Duffryn Amman Colliery

Near Pontamman, Amman Valley 664132.

An anthracite slant worked as Duffryn by J. Strick between 1854 and 1870. It is not listed then until 1902 it, or another one appears again under the ownership of Duffryn Amman Collieries Limited. They lasted a year before the Duffryn Amman Anthracite Collieries Co. Ltd., Took charge until 1906. In 1907/8 it was owned by Thomas James of Glanamman. In 1907 it employed 40 men and in 1908 it employed 46 men underground and 12 men on the surface and was managed by D.L. Morgan. Ownership changed to the Duffryn Amman Anthracite Collieries Co.Ltd., in 1909 and held it until 1912. In 1911 it employed 15 men and was managed by A. Harding. It was owned in 1913 by the Duffryn Amman Anthracite Collieries (1912) Company Limited of Atlantic Buildings, Swansea employing 146 men in that year and managed by D.J. Jones.

It abandoned the Red Vein in January 1914, the Tyllwyd Seam in December 1914, and the White Seam in June 1915 and only employed 20 men in 1916 when D. Davies was the manager. In 1920 George Price was the manager and it employed 70 men.

In May 1920 two charges of high explosives were placed at the mouth of the drift. One failed to ignite and the other one caused little damage. No reason for placing them, or who did so, was ever found. It finally abandoned the Red Vein again in February 1921.

 Some statistics:

• 1902: Manpower: 25.
• 1903: Manpower: 18.
• 1905: Manpower: none.
• 1907: Manpower: 40.
• 1908: Manpower: 58.
• 1909: Manpower: 58.
• 1910: Manpower: 108.
• 1911: Manpower: 15.
• 1913: Manpower: 146.
• 1916: Manpower: 20.
• 1920: Manpower: 70.

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