Black Vein Drift

Near Dowlais, (074072)

On the 30th of January 1892, Samuel Davies, aged 25 years, and a collier, died under a roof fall, while on the 1st of February 1894, James James, aged 27 years and a collier, was working out a slip of coal in the face of a stall road and whilst striking on the wedge a small piece of the sledge flew off and pierced his body at the pit of the stomach from the effects of which he died 4th. Feb. 1894. Then on the 31st of July 1896, Edward Rees, aged 62 years and a collier, died under a roof fall. Just a few of those that died in this mine.

The colliery was opened in 1872 by the Dowlais Iron Company Limited., the manager at that time was D. Evans. The Dowlais Iron Company became Guest, Keen and Company in 1901 and Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Limited in 1902. It was managed by John Jenkins in 1884, William Thomas in 1896 and W. Jones in 1908 and was abandoned in 1909.

The Black Vein in this area had split into two and was separated by 4 metres of stone. The Lower-Nine- Feet was called the Rhas Las and was extensively worked at a section of coal 0.2m, dirt 0.0lm, coal 0.99m, rash 0.5m, coal 0.56 metres. The Upper-Nine-Feet was also known as the Red Vein and had an average section of one metre.

Some Statistics:

• 1889: Output: 20,087 tons.
• 1893: Output: 14,089 tons.
• 1894: Output: 16,799 tons.
• 1895: Output 16,273 tons.
• 1896: Manpower: 104. Output 22,932 tons.
• 1899: Manpower: 57.
• 1900: Manpower: 54.
• 1901: Manpower: 60.
• 1902: Manpower: 84.
• 1903: Manpower: 103. Output: 16,483 tons.
• 1905: Manpower: 107.
• 1907: Manpower: 182.
• 1908: Manpower: 218.
• 1909: Manpower: 218. Output: 38,845 tons.

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