Llanbradach Memorial 1934 and later

Llanbradach colliery deaths 1934 and later

1934

  • Rees Scanlon, son of Mr And Mrs John Scanlon of 67 Mill Road, Caerphilly, died at mid-day on 6 April in Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital from injuries sustained by a fall at the colliery a few hours earlier. His father was associated with Caerphilly Rugby Club for many years.
  • Cyril George Luff, 20, a collier’s helper, died on 17 August as result of a fall of stone weighing several hundredweights from the roof. He was dead when extricated. His parents were Eli Charles and Eliza Jane of 34 Ludlow Street, Caerphilly. He was buried in St Martin’s churchyard. Cyril was a member of St Martin’s Church and the Pwllypant Scouts/Rovers.
  • Alfred Glanville Dobbins, 28, a trafficman, was knocked down and injured by a journey of empty trams. He died 10 minutes after being admitted to the Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital on 19 December. He lived at Ffrwd Terrace, Llanbradach.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 98
Manpower: 94,462

1935

  • George William Tarrant, 43, collier, of Parc y Felin Street, Caerphilly, died on 6 February at the Caerphilly District Miners’ Hospital following injuries received on 15 January at Llanbradach colliery. James Watkins, a haulier, said he asked Mr Tarrant to keep an eye on his horse and tram whilst he went to give a colleague a hand. When going, he heard his horse moving and on returning he found Mr Tarrant trying to stop the horse. Mr Tarrant was on the side of the heading, injured. The tram had not gone over him. The horse was a quiet one.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 90
Manpower: 88,306

1936

  • William Thomas Brewer, 35, died at Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital on 18 October, following injuries received that day. He was employed as a shunter on the surface and was injured by a wagon which had a defective brake. Except for two years as licensee of the White Hart Inn, Bedwas, he had worked at various collieries in the district. He lived at 48 Bradford Street, Caerphilly.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 82
Manpower: 83,269

1937

  • Cyril Arthur Bishop, 16, of Energlyn Terrace, Caerphilly, died in the Miners’ Hospital on 28 January from injuries received in a gas explosion.
  • Richard Davies, 15, died at the Miners’ Hospital on Friday 2 July after being injured in No.1 Pit the previous week. He lived at 9 Richmond Terrace, Llanbradach. The funeral took place on 7 July at Penyrheol Cemetery. Captain M Riding of the Llanbradach Corps of the Salvation Army presided.
  • William George Thomas, 32, of 44 Ludlow Street, Caerphilly, died on 14 October soon after admission to the Miners’ Hospital. He had been injured when a large stone fell, pinning him down. He was son of Fred Thomas, treasurer of Caerphilly Conservative Club.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 118
Manpower: 92,268

1938

  • Frederick Arthur Pask, 59, a colliery fireman, was fatally injured at the colliery on 11 March. He was born at Shirenewton, served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in the First World War and was a member of the United Services and Conservative Clubs. He lived at 12 Broomfield St, Caerphilly. At the inquest David John Simons, a haulier, said when asked by Mr Pask to take a message he left his horse standing attached to a full tram of coal. When he returned three minutes later he found the horse had moved about 11 metres (12 yards) and Pask was underneath the tram, dead. A nearby pump had been making a noise and causing a dusty atmosphere, and this may have prevented Mr Pask from hearing or seeing the horse and tram. The coroner, David Rees, said Mr Pask probably tried to stop the horse following its haulier and was knocked down.
  • John Joseph Hodge, 71, was killed in an accident at the colliery on 17 July. He had been a trusted foreman fitter for 32 years. Born in Bristol, he became foreman in charge at Davies Bros Iron Foundry, The Strand, Swansea and also held the licence of the Fuel Inn. From there he moved to Llanbradach. His wife Edith died about nine years previously. He lived at 10 Garden Street, Llanbradach, was survived by three sons, two daughters and several grandchildren.
  • Evan Rees, 56, a haulier, died of meningitis after being kicked by a horse at the colliery, fracturing his skull. It was thought that Mr Rees had been trying to remove the shaft from the horse at the time. At the inquest, in October, the Inspector of Mines said some horses have a peculiarity and would not allow their hauliers to stand behind when removing anything from them.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 106
Manpower: 92,014

1940

  • Evan Davies, 56, a haulier who lived in Nantgarw Road, Caerphilly, died after a chain of events which started as he and two other hauliers and their horses were leaving the colliery at the end of their shift. One of the horses caught a foot in the tail rope and took fright and ran into an engine house. When it tried to leave, it put the engine into motion. One of the hauliers quickly stopped the engine but found afterwards that a tram of coal had toppled over, hitting Mr Davies who shouted: “My chest! My chest!” Dr Adams Clark said Mr Davies died from a broken neck. The inquest was reported in the Caerphilly Journal on 30 March.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 189

1941

  • Phillip Morgan, 61, died following injuries received when he was knocked down by some railway trucks at the surface in February. He lived at 3 Tridwr Road, Abertridwr,with his daughter Mrs Gladys E. Withers. The Inspector of Mines told the inquest that it was customary for workmen to walk along the siding when going from the colliery office to the pit top. Nothing was observed afterwards that could have caused Mr Morgan to have stumbled.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 193

1943

  • John Connolly, 61, a haulier, was fatally injured at the colliery. He was buried in Penyrheol Cemetery on Saturday 24 July. Native of Maesteg, he had lived in Llanbradach for over 40 years. His address was 4 Stanley Row.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division:138

1944

  • Idris Samuel Hughes, 22, a collier, died at the Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital on 27 July. He had been injured on 17 September 1940 when a stone fell from the roof and pinned him down. He was treated for a fractured pelvis and ruptured bladder. He was allowed to return to his home in Bartlett Street, Caerphilly, after four months and returned periodically to the hospital. He died from uraemia (a build-up of waste products normally expelled in urine) directly due to his injuries.

Fatalities in the South East Wales Division: 115

1945

  • Sidney Chown Quick, of Dolyfelin Street, Caerphilly, assistant repairer, died in the Miners’ Hospital of serious injuries in October. He was a Bevin Boy from Reading. The Bevin Boys were men who were conscripted to the armed services but diverted in 1943 to collieries, to avert a coal shortage.
  • Frederick W Smith, of 23 Coedybrain Road, Llanbradach, aged 30 years, was killed by a fall of stone in No.3 Pit in November.

 Fatalities in the South East Wales Division:114

1946

  • Harry Slocombe, 53, of Thomas Street, Llanbradach, was killed instantly by a roof fall in No. 1 Pit in August. His father John was killed aged 58 at the colliery in 1926.
  • John Young, 37, married, with three children, of 3 Oakfield street, Llanbradach, and Clement Morgan, 25, single, of First Avenue, Trecenydd, Caerphilly, were fatally injured by runaway trams on a steep incline on Friday morning, 15 November. Both worked as trafficmen. The Coroner said he was satisfied the trams ran back because the shackle had not been properly fixed and there was no evidence as to how the shackle-pin became dislodged. The bodies were identified by Richard Edward Young (brother) of Ilan Road, Abertridwr, and William John Morgan (father).

Fatalities in the South Western Division: 103

1947

  • William Bourne, 67, a fireman who lived in Garden Street, died on 12 June after an accident while preparing for shot-firing (using explosives to loosen coal or stone). James Davies, a repairer, told the inquest he had bored a hole to put and had to remove a pair of timbers (supporting the roof). No powder had been placed in the hole when he heard Bourne shout: “Oh, Jim, I have had it.” Bourne had been struck on the back by a large stone, which had fallen without warning. Both men had examined the roof before removing the timber, and it had appeared normal. Mr Bourne died from a fracture spine and internal bleeding soon after being admitted to the Miners’ Hospital. The jury, which was the first to sit on a local inquest for many years owing to the war, returned a verdict of “Accidental death”.
  • Archbald Trickett, 49 years, a timberman in No.3 Pit, was killed in an accident on 22 November. Born in Trealaw, he had lived in Caerphilly for forty years. His address was 23 The Crescent, Trecenydd.

1948

  • James Mitchell, 62, a rider, died on 12 August from injuries he received that day when he was knocked down by a journey of trams. He had been due to retire on the 13 August. He was born in Cheltenham and had lived in Llanbradach for 47 years. He lived in School Street.
  • Alan George Carter, 27, of The Crescent, Trecenydd, Caerphilly, died from multiple injuries on the 7 October when a 15-ton stone fell on him. He had been working at the coalface, punching down coal with a pneumatic pick, when there was a sudden fall from the roof. He was dead when his colleagues, who were working close by, reached him.

Fatalities in the South Western Division: 112
Manpower: 114,849

1943-1953

Others who died in colliery accidents in this period:

  • Doug Meredith, of Llanbradach
  • Bobby Jones, 16, crushed between trucks on the surface
  • John Hughes, fell down the shaft
  • Tom Phillips, caught by trams while working as a rider (changing ropes)
  • Cyril Watts, gassed
  • Rufus Wheeler, killed by a roof fall