Pentre Colliery

Pentre Colliery

Kenfig Hill, Bridgend (SS 8412 8544)

Link to map

A Mr. Gordon appears to have opened the first Pentre Colliery in this area when he drove two levels near the Tytalwyn Farm, he sold them to Messrs Wright & Butler who in 1902 sold them to Baldwins Limited.

A slant was opened in 1908 by Baldwyn’s Limited on the site of the old Cwm Kenfig Level, and along with the Aberbaiden Slant worked this problematic area near the southern outcrop of the Coalfield. In that year it employed 239 men underground and 56 on the surface. The manager was W. Thomas.

The main drift reached a length of 1,900 metres and found that the Rock Fawr seam had a section of coal 24”, dirt 12’, and coal 24”. Along with Aberbaiden, they worked this seam over an area of 5.5 square miles. It produced house and manufacturing coals from the Rock Fawr (No.3 Rhondda) seam firstly for Baldwyns Limited and then the Meiros Collieries Limited (by 1925), and along with Aberbaiden, doubled its manpower from 600 in 1913 to 140 men on the surface and 1,100 men underground in 1935.

The manager in 1913 was W. Thomas, in 1915 it was D.M. Arbuckle, in 1923 it was James Lewis and in 1934 and 1945 W.R. James.

In 1944 an explosion at this slant killed four miners, contraband was suspected as the source of the blast.

On Nationalisation of the Nation’s coal mines in January 1947, Pentre Colliery was placed in the National Coal Board’s, South Western Division’s, No.1 (Swansea) Area, and at that time employed 25 men on the surface and 526 men underground. The manager was still W.R. James but by 1949 it was I. Thomas. By 1954 it was in the No.2 Area, South Group, and then employed 23 men on the surface and 354 men underground. The manager then was J.W. Jones.

In 1955 there were 139 men working at the coalfaces of this colliery, in 1956 the coalface figure was 142 men, while in 1958 there were 144 men working at the coalfaces. Pentre Colliery was closed on the 6th of November 1959.

Some Statistics:

• 1907: Manpower: 11
• 1909: Manpower: 106.
• 1911: Manpower: 178.
• 1913: Manpower: 600. (with Aberbaiden)
• 1915: Manpower: 700. (with Aberbaiden)
• 1923: Manpower: 423. (underground only)
• 1933: Manpower: 536.
• 1935: Manpower: 1,240. (with Aberbaiden)
• 1937: Manpower: 558.
• 1938: Manpower: 572.
• 1945: Manpower: 537.
• 1947: Manpower: 551.
• 1948: Manpower: 537. Output: 140,000 tons.
• 1949: Manpower: 495. Output: 140,000 tons.
• 1950: Manpower: 377.
• 1953: Manpower: 331. 72,000 tons.
• 1954: Manpower: 377. Output: 67,000 tons
• 1955: Manpower: 298. Output: 68,702 tons.
• 1956: Manpower: 287. Output: 76,252 tons.
• 1957: Manpower: 284. Output: 77,762 tons.
• 1958: Manpower: 297. Output: 62,353 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.