Blaen Rhondda, (SS 9168 9855)

Link to map

This mine was locally called the “Hook and Eye” due to its capacity for improvisation. It was located half a mile west of the Ty Draw Colliery. It was possibly originally the Hendrewen mine which was opened in 1899 and became Glen Rhondda in 1904 (The Hendrewen worked the No.2 Rhondda seam at a depth of 243 feet 10 inches. It employed only ten men in 1899 but this had increased to 51 miners in 1900 and 281 men in 1920) The Glenrhondda was owned by the Glenavon Garw Collieries Limited, a company owned by R. McEwen and W.F. Gibb of Post Office Chambers, Port Talbot. This company was a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

It was served by the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway. The colliery consisted of two levels, a slant with the No.1 Pit being sunk in 1911 and the No.2 Pit in 1921. The No.1 pit was sunk to just below the Lower-Nine-Feet seam to a depth of 1,044 feet 3 inches. They encountered the following seams:

  • Four-Feet, 48 inches thick, 864 feet deep.
  • Upper Yard, 28 inches thick, 898 feet 4 inches deep.
  • Six-Feet, 49 inches thick, 921 feet 4 inches deep.
  • Red, 31 inches thick, 958 feet 6 inches deep.
  • Nine-Feet, 54 inches thick, 996 feet 3 inches deep.
  • Bute, 28 inches thick, 1,008 feet 11 inches deep.

In 1908 the manager was W.M. Dryburgh, and in 1915/27 it was A. Aird and in 1930 it was Edgar Thomas. By 1934 the board of directors of this company had expanded to; R. Gibb, R. McEwan, C.I. Clay, E.R. Moxey and T. Gibb with W.F. Gibb the secretary. At that time it employed 3,338 miners in six collieries that produced 850,000 tons of coal. In 1935 it employed 130 men on the surface and 550 men underground producing both house and manufacturing coals. The manager at that time was E. Thomas.

On the 29th August 1937, a borehole hit old workings and water flooded into the heading. Bertie Davies, aged 16 years of age, was so frightened by the inrush that he was unable to move. While the other 70 miners made their escape, Reginald Demaid and Jesse Parsons struggled back through the water, half swimming and half walking and managed to bring him out. The water reached to within inches of the roof. In 1938 the manager was P.A.S. Jones and in 1945 it was A. Morgan.

On Nationalisation in 1947 the colliery was placed in the National Coal Board’s, South Western Division’s, No.3 Area, Group 4, and at that time the Nos. 1 and 2 Pits employed 98 men on the surface and 371 men underground working the Six-Feet and Four-Feet seams. The No.2 Level employed 18 men on the surface and 53 men underground working the No.2 Rhondda seam. The manager was A. Morgan. In the week ending 27th September 1947, the 500 men at this colliery obtained the highest ever coal production for this colliery producing 3,237 tons for the week, 237 tons over their target. In two conveyor coalfaces in a 24 inch thick seam, sixteen colliers cut and filled 7.5 tons of coal each per shift. In 1953 pithead baths were constructed at this mine. In 1954/55 this colliery was one of 42 that caused concern to both the NUM and the NCB over the high level of accidents. By 1954 the No.2 Level had closed, while the pits employed 94 men on the surface and 297 men underground working the Four-Feet seam.

The colliery had its own coal preparation plant (washery). The manager at that time was D.S. Evans. In 1955 there were 171 men working at the coalfaces at this colliery, 188 men were at the coalfaces in 1956 and 178 men in 1958.

Some deaths at this colliery:

  • 12th June 1912, Alfred Day, aged 21 years, and a haulier, was run over and killed by trams.
  • 9th September 1912, John Foley, aged 29 years, and a labourer, was killed by a flying handle off machinery.
  • 25th September 1913, William Roberts, aged 35 years, and a leading sinker, fell off staging and drowned in shaft sump.
  • 9th December 1913, George Redford, aged43 years, and a labourer, died under a roof fall.
  • 17th June 1914, Thomas Jenkins, aged 41 years, and a collier, was crushed and killed by trams.

The local NUM Lodge and the Area Executive Council of the NUM opposed closure stating that the remoteness of the area would make it difficult to find other jobs and that if the men had to move no one would buy their old houses. The NCB even offered to buy the houses off them but eventually, the arguments went to the national level and the closure was confirmed. At an NCB/NUM meeting on the 2nd March 1966 it was stated that in the last twelve months the colliery had lost 19% of its workforce and absence was running at 30% making operations impossible. To work the area that the NUM mentioned, the Nine-Feet seam to the north would cost £300,000 to develop and the NCB stated that there was no money available. It was closed by the National Coal Board on September 1966 for economic reasons.

Some Statistics:

  • 1905: Manpower: 52.
  • 1907: Manpower: 91.
  • 1908: Manpower: 136.
  • 1909: Manpower: 136.
  • 1911: Manpower: 188.
  • 1912: Manpower: 301.
  • 1913: Manpower: 230.
  • 1915/6: Manpower: 329.
  • 1918: Manpower: 253.
  • 1919: Manpower: 260.
  • 1920: Manpower: 260.
  • 1922: Manpower: 260.
  • 1923: Manpower: 433.
  • 1924: Manpower: 378.
  • 1927: Manpower: 349.
  • 1928: Manpower: 416.
  • 1930: Manpower: 580.
  • 1932: Manpower: 550.
  • 1933: Manpower: 326.
  • 1934: Manpower: 346.
  • 1937: Manpower: 517.
  • 1938: Manpower: 1 & 2 Pits: 209. No.2 Level 29.
  • 1945: Manpower: 443. No.2 Level: 38.
  • 1947: Manpower: 552.
  • 1948: Manpower: 530. Output: 155,000 tons.
  • 1949: Manpower: 530. Output: 160,000 tons.
  • 1950: Manpower: 446.
  • 1953: Manpower: 423. Output: 117,900 tons.
  • 1954: Manpower: 391. Output: 76,679 tons.
  • 1955: Manpower: 389. Output: 97,317 tons.
  • 1956: Manpower: 394. Output: 110,386 tons.
  • 1957: Manpower: 404. Output: 116,828 tons.
  • 1958: Manpower: 392. Output: 97,387 tons.
  • 1959: Manpower: 429. Output: 86,229 tons.
  • 1960: Manpower: 403. Output: 82,767 tons.
  • 1961: Manpower: 381. Output: 76,788 tons.
  • 1962: Manpower: 387. Output: 103,744 tons.
  • 1963: Manpower: 338. Output: 112,227 tons.
  • 1964: Manpower: 389. Output: 102,439 tons.
  • 1965: Manpower: 348. Output: 87,571 tons.

 

This information has been provided by Ray Lawrence, from books he has written, which contain much more information, including many photographs, maps and plans. Please contact him at welshminingbooks@gmail.com for availability.

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