Hi listers,
Having found the dates of death of my great uncle and great grandfather, both named
William JONES, a friend very kindly went to Newport Library a few days ago and found the
following news items:
South Wales Gazette and Newport News, Friday 13th November 1914:
KILLED BY A FALL.
INQUEST ON CWMTILLERY COLLIER.
Mr. J. B. Walford (district coroner) conducted an inquest at the Abertillery Police
Station on Thursday afternoon on the death of William Jones (16), a collier boy of 58
Bottom Row, Cwmtillery, who was killed by a fall of roof at the Rose Heyworth Pit,
Abertillery, on Monday.
Mr. P. T. Jekins, Mines' Inspector, Mr. Geo. Barker, Miners' Agent, and Mr. T.
Jenkin Williams, the manager of the colliery, were also present.
William Jones, collier, deceased's father, said his son was a healthy, active lad. He
died about 10-30 on Monday evening. He had been working with witness at the Rose Heyworth
Colliery, and about 1-15 a fall of roof occurred in the South Old Coal district, where two
men and two boys were working together. Witness was five or six yards away from his son,
who was fetching "curlings" to fill the coal box. Witness and a man named
Berrows were considering replacing of some timber when their attention was attracted by a
crash. Witness called to deceased, "Are you alright, Will," and heard deceased
cry out. Witness ran to his assistance, and found him partly under a lump of coal. He was
released in a minute, but witness could see he was badly injured. He was taken to the
surface as quickly as possible. A good deal of the roof had fallen, and witness noticed
that a sprag which had been put up only last Saturday was broken. The coal above the sprag
was overhanging a couple of feet. The bottom coal underneath the overhanging part had been
taken out last Saturday.
The Coroner remarked that he was afraid that there was a tendency on the part of men who
had worked many years underground -- the longer the more noticeable -- to think that if a
place sounded safe and looked safe there was probably no danger. Hidden slips, however,
accounted for a large percentage of accidents. Wm. Roberts, (day fireman) said he was at
the spot in question that morning and noticed the overhanging part, but thought it was
spragged. Witness did not think it was dangerous. He had examined the place since, and
came to the conclusion that there had been a slip, but he did not think that accounted for
the accident. There was a "bump" present, which he thought caused the coal to
fall.
Dr. Chas gordon Bennett deposed to examining the deceased who had a compound fracture of
the right leg, and died from internal hemorrhage and shock.
The Coroner, in summing up, directed the jury to consider whether any precautions could
have been taken to prevent the fatality.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and expressed sympathy with the
deceased's relatives, in which the Coroner, Mr. Geo. Barker (for the Federation) and
Mr. Williams on behalf of the Company, concurred.
South Wales Gazette and Newport News, Friday 28th January 1927:
Abertillery Colliery Fireman.
THE FUNERAL.
A sad fatality occurred at the Rose Heyworth Colliery on Saturday morning, the victim
being William Jones (55), a fireman, of 58 the Rows, Blaenau Gwent. The deceased was
killed instantaneously by the fall of a stone from the roof. He was a married man, and
leaves a widow and ten children, three of whom are attending the County School. He was a
member of the old Blaenau Gwent Male Voice Party, and sang regularly among them, while he
has also been a member of other singing parties, and was highly respected in the Blaenau
Gwent district. He was a faithful member of the choir of Blaenau Gwent Baptist Church and
a member of Mr. Howell J. Davies's Sunday-school class.
The funeral took place on Thursday, and was largely attended. The Rev. Ivor Evans
conducted services at the house, the church, and the graveside.
The chief mourners were: Mrs. Louisa Jones, the widow; the misses May, Beryl, Gladys,
Nancy, Lilian, and Doris Jones, daughters; Messrs. David, Stanley, and Gwyn Jones, sons;
Mr. and Mrs. Johnathan Jones, brother and sister-in-law; Mr. and Mrs. G. Godwin, Mr. and
Mrs. W. godwin (Garndiffaith), Mr. and Mrs. Henry Coombs (Gloucester), Mr. and Mrs. E.
Crease (Garndiffaith), Mr. and Mrs. J. Thorne (Penarth), and Mrs. E. Luton, sisters and
brothers-in-law; Messrs. David and Joseph Boots, W. Jones (late manager of the Vivian
Colliery), F. Hayes, J. Ellaway, M. Sheean, T. Ford, C. Baldwin, T. Davies, H. Thomas, T.
and W. Berrow; and Messrs. T. Deer, T. Davies, J. Baker, W. Waters, and B. Silcox
(colliery officials).
The arrangements were carried out by Messrs. A. Horler and Sons.