No 1435, 23 Jul 1880, Page 6, Col 1, The Terrible Colliery Explosion at Risca, Joseph Hemmings
Cited from The Star of Gwent and South Wales Times
Star of Gwent, No 1435, 23 Jul 1880, Page 6, Col 1, The Terrible Colliery Explosion at Risca, Joseph Hemmings, Clip
Transcription
THE TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT RISCA. FRIDAY. In the afternoon several more bodies were brought to the surface. Most of them showed considerable signs of having been knocked about, and the great proportion were scorched and burned, in a few instances almost beyond recognition. The bodies of William Matthew and John Potter, who had been ripping the top in No. 1 level, working together, were found about 20 yards apart. Matthews scorched about the hands and face, his hair was scorched, he was burnt about the body, and he had sustained several contusions about the head and face. Potter has had the skin of the hands burnt, his right arm dislocated, had sustained a compound fracture of the left leg, a fractured arm, and dislocation of the left shoulder, besides a fracture of the base of the skull. Charles Randall, a timberman, was found in the inside of the old lamp station. He had been engaged in stacking. The injuries he had sustained were of such a character that he could only with difficulty be recognised. The next body brought up was that of Morgan Davies, a haulier. He found in No 2 level, about 80 yards from the stable, with some marks of burning; and he had also had a fracture of the fore-arm, a dislocation of the left elbow, and contusions about the body. The bodies of three ostlers, William Caine, John Fry, and William Hughes, were brought up from the stables, where they were found late in the evening. Caine found with his head lying in the manger, and his body underneath part of the carcase of a horse. Death was pronounced to have resulted from suffocation. The other ostlers were found in similar positions. Last to be brought to the surface the body of Joseph Hemmings, a labourer, scorched about his head and face found in No 2 level. Twenty bodies in the whole had been recovered up to Friday evening.
Other Information #
One event has been derived from this evidence.
- Joseph Ximenes★ died on 15 Jul, 1880 at North Risca Colliery, Mynyddyslwyn
Full Citation
The Star of Gwent and South Wales Times; No 1435, 23 Jul 1880, Page 6, Col 1, The Terrible Colliery Explosion at Risca, Joseph Hemmings.
Source
The Star of Gwent and South Wales Times available at:
- Findmypast
- The British Newspaper Archive