Today, Risca is part of the Newport conurbation in Gwent, South Wales. In 1860, it was a typical, small Welsh mining town, home to the Risca Iron and Coal Company. The Company's local colliery worked the rich "Black Vein" coal seam, hence the name.
Unfortunately, the "Black Vein" seam was extremely gaseous, and a number of explosions occurred at the colliery, resulting in many fatalities. In 1846, 35 miners were killed after an ignition of firedamp (methane), There were also fatal accidents in 1849 and 1850, and a further ten lives were lost in an 1853 explosion. Due to the regularity of these incidents, the colliery became known as the "Death Pit".
Tragically, the story does not end there...
Despite the history, naked lights continued to be used underground, and the first day of December, 1860, saw yet another explosion. This time, a total of 146 men were lost, which made it the worst Welsh mining disaster to date.
The majority of the miners were asphyxiated as a result of gas being trapped in the mine due to a massive roof fall. However, over 60 bodies were badly burned and disfigured, and identification was to prove impossible. These were buried - without coffins - in a communal grave on the local mountainside.
Following the event, owner John Russell sold his home to provide a trust fund for the families of the deceased. The colliery changed hanged several times before being closed in 1921, and the site is now occupied by the South Blackvein Industrial Estate.
Was so surreal to visit the graveyard. Such a beautiful spot in the hillside and sad when I think what lie beneath... I visited from Suffolk (england) Wales is a truly beautiful amazing place with such friendly people... xxx
ReplyDeleteSteve - We can now disprove the burial of large numbers of unidentified bodies in the Green Meadow cemetery. I now know the burial place (or region) of 122 of the victims and, of the remaining 20 victims only a very small number were burned. The majority of fatalities were due to Choke Damp not fire. The Black Vein Miners Memorial Society (of which I am founder and Secretary) and other local historians now believe that only 12 men and boys (named) are buried in the field above the canal. This year we will be replacing the fence and erecting another memorial.
ReplyDeleteI have three relatives that were killed in 1846 and 1880
ReplyDelete