RHEOLA COLLIERY
Resolven, Vale of Neath (849035)
This was a mine that worked the Wenallt seam. In pre 1848 to 1859 it was owned by J. W. Lyons and in 1848 it was reported to be 200 yards and working a seam 2ft 6ins thick. From 1860 to 1870 it was lying idle until taken over by the Rheola Coal Company in 1871, they lasted until 1872. It was then closed in 1873 until 1895. Then in 1896 it employed 187 men underground and 50 men on the surface with the manager being W. Waplington and the owners were the Cory Brothers. In 1907 it employed 227 men working underground in the No.2 Rhondda seam and 60 men at the surface while the No.1 Level employed 130 men working underground in the No.1 Resolven seam and 21 men at the surface. Both were managed by William M. Jones.
In 1908 it employed 322 men and the No.1 140 men with the manager still being William M Jones. It was still owned in 1913 by the Cory Brothers when it employed 371 men. At that time it was still managed by William Jones. In 1918 W. Jones was still manager and it employed 148 men. It abandoned the No.2 Rhondda seam in July 1921.
A Rheola level (848035) was opened in 1952 by D.W. Evans he lasted until 1954 when the Rheola Colliery Company was formed and by 1960 produced 14,152 tons of coal with 15 men employed in that year. It was worked by this company in 1993. Ryan Mining Limited bought it in1994and worked it until it was abandoned in March 1997.
Some statistics:
- 1896: Manpower: 237.
- 1899: Manpower: 259.
- 1900: Manpower: 293.
- 1901: Manpower: 369.
- 1902: Manpower: 368.
- 1903: Manpower: 390.
- 1905: Manpower: 358.
- 1907: Manpower: 287.
- 1908: Manpower: 322.
- 1909: Manpower: 531.
- 1910: Manpower: 338.
- 1911: Manpower: 369.
- 1912: Manpower: 356.
- 1913: Manpower: 371.
- 1918: Manpower: 148.
TYN-Y-CWM COLLIERY
Resolven, Vale of Neath (833027)
The No.1 was opened by the Cory Brothers in 1904 and by 1910 it employed 269 men and in February 1912 this level abandoned the No.1 Rhondda seam in1912employing 203 men at that time. The manager was William Jones.
It was also the name of a small level (853020) that was worked under license from the National Coal Board in 1950/60 by Albert Thomas of Neath and in 1960 to 1962 by the Tyn-y-Cwm Colliery Company Limited.
TYRA COLLIERY
Resolven, Vale of Neath (842030)
This mine consisted of the Level-y-canddo, level-y-coed, No.2 to No.6 levels and Morgan Pritchards level. Ownerships are the same as Glyncastle Colliery from 1873. In 1896 it employed 12 men underground with the manager being W. Waplington. In 1908 it employed 12 men and was managed by William Jones, in 1913 it employed 159 men and was managed by W.M. Jones. It was linked to Glyncastle and Gregory’s. This company was a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. It was still listed in 1917, in 1918 it employed 24 men and in 1919 it employed 19 men with the manager still Mr. Jones. It abandoned the No.2 Rhondda seam in April 1921.
Some statistics:
- 1896: Manpower: 12.
- 1907: Manpower: 18.
- 1908: Manpower: 12.
- 1910: Manpower: 46.
- 1912: Manpower: 226.
- 1913: Manpower: 159.
- 1918: Manpower: 24.
- 1919: Manpower: 19.
- 1920: Manpower: 36.
Information supplied by Ray Lawrence and used here with his permission.
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