Blaenant Colliery

Near Aberdare, Cynon Valley (02120451)

This mine was sunk to a depth of 469 feet 5 inches to the Nine-Feet seam on lands belonging to the Marquis of Bute. In 1858/70 it was owned by Fothergill and Company. In 1878/82 it was listed under the ownership of the Aberdare Plymouth Company with Mr. Hughes as manager. In 1884/96 it was owned by the Aberdare Works and Collieries Company of Aberdare and employed 265 men underground and 54 men on the surface with the manager being firstly David Davies and then Henry Henry. It was not the largest of concerns, the sidings capacity in 1898 was; full waggons 41, empty waggons 40 other waggons 46.

It extensively worked the Nine-Feet seam which had a thickness of 9 feet 2 inches, the Six-Feet seam at a thickness of 10 feet 3 inches, the UpperFour-Feet seam was also extensively worked at a thickness of 49”, as was the No.1 Yard (Lower-Four-Feet) seam at a thickness of 47”. The Gorllwyn seam was only 9” in this area, the Two-Feet-Nine seam was 25” thick, the Bute seam 54”, and the Gellideg seam 44” in thickness. It was listed as being owned by the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Limited in 1908 when it was managed by W. Hughes, and employed 567 men underground and 95 men on the surface.

On the 8th of April 1909, there was an underground fire at this colliery which suffocated one man and twenty-five horses. In that year it employed 662 men with William Hughes as the manager. In 1910 it was working the Bute and Gellideg seams. In 1913/15/16 it employed 500 men. It was still listed in 1917 and in 1918 employed 244 men underground and 48 men on the surface, Mr. Hughes was still manager. In 1920/22 it employed 350 men with John Davies as the manager. In 1923 Walter Jones was the manager and it employed 372 men working underground and 45 men at the surface of the mine. In 1932 W. Jones was still the manager and it employed 600 men. Powell Duffryn was a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

In 1913 the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Limited had an annual output of around 4,000,000 tons of coal and was advertised thus:

Powell Duffryn Steam Coal is on the British Admiralty List and is also supplied to The Chief Foreign Navies; and Great Steamship Lines of the United Kingdom and Foreign Countries; and the Principal Railways in the United Kingdom and its possessions beyond the Seas, and to those of Foreign Countries. Largely used by the Consumers of Smokeless Steam Coal in London. The advert continued to state that PD were: Proprietors and shippers of Washed Paris Nuts. Washed Steam Nuts, Beans, Peas, Grains and Duff. Foundry and Furnace Coke of the highest quality. Sulphate of Ammonia, Sulphuric Acid, Tar, Pitch, Creosote, Anthracene Oil, etc.. Manufacturer of Bricks, Chimney Pots, Sanitary Pipes Etc.

A few of the fatalities that occurred at this mine:

• 10/6/1852 John Hughes, aged 19 years, a collier, fall of roof.
• 28/6/1852 John Lewis, aged 22 years, a collier, fall of roof.
• 23/11/1897 David Davies, aged 24 years, a collier, fall of roof.
• 13/5/1911 Percy Woolford, aged 18 years, a labourer, fall of roof.
• 14/9/1911 John Davies, aged 66 years, a bratticeman, hit his head.
• 3/2/1913 Ben Meredith, aged 20 years, a collier, fall of roof.
• 7/7/1925 Thomas L, Evans, aged 31 years, a haulier, run over by trams.

Some statistics:

• 1899: Manpower: 483.
• 1900: Manpower: 411.
• 1901: Manpower: 513.
• 1902: Manpower: 482.
• 1905: Manpower: 646.
• 1907: Manpower: 606.
• 1908: Manpower: 662.
• 1909: Manpower: 662.
• 1910: Manpower: 575.
• 1911: Manpower: 511.
• 1912: Manpower: 341.
• 1913: Manpower: 500.
• 1916: Manpower: 500.
• 1918: Manpower: 292.
• 1920: Manpower: 350.
• 1922: Manpower: 350.
• 1923: Manpower: 372.
• 1924: Manpower: 574.
• 1925: Manpower: 600.
• 1926: Manpower: 550.
• 1927: Manpower: 377.
• 1932: Manpower: 600.
• 1889: Output: 3,175 tons.
• 1894: Output: 55,537 tons.

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