Llanerch - the funerals

The days that followed the Llanerch Colliery disaster were covered in detail by newspapers, the following article was published in the Cambrian on the 14th February 1890.

"Some 65 of the bodies of the unfortunate miners who were killed in the disastrous explosion at Llanerch Colliery near Pontypool were on Monday buried.  Thousands of people assembled to witness the solemn ceremony, the whole of the valley from Pontypool to Talywain being a scene of the deepest mourning.  The weather was beautifully fine.  The most striking procession was that which was organised in Broad Street, Abersychan, opposite the police station, the dead bodies being carried thither from the neighbouring cottages.  The funeral was headed by a united choir, more than 100 in number who sang with impressive effect as they paced slowly along the well known Welsh hymn 'In the deep and mighty waters'.  Amongst those present were Mr T P Price, M.P. for North Monmouth, Mr Partridge, Head of the Llanerch Colliery Company and Mr E Jones managing director of the colliery. The coffins containing the victims were brought into the procession at various points along the route until the funeral extended to about three quarters of a mile in length.  There were at least 50 coffins carried on biers, each followed by its mourners and in most cases by friends of the deceased who gave their arms to the bereaved widows.  At Pontnewynydd the roads to the burial grounds parted and the choir joined that portion which went to the Noddfa Baptist Chapel, Talywain, in the cemetery of which 13 were buried.  Here the service was conducted partly in English and partly in Welsh.  The bulk of the procession walked to Trevethin parish church, about a mile from Pontypool where the service was conducted by the Rev J C Llewellyn, the vicar and his curates.  As the mournful gathering entered the church, the organist played the 'Dead March' from Saul.  In the graveyard attached to this church 33 bodies were interred.  The scenes as the bodies were lowered into the ground were painfully affecting.  Seven other bodies were buried at the Penygarn Baptist graveyard and other funerals took place at the Ebenezer and Pisgah Chapels in the neighbourhood of Abersychan.  Members of the friendly societies in mourning costume followed a number of the bodies.

The explorations at the colliery were continuing during the day and three more bodies were recovered.  It is now supposed that all the dead have been got out of the pit, except one body, that of a boy.

Mr Edwin Grove of Newport, the Chairman of the Monmouthshire County Council, has telegraphed to the Lord Mayor stating that 174 bodies in all have been recovered and that a large number of widows, orphans and dependent relatives will have to be  maintained.  Consequently a large fund will be needed.