On the 11th April 1877, at about 4p.m.., the
Tynewydd pit of the Troedyrhiw colliery became
inundated with water.
At the time of the disaster the pit employed
about 100 men, but when the accident occurred
only 14 men were underground.
The accident was caused by a breakthrough from
the mine's workings through to the abandoned,
and flooded, workings of the old Cymmer Pit.
Immediately rescue attempts were begun to find
the fourteen missing miners.
Five survivors were found when a knocking was
heard, and rescuers cutting through a 12 yards
thick pillar of coal reached them the following
morning.
Unfortunately the force of compressed air released
when the first small hole was cut to the pocket
where the man were, led to one of the survivors
(William Morgan) being crushed to death. It
was assumed that the remaining nine men had
been drowned in the flooded mine.
However further knocking was heard coming from
the stall of Thomas Morgan, which was below
the level of the floodwater, leading rescuers
to assume that some survivors had been trapped
in an air pocket.
An unusual rescue attempt using two divers from
London was attempted, but the amount of debris
in the mine made it impossible. As such the
only means of reaching the trapped miners was
to cut through over 38 yards of coal.
Working day and night it took the rescuers ten
days to reach the five trapped men, during which
time the plight of the miners captured the attention
of the world's press with even Queen Victoria
sending telegrams asking for the latest news.
At 2.30 p.m. on Friday April 20th the rescue
team finally reached the five trapped men, who
had been without food and had only the filthy
flood waters to drink for ten days.
The miners were all found to be suffering from
'the bends' due to rapid decompression and spent
eighteen days in hospital, but otherwise made
full recoveies from their ordeal. Four other
miners missing after the flooding had drowned
in the workings.
Afterwards Queen Victoria awarded twenty-four
first and second class Albert medals to the
rescuers.
Recipient of the medal were:-
| ABLETT, George |
Collier |
2nd Class |
| BAYNHAM, Charles |
Collier |
2nd Class |
| BEITH, William |
Mechanical Engineer |
1st Class |
| DAVID, Edward
|
Collier |
2nd Class |
| DAVIES, David |
Colliery Owner |
2nd Class |
| DAVIES, Thomas
Gattrych |
Colliery Manager |
2nd Class |
| EVANS, David |
Colliery Manager |
2nd Class |
| HOPKINS, Richard |
Collier |
2nd Class |
| HOWELL, John
William |
Collier |
1st Class |
| HOWELLS, Richard |
Overman |
2nd Class |
| JONES, David |
Colliery Manager
(Cymmer Level) |
2nd Class |
| JONES, Thomas |
Colliery Owner
(Ynisher Colliery) |
2nd Class |
| LEWIS, Henry |
Colliery Manager
(Energlen Colliery) |
2nd Class |
| MORGAN, William |
Collier. (Hafod
Colliery) |
2nd Class |
| OATRIDGE, Charles |
Collier |
2nd Class |
| PRIDE Isaac |
Collier (Llwyncelyn) |
1st Class |
| REES, David |
Fireman |
2nd Class |
| THOMAS, Daniel |
Proprietor (Brythwynydd
Colliery) |
1st Class |
| THOMAS, Edmund |
Colliery Owner
(Llwyncelyn) |
2nd Class |
| THOMAS, Isaiah |
Colliery Manager
(Brythwynydd Colliery) |
2nd Class |
| THOMAS, Rees |
Collier (Penriwfer) |
2nd Class |
| THOMAS, Thomas |
Colliery Manager
(Ynyshir Colliery) |
2nd Class |
| THOMAS, William |
Colliery Manager
(Resolven) |
2nd Class |
| WILLIAMS, John |
Collier (Pontypridd
Colliery) |
2nd Class |
| WILLIAMS, Robert |
Collier (Dinas
Isha Colliery) |
2nd Class |
Data compiled from various
sources, most notably the LONDON GAZETTE
