Pontyclerc Colliery

Pantyffynnon, Amman Valley 620113

A Pontyclerc, Peto’s slant was recorded as working the Four-Feet, Pumpquart, Rock, Little and Yard seams as well as for clay for Peto & Betts in 1858 and was possibly opened as early as 1835.

In 1860 it was owned by David Evans and in 1865 by David Evans and John Lloyd and was working the Rock and Little Rock seams in 1866, It abandoned the Yard seam prior to May 1877 and the Charcoal seam in 1893, The plans for this mine were kept by the Blaina and Raven Anthracite Collieries Limited of Garnant.

It abandoned the Four-Feet seam in January 1928. It was also worked for clay. In 1870 it was owned by John Lloyd alone, and in 1886/7 it was owned by the Lloyd Brothers of Pontyclerc and managed by John Lloyd. It worked the Rocket Vein.

In 1896 it employed 3 men underground and 1 man on the surface with the manager still being John Lloyd. In 1907 it was listed as “opening” and in 1908 it was owned by the Lloyd Brothers and employed 2 men. In 1910 it is listed as being a new opening and in 1912 it was only working clay for the Pontyclerc Brickworks.

It was not listed in 1913 but shown in 1917 as working under the ownership of the Lloyd Brothers who employed 20 men underground and 5 on the surface in 1918/19 with the manager being J. Lloyd. In 1923 it employed 27 men working underground and 9 men working at the surface. The manager in 1927 was W. John and in that year it employed 120 men as it did in 1932. Messrs. Lloyd was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

In 1925/32 this anthracite mine was in the hands of the Pontyclerc Colliery Company Limited. The manager was G. Price in 1925 and T.J. Evans in 1932 and although it was shown to be working the Stanllyd and Brynlloi seams, no manpower was employed. The No.2 Slant abandoned the Brynlloi seam in 1933 and the No.1 Slant abandoned the Four-Feet seam in 1934.

• On the 21st of February 1865, John Evans, Aged 31 years and a Collier, fell to his death from the carriage whilst ascending shaft.
• On the 16th of December 1865, Thomas Jones, aged 21 years and a collier, died in an explosion of gas as did Daniel Watkins, aged 63 years, and a collier, on the 17th of July 1869.

Some statistics:

• 1896: Manpower: 4.
• 1899: Manpower: 13.
• 1900: Manpower: 12.
• 1908: Manpower: 8.
• 1910: Manpower: 4.
• 1912: Manpower: 6.
• 1918/19: Manpower: 25.
• 1920: Manpower: 20.
• 1922: Manpower: 29.
• 1923: Manpower: 36.
• 1924: Manpower: 42.
• 1925/6: Manpower: 60.
• 1927/32: Manpower: 120.
• 1933: Manpower: 11.

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