Tor-y-Mynydd Colliery

Baglan, Port Talbot. (79209933)

This mine was served by the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway and this level produced house and manufacturing coals.

On the 17th of October 1854, John Mort, aged 40 years and a collier, died under a roof fall at this mine. This is the earliest record that we have of it.

It was owned in 1860/70 by the Margam Tin Plate Company and in 1878 by D. Jenkins and Son when it was managed by W. Richards. In 1910 it employed 145 men, in 1912 it employed 231 men, in 1913/16 it was owned by the Tor-y-Mynydd Rhondda Colliery Company Limited of Burrows Chamber, Swansea, and employed 245 men, the manager at that time was P. Williams.

On the 30th of December 1912, Rees Howell aged 42 years and a roadman, was crushed between the trains on the surface at the entrance to a drift. While on the 1st of January 1914, David Howells, aged 47 years and a collier died under a fall of roof.

In 1917 it was owned by the New Caepontbren Colliery Company Limited which was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. In 1918 the manager was J. Rosser and it employed 237 men underground and 30 on the surface while in 1920 it employed 300 men. In 1922 it employed 300 men. In 1937 it employed 6 men and in 1938 it employed 8 men. In 1945 B. Davies was manager and the mine now employed only 29 men.

In 1947 a licenced mine of this name is worked under the ownership of I. Griffiths which employed 51 men in 1948. It worked the Tormynydd seam at a section of 22 inches, the Jonah seam which had a section of 18 inches and the White seam which had a section of coal at 18 inches, dirt at 15 inches, and coal at 18 inches. The Tormynydd Rhondda mine abandoned the Jonah seam in October 1921.

Please also see Cwmavon Collieries.

Information supplied by Ray Lawrence and used here with his permission.