The term regarding John Davies's death was stated as 'odd'.

 Tom Cullen. Autumn of Terror:

..... Davies was killed in a mine explosion. The mine-owners stalled for eighteen months before paying her a miserable pittance by way of a widow's compensation, and it was this delay which drove Mary on to the streets, first in the Tiger Bay region of Cardiff, and later in London.

 I wonder, with the caveats applied by insurance societies, the debate was over whether this was an accident. The term regarding John Davies's death was stated as 'odd'.

'It has long since been a practice in the English colliery districts, on the occasion of accidents, to make provision for the injured or survivors of the killed, by means of contributions, not only from the workmen, but also from the employers. The proceedings in earlier days were the same as those in Friendly Societies of the primitive form. Collections were first started to meet each case as it arose; in course of time, regular subscriptions were levied, and a fund was thus established, which, however, invariably proved inadequate when any great catastrophe occurred. These societies, or " pit-clubs," as they were called, being as a rule restricted to the workmen in a particular colliery, could not possibly, thus isolated as they were, bear the risks of any accident of magnitude. The consequence of this was, that as soon as any calamity took place, involving the loss of many lives and necessitating the relief of many families, they were compelled to appeal to public benevolence.'