This is an umbrella name to cover the mines that were worked for the Dowlais Iron Works.

They comprised of, amongst others, Black Ball, Blaen Dowlais, Brewhouse, Buxton’s, Carno, Coslet, Cwmcenol, Morgan’s, Pant-y-Wain, Penyard, Penydarren Nos.2, 4, 7, Pen-yr-Heol, Price’s, Rhas Las, Tyla Dowlais, Vanwain. These were all worked for both coal and ironstone and were abandoned in May 1924.

Dowlais No.7, Blaen Rhas, and Banwain were worked for coal and fireclay and were abandoned in November 1901. The Meadow, Nos. 1 & 2, Penydarren Nos. 1,2,4,6,7 all worked the ironstone Black Pin Soap, Three Coals and Clay, Upper Little, Lower-Four-Feet, Spotted, Red, Blue, Lumpy, and the Rosser Vein which was abandoned prior to February 1878.

The Blaen Rhas, Brewhouse, Buxton, Carno, Cwmcenol, Longwork, Pabt-y-wain, Penydarren No.1 and Tunnel all worked the Lower-Four-Feet which was abandoned in August 1908 and the Top section of the Lower-Four-Feet seam which was abandoned in July 1917.

The Brewhouse, Buxton, Cwmbargoed, Pant-y-Wain, Penyard, Penydarren and Tunnel all worked the Little or Seven-Feet seam which was abandoned in July 1917. The Brewhouse, Cwmbargoed, Fochriw Nos.1,2, Longwork, Morgan’s, Penydarren Nos. 1,2, Rhas Las and Wagstaff all worked the Big or Six-Feet seam which was abandoned in June 1914.

The Brewhouse, Cwmbargoed, Fochriw Nos. 1,2, Penycoedcae, Penydarren Nos. 1,2, Rhas Las Old & New and Tunnel all worked the Rhas Las or Nine-Feet seam which was abandoned in May 1917.

The Brewhouse, Cwmbargoed, Longwork, Penycoedcae, Penydarren Nos. 1,2, Rhas Las and Tunnel all worked the Red Vein which was abandoned in October 1917. The Brewhouse, Fochriw No.1, Longwork, Meredith’s, Morgan’s, Penydarren Nos. 1,2, Rhas Las and Tommo all worked the Upper-Four-Feet seam which was abandoned in February 1893.

The Brewhouse and Tommo both worked the Elled or Two-Feet-Nine seam which was abandoned in May 1859. The Coedcae-du, Brewhouse, Deep, Penyrheol all worked the Blue, Red, Spotted, Black and Soap ironstone veins. The Cwmbargoed abandoned the Black Vein in April 1909.

The Fochriw Nos. 1,2, abandoned the Elled, Upper-Four-Feet, Lower-Six-Feet, Big, Rhas Las, and Red seams in June 1924. The Fochriw No.2 abandoned the Little, Lower Two-Feet-Nine and Lower Four-Feet seams in June 1924.

The New Fochriw abandoned the Nos. 1,2,3, seams in May 1924. The Tor-y-Fan abandoned the Black Seam in June 1914. Wagstaff’s abandoned the Big or Six-Feet seam in June 1914.

In the 1842 Royal Commission into women and children working underground, at these mines they came across David Morgan aged 11 years, he had been working for two years as a door boy, starting at 6 am and finishing between 6 and 8 pm for two shillings and sixpence per week. He commented, “Neither the men nor the Overmen beat me.”

Some of those who died in these mines:

  • 1832, David Price, explosion of gas.
  • 1837, J. Davis, collier, explosion of gas.
  • 1838, David James, collier, explosion of gas.
  • 29/10/1851, Thomas Evans, aged 13, archer, hurt with a pick.
  • 9/1/1852, John Davis, aged 47, collier, roof fall.
  • 9/1/1852, William Evans, aged 45, collier in Rhas Las, roof fall.
  • 15/1/1852, William Williams, aged 16, collier, shot firing incident.
  • 2/3/1852, John Hughes, aged 33, collier, roof fall.
  • 13/3/1852, John Williams, aged 25, collier, roof fall.
  • 23/3/1852, John Davis, aged 29, collier, shaft chain broke
  • 15/12/1852, Daniel Lewis, aged 13, a miner in Clay level, roof fall.
  • 9/2/1853, Thomas Mahoney, aged 28, labourer, crushed by trams.
  • 14/2/1853, John Anthony, aged 24, collier in Big Coal, roof fall.
  • 15/2/1853, Hugh Hughes, aged 23, collier, roof fall.
  • 29/3/1853, David Watkins, aged 57, collier in No.1 drift, roof fall.
  • 9/11/1853, William Davies, aged 34, collier in Rhas Las, roof fall.
  • 30/11/1853, William Roberts, aged 45, labourer, run over by wagons.
  • 18/2/1854, William Davis, aged 40, stower, fell down the shaft.
  • 28/3/1854, John Watts, aged 21, lander, fell off loco.
  • 12/5/1854, William Lewis, aged 10, colliers son, Brewhouse level, roof fall.
  • 6/6/1854, Martha Davis, aged 13, oiler, run over by trams.
  • 30/6/1854, William Davies, aged 48, labourer, run over by trams.
  • 21/12/1854, George Richards, aged 20, collier, roof fall.
  • 16/4/1855, Thomas Roberts, aged 10, door boy in No.1 level, run over by trams.
  • 30/6/1855, James Davis, aged 57, road man, crushed by trams.
  • 2/7/1855, James Davies, aged 56, stower in No.1 level, crushed by tram.
  • 12/9/1855, John Francis, aged 36, mason, roof fall.
  • 17/10/1855, John Davies, aged 40, collier in Rhas Las, roof fall.
  • 19/8/1856, John Price, fireman, roof fall.
  • 28/8/1856, Evan Elias, roof fall.
  • 10/10/1856, Henry Jackson, roof fall.
  •  6/11/1856, Thomas Thomas, roof fall.
  • 21/11/1856, John Davies, roof fall.
  • 25/12/1856, David George, was run over on a surface incline.
  • 26/12/1856, Thomas Edwards, was run over by trams.
  • 8/4/1857, Evan Hasley, aged 12, was run over by trams.
  • 28/4/1857, Thomas Morris, aged 14, door boy, roof fall.
  • 27/6/1857, David James, aged 12, roof fall.
  • 10/7/1857, Griffith Jones, aged 11, was run over by trams.
  • 6/12/1857, David Evans, aged 46, fell down the shaft.
  • 6/2/1858, Benjamin Hughes, aged 63, stower, crushed by trams.
  • 9/12/1858, David Edwards, aged 27, Haulier, roof fall.
  • 29/1/1859, William Polley, aged 12, collier boy, roof fall.
  • 12/2/1859, John Lloyd, aged 12, collier, roof fall.
  • 9/5/1859, William Walters, aged 42, collier, run over by trams.
  • 20/5/1859, Gomer Basset, collier, roof fall.
  • 22/8/1859, Walter Warren, collier, roof fall.
  • 7/9/1859, William Pendry, aged 38, collier, roof fall.
  • 24/12/1859, Thomas Williams, aged 35, collier, roof fall.
  • 8/2/1860, Thomas Davies, collier, roof fall.
  • 22/4/1860, David Williams, aged 40, roadman, roof fall.
  • 24/4/1860, Philip Hill, aged 48, roadman, roof fall.
  • 26/7/1860, Thomas Polley, aged 22, collier, roof fall.
  • 8/8/1860, Thomas Griffiths, aged 32, collier, roof fall.
  • 19/9/1860, David Davies, aged 13, haulier, run over by trams.
  • 13/10/1860, W. Williams, aged 25, collier, roof fall.
  • 7/2/1861, Benjamin Davis, collier, roof fall.
  • 7/4/1861, Rees Lumley, hitcher, run over by trams.
  • 9/4/1861, Evan Davis, aged 32, collier, roof fall.
  • 19/4/1861, Thomas Evans, aged 29, collier, roof fall.
  • 11/6/1861, John Phillips, aged 28, collier, roof fall.
  • 16/6/1861, Daniel Thomas, aged 50, collier, roof fall.
  • 12/7/1861, Meredith Jones, aged 40, collier, roof fall.
  • 5/8/1861, Jereh Morgan, aged 13, collier, roof fall.
  • 9/8/1861, James Barnes, miner, roof fall.
  • 21/9/1861, Thomas Lloyd, aged 31, collier, roof fall.
  • 18/10/1861, William Evans, aged 42, collier, roof fall.
  • 2/12/1861, William Davies, aged 13, collier, roof fall.
  • 27/3/1862, Daniel Evans, aged 20, collier, roof fall.
  • 1/4/1862, John Smith, aged 13, collier, roof fall.
  • 12/5/1862, Thomas James, aged 12, collier, roof fall.
  • 19/8/1862, John Williamson, aged 61, agent, explosion of gas.
  • 23/10/1862, Charles Hughes, aged 15, miner, roof fall.
  • 31/10/1862, David Evans, aged 32, overman, run over by trams.
  • 8/11/1862, John Thomas, aged 14, miner, roof fall.
  • 5/3/1863, Benjamin Davies, aged 35, collier, roof fall.
  • 2/4/1863, William Thomas, aged 67, roadman at Brewhouse level, crushed by trams.
  • 26/9/1863, Robert Jones, aged 15, haulier, roof fall.
  • 10/1/1864, Philip Griffiths, aged 39, miner, roof fall.
  • 7/3/1864, John Thomas, aged 13, collier, roof fall.
  • 22/7/1864, John Jones, aged 17, collier, roof fall.
  • 23/7/1864, Lewis Thomas, aged 42, roadman, roof fall.
  • 30/7/1864, John Clarke, aged 13, collier, roof fall.
  • 29/12/1864, Richard Rees, aged 13, collier, roof fall.
  • 5/1/1865, John Davies, aged 65, collier, roof fall.
  • 22/2/1865, Hez Morgan, aged 54, labourer, roof fall.
  • 15/4/1865, Jonathan Davies, aged 13, haulier, scalded.
  • 5/8/1865, W. Morris, aged 33, haulier, shaft incident.
  • 4/10/1865, David Davies, aged 29, collier, roof fall.
  • 15/1/1866, Morgan Davies, aged 22, labourer, roof fall.
  • 17/4/1866, Jane Jenkins, aged 14, oiler, shaft incident.
  • 12/6/1866, David Evans, aged 12, door boy, roof fall.
  • 10/7/1866, John Williams, aged 52, miner, roof fall.
  • 15/8/1866, Jason Thomas, aged 12, door boy, run over by trams.
  • 20/3/1867, Henry Evans, aged 60, miner, roof fall.
  • 19/4/1867, David Williams, aged 23, miner, shot firing incident.
  • 16/5/1867, Edward Edwards, aged 27, collier, roof fall.
  • 16/5/1867, Thomas Phillips, aged 24, collier, roof fall.
  • 24/6/1867, John Evans, aged 46, miner, roof fall.
  • 3/10/1867, David Griffiths, aged 17, miner, roof fall.
  • 6/12/1867, Thomas Morgan, aged 45, miner, roof fall.
  • 9/12/1867, William Vale, aged 47, miner, roof fall.
  • 9/1/1869, Thomas Evans, aged 28, collier, roof fall.
  • 27/2/1869, Thomas Lloyd, aged 26, collier, roof fall.
  • 11/9/1869, David Pugh, aged 14, collier, roof fall.
  • 17/9/1869, T. Jenkins, aged 31, collier, roof fall.
  • 27/9/1869, J. Williams, aged 22, engine tender, boiler explosion.
  • 5/11/1869, Thomas Griffiths, aged 35, collier, roof fall.
  • 18/2/1870, L. Davies, aged 38, collier, roof fall.
  • 16/3/1870, J. Davies, aged 25, collier, roof fall.
  • 20/4/1870, J. Edwards, aged 14, collier, roof fall.
  • 2/5/1870, R. Jones, aged 58, roadman, explosion of gas.
  • 2/5/1870, J. Edwards, aged 51, horse attendant, explosion of gas.
  • 2/5/1870, T. Jones, aged 30, horse attendant, explosion of gas.
  • 20/5/1870, J. Lewis, aged 20, stoker, machinery.
  • 19/5/1870, W. Price, aged 19, collier, roof fall.
  • 29/5/1870, J. Jenkins, aged 30, sinker, shaft incident.
  • 29/5/1870, C. Williams, aged 35, sinker, shaft incident.
  • 2/6/1870, H. Lewis, aged 53, collier, roof fall.
  • 14/6/1870, T. Oliver, aged 60, collier, run over by trams.
  • 17/9/1870, J. Hill, aged 32, collier, roof fall.
  • 26/10/1870, W. Richards, aged 33, collier, roof fall.
  • 15/11/1870, J. Weefe, engineman, machinery.
  • 1/12/1870, D. Evans, aged 13, collier, roof fall.
  • 26/10/1870, J. James, aged 14, collier, roof fall.
  • 14/12/1870, D. James, aged 14, collier, roof fall.
  • 17/4/1871, D. Jones, aged 51, road man, roof fall.
  • 20/4/1871, E. Williams, aged 15, collier, roof fall.
  • 25/4/1871, M. Isaac, aged 18, haulier, run over by trams.
  • 6/5/1871, D. Davies, roof fall.
  • 19/5/1871, J. Jones, aged 42, roof fall.
  • 3/10/1871, G. Davies, aged 28, collier, roof fall.
  • 15/2/1872, D. Morgans, aged 16, fireman, fell under a drum.
  • 12/4/1872, John Morgans, aged 32, collier, explosion of gas.
  • 3/5/1872, D. Rowlands, aged 35, collier, roof fall.
  • 8/12/1873, James Evans, aged 17, collier in Buxton’s, shaft incident.
  • 5/8/1874, R. Barnes, boiler explosion.
  • 5/8/1874, J. Bryan, boiler explosion.
  • 5/8/1874, J. Dimsey, boiler explosion.
  • 14/6/1875, J. Edwards, aged 28, collier at Blaen Rhos, roof fall.
  • 1/7/1875, J. Thomas, aged 26, collier, shaft incident.
  • 22/10/1875, S. Davies, aged 54, collier, roof fall.
  • 19/12/1879, John Thomas, aged 16, haulier at Colly level, was found dead.
  • 4/6/1884, John Bevan, aged 24, haulier, run over by trams.
  • 17/11/1885, Thomas Jenkins, aged 17, haulier in Long Work, roof fall.
  • 2/3/1886, Evan Nicholas, aged 19, engineman, was run over by trams.
  • 11/4/1889, Mel Jenkins, aged 62, collier in No.7, roof fall.
  • 1/2/1894, James James, aged 27, collier in Black Vein Drift, hit by a sledge.
  • 23/3/1894, John Price, aged 27, haulier, roof fall.
  • 21/5/1894, Samuel Jones, aged 30, collier, roof fall.
  • 17/11/1894, D.J. Jones, aged 18, collier, roof fall.
  • 17/11/1894, Edward Rowlands, aged 33, collier, roof fall.
  • 9/1/1895, James Roberts, age 62, labourer, injured by falling prop.

 

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

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