a delinquent, even after a laborious investigation before a magistrate, and then committal to the Assizes. As to obtaining a remedy under the Act of Lord Campbell, that was impossible, for no poor widow would ever think of instituting proceedings for redress under that Act. In inquiries of this kind there were three essential points to which their attention should be directed—namely, the management, discipline, and ventilation of the colliery. Unless it were managed by a competent person, and the men employed kept in strict discipline by him, and the ventilation were adequate and properly distributed through the workings, the accidents would be inevitable; and generally they were traceable to the non-observance of one of these conditions. It would be the duty of the jury to inquire whether they had been improperly observed in the present case; and whether any persons were blameable for this deplorable accident. The Ferndale Colliery was divided into three separate districts, to two of which the fire extended, and he, therefore, proposed to take a case from each district to illutrate the others. The examination of the witnesses was then proceeded with. Richard Wise, a police sergeant, proved the occurrence of the explosion, and that 178 persons were missing, of whom 175 had been recovered dead. Mr. Roberts, surgeon, said he had examined all the deceased, and found that 145 had died from burning, bruises, and suffocation, 25 from suffocation only, and five from bruises. Mr. David Davis, Maesyfymoen-house, Aberdare, the principal proprietor of the the colliery, the owners of which are the firm of David Davis and Sons, said the colliery was situated in the Rhondda Fach Valley. The Manager was John Williams, one of the deceased, who had held the appointment since August 1866. William Walters, the overman, was still living. The witness gave the names of the officers of the pit, and where they were stationed. The lampman was Thomas Powell, who was assisted by two boys; there were also three lampmen employed, whose duty it was to light the lamps, lock them, and examine them on delivery to the men; and also to relight them when they went out. One was stationed in each district, and tow of them were killed in the Blaenllechau and Rhondda districts. Mr. W. Adams was the consulting viewer of the colliery, and visited it once a month, to advise and consult with the manager. The colliery had been opened five years, and during that period, there had not been to his knowledge a single death from burning. Latterly they had been working from 9,000 to 10,000 tons a month, the daily average being about 400 tons. William Adams, mining engineer, said he had held the appointment of consulting engineer to Messrs. Davis since March last. He did not consider himself a manager, but simply consulting viewer. He visited the colliery once a month to consult with the resident viewers as to the development and ventilation of the collieries, and to advise them as to the best method of proceeding; but the details of the ventilation, such as the distribution of the air, &c., were entirely in the hands of the resident viewers; but, if at any time upon entering a colliery he found any place requiring more ventilation or any other improvement he (witness) suggested it, and left it for the resident manager to act upon. He never had anything to do with the subordinate officers. There were two shafts to the colliery, the down-cast being sunk to the 4ft. coal,—a depth of 278 yards; its dimensions are 17ft. by 12ft., giving and area of 204ft. The pumps extend 100 yards still lower; but there is scarcely any water below that. The up-cast, which contains the ventilation furnace, was originally sunk to the 4ft. only; but it has since been sunk about 40 yards deeper to the 6ft. and 9ft. coals. Its size if 14ft. by 11ft., the area being 154ft. The ventilation was carried on by a furnace 9ft. by 8ft., giving an area of 72ft. About 90 tones of coal per month were consumed by the furnace. There was no regular record kept of the quantity of air sent into the pit. Witness never saw any such regular record kept, but he had seen some memoranda in a pocket-book which the later manager carried about with him. It was his duty to measure the air and record it. The witness was under examination when our parcel left.

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The Times, 11 December 1867:

FERNDALE COLLIERY EXPLOSION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—As you kindly published my letter of the 9th ult., which was several times reprinted in the Welsh local press, respecting the sad disaster abovenamed, I now solicit the favour of your inserting in The Times my suggestion whereby a diminution of such calamities may ensue, and some progress be made for an effective prevention. On the day the explosion occurred I inquired of some of the rescued colliers at the pit mouth the probable cause of the “pit firing.” “I can’t say for certain,” said one of them men, “but I know my lamp was often uncleaned; what, then is a man to do?” “Complain of it,” I replied. “Yes, complain; that gets one into a bother you see, if he wants to stay here; so lamps are opened to get more light to work by.” Last week it was stated to me at Pont-y-prid by a mining engineer who had been in the pit since the accident that he had seen there 13 lamps deficient of their safety gauzes, and dead colliers who must have taken off the safety gauzes from their lamps as they were found in their pockets. Is not this evidence against the use of “safety lamps” for colliers to work with, and proof of deficient supervision of under ground work, and does not this show the necessity for effective ventilation in our coal mines, in lieu of the present “rule of thumb” system, with its flimsy bratice, cloths, creaking doors, air splittings, air crossings, and “the safety lamp,” each dependent on the other, and all so very liable to accidental disarrangement that life underground is ever being hazarded by these crude accessories for performing their important requirements to ventilate a coal mine. Inspectors of mines are only what that name implies; but protectors of miners and mines are the Government officers now required to prevent shameful negligence, resulting in fearful horrors, and whose duties are to be performed in the pit during all working hours, watching and recording the hourly safety of the mine, as an authorized supervisor and referee for each working man, and independent of proprietors. Then from such a class of intelligent and practical men will doubtless come such improvements that mining engineering will show itself capable of preventing or greatly mitigating these sadly increasing fatalities that make so many widows and fatherless children dependent on public benevolence. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, C. M. BARKER, M.S.E. Kennington, Dec, 9.