On December 6th. 1875, there was a massive explosion in the Lan Drift Mine, Gwaelod y Garth. Listed as the most serious mine explosion of the year, it had been largely forgotten in this village once devastated by the impact of the disaster. 16 men and boys were killed or seriously injured; few families escaped the ensuing poverty. There is now a movement to rectify this omission.
A 2012 Memorial Event, attended by The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Derrick Morgan, former First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, Tyrone O'Sullivan, Miners' Leader, joined with residents to unveil a plaque in the Village Hall. In a moving ceremony, resident Ann Gray, whose great uncle, Abraham Phillips, was the Overman killed in the disaster, unveiled the plaque while the Headmaster of the school, Iwan Ellis, read out the names of the dead and injured. In a silent hall, with standing room only, oldest resident of the village, Dyrig Davies, put his wreath of rosemary under the plaque, followed by young boys with rosemary wreaths, in respect of children of their age who had died in the explosion.
In combination with CEMEX, CADW , GWAT and Cardiff County Council, a residents' group is now working towards the creation of a Memorial Woodland around the archaeological remains of the old Drift Mine. Residents are all invited to participate in the creation of this Memorial, to the men and boys who gave so much in the winning of coal.
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Sir William Galloway 1840-1927
William Galloway was the eldest son of a Paisley shawl manufacturer and coal and iron master. A pioneer of research into the effects of coal dust in mine explosions, he was called in to investigate the Lan explosion. His findings were to have historic significance.
From 1842 onwards, a series of Acts of Parliament had led to the creation of the Mines Inspectorate with extensive powers to enforce safety legislation.
In 1844, Michael Faraday drew attention to the way coal dust had the effect of spreading flame in an explosion. Dr. William Galloway, then a junior mines inspector, became fascinated by this theory. He studied several large mine explosions, working also on personal experiments. He concluded that it was the presence of coal dust rather than the methane (fire damp) that spread the flames and that the air should be damped during mining. He deduced coal dust was the reason miners far from the original explosion in the Lan were ‘burned to a cinder’.
His conclusion was initially so unpopular that he was forced to resign his position as an inspector of mines. Subsequently, however, this practice became world mining law and Dr Galloway became Sir William Galloway, Professor of Mining at University College, Cardiff.
Galloway’s method of damping coal dust in the air underground was first used in the Lan in Gwaelod y Garth.
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