Ystalyfera, (76360820)

There was an Ystalyfera being worked in 1869 by the Ystalyfera Iron Company with the Red Vein being abandoned in April 1912. A slant (763083) was opened in 1914 by the Ystalyfera Collieries Company Limited which abandoned the Red Vein in October 1928. Further developments were made by the Welsh Anthracite Collieries Limited in 1935. In 1945 it employed 219 men underground and 69 men on the surface with D. Evans as manager and working the Peacock seam.

On Nationalisation in 1947 this colliery was placed in the National Coal Board’s, South Western Division’s, No.1 (Swansea) Area, and at that time employed 62 men working on the surface of the mine and 209 men underground working the Peacock and Middle Vein seams. It had its own coal preparation plant (washery). The manager at that time was D. Evans. In 1955 out of the total colliery manpower of 245 men, 97 of them worked at the coalfaces.

In July 1957 the Chairman of the South Western Area of the National Coal Board stated that; “no rational excuse for maintaining this pit in production has yet been put forward, the remaining coal can be more cheaply worked from neighbouring collieries”.

Due to severe geological conditions, it was closed by the NCB in 1957 and its manpower was used to fill shortages in other local collieries.

Some Statistics:

  • 1909: Manpower: 18.
  • 1911: Manpower: 18.
  • 1924: Manpower: 83.
  • 1927: Manpower: 117.
  • 1929: Manpower: 112.
  • 1937: Manpower: 221.
  • 1938: Manpower: 234.
  • 1940: Manpower: 217.
  • 1941: Manpower: 263.
  • 1944: Manpower: 274.
  • 1945: Manpower: 288.
  • 1947: Manpower: 271.
  • 1948: Manpower: 282. Output: 30,000 tons.
  • 1949: Manpower: 361. Output: 75,000 tons.
  • 1950: Manpower: 240.
  • 1953: Manpower: 240 Output: 43,800 tons
  • 1954: Manpower: 245. Output: 28,732 tons.
  • 1955: Manpower: 207. Output: 36,498 tons.
  • 1956: Output: 27,791 tons.

Just some of those that died at this mine:

  • 4/12/1852, David Bowen, aged 21, collier in Wern Pit, fell down the shaft.
  • 31/12/1862, Rees Evans, aged 23, miner, roof fall.
  • 25/6/1864, John Hopkins, aged 13, Doorboy, roof fall.
  • 31/5/1866, W. Williams, aged 18, collier, roof fall.
  • 1/5/1867, Jeffrey Griffiths, aged 18, haulier, run over by trams.
  • 30/12/1867, William Powell, aged 48, collier, roof fall.
  • 2/4/1873, Joseph Roberts, banksman, run over by trucks.
  • 16/1/1875, Henry Evans, aged 28, collier, run over by trams.
  • 27/11/1882, William Grey, aged 13, Doorboy in Feeder Drift, run over by trams.
  • 10/5/1937, Augustus George, aged 22 years, haulier, Crushed by trams.

 

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

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