AFON COLLIERY
Gurnos, Swansea Valley

This small level was owned by Lewis Harding & Company and employed 14 men working the Four-Feet seam in 1923, 30 men working the Black Vein in 1924 and was listed as abandoned in 1927. Four men worked at this level in 1933 while seven men were working the Upper Black Seam in 1938.

 

BETTING COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This mine was listed in 1917 and 1921/5 as being owned by the Globe Colliery Company. It employed 105 men underground and 18 men on the surface in 1918 when the manager was D.J. Phillips. In 1923 the manager was listed as John Williams but no men were employed at this mine in 1924 there were 111 men employed. It abandoned the Red Vein in June 1927. At that time it employed 112 men.

 

BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLIERY
Gwys, Swansea Valley

This mine makes an appearance in 1886/7 when it was owned by the Black Mountain Silica, Sand, Lime, Brick and Colliery Company Limited of
Swansea. The manager was John Hay and it was working the Lower Vein. In 1896 it was owned by the Black Mountain Company of Lower
Cwmtwrch and employed 12 men underground and 2 men on the surface. The manager was still John Hay. Around 1900 it was described as working the Lower seam by pillar & stall and using naked lights.

I lose it completely until 1923/4 when it was owned by the Black Mountain Anthracite Colliery Company and abandoned the Middle seam. It employed 6 men in 1923 and 22 men in 1924. In 1927 it employed 9 men and in that year abandoned the Little Brass seam. No men were employed in 1928 but it was working in 1930 when it employed 20 men. In 1934 it employed 16 men underground and 4 men on the surface and worked the Rock Fawr and Rock Fach seams. It was owned by Sir Alfred Cope’s Welsh Anthracite Collieries Limited. In 1925 it abandoned the Middle Vein, in 1927 the Little Brass seam and in 1930 the Middle Vein once again.

 

BLAENCWM COLLIERY
Gurnos, Swansea Valley

Records show this mine working in 1907/8/9 when it was managed by T.W. Curry and employed 15 men in 1907, 22 men underground and 11 men on the surface in 1908/9. It was lying idle during the second half of 1910. In 1911 it employed 40 men and was managed by D.J. Davies. It was managed by J.J. Torrance in 1912 when it employed 191 men. In 1913 when it was owned by the Blaencwm Colliery (1911) Company it employed l58 men. It abandoned the Lower seam in April of that year but continued to work the Middle seam. The manager at that time was J.J. Torrance.

By 1933/1938 there were only 3 men underground and 1 man on the surface and at that time it was owned by J. Price. The closure date is uncertain.

 

BRYN COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

In 1918 this small level was owned by William Jones of Ystradgynlais but was listed as abandoned.

 

BRYNCAWS COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This small anthracite slant was owned in 1905 by Evan Morgan who employed three men in that year. It was shown as being idle in 1923 and abandoned in 1924.

 

BRYNHYFRYD COLLIERY
Lower Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This small anthracite slant employed three men when it was discontinued in 1903.

 

CAE BEDW COLLIERY
Lower Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

The only mention that I can find of this level is in 1923 when it was owned by T.J. Griffiths and Sons and employed three men working underground and one man on the surface.

 

CAMBRIA MERCANTILE COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This mine was opened c 1905 by the Cambria Mercantile Syndicate Limited and in 1907 it employed 77 men, in 1908 it employed 90 men and in 1909 employed 74 men underground and 16 men on the surface with the manager being J. Standidge. By 1913 it employed 155 men and in 1915 it employed 155 men with the manager being John Heathcote. It is not on my list for 1917, but it is shown on the 1921 map of the coalfield. Around this time its name was either changed to Ynysgeinon, or Ynysgeinon replaced it, and this colliery closed in 1922.

A Varteg Colliery opened in this area in 1925, and could possibly be a re-opening of the old Cambria Mercantile. Please also see Ynysgeinon Colliery.

Some statistics:

  • 1907: Manpower: 77.
  • 1908: Manpower: 90.
  • 1909: Manpower: 90.
  • 1910: Manpower: 136.
  • 1911: Manpower: 109.
  • 1912: Manpower: 148.
  • 1913: Manpower: 155.
  • 1915: Manpower: 155.

 

CERDINEN COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This anthracite slant was owned by Noah Noyle and employed five men in 1902, but by 1905 it was listed as ‘discontinued.’

 

CLYNGWYN COLLIERY
Gurnos, Swansea Valley 76693/09386

The only mention that I can find for this level is in 1893/6 when it was owned by Daniel H. Lewis of Ystalyfera and employed three men underground and seven men underground and one man on the surface in the respective years, In 1899, 1900, 1901 it employed 7, 8, 7 men respectively, in 1902 it employed 6 men, in 1903 it employed 7 men, in 1905 it employed 6 men under the ownership of Magdalene Lewis and then again in 1907 when it employed 3 men. In 1908 it was listed as lying idle.

 

COEDFFALDE (COEDFFALDAU) COLLIERY
Nr Ystrad Owen, Swansea Valley 74893/11696

There was a Coed y Falde level working as early as 1802 when it was owned by John Harry. The Old Coedffaldau was working what they thought was the Stwrin seam around 1855. The Coedffaldau No.2 worked the Black and abandoned the Little Vein in 1908. It was right next to, if not the same, as Hendreforgan.

It employed 7 men in 1907, 13 men underground and 3 men on the surface in 1908/11 and 30 men in 1913 when owned by the Gwys Anthracite Collieries Company of Cambrian Place, Swansea. At that time it was managed by Joseph Hargreaves. In 1915/16/18/20 it employed 44 men. In 1922/4 it employed 48 men and Thomas Morgan was the manager. By 1917 it was in the hands of the New Coedffalde Colliery Company who abandoned the Stwrin seam in June of that year. This company did not join the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

 

CRAIG TWRCH COLLIERY
Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This small anthracite slant was owned by the Cwmtwrch Colliery Company and employed 7 men in 1899.

 

CRIMEA COLLIERY
Swansea Valley (75700730)

This was a short life drift worked by Thomas Walters between 1854 and 1862.

 

CWMBARGOED COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley (789126)

This small level employed 3 men in 1903, it was not worked in 1905, employed 2 men in 1907 and worked the “Little Bryn” seam until that seam was abandoned in October 1912. It re-opened in 1920 and up to 1925 it was owned/managed by Jenkin Thomas. A new slant was opened in 1927 and worked until 1933. It was owned by the W & T Collieries and Quarries Limited of London who employed Idris Thomas as the manager and 14 men at this mine working the Middle Vein.

 

CWMPHIL COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This mine was listed as being opened in 1896 by William Phillips of Lower Cwmtwrch, employing three men on this work. However, it doesn’t
appear to have been successful as I have failed to find another mention of it with it being marked as disused in 1905.

 

CWMTAWE COLLIERY
Abercraf, Swansea Valley

There is no sign of this anthracite drift mine in 1921 but in July 1923 it abandoned the Cnappwg seam. In that year it was owned by the Cwmtawe Anthracite Colliery Company (D.T. Davies) and employed 20 men working underground and 6 men at the surface of the mine. In 1924 it employed 38 men and in 1928/30 it employed 42 men. This company continued to work the mine and in 1930 A.F. Linton was the manager it employed 31 men working underground in the Bluers, Middle, Grey and Rhyd seams and 11 men working at the surface of the mine. When it was abandoned in June 1933 it employed 47 men.

 

CWMTWRCH COLLIERY
Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

The only mentions that I can find for these anthracite slants are in 1802 when R. Gough Aubrey owned a Cwmtwrch Level and in 1925 when it was owned by the Brynderi Anthracite Colliery Company.

 

D DAY COLLIERY
Lower Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This anthracite slant was owned by Thomas Thomas of Lower Cwmtwrch who had little luck with it. It was opened in July 1944 and shut in October 1945.

 

DRYM COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

All I know about this mine is that it was opened in 1828 and purchased by Joseph Clayton in 1834. He renewed its lease which was for another 8 years at £600 per annum. In 1893 a Drim was owned by the Drim Yniscedwyn Colliery Company of Swansea with D.W. Evans as the manager. The Drym Colliery at Onllwyn was working in 1899 when it employed 61 men and in 1900 when it was owned by Andrews & Davies of Swansea and employed 61 men working underground and 10 men working at the surface of the mine with Thomas Mayberry as the manager. In 1901 it employed 68 men.
The Drymma or Drumma Colliery employed 23 men in 1919 and abandoned the Five-Feet seam in January 1921.

 

DUFFRYN ANTHRACITE COLLIERY
Abercrave, Swansea Valley

This anthracite slant employed 10 men working the Brass Vein seam in 1910. It was served by the Neath and Brecon Railway and owned in 1913/5, when it employed 20 men, by the Duffryn Anthracite Colliery Company Limited of Victoria Buildings, Swansea when it was managed by D.J. Davies. It abandoned the Rhyd seam in June 1916 and was not listed in 1917.

 

EILWEN COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This was one of the early slants in this area opened to feed the Ystalyfera Iron Works by the Ystalyfera Iron Company and was owned by them in 1878 when it was managed by R.C. Fisher. The Ystalyfera Iron Works was erected in 1837 by Treacher and James, in 1838 it was bought by James Palmer Budd who enlarged the Works and developed its mines until its closure in the 1880s.

 

FEEDER COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This mine was listed in 1878/1882 as owned by the Ystalyfera lion Company and used to feed their works. The straight trench-like valley from Clydach to Ystradgynlais is eroded along a major, structurally disturbed belt in the Coal Measures. In that area of the Swansea Valley Disturbance is largely a narrow fracture zone, along which both horizontal and vertical movements have taken place in the geological past. The area of the Swansea Valley, around Ystradgynlais is cut into the Upper Coal Measures which made the seams of these measures easily available to levels such as the Feeder Drift.

 

GELLIWAROG COLLIERY
Lower Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This was just another small level. It makes a brief appearance on my listings in 1905 when it employed 2 men, in 1907 when it employed 2 men working the Red Vein, in 1910 when it employed 3 men, in 1912 when it employed 2 men and again in 1917 when it was owned by M. Morgan who was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association, and in 1918 when it employed 2 men. It abandoned the Red Seam in November 1919.

 

GLAIS COLLIERY
Glais near Swansea

This was a 19th Century mine that worked the Graigola seam at a depth of 88 yards.

 

GLANTWRCH COLLIERY
Gurnos, Swansea Valley

This was a small level that was worked for anthracite in 1902 when it was owned by the Glantwrch Colliery Company of Garnant but was listed as discontinued. In 1927/32 it was still owned by the Glantwrch Colliery Company and employed 44 men in 1923, 41 men in 1924 and 44 men in 1925. It abandoned the Little Brass seam in December 1929. In 1930 it employed 30 men working underground in the Lower Seam and 7 men working at the surface of the mine. The manager was W. James. It was abandoned in May 1933 when it was owned by J.W. Rees & Son.

 

GLYNCYNWAL COLLIERY
Gwys, Swansea Valley

This small slant makes a brief appearance in 1896/9 when it employed 2 men. It was then owned by Jeffreys and Thomas of Cwmtwrch.

 

GLYNDYLE GRAIGOLA COLLIERY
Pontardawe, Swansea Valley (737047)

This was a small level that was also called Five Boys and produced manufacturing and steam coals from the Graigola seam under the ownership of the Glyndyle Graigola Colliery Company of 2 Bowens Terrace, Trebanos, Pontardawe. The Glyndyle was opened in 1925 and worked until 1927. The No.2 or Glyndyle Graigola was opened in 1930 and closed in 1935. In 1933 it employed 13 men and in 1934 it employed six men underground and four men at the surface of the mine with the manager being H. Griffiths. It abandoned the Graigola seam in 1936.

 

GRAIG COLLIERY
Cwmfelin

This colliery consisted of a pit and a slant and was worked in 1878/1884 by the Cwmfelin Tinplate Company to feed their Works. At that time it was managed by William Morgan. It was not listed in 1913, but in 1917 and 1921 it is shown as working under the ownership of the Graig Colliery Company which was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

In 1918 it employed 70 men underground and 12 men on the surface, the manager was H. Griffiths. In 1920 it employed 65 men but by 1922 this had risen to 175 men. In 1930 it was owned by the New Graig Colliery Company (1929) Limited and employed 100 men producing 60,000 tons of coal with W.J. Bevan as the manager.

It struck the Jenkins Vein at 53 yards, the Six-Feet seam at a depth of 174 feet, the Three-Feet seam at 216 feet, the Two-Feet seam at 367
feet, the Slatog at 975 feet, the Bodwr at 1,119 feet and the Hughes Vein at 1,159 feet 6 inches.

 

GRAIG COLLIERY
Upper Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This obscure anthracite slant worked the Little Vein in 1937 when it employed one man.

 

GRAIG FACH COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This was a short-life anthracite level that was listed as opening in 1903, not working in 1905, employed 37 men in 1907 and was owned in 1908/9 by the Graigfach Colliery Company of Swansea and in that year employed twenty men working underground and five men working on the surface. It was lying idle in 1910 in 1911 it employed 10 men but was again idle in 1912. It abandoned the Lower Pinchin seam in February 1913.

 

HENDRELADAIS COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, (New Pit 79651107)

This was a small 19th-century mine that was owned in 1858 by Price & Maryatt, in 1860/5 by J. Maryat and in 1869/85 by the Yniscedwyn Iron Company. In 1887 it was owned by the Hendreladais Colliery Company and worked the Brass Vein with Enoch Powell as the manager. It consisted of the Balance Pit and both the Old and New Pits. The New Pit was sunk to a depth of 286 feet 7 inches to the Nine-Feet seam. It was part of Yniscedwyn Colliery with the Yniscedwyn Drift situated between the Old and New Pits. The Black Vein was 3 feet thick and at a depth of 63 feet 8 inches, the Four-Feet seam was 4 feet and at a depth of 96 feet 9 inches, while the Harnlo seam was 42 inches thick and at a depth of 198 feet 2 inches. It was sunk to 277 feet.

 

HENLLYS VALE COLLIERY
Ystradowen, Near Cwmllynfell (76171360)

One of the most northerly slants in the South Wales Coalfield, this anthracite mine was opened in c1890 and owned in 1913 by the Henllys Anthracite Company Limited of Cresswell Buildings, Burrows Place, Swansea. In 1908 it employed 103 men underground and 28 men on the surface with R.E. Rees as manager. In 1913/5 it employed 128 men and was managed by H. Griffiths. It abandoned the Middle Seam in November 1914 and was not listed in 1917. In 1918 Henllys is shown as abandoned by the Colliery Investment Trust Limited of Swansea.

Some statistics:

  • 1900: Manpower: 82.
  • 1901: Manpower: 65.
  • 1902: Manpower: 111.
  • 1903: Manpower: 101.
  • 1905: Manpower: 109.
  • 1907: Manpower: 112.
  • 1908: Manpower: 131.
  • 1909: Manpower: 131.
  • 1910: Manpower: 181.
  • 1912: Manpower: 128.
  • 1913: Manpower: 128.
  • 1915: Manpower: 128.

 

HODGEN’S COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

This mine was owned in 1899/1901 by Richard Hodgen of Swansea and employed 175 men in 1899, 203 men underground and 18 men at the surface in 1900 and 183 men in 1901. It was managed by D.L. Jones.

 

MYNYDD BACH COLLIERY
Upper Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This small anthracite slant worked the Big Vein under the ownership of W.D. & D.H. Thomas. It employed 17 men in 1923, 20 men in 1927 and 20 men when it was abandoned in 1928.

 

NEATH BRIDGE COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

This mine worked the Peacock or Brass seam around 1884 and was owned by the Gurnos Anthracite Collieries Company Limited of Ystradgynlais.

 

NEW BROOK COLLIERY
Gurnos, Swansea Valley

This was an anthracite slant that was finally worked by Henderson Welsh Anthracite Collieries Limited of Gresham Street, London. In 1934 the directors of this company were; Sir A. Cope, Sir D.R. Llewellyn, T.H. Henderson, W. Peglar, T.P. Cook, D. Thomas and W. Slark. It controlled ten collieries and employed 2,714 men. In 1923, along with Tyle Penlan it was owned by the New Brook Colliery Company and in 1927 by the Pwllbach, Tirbach and Brynamman Anthracite Collieries Company. At that time the manager was J.L. Richards and it employed 120 men, in 1928 it employed only 34 men. In 1930 it employed 140 men working underground and 30 men working at the surface of the mine. In 1935 it employed 30 men on the surface and 140 men underground. It abandoned the Red Vein in that year. It had closed by Nationalisation in 1947.

 

NEW FOREST COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This was a level opened in c1931 by the New Forest Anthracite Colliery Company Limited of Godregraig, Ystalyfera. The directors of the company were; G.C. Jeremiah, M.V. David , D.W. Morgan and H.J. Parry. This was its only mine. In 1935 it employed 4 men on the surface and 20 men underground and was managed by D.W. Morgan. It was closed by Nationalisation in 1947.

 

NEW HENDREFORGAN COLLIERY
Upper Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This was a small anthracite slant that was owned by the Gwys Anthracite Collieries Company and employed 50 men in 1924.

 

NEW PALLEG COLLIERY
Upper Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This small anthracite slant was owned by the Welsh Anthracite Collieries Limited and employed 11 men in 1903 and 42 men in 1911.

 

OAK COLLIERY
Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This was a small mine that was owned by Evans & Company and employed 2 men in 1900. In 1901 it was listed as discontinued.

 

OCHR-Y-WAUN COLLIERY
Cwmllynfell, Swansea Valley

This was a small anthracite slant that was owned by W.B. Thomas and worked the Middle Vein. It employed two men in 1938.

 

PALLEG COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valleyc75807/11017

The New Palleg made a brief appearance in 1924 when it employed 6 men and was owned by the Brynderi Anthracite Colliery Company. The geology at Palleg Colliery according to an 1866 sketch plan. Please see the section on Gilfach Colliery.

 

PENYWERN COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This small anthracite slant worked the Red Vein under the ownership of W.D. Evans. It employed three men in 1923/4. In 1927 it was owned by the British Coal Partnership Limited and employed 15 men.

 

RED VEIN
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This anthracite slant worked the coal seam of the same name under the ownership of the Ystalyfera Anthracite Colliery Company. It employed three men in 1910.

 

RHIW COLLIERY
Cwmllynfell, Swansea Valley

This anthracite mine was worked in 1915 by W.E. Evans, in 1922 by C. Lewis and in 1923 it employed 20 men working underground and 3 men at the surface of the mine. In 1927 it was owned by D.J. Lewis when it employed 20 men and was managed by G. Lewis. It abandoned the Red Vein in October 1928.

Some statistics:

  • 1923: Manpower: 23.
    1924: Manpower: 18.
    1925: Manpower: 18.
    1927: Manpower: 20.
    1928: Manpower: 9.

 

RHOS GOCH COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

This mine also was called the New Bluers and worked the Bluers seam until it was abandoned in March 1918.

 

TRORGLEIN (TROGLEIN) COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

The slant spelt Troglein was listed in 1905 as being owned by the Troglein Colliery Company and it employed 15 men in that year. It was located at Lower Cwmtwrch. All I know about the slant spelt Trorglein is that it worked the Little Brass and Black seams around 1906 and was owned by J.E. Burnell of Llanelli.

 

TWRCH COLLIERY
Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This anthracite slant worked the Little Vein prior to 1873 plus the Red, Brass and the Harnlo (around 1875) seams. The Lower Twrch slant worked what they believed was the Black. The Upper Twrch slant worked the Big Vein prior to 1873 plus an unnamed seam.

 

TYLE PENLAN COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This mine was not listed in 1913 but shown in 1917 and 1921 as being owned by the Tyle Penlan Colliery Company of Cwmllynfell which was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. In 1918 it employed 6 men and in 1923 it employed 26 men and produced 4,000 tons of coal. The Swansea Valley is narrow and deep and cut mainly into the Upper Coal Measures which made the seams of this Series readily accessible to the numerous small levels that operated there.

 

TYNYFRON COLLIERY
Glais, Swansea Valley

This was a small level that was owned by the Tynyfron Colliery Company Limited in 1913/16 when it employed 14 men. It was not listed in 1917.

Some statistics:

  • 1910: Manpower: 14.
  • 1911: Manpower: 16.
  • 1912: Manpower: 14.
  • 1916: Manpower: 14.

 

TYN-Y-PANT COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

This small anthracite slant abandoned the Brass seam in 1904. In 1899 it employed 5 men and in 1900 it was owned by Tweedy & Company of Swansea and employed 20 men working underground and 3 men at the surface with Abiather Lloyd as the manager. Please also see Tynpant Colliery.

 

TYRCH COLLIERY
Cwmtwrch, Swansea Valley

This was a small anthracite slant that was owned by W.A.B. White and employed three men in 1912.

 

WAUNLWYD COLLIERY
Near Cwmllynfell.

This slant was part of Brynhenllys Colliery and was claimed to be the first colliery in the South Wales Coalfield to have a stay-down strike. The strike occurred in October 1934 when 24 men stay down for six and a half hours. It employed 14 men in 1927 and 21 men in 1928 when owned by the Brynhenllys Anthracite Colliery Company. It employed 31 men in 1933, 65 men in 1937 and 67 men in 1938.

 

WEMBLEY COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This was a small anthracite slant that was owned by the Ty Gwyn Colliery Company which employed four men in 1937 and six men in 1938.

 

WERN PLYMIS COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

The largest mine of James Palmer Budd’s Ystalyfera Iron Works. It was opened in 1845 and was claimed to produce 2,000 tons of coal and 900 tons of ironstone a month. It abandoned the Big Vein and probably closed in 1874. A Wernplemys located at Ystradgynlais is listed in 1900 as being owned by the Wernplemys Colliery Company and employed 9 men working underground and 9 men at the surface of the mine.

 

YNISCU (YNISCI) COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, Swansea Valley

This was a small anthracite slant that was working an unnamed seam in 1878, was owned by the Gurnos Brick & Coal Company and managed by
J. Griffiths in 1884, and in 1896 was owned by the Darran Coal Company of Ystradgynlais. It employed 42 men underground and 7 men on the surface with the manager being Phillip Williams. In 1901 it was owned by the Diamond Anthracite Mines Limited and employed 46 men, in 1902 it employed 59 men and in 1903 it employed 62 men.

It was later worked by A.L. White’s Tawe Clay Co. In 1907 it employed 34 men and in 1908 it was lying idle, and it abandoned the Red Vein in March 1912. It was worked by W.A.B. White (Ynysci Colliery Co.) in the 1930s and 1940s and closed in March 1948. It worked the Red Vein seam and had its own coal preparation plant (washery).

 

YNIS MERTHYR COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

This was a small 19th Century anthracite slant that worked the Red Vein and was purchased in c1892 by Messrs Widdows, Howard and Company who sunk a pit and used an endless winding rope with a pulley on the bottom and used the water balance method of winding to lift 24 cwts of coal per wind – the shaft was only 25 yards deep.

 

YNYSGEINON (YNISGYNON) COLLIERY
Ystalyfera, (76300715)

Also known as Cambrian Mercantile this anthracite pit was sunk to the Red Vein in 1861 by Thomas Walters and still owned by him in 1869. In 1899/1900 it was owned by the Ynisgeinon Colliery Company, managed by Phillip Williams and employed 46 men. It then possibly became, was replaced by, or merged with Cambria Mercantile in 1905 as it disappears until 1917 when it is owned by the Ynysgeinon Collieries Limited which was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. In 1918 it was owned by the Ynysgeinon (Ynisgynon) Colliery Company of London and employed 39 men underground and 23 on the surface with the manager being Thomas Ritchie. It abandoned the Ynisarwed No.2 seam in October 1920 and the Ynisarwed seam in March 1921 but possibly re-opened as it employed 44 men in 1925 and 160 men in 1927. It was owned by the Varteg Anthracite Collieries Limited and managed by W.P. Thomas and possibly became Varteg Colliery around that time.

 

YORATH COLLIERY
Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

This was a small anthracite slant that was owned by the Yorath Colliery Company that was lying idle in 1928 and employed four men in 1933.

 

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

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