Accidental death at South pit, Merthyr

[claire]

I am hoping that somebody out there may have some information on my great great grandpa's death, or if not could possibly point me in the right direction, I've come to a dead end!

His name was Michael Donovan and he was born in 1864.

I am trying to find out about his death, my mam remembers her gran telling her that he was killed underground. I have purchased the death certificate, and the cause of death is reported as "accidentally killed by a fall of roof", he died at South Pit in Merthyr, I don't know if this is the correct name of the pit?

It says he died on 3rd Dec 1904, and that an inquest was held on 6th Dec 1904.

It is the inquest that I am trying to find out about. Is there anywhere I could go to read the details of the inquest, apart from travelling to Kew for the national archives? I have looked online but nothing seems to be available?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, my mam would love to find out a few more details!!

[lee]

There was a South Duffryn Colliery ( and a North Duffryn Colliery, at Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil which opened in 1862 and closed in the 1940s.
There may have been a report on the inquest in the Merthyr Express. The Merthyr Tydfil Central Library may be able to help you as they have, I believe, the newspaper on micro-fiche.

[mikemerthyr]

hello claire. There is an inquest report in the Merthyr Express . It is on page 11 Nov 26th 1904. It says he died on Monday week , collapsed on pile of rubbish while working . Cause of death Failure of . Heart . It also says as earlier reported but i could not see earlier report in paper . The quality of the reels of film are not that good though and there were eastern and western valley editions so might be in other valley edition . Ask merthyr library or Tredegar library.

MIKE

[mikemerthyr]

Forget to say inquest says held at Rhymney Police station , man lived at Havard's Row Rhymney and aged 50. accident was at .FOCHRIW PIT . Married 30 years . It might be different man ?.

[lee]

Looks like this is another person as Claire refers to the death on Dec 3 1904 and the newspaper report refers to November 26 Merthyr Express which is a week earlier.

[claire]

Thank you both for your replies!

Mike, I think it must be a different man because my relative definitely lived in Merthyr Tydfil, also the dates are out, but where did you find your information, maybe I could search there?

Does anybody know if you have to make an appt to view the Merthyr Express at the library or can you just turn up?

Once again, many thanks for all your help!

[mikemerthyr]

Claire I had a quick look only, that was the only inquest for a Michael Donovan i could see. in the Merthyr Express around the time of accident, there were two men with the same name registered in the same quarter of 1904 in merthyr according to FREE BMD. If there was no report in the Express not all deaths are prehaps it might be in THE WESTERN MAIL or THE SOUTH WALES ECHO. You don't have to make an appointment at the library to look at papers in Merthyr don't know about other libraries. Merthyr library does not have copies of WESTERN MAIL OR ECHO for those years Cardiff library should or Glamorgan Archives.

mike

[mikemerthyr]

Claire Had a look in MERTHYR LIBRARY today I was guessing great great grandfather could be Catholic in records there is a death record for a Michael Donovan age 40 died 3/12/1904 buried 8/12/1904 in Cefn Coed cemetary address given as BETHESDA STREET MERTHYR TYFIL also gives house number is this the man ? if it is they have records of baptisms marriages and deaths for ST MARY'S MERTHYR and ST ILLTYD'S DOWLAIS .

MIKE

[claire]

Mike, again, thank you!! You have been so helpful!

My great, great grandfather was most certainly Catholic and that is definitely the man! He did live at Bethesda street, though I don't know the number, neither was I aware of the date of burial.

It's details of the death that I really want to find out about, I already have his marriage and death certificate. I imagined that it would certainly have been written about, but maybe not, I suppose accidents of this nature were far more commonplace then than they are today?!

I think my next step then, should be to try and find some record of it in the Western Mail or Echo.

Again though, a massive thank you!!

Claire

[mikemerthyr]

Claire Street number is 4.

MIKE

[jeffery07]

Claire,
Try Pontypridd museum for advice. Tel: [phone]. www.pontypriddtown.co.uk

Or: South Wales Miners' Museum, Port Talbot. Tel: [phone].
www.southwalesminersmuseum.co.uk
During those awful days of private ownership it wasn't unusual when a man died underground from a sudden heart attack, for his comrades to stage a 'roof fall' so his wife would receive compensation. Do bear this in mind.
If you enjoy reading get Zola's 'Germinal' a French classic based on a true story in Victorian France. Remarkable writing of underground scenes; he exposes the inhuman conditions of French miners in the 1860's. Strikes, etc. Wonderful classic novel.
Jeff Adams.

[terry4233]

Claire.

South pit was near to where the tunnel tavern used to be, this in on the road from Dowlais top to fochrhiw. A relation of mine was also killed at this pit.
Terry4233

[jeff]

Hi, I cant be too much of a help on this but it has got my interest.

I can remember my dad, David William Donovan, telling me about his brother and father being killed in a mining disaster on the same day. This was in the Merthyr area as they were from Dowlais way. Apparently he should have been on the same shift but swapped. He said hi to them as he was coming out and they were going in. Might be some connection.

[claire]

Hi Jeff,

That sounds interesting, sounds like there may be a connection, do you happen to know your grandfathers first name?

Thanks,
Claire