Pantyffynnon, AmmanValley 618131

This was an anthracite slant that was wedged between Llandebie Colliery to the west and Park Colliery to the east. It was opened in 1898 to the Lower Pumpquart seam by the Tir-y-Dail Colliery Company of Swansea which was absorbed into Cleeve’s Western Valleys Anthracite Company employed 143 men underground and 46 men on the surface in 1908 when the manager was W.J. Owen and 350 men at this pit in 1913. The manager at that time was T.W. Lewis.

In 1915/19 T. Lewis was the manager and it employed 460/472 men respectively. The Western Valleys Anthracite Company was swallowed up by the great predator of the anthracite section of the Coalfield; Amalgamated Anthracite Collieries Limited, in 1923. In that year it employed 522 men.

In 1930 AAC was the largest anthracite company in the world. It was based at St. Stephens House, Westminster with the chairman being the Rt. Hon. Lord Melchett of London, the deputy chairmen were F.A. Szarvasy of London and Sir D.R. Llewellyn of St. Fagan’s, the managing director was Sir Alfred Cope of London, while the board consisted of; Rt. Hon. Lord Camrose of London, Hon. Henry Mond MP of London, Thomas Peter Cook JP of London, Daniel Daniel JP of Pembroke, David Daniel JP of Carmarthen, Daniel Thomas of London, John Waddell of Reading, T.H. Henderson of Swansea and Sir Beddoe Rees of London.

Tirydail Colliery abandoned the Lower Pumpquart seam in September 1927 but was still listed as working the Gras Isaf and Lower Triquart seams with the manager being W. Howells. He was still the manager in 1930. In 1935 it employed 512 men.

It had closed before Nationalisation in 1947.

  • On the 27th of February 1913, James Jones aged 27 years and a labourer died when a stone fell on his head.
  • On the 18th of November 1913, Edgar Hopkins aged 28 years and a collier, died under a roof fall.
  • On the 10th of January 1914, William Harris, aged 54 years and a collier, also died under a roof fall.

Some Statistics:

  • 1899: Manpower: 22.
  • 1900: Manpower: 95.
  • 1901: Manpower: 92.
  • 1902: Manpower: 123.
  • 1903: Manpower: 158.
  • 1907: Manpower: 126.
  • 1908: Manpower: 189.
  • 1909: Manpower: 189.
  • 1910: Manpower: 278.
  • 1911: Manpower: 219.
  • 1912: Manpower: 422.
  • 1913: Manpower: 350.
  • 1915/6: Manpower: 460.
  • 1919: Manpower: 472.
  • 1922: Manpower: 516.
  • 1923: Manpower: 522.
  • 1924: Manpower: 521.
  • 1926: Manpower: 477.
  • 1927: Manpower: 451.
  • 1930: Manpower: 512.

 

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

 

Return to previous page