Preece Family Tree

Cwmaman Collier Crushed to Death.

At the Cwmaman Institute on Monday morning Mr. R. J. Rhys, coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr. Gomer Vaughan was foreman, held an inquiry touching the death of Richard Stedman Griffiths, 22 Llanwonno Road, collier, who was killed on Friday morning last at the Cwmaman Colliery.

His son, Stephen John Griffiths, deposed that his father was 60 years of age, and had been an underground worker for 50 years.

William Hayman, haulier, said that he "drove" to Griffiths. On the morning in question he took an empty tram in to Griffiths' stall. On reaching the face he discovered Griffiths dead under a large stone close to the right hand side road post. With assistance he got the stone away. Deceased's mandril was standing against the coal, shaft downwards.

Charles Gough, collier, said he worked in the next stall to deceased in the 7ft. seam. He helped Hayman to get the stone away. It was about 7ft. long, 2 feet wide, and 6 inches thick. It had fallen from the top crop with the coal. There was a back slip. The stone fell crop with the road posts, which were close to the coal. There was plenty of timber.

Evan Rees, fireman, said he made his first examination of the stall at five minutes to seven that morning. He found all correct and had marked the place right for working. He hadn't had time to reach there on the second round before the accident happened. He hurried there on hearing the news. He found that a large stone and a few small pieces at each end fallen crop with the coal. The place was well timbered, and some posts had discharged. There was a slant in the roof, running along with the posts, which could not be seen prior to the fall. The ground was a clayey cliff with good many breaks in it. Deceased was hewing coal from under it at the time. There was no room for more posts. Griffiths had been in the district for last 18 months. He was a most careful workman.

William Jones, manager, explained a plan of the stall.

A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.

Messrs. Illtyd Hopkins, secretary, and John Lewis, minimum wage agent, were present on behalf of the S.W.M.F.