Gadlys Colliery

Aberdare, Cynon Valley

This was one of the earliest mines in the Cynon Valley, it consisted of the Old Pit and the Victoria or New Pit and was opened c1802 to feed the Gadlys Iron Works. It was owned by Waynes Merthyr Collieries Limited. In 1835 it was described as; “Worked by a pit near the works, which has, besides, the convenience of a drift or road for taking down horses, a balance jet for raising coal, two eight-inch pumps, one worked by a water wheel, 24 feet in diameter, the other by a high-pressure steam engine. The workings are well-ventilated and most advantageously situated for working the extensive and hitherto untouched Mineral District of Cwm Dare.”

In 1871 it was reported that this mine was opened in ‘about’ 1827, and in 1871 consisted of one winding shaft, 17 feet by 11 feet, which was 68 yards deep. There was also a horse way and another shaft with a ladder in it for the men to climb up and down. Ventilation was by an underground furnace and the pit was working the Upper-Four-Feet seam. 32, 984 tons of coal were produced in 1870. There were about 100 men employed underground.

The Western Mail of the 16th of June 1871 reported:

AN ENLIVENING SCENE. – On Wednesday a brass band of music, numbering some sixteen performers, paraded the streets at intervals during the day, in consequence of the sudden turn of affairs at the Gadlys Colliery. Much satisfaction is felt at the sudden start of this establishment, and there are now hopeful apprehensions respecting the other collieries starting.

In 1869 it was owned by the Gadlys Iron Company and in 1878 it was managed by William Thomas, in that year on the 27th of December, John Harris a 47 year old master sinker was killed by a fall of stone from the side of the shaft that he was sinking.

In 1884 it was owned by Wayne’s Merthyr Company and still managed by W. Thomas. In the 1880s ventilation was by a 40 feet diameter Waddle
type fan.

In 1896 the New Pit was managed by S.R. Hopkins and employed 210 men underground and 35 men on the surface. In 1898 it was served by the Taff Vale Railway and had a sidings capacity of, full wagons 79, empty wagons 434, and other wagons 387. In 1899 the New Pit employed 119 men and in 1900 it employed 236 men while in 1901 it employed 368 men.

Gadlys Colliery abandoned the Graig seam in 1898, the Top Four-Feet in 1885, the Bute in 1892, the New Seven-Feet in 1895, the Seven-Feet in
1901 and the Five-Feet on closure in July 1902. The Gadlys River Level worked until the 25th of February 1939.

The following is a staggering list of some of those who died at this pit, some of them may have worked at the Graig or Dyllas pits, or this was a very dangerous place to go down:

• 1st of November 1852, Benjamin Roberts, aged 13, door boy, fall of roof.
• 6th of January 1853, Samuel Franklin, aged 49, collier, fell down the shaft.
• 16th of September 1853, Rees Williams, aged 37, fireman, fall of roof.
• 2nd of November 1853, John Williams, aged 47, collier, fall of roof.
• 29th of November 1853, Richard Morgan, aged 23, collier, fall of roof.
• 25th of March 1854, John Rees, aged 18, collier, fall of roof.
• 24th of April 1854, Theophilus Williams, aged 19, haulier, crushed by a tram.
• 21st of September 1854, James Ward, aged 54, collier, fall of roof.
• 5th of May 1855, William Hughes, aged 17, collier, fall of roof.
• 3rd of July 1855, Henry Allen, aged 12 years, collier, fall of roof.
• 4th of August 1855, Thomas Davies, aged 28, collier, fall of roof.
• 21st of August 1855, John Lewis, aged 40, collier, fall of roof.
• 22nd of November 1855, Benjamin Evans, aged 58, collier, explosion of firedamp.
• 4th of August 1856, David Benjamin, collier, fall of roof.
• 4th of November 1856, David Griffiths, collier, fall of roof.
• 3rd of October 1857, David Evans, aged 28, crushed by trams.
• 12th June 1858, James Phillips, aged 16, haulier, crushed by trams.
• 29th of January 1859, William Thomas, aged 10, they claim he was not employed at the mine, but got lost. Explosion of gas.
• 3rd of March 1859, William Howell, aged 13, haulier, run over by trams.
• 16th of August 1859, James Morris, aged 25, collier, suffocated by gas.
• 24th of August 1859, aged 30, collier, fall of roof.
• 6th of October 1859, William Roach, aged 40, collier, fall of roof.
• 14th of October 1859, William Davies, aged 25, collier, explosion of gas.
• 26th of January 1860, Evan Davies, aged 24, haulier, fall of roof.
• 2nd of February 1860, Thomas Jones, aged 11, door boy, run over by trams.
• 9th of February 1860, John Phillips, aged 12, door boy, drowned in water sump.
• 29th of September 1860, Rees Harris, aged 45, collier, fall of roof.
• 23rd of September 1861, William Richards, aged 16, collier, fall of coal.
• 17th of October 1861, William Jones, aged 50, collier, fall of coal.
• 2nd of May 1862, Gomer Lewis, aged 13, collier, fall of roof.
• 23rd of October 1862, David Meredith, aged 28, collier, fall of roof.
• 25th of July 1863, William Thomas, aged 47, ironstone miner, shotfiring incident.
• 15th of March 1864, David Davies, aged 29, mason, explosion of gas.
• 19th of September 1864, W. Jenkins, aged 68, collier, killed by trams.
• 26th of November 1855, David Jones, aged 54, collier, fall of roof.
• 26th of May 1863, John Griffiths, aged 28, banksman, run over by trams.
• 25th of July 1863, William Thomas, aged 47, ironstone miner, shotfiring incident.
• 2nd of January 1864, Benjamin Treherne, aged 20, collier, fall of roof.
• 11th of January 1864, Cor. Miller, aged 25, collier, crushed by trams.
• 2nd May 1864, Thomas Jones, aged 26, ironstone miner, fall of roof.
• 12th of May 1864, William Morgan, aged 13, collier, crushed by trams.
• 29th of December 1864, Thomas Jones, aged 17, collier, W. Morgan, aged 26, collier, fell down the shaft.
• 17th of February 1865, William Bowen, aged 25, ironstone miner, fall of roof.
• 18th of January 1865, Henry Neat, aged 21, labourer, run over by trams.
• 6th of November 1865, William Thomas, aged 35, ironstone miner, explosion of gunpowder.
• 26th of November 1865, Thomas Davies, aged 35, ironstone miner, shaft incident.
• 2nd of January 1866, Frederick Williams, aged 35, collier, fall of roof.
• 22nd of June 1866, Edward Harris, aged 22, labourer, run over by trams.
• 1st of June 1866, Joseph Jenkins, aged 23, labourer, crushed by wagons on the surface.
• 9th of November 1866, Ann Butler, oiler, killed by trams on the surface.
• 28th of November 1866, John Lewis, aged 44, collier, fall of roof.
• 2nd of January 1868, Nicholas Price, aged 18, collier, fall of roof.
• 7th of January 1868, Titus Lewis, aged 33, collier, fall of roof.
• 21st of May 1868, Henry John, aged 41, collier, fall of roof.
• 3rd of July 1868, James Thomas, aged 25, collier, fall of roof.
• 13th of December 1869, Rees Price, aged 36, fireman, explosion of gas.
• 5th of May 1870, J. Davis, collier, fall of roof.
• 26th of December 1870, H. Davies, aged 18, collier, tangled in machinery.
• 28th of June 1871, Walter Gillyran, aged 12, door boy, run over by trams.
• 4th of October 1871, David Davies, aged 27, explosion – 4 died.
• 4th of October 1871, Thomas Hamlett, aged 11, explosion – 4 died.
• 4th of October 1871, David Jones, aged 28,  explosion – 4 died.
• 4th of October 1871, David Morse, aged 18, explosion – 4 died.
• 15th of April 1872, John Phillips, aged 23, haulier, kicked by a horse.
• 26th of October 1872, William Harris, aged 51, collier, fall of roof.
• 19th of December 1873, John Evans, aged 26, roadman, killed by trams.
• 30th of March 1875, Thomas Thomas, aged 16, labourer, run over by trams.
• 27th of October 1875, E. Howells, aged 36, collier, fall of roof.
• 7th of April 1875, David Richards, aged 34, collier, run over by trams.
• 8th of February 1878, Morris Evans, aged 14, haulier, killed by trams.
• 19th of October 1878, John Harris, aged 48, sinker, killed by rope on surface.
• 23rd of January 1879, Isaac Williams, aged 52, collier, fall of roof.
• 26th of February 1879, David Davies, aged 13, collier boy, fall of roof.
• 25th of November 1879, David Evans, aged 23, collier, run over by trams.
• 8th of July 1881, Dennis Edwards, aged 46, collier, fall of roof.
• 25th of August 1883, T. Griffiths, aged 17, collier, fall of roof.
• 25th of January 1887, Rees Evans, aged 15, collier, fall of roof.
• 10th of August 1887, John Lewis, aged 52, roadman, crushed by haulage sheave.
• 15th of November 1887, 14th of October 1886, John Evans, aged 38, rider, run over by trams.
• 1st of May 1888, William Rosser, aged 38, fireman, fell down shaft.
• 29th of June 1888, Ellis Roberts, aged 14, collier boy, fell down shaft.
• 24th of October 1888, David W. Davies, aged 26, collier, fall of roof.
• 12th of December 1888, Evan Williams, aged 48, labourer, killed by haulage rope.
• 20th of September 1889, John Cullen, aged 32, hitcher, coal fell down the shaft. John Leyshon, aged 69, collier, fall of roof.
• 20th of December 1889, Ben Rosser, aged 14, collier boy, fall of roof.
• 14th of April 1890, Ebenezer Davies, aged 27, collier, fall of roof.
• 29th of April 1892, Robert Morgan, aged 30, collier, fall of roof.
• 1st of September 1892, Charles Baker, aged 53, ostler, run over by trams.
• 20th March 1897, Phillip Hill, aged 67, haulier, kicked by a horse.
• 18th of November 1896, Henry Price, aged 61, brakesman, run over by wagons.
• 1st of April 1897, Thomas Davies, aged 40, pumpsman, explosion of firedamp.
• 11th of March 1898, Thomas Rosser, aged 50, collier, fall of roof.

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