Bronze Age Gold from Wales
Milfraen Colliery, film negative
Cornwell, John (Mr) (John Cornwell was a freelance photographer who took many photographs of collieries, mostly in south Wales and the English Midlands, both underground and on the surface, during the 1970s and early 1980s. He perfected a method of underground photography using the standard colliery lighting and was able to photograph coal faces, roadways, shafts and equipment with amazing clarity. In addition to photographing working mines he also recorded abandoned mine workings, above and below ground.
John Cornwell was also well respected in the broader field of industrial archaeology. He published a number of books on Welsh and English collieries.
The copyright of his south Wales images are now owned by Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales.)
Black and white film negative of a photograph showing bodies on stretchers being carried from the shaft following the Milfraen Colliery Disaster. On 10 July 1929 nine men lost their lives in a gas explosion in the Mapstone District of Milfraen Colliery. The subsequent enquiry concluded that inadequate ventilation led to a build up of gas which was ignited by sparks from a faulty coal cutting machine. 'Milfraen' is transcribed from original negative bag.
Collection Area
Industry
Item Number
2009.3/1463
Creation/Production
unknown
Cornwell, John (Mr)
Date: 1929
Acquisition
Purchase, 20/1/2009
Measurements
Length
(mm): 65
Width
(mm): 63
Techniques
film negative (black & white)
film negative
negative
Material
film (photographic)
Location
In store
Classification
disasterComments are currently unavailable. We apologise for the inconvenience.