Where do I go from here?

[Brentor boy]

An entry in the index of the Probate Calender indicates that Jesse Coomb(e)s of 10 Bodringallt Tce, Ystrad Rhondda died on 11 Feb 1929 at North Rhondda Colliery, Glyncorrwg. According to the Coal Mining History Resource Centre, he only suffered an accident on that date.

The death was registered in Neath, suggesting that it occurred either at the mine or an adjacent hospital. If it had happened at his home I would have expected that it would have been registered in Pontypridd. I have not yet obtained a copy death certificate which, in any case, would only confirm details of his death, not the circumstances surrounding it.

Anthony Pritchard, of Treorchy Library, has searched for reference to the accident/death, or any subsequent inquest, in local newspaper archives, without success. I appreciate that in those times such an event was not so exceptional but surely it must have prompted some official reaction. Can anyone please suggest what I might now do to trace the relevant records?

[cardiff]

Hi
The death certificate would at least give you place of death /hospital or a home and what he died of. He may will have died from the accident.
My great grandfather had an accident in the pit the roof came down on him he was takedn home and later found to have broken his back. Was taken the Cardiff Royal infirmary from Porth in the Rhondda and died in hospital from pnumonia. Although he would not have had pnemonia if he was not bed ridden.
Not sure if this  is of any help
cheers cardiff

[Morganllan]

Hello 

Here is a link relating to Neath Coroner's Records available at West Glamorgan Archive Service in Swansea:
http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=33275

Modified - just to clarify, Glyncorrwg would come under Neath registration district, and that is where the accident took place.

Kind Regards
Morgan

[Brentor boy]

Thanks Cardiff and Morgan.

I know that Jesse received his injuries after coming into contact with the cutter. I suspect that he was then transferred to hospital where he died so, strictly speaking, he did not die at the pit. Wherever he died, it must surely have satisfied the criteria of being a " sudden or unexpected" death, thus necessitating an inquest, unless this does not apply to a death in hospital. It is a sad comment upon the times if the event did not warrant mention in the press.

West Glamorgan Archives must be my next stop.

[cardiff]

Hi
Yes I think something would have been in the papers about his death but maybe not the accident it self.
Looking for an obituary may give further info?
having looked at the colliery its  it is in the Afan valley, could he have been taken to Swansea?, Neath  must have had a cottage hospital?
cheers cardiff
ps Brief History of this Collery
Glyncorrwg Colliery Glyncorrwg Cymmer (Afan Valley)
Glyncorrwg North an South  pits sunk in 1904 by Glyncorrwg colliery Ltd no.2 Rhondda (north Pit)
1926 colliery was acquired by Glyneath Collieries Ltd in 1927 employing 384 men. By 1928 the pit was taken over again by Amalgamated Anthracite Collieries Ltd.
 the Pit continued to work until its colouser in 1970

[halfasheep]

I live in Cymmer (not the one by Porth), so am literally around the corner from Glyncorrwg. It would have been one hell of a trek back over the mountain to Ystrad in those days.

Maesteg General Hospital would have probably been one of the closest "major" hospitals - it opened in 1912 so would certainly have been open at the time. However, Maesteg fell under Bridgend registration district.

There are no hospitals in the Afan Valley, so I suspect that either your relative was moved to Port Talbot or Neath (both of which I suspect are going to be unlikely in my opinion), it is more likely that he died in the colliery (like many of our relatives on this board no doubt - mine certainly did).

However, I would suggest getting that death certificate as it may note an inquest date on it, which will lead to a newspaper article. I've had some luck like that. I had one relative who was run over by a dram, lost a hand, but died of septaecemia a few days later.

[cardiff]

Hi halfaheep
Local knowledge you cannot beat it.
cheers cardiff

[halfasheep]

Thanks Cardiff, not got a lot to offer BUT local knowledge!

Brentor boy, if you see the geography of this area, you'll realise that it's all windy lanes and huge hills and mountains. If the injury was that severe that he died of them, given the depth they worked, it's unlikely that your man was moved that far - not massively familiar with how transport worked back then, but I doubt they would have put him on a coal train (or would they?), and I suspect a car/lorry/ambulance ride would have taken at least an hour to the nearest hospitsl - again this is dependent on whether your relative was in a condition to be moved.

My father still works in a mine in the area, and I know that he has to walk at least an hour underground until he gets to the coal face.

Again, not an expert in mining, but I'm fairly certain that the conditions even in the 1920's were fairly awful in terms of lighting, accesability, etc.

If you get the death certificate, let us know the place of death - if it's in Glyncorrwg (and assuming it's still standing), I'll get a photo for you

[Brentor boy]

Thanks Cardiff and Halfasheep for your comments and suggestions.

I know from talking with Jesse's nephew, who used to work in the Parc and Dare, that Jesse and his brother had a two hour walk to get to work "over the mountain". I hope to see him again when I next visit Treorchy shortly and will ask him if he can remember anything more, but in the past his recall has been limited.

My attempts to track down any relevant newspaper report have so far been unsuccessful and I have just heard from West Glamorgan Archives that all inquest reports for the period were lost in a flood several years ago so, at the moment, it looks as if the only documentary evidence I can obtain easily is the death certificate which has to be my next step.