BRITHDIR COLLIERY
Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil.

This was a small level that was worked in the mid and late 1800s, probably in the Brithdir seam. Around the time that this level was driven, the colliers would start their shift at 4am and not finish until 8 or 9 pm. He would sometimes start at midnight on a Saturday so that he could finish early. Wages would be around 211 1d (15 pence) a day but he would be very lucky to receive this grand sum under the old Truck System. This mine was managed by T. Bevan in 1878.

A Brithdir Level was located at Fochriw and worked by the Dowlais Collieries Ltd/GKN, in the 1920/30s when the manager was J. Bevan. It employed 108 men ‘opening’ in 1923, 52 men in 1924, 137 men in 1926, 177 men in 1927, 148 men in both 1928 and 1929, 16 men in 1932 and 140 men in 1934.

 

CAE GLAS COLLIERY
Fochriw (100053)

Two drifts and an airshaft (29 yards deep to the No.1 Rhondda seam) were opened by Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds in 1920. The drifts probed for about 400 feet but failed to find a suitable section of coal and were closed in February 1924. The South Drift was re-opened and worked the No.3 Rhondda under license from the National Coal Board in 1955 when it was owned by T.I. Shankland of Fochriw. From 1958 to 1966 it was owned by E. Shankland. In 1967 it was owned by the Caeglas Colliery Company of Oakdale. In the 1980’s it was owned by the Cae Glas Colliery Company of Nelson and in 1992/96 when it was owned by the Caeglas Colliery Company of Merthyr Tydfil. At that time it was working the Tyladu seam. In 1997 it was owned by T.A. Rowe and closed in December of that year.

Another accident in which three lives were lost due to asphyxiation was at this licensed mine at Fochriw. The licensee, who lost his life in the accident, together with two workmen, had developed work from an existing but disused mine. The workings were set off the main level which continued for a considerable distance. The level inbye of the workings was filled with water, but the water line varied according to weather conditions. From time to time, the owner would go into the old level beyond his active workings to determine the position of the water. On the 24th of September 1958, together with two workmen, he entered the area but all three were overcome with blackdamp and were asphyxiated.

 

CLARKES COLLIERY
Bedlinog, Taff Bargoed Valley (092031)

A small mine worked under license from the National Coal Board in the Brithdir seam between 1972 and 1986 by B. Clarke of Merthyr Tydfil. It was abandoned on the 3rd of July 1986.

 

COLY COLLIERY
Taff Bargoed Valley

A series of eight levels worked from the 1870s by the Dowlais Iron Company and managed in 1878 by W. Lintern. They worked the Brithdir seam. By 1910 only the No.8 was left working (in conjunction with Nantwen) and was producing 2,900 tons of coal a week on average. The first furnace in the Merthyr Tydfil area was at Dowlais when it was opened in 1759 by Thomas Lewis and Partners on the estate of Lord Windsor.

In 1782 John Guest became a partner and started the Guest Family dominance of the iron industry. John was followed by Thomas Guest in 1787 and expansion of the Works was such that by 1810 15 furnaces were producing 2,000 tons of iron weekly. The grandson of John Guest, John Josiah continued to run the Works and became so rich that he opened his own bank.

In 1845 the Dowlais Iron Works employed 7,000 workers and had an annual wage bill of £250,000. Annual output stood at 140,000 tons of coal and 70,000 tons of iron, the largest production in the world. The Dowlais Iron Works was the first works to use the Bessemer process for converting iron to steel, but its isolated location in an ever-competitive market forced a decision to close the works in 1887 and move to new works on the coast at Cardiff. The Colly Levels and many of the smaller less economical mines closed along with the Works.

 

COLYBROOK COLLIERY
Blaen Bargoed

This was a small mine that was worked under license from the NCB, and owned in 1957 by W. Thomas & Partners of Bedlinog and in 1960 by D. Taylor & E. Kinsey. It abandoned the Brithdir seam in 1961.

 

FFYNONAU DUON COLLIERY
Fochriw, Near Merthyr Tydfil

This was a series of levels in the Brithdir seam. The No.1 (104052) opened in 1925, closed temporarily in December 1936 and re-opened in 1937 and closed in 1954. The No.2 (102049) was also called Nantwen and was opened in 1960 and worked until June 1983, while the No.3 (096042) was opened in 1972 and the No.2 South (094049) was opened in the late 1970s.

The No.1 employed 3 men in 1927, and 5 men in 1934. It was closed in 1936 and re-opened in 1937. It employed 3 men underground and 1 man on the surface in 1938 and 7 men in 1943/5 It was owned by G & JP Llewellyn from 1948 to 1954 and was worked under license from the National Coal Board in 1947, who also owned it in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was owned by the Ffynon Duon Mines Limited. It employed 12 men in 1957.

The Ffynonau Duon Nos. 1,2,3,4 were still listed in the early 1990s with the No.3 level being abandoned in December 1997. This company is listed in 2003 as the owners of the Johnson Level which was on a care and maintenance basis.

 

GILFACH MAIN COLLIERY
Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil

This was a small level that was owned in 1908 by Catherine Williams who employed three men underground and one man on the surface with W.C. Beddoe as her manager. It employed three men when it was abandoned in August 1910. There was also a Gilfach Main Isaf that abandoned an unnamed seam in April 1891.

 

HEDDWYN COLLIERY
Bedlinog, Taff Bargoed Valley

This was a small level that was worked under license from the National Coal Board in the 1970s by W.E. and H. Taylor of Bedlinog. It worked the Tyla Court seam.

 

HIGH STREET COLLIERY
Bedlinog (096012)

This licensed mine first appeared on my listings in 1976 when it was owned by H. Taylor of Nelson and worked the Brithdir seam. It was still worked by Mr. Taylor in 1992 but by 1994/6 it was owned by Bedlinog Fuels of Treharris.

 

LEE COLLIERY
Bedlinog, Taff Bargoed Valley (084020)

This was a small level that was worked under license from the National Coal Board in 1977/79 when it was owned by the Penylan Small Mines Limited of Merthyr Tydfil. It worked the Brithdir seam at a section of 1.5 metres with some partings. In 1977 80 licensed mines were working in the South Wales Coalfield employing 600 men and producing 100,000 tons of coal.

 

NANTWEN COLLIERY

Bedlinog, Taff Bargoed Valley (09900055)

Sinking of this pit started in 1878 but for some reason or other, it took until 1883 to reach the Brithdir seam at a depth of 85 yards. The section of the Brithdir seam in this area was 1.5 metres. It was owned by the Dowlais Iron and Steel Company, which became Guest and Company, which became Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Limited. This company was a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. It was managed in 1896 by John Bevan and in 1907/1913 by Thomas Bevan, 1916 by W. Jones, in 1918/19 by George Carter and in 1927/30 by G.M. Evans. Nantwen Colliery produced manufacturing coal. In 1910 it was producing 2,900 tons of coal per week from the Brithdir seam. Also, see the listing on Colly.

Some Statistics:

  • 1887: Output: 143,562 tons.
  • 1889: Output: 161,100 tons.
  • 1893: Output: 140,000 tons.
  • 1894: Output: 177,606 tons.
  • 1895: Output: 179,169 tons.
  • 1896: Manpower: 317. Output: 165,087 tons.
  • 1899: Manpower: 310.
  • 1900: Manpower: 294.
  • 1901: Manpower: 272.
  • 1902: Manpower: 286.
  • 1903: Manpower: 288. Output: 100,762 tons.
  • 1905: Manpower: 367.
  • 1907: Manpower: 359.
  • 1908: Manpower: 363.
  • 1909: Manpower: 363. Output: 149,642 tons.
  • 1910: Manpower: 380.
  • 1912: Manpower: 377.
  • 1913: Manpower: 380. Output: 147,952 tons.
  • 1915: Manpower: 400.
  • 1916: Manpower: 400.
  • 1917: Manpower: 540.
  • 1918: Manpower: 540. Output: 158,360 tons.
  • 1919: Manpower: 540.
  • 1920: Manpower: 420.
  • 1922: Manpower: 378.
  • 1923: Manpower: 389 with Danyderi.
  • 1924: Manpower: 397 with Danyderi.
  • 1925: Manpower: 380 with Danyderi.
  • 1927: Manpower: 322 with Danyderi.
  • 1928: Manpower: 285 with Danyderi.
  • 1930: Manpower: 321.
  • 1931: Manpower: 324.

 

NANTWEN No.8 COLLIERY
Bedlinog, Taff Bargoed Valley (09280090)

This was a small level that was worked under license from the National Coal Board in the 1950s and 1960s under the ownership of F.M. Price. In 1957 it was working the Six-Feet seam and employed 13 men. It was abandoned in January 1966.

NANTYFFIN COLLIERY
Taff Bargoed Valley (095042)

A level that worked the Brithdir and No.2 Rhondda seams for house coal. It was owned by the Dowlais Collieries Limited and in 1930 employed 67 men working underground and 8 men working at the surface of the mine with John Bevan as the manager.

In 1934 Dowlais Collieries Limited was based at Port Talbot with the directors being; Sir John Field Beale, Colonel Sir W.C. Wright, Colonel J.B. Neilson, J.S. Hollings, I.F.I. Elliot and E.H. Keen. At that time it owned three mines, the Brithdir Levels, Nantyffin and Bedlinog Drift. Only the Bedlinog was producing coal.

By 1935 it had merged into Bedlinog Colliery. This was also the name of a mine licensed to work from the National Coal Board in 1969 the No.2 was owned by Edward Thomas of Merthyr Tydfil. In 1975 ownership changed to the Nantyffin Small Mines Limited of Merthyr Tydfil who were still operating the mine in 1980.

Some statistics:

  • 1927: Manpower: 23.
  • 1930: Manpower: 75.
  • 1933: Manpower: 200.
  • 1940: Manpower: 470. Output: 130,000 tons.
  • 1941: Manpower: 484. Output: 150,000 tons.
  • 1944: Manpower: 499.

OLD BRITHDIR COLLIERY
Fochriw, Merthyr Tydfil

This mine was listed in 1869 as being owned by P.T. Woodruffs and Company. It was not listed in 1878.

PENTWYN COLLIERY
Fochriw

This was a small level that was worked under license from the National Coal Board in 1988 by Fynnonau Duon Mines Limited.

PEN-Y-BANC COLLIERY
Fochriw

This was a small licensed mine that was owned by R. Marshallsea of Dowlais in 1953, by B. Clarke and H. Higgs of Merthyr in 1957 and later by I. Jones of Merthyr Tydfil. It worked the Brithdir seam in 1970 and employed 7 men.

 

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

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