Sirhowy Valley Collieries

All started life as water balance pits and were sunk to feed the Sirhowy Iron Works. As early as 1760 Mr. Kettle had a small furnace at Sirhowy, and in 1778 Charles Henry Burgh leased the land to Thomas Atkinson, William Barrow, Bolton Hudson and John Sealey, with a contract for forty years at an annual rate of £134, and the first coke furnace in Monmouthshire was constructed.

Early production was between four to six tons of pig iron a week and the Works employed 50 men by the 1790s. Following the failure of this work, it was taken over by Richard Fothergill and Matthew Monkhouse in 1794 which installed a second furnace and a steam engine in 1797, and increased production to 100 tons of pig iron per month. By 1817 three furnaces were producing 2,000 tons of iron. The lease for this works expired in 1818, and a dispute arose over renewal between Fothergill and the lease owners, Harford, Partridge and Company, who by now was the owner of the Ebbw Vale Iron Works. Fothergill refused to pay the new sum of £2,500 per annum and in frustration removed or destroyed all the equipment at the Works before it could be handed over. A lawsuit ensued which resulted in Fothergill paying compensation of £6,000. Fothergill also refused access to the Tramroad running down the Sirhowy Valley and forced the Ebbw Vale Company to transport the Sirhowy iron over the Rassau Tramroad to Ebbw Vale until a tunnel was burrowed under the mountain in 1832. By 1840 four furnaces were in production resulting in an annual output of 7,000 tons of iron, but from then on the Sirhowy Works became absorbed into the Ebbw Vale Works.

The No.1 or Company Pit was pr 1840 and was sunk to a depth of 63 yards. It had closed by 1878. The No.2 or Hollybush Pit was also pre-1840 and sunk to a depth of 46 yards, also known as David Protheroe’s, it was still working in 1878, but not in 1888. The No.3 or Donkey Pit was also pre-1840 and sunk to a depth of 35 yards. It had closed by 1878. The No.4 is shown as being worked by the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Company in 1878, and worked the Three-Quarter (Upper-Six-Feet) seam in 1888. Not listed after that date. The No.5 or Joe Gibbs Pit was sunk in c1840 to a depth of 50 yards and closed prel878. The Meadow Vein seam at this pit was; coal 17 inches, clod 9 inches, fireclay 18 inches, coal 28 inches. The No.6 or David Thomas’ Pit also opened c1840, and was closed by 1878. The No.7 or Mathusalem Jones’ Pit was 80 yards deep and elliptical in shape measuring 17 feet by 10 feet 6 inches.

It also opened c1840 it is shown as working in 1878 but not in 1888. In 1893 it was working the Gwar-y-Cae seam and produced 53,669 tons of coal. In 1899 it employed 331 men, in 1900 a Sirhowy No.7 and Ganister is shown to have employed 199 men underground working the Gwar-y-cae, Bydelog Fireclay and Ganister seams with 124 men working at the surface of the mine. In 1901 they employed 292 men and in 1902 they employed 299 men. In 1907 they are shown as working the Gwar-y-Cae, Engine, Old Coal and Ganister seams and employed 12 men working underground and 2 men at the surface. The No.8 or Edward Jones’ Pit also opened c 840 and was shown to be working in 1878 but not in 1888. The No.9 or First Class Pit was opened in 1840 and was worked by the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Company Limited in 1888 in the Old Coal (Five-Feet/Gellideg) seam. In 1896 it employed 229 men underground and 136 men on the surface working the Gwar-y-cae (Meadow Vein), Bydelog (Black Vein) and Ganister seams. The manager was A.L. Davies. In 1902 it was leased by Graham’s Navigation (Merthyr) Company Limited who changed its name to Graham’s Navigation, in that year it employed 450 men. It was closed in 1924. This mine was re-opened by the Williams Brothers and called Sirhowy Navigation. It employed 230 men and produced 50,000 tons of coal in 1930 but by 1937 only 32 men were employed there. The Old Coal was a composite seam and at this pit consisted, from top to bottom of:

• Yard Coal 2 ft 10 inches clod 7 inches.
• Gilwich Coal 19 inches, clod 10 inches, coal 4 inches, clod 3 ft 9 inches, clay 2 ft 4 inches, clod 17 inches.
• Old Coal 2 ft 9 inches, clod 1 inch, engine coal 7 inches.
• The Meadow Vein consisted of; coal 24 inches, clod 4 inches, fireclay 27 inches, and coal 18 inches.
• The Black Vein seam was split into two, with the top seam called the Polka with a section of 24 inches, while the bottom seam was called the Rhas Las and had a section of 51 inches.
• The Elled seam at this pit was 51 inches thick.

Richard Lewis’ Pit was 54 yards deep, and the Engine Pit was sunk in 1830 to a depth of 107 yards. It was the first pit in South Wales to use a steam engine to wind coal. Most of these pits were worked on the contractor system. This method was an agreement made between the iron masters and a small group of miners to work the coal and/or ironstone from that particular mine. The owners would provide the capital and lease out the mine, and the contractors had to find the equipment and manpower to work it. They would then agree to produce a stipulated amount of coal or ironstone, or both, at a fixed price to be delivered to the works. Payment for this work would be made quarterly. When the contractors didn’t have enough money of their own to start the venture, they could normally obtain four months credit from Bristol merchants, and therefore supply provisions and tools to their workmen until payment was made. This system meant that both the contractors and the workmen were always in debt and was the beginning of the hated truck system.

BIG COAL COLLIERY
A small level was listed as working in 1917 under the ownership of I.C. Jen-kins. Mr. Jenkins was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

BLACK VEIN COLLIERY
This is possibly the same level as the one called Sirhowy, and in 1917 it was worked by J.C. Jenkins. It is listed as both idle and then owned by M. Walters of Tredegar in 1918 who employed 12 men underground and 1 man on the surface. All then goes quiet until 1932 when it (or another) is listed as Sirhowy or Black Vein under the ownership of M. Walters and Son, it employed 21 men in that year, 16 men in 1924 and 31 men in 1927. The Black Vein Level was worked in 1930/4 by D.A. Male who in that year employed 7 men underground working the Nine-Feet seam and one man on the surface. The manager was Thomas Walters. In 1945 D.A. Male employed 10 men at his level. In 1938 there is a Black Vein level owned by the Manmoel Colliery Company of Argoed but is located in Ebbw Vale. It employed 7 men underground and one man on the surface. In 1940/3 there were 9 men working underground and 1 man on the surface and in 1947 there were 9 men worked underground and 2 men on the surface. The output of these Levels was classed as both house and steam coals.

ELLED COLLIERY
This was a small level that presumably worked the Two-Feet-Nine (Elled) seam. It was owned by Phillips and Williams in 1902 when it employed 1 man, in 1903/5 it employed 5 men, in 1908 employed 5 men underground and 1 man on the surface and in 1910 it employed 4 men The Elled Nos. 3,4, & 9 of Tredegar were listed as abandoning the Yard or Three-quarter seam in March 1913. J.C. Jenkins owned an Elled in 1917.

GANISTER COLLIERY (149113)
It was not listed in 1878, but it was shown in 1888 as working the Rock Vein and Ganister seams wider the ownership of the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Company and was managed by A.L. Davies. In 1896 it is shown to be working for stone only. In 1908 it employed 16 men underground and 2 men on the surface with the manager being Arthur Parry. In 1911 it is owned by D. Morris of Ebbw Vale and at that time employed 14 men. It was abandoned in 1916 but reopened by David Morris in 1919 until 1920. In 1921 it was owned by the Ebbw Vale Company and in 1923 it employed 8 men and produced 625 tons of coal in the six months it worked. They closed it in 1925 forit to be taken over once more by David Morris who by 1930 it employed 7 men working the Ganister and Old Coal seams. It was still owned by Mr. Morris in 1934 when it employed six men underground and one man on the surface working the Old Coal (Five-Feet/Gellideg) and Ganister seam, while there was a further decline in manpower by 1938 when 2 men worked underground and 1 man on the surface. It employed 7 men in 1940/1. It was not listed after this date.

GLANHOWY COLLIERY (149096)
This level was opened in 1909 by D.W. Phillips, listed in 1912 to 1914as owned by Jenkins & Evans, J.C. Jenkins in 1915, D. Jenkins in 1916, not listed in 1917 but in 1921 it is shown as working under the ownership of D.C. Jenkins and Company of Alexandra Road, Newport. In 1923 it employed 17 men working underground and 3 men at the surface of the mine and in 1929 it employed 32 men. By 1930 the company was called Jenkins and Company, employed 17 men and was working the Elled, Big and Black seams. In 1934 it employed one man on the surface and three men underground working the Elled (Two-Feet-Nine) seam for house and steam coals. The manager was the owner. In 1938/40 this level employed 2 men underground and 1 man on the surface. It abandoned the Elled, Big and Three-quarter seams in 1943.

GRAHAM’S NAVIGATION COLLIERY
This pit was originally called Sirhowy No.9, or First Class Pit, it was the last of nine pits sunk to feed the Sirhowy Iron Works. It was sunk in 1843 and was originally a water balance winding pit, it was owned by the Sirhowy Iron Company which came under the control of the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Company. In 1888 it was working the Old Coal (Five-Feet/Gellideg) seam. In 1907/8 it was managed by James Gunter and in 1907 it employed 174 men working underground and 34 men at the surface and the level employed 47 men underground and 4 men at the surface while in 1908 it employed 183 men underground and 34 men on the surface in the pit and 27 men underground and 2 men on the surface in the level. In 1909 they employed 246 men and in 1911 they employed 282 men. By 1913 it was owned by Graham’s Navigation (Merthyr) Company Limited and employed 450 men. It was then managed by Thomas Walters. Manpower increased to 650 in 1915/6 when the colliery was managed by J. Harper. In 1918 it employed 190 men underground and 15 men on the surface. In 1919 this collieries coal yielded only 3.21% of ash, one of the best in the Coalfield, while in 1923 it produced 140,000 tons of coal. This company was owned by T.C. Graham and was based at Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff. It was a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. The collieries name was now changed to Graham’s Navigation or Sirhowy Pit. It employed 700 men and abandoned the Yard and Big Seams in December 1924 when it was closed. The Old Coal was a composite seam and at this pit consisted, from top to bottom of:

• Yard Coal 2 ft 10 inches clod 7 inches.
• Gilwich Coal 19 inches, clod 10 inches, coal 4 inches, clod 3 ft 9 inches, clay 2 ft 4 inches, clod 17 inches.
• Old Coal 2 ft 9 inches, clod 1 inch, engine coal 7 inches.
• The Meadow Vein consisted of; coal 24 inches, clod 4 inches, fireclay 27 inches, and coal 18 inches.
• The Black Vein seam was split into two, with the top seam called the Polka with a section of 24 inches, while the bottom seam was called the Rhas Las and had a section of 51 inches.
• The Elled seam at this pit was 51 inches thick.

On the 3rd of December 1878 Thomas Ridman a 64-year-old collier was killed by a fall of coal, just one statistic among the many who died at this pit and throughout the Coalfield.

GRAHAM’S NAVIGATION LEVELS
These levels worked alongside the pit, and with the same owners. The last of the levels to work were the Nos. 3 and 4 which worked the Engine Coal seam and closed in 1924. They then appear to have continued working under the title of Sirhowy Navigation when in 1930 they were owned by the Williams Brothers and in that year employed 230 men and produced 50,000 tons of coal. The manager was J. A. Gunter.

NAVIGATION COLLIERY
This was a small mine that consisted of a level and a drift that was worked by the Williams Brothers in 1932. It was not listed in 1921 or 1935. It succeeded the Graham’s Navigation Colliery.

SIRHOWY COLLIERY
This was a small level that worked near the northern outcrop of the South Wales Coalfield. It was also called the Black Vein Level possibly it was driven into the Black Vein (Nine-Feet) seam. It was not listed in 1913 but by 1917 it is shown as being owned by J.C. Jenkins and is producing coking, house and steam coals. In 1918 he worked the Sirhowy Elled and Big Vein levels and employed 17 men. Mr. Jenkins was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association and still owned the level in 1925. In 1927 it employed 31 men and in 1928 it employed 29 men. It was lying idle in 1929.

In 1932 it was owned by M. Walters and Sons of Tredegar and in 1935 by D.C. Jenkins of Newport who employed one man working on the surface of the mine and three men working underground in the Elled (probably the Two-Feet-Nine) seam.

Some of those who died in these mines;

• 12/02/1853, George Simms, Age: 20: Collier: Fall of coal from slip.
• 15/11/1853, William Hammitts, Age: 57: Collier: No.1 Engine Pit: Fall of clod. 16/12/1854, Henry Lambert, Age: 11: Collier: Fall of the roof.
• 1/05/1855, John Francis: Labourer: Stone fell from the roof.
• 17/05/1855, John Price, Age: 41: Collier: No.5 Balance: Fall of roof.
• 30/05/1855, William Proper, Age: 48: Collier: No.4 Pit: Fall of coal.
• 6/12/1855, Lewis Parry, Age: 45: Collier: No.5 Balance Pit: Fall of stone from the roof.
• 18/09/1855, John Jones, Age: 21: Collier: No.4 Balance Pit: Fall of coal.
• 28/01/1859, John Cope, Age: 20: Francis Price, Age: 17, Colliers: No.8: Fall of stone in the Old Coal 2 killed.
• 3/03/1860, Thomas Hallett, Age: 27: Collier: No.2: fall of coal. This man was deaf and dumb therefore the warning often given by the roof was unheard by him.
• 2/03/1861, John Price Age: 45, Miner: No.1 (ironstone): Fall of the roof.
• 22/03/1861, David Price, Age: 45, Miner: No.7 (ironstone): Fall of mine ground he was working in.
• 4/06/1861, Andrew Perryman, Age: 26: Miner: No.5 (ironstone): Fall of ground in the bottom vein.
• 2/01/1862, Thomas Williams, Age: 47: Collier: No.2: Fall of the roof in his working place.
• 31/12/1862, Daniel Jones, Age: 32: Collier: No.2: Fall of the roof whilst setting timber to support it.
• 24/08/1863, John Scott, Age: 30: Miner: Engine (Ironstone): Premature explosion of charge.
• 29/10/1863, Harry French, Age: 13: Miner: No.2 (Ironstone): Fall of roof close to face of work.
• 7/11/1863, Isaac James, Age: 25: Miner: No.2 (Ironstone): Fall of stone .
• 7/11/1863, John Walters, Age: 22: Haulier: Overpowered by trams on slope road.
• 8/11/1863, John Price Age: 16, Miner: No.2 (Ironstone): Fall of stone.
• 17/03/1864, Thomas Meredith, Age: 14: Haulier: No.2 (ironstone): He started to take off a loaded set of trams out of the level but was soon after found doubled up under them dead.
• 2/04/1864, James Lloyd, Age: 60: Miner: No.8 (ironstone): Fall of stone from the face of the stall.
• 16/06/1864, John Griffiths, age: 43: Sinker: No.9 (ironstone): Whilst descending he fell out of the bucket in consequence of fouling, a lashing chain hanging loose in the pit.
• 1/09/1864, Samuel Phillips, Age: 35, Miner: No.2 (ironstone): In ascending the pit he jumped off the cage probably thinking he was close to the bottom.
• 15/07/1865, David Thomas, Age: 11: Miner: Sirhowy (ironstone): Injured by fall of stuff 14th. Died that day.
• 28/07/1865, Rees Price, Age: 21: Miner: Sirhowy (ironstone): Whilst sledging down the upper course of ironstone a scale of the roof fell and killed him before he could get out of the way.
• 25/09/1865, David Evans, Age: 20: Haulier: Injured 24th Dec 1864 by the crush of trams and lingered until this day.
• 16/01/1866, Henry Osmund, Age: 17: Sirhowy (ironstone): In No.7 pit a fall of ground lying between 2 known slips at right angles the apex pointing upwards. Another slip, not previously seen caused the fall that killed him.
• 2/07/1866 John Evans, Age: 13:miner: Sirhowy (ironstone): Hurt by fall of roof in Red Vein workings. Died later that day.
• 11/04/1867, Samuel Potts, Age: 30, Collier: No.4: The man was injured on 20th Dec 1866 by a fall of the roof but lingered for our months when death released him.
• 7/01/1868, Henry White, Age: 48: Collier: A portion of the roof fell as he was trying to get some coal down a little in advance.
• 8/07/1868, Charles Lloyd, Age: 16: Haulier: No.2 Whilst taking coal from the top of the pit he fell under a loaded wagon.
• 23/09/1868, John Price Age: 31, Miner: Engine (ironstone): Fall of ground in longwall working.
• 12/11/1868, William Bevan, Age: 12: Helper: No.4: Trams crushed him to death.
• 9/06/1870, Isaac Williams, Age: 40: Banksman: He was helping to unload a truck of timber for his pit (No. 7) when a train from Sirhowy furnaces loaded with iron struck it with great force and was so badly injured he died before he got home.
• 21/10/1870, Jenkin Jenkins, Age: 14: Miner: Sirhowy (ironstone): Fall of the roof by a slip in the red vein in the engine pit.
• 10/08/1871, John James, Age: 11: Doorboy: Crushed by trams in No.7 colliery.
• 5/12/1871, Evan Lewis, Age: 30: Collier: Fall of coal in No.4 colliery.
• 24/01/1874, Thomas Williams, Age: 13: Incline boy: Killed by the crush of a tram on the incline.
• 23/05/1874, Edward Humphrey, Age: 63: Collier: Hurt by fall of coal in No5 Pit. Died the next day.
• 20/07/1874, William Legg, Age: 27: Haulier: Loaded tram upset coming down cross heading in No.4 Pit (shafting).
• 2/09/1874, George Pitway, Age: 16: Collier: Fall of coal in No.4 Pit. Died 2nd November.
• 3/11/1874, John Miles, Age: 41: Miner: Sirhowy (building stone): Killed by fall of stone.
• 9/06/1876, Thomas Medlicott: Collier: Fall of clod.
• 28/03/1877, John Thomas, Age: 17: Labourer: Killed by railway trucks. 19/06/1879, William Davies Age: 26: Collier: No.4: Fall of coal.
• 25/07/1879, William Jones, Age: 12: Collier: No.9: Injured by fall of stone. Died 27th.
• 2/08/1879, David Evans, Age: 59: Collier: No.4: Fall of coal.
• 27/12/1879, David Jones, Age: 65: Repairer: No.9: A small quantity of stone fell causing injuries from which he died.
• 18/04/1880, Benjamin Price, Age: 15: Collier: No4: Fall of coal.
• 28/07/1881, S. Davies, Age: 38: Collier: Sirhowy No.9: Injured by a fall of top coal and died the following day.
• 26/02/1884, Thomas Protheroe, Age: 43: Collier: No.4 Sirhowy: Fall of stone and coal.
• 11/04/1885, Isaac Griffiths, Age: 13: Collier: No. 9: Injured by a fall of roof and died on the 13th. The collier with whom he worked was knocked down by a stone and fell on Griffiths and he received severe internal injuries.
• 14/08/1885, Thomas Jones, Age: 30: Collier: No.4: Fall of clod.
• 26/04/1888, Frederick Baldwyn, Age: 23: Mason, William Evans, Age: 20: Labourer:: Sirhowy No.9: While engaged building side walls in an engine plane for an air crossing a large quantity of roof gave way without warning and knocked out the timbers which had been set to make it secure. 2 killed
• 1/06/1888, Mary Jones, Age: 15: Coal washer: Fell from the buffer of an empty railway wagon on which she intended to ride to the loading place where she worked. Female.
• 5/04/1889, John Sullivan, Age: 24: Shunter: Sirhowy No.4: He was caught between the buffers of trucks which he was coupling to be ready for the engine.
• 21/10/1889, Charles Andrews. Age: 19: Collier: Sirhowy No.5: An overhanging piece of top coal seems to have discharged a spragg and in consequence, it fell on him.
• 27/02/1890, John Parry, Age: 19: Sirhowy No.9: While he was engaged holing a bell stone 5 feet in diameter fell upon his head and killed him.
• 14/03/1892, Francis Legg, Age: 14: Collier boy Colliery: Sirhowy No.2: Coal which had been held and from which the sprags had been removed fell further along the face removed, fell further’ along the face than was expected .
• 7/09/1893, Thomas Redman, Age: 47: Collier: Sirhowy No.1: Fall of roof clod.
• 10/12/1895, John Jones, Age: 20: Collier: Sirhowy Engine: Fall of roof coal from slips while getting down coal from the face. There apparently might have been more timbers set.

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