Caerbryn Colliery

Llandebie (59451358)

This colliery was flanked by Parc-y-Dai Colliery to the west and the Rock Castle Colliery to the east. There are reports of coal workings at Caerbryn from the early 1800s. A Cottage Hill Level worked the Upper Coal Measures and in 1845 a Caerbryn Colliery is listed for the area, in 1858/70 it was owned by Perry Williams, (the 1865 list of mines gives the owners as Pendry and Williams while the 1869 list shows Perry Williams, probably the 1865 one is the correct one) although it is not listed for 1878. In the 1883/87 period, it was owned by David Jones and Company of Llandebie and managed by David Davies. It worked the Rock, Green, Stanllyd and Pumpquart seams. In 1893/6 it is owned by the French Anthracite Company of Swansea and in 1896 it employed 232 men underground and 71 men on the surface. The manager in 1893 was F.H. Bell and in 1896 it was Matthew Thompson. In 1900 it was owned by the Caerbryn Colliery Company of Cardiff and employed Daniel J. Rees as the manager. Around that time the colliery was described as working the Stanllyd and Pumpquart seams by the pillar & stall method and using safety lamps while the Triquart seam was worked on the long wall method and by naked lights. The downcast was 13 feet by 9 feet and 309 feet deep. Ventilation was by a 9 feet diameter Waddle Fan. Worked by the Caerbryn and Empire Collieries Limited in 1908/9 when the No.1 employed 258 men underground and 81 men on the surface and the No.2 employed 5 men opening it up, both were managed by G. Rees.

In 1911 it employed 372 men and in 1913 it employed 428 men, in 1915 it employed 450 men, in 1916 it employed 480 men, in 1919 it employed 500 men. It was managed during this time by Gwilym Rees. By 1917 it was in the hands of the Caerbryn Anthracite Colliery Limited who did not join the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

In 1923 it was still owned by the Caerbryn Anthracite Colliery Company and was managed by H. Morgan. It was working the No.2 Rhondda seam and employed 158 men working underground and 49 men on the surface in the No.2 Slant and 66 men working underground and 13 men working at the surface of the No.3 Slant. About 1925 it was absorbed into United Anthracite Collieries Limited, which in turn was absorbed into Amalgamated Anthracite Collieries Limited in 1926.

In 1927 only the No.1 Slant is listed, employing 188 men. In 1928 it employed 156 men working underground and 54 men working at the surface of the mine. H. Morgan was still the manager. It was abandoned in February of that year.

On the 15th of May 1911, Richard Williams, aged 28 years and collier, died under a roof fall. While on the 20th of November 1912, William Henry Evans, aged 33 years and a stoker, was found lying on the boilerplates apparently in a fit, with one hand in the hot boiler ashes. He died on November 29th, 1912.

Some statistics:

• 1896: Manpower: 303.
• 1899: Manpower: 167.
• 1900: Manpower: 276.
• 1901: Manpower: 295.
• 1902: Manpower: 344.
• 1903: Manpower: 324.
• 1905: Manpower: 140.
• 1907: Manpower: 285.
• 1908: Manpower: 344.
• 1909: Manpower: 339.
• 1910: Manpower: 300.
• 1911: Manpower: 372.
• 1913: Manpower: 428.
• 1915: Manpower: 450.
• 1916: Manpower: 480.
• 1919: Manpower: 500.
• 1920: Manpower: 500.
• 1922: Manpower: 300.
• 1923: Manpower: 286.
• 1924: Manpower: 300.
• 1925: Manpower: 214.
• 1926: Manpower: 188.
• 1927: Manpower: 150.
• 1930: Manpower: 210.

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