Aberbeeg (North) Colliery
Aberbeeg, Ebbw Valley (SO 2068 0193)
The Brithdir (Tillery or Red Ash) seam had been worked extensively from levels in the Abertillery area to the north of this pit, but the Llanhilleth fault had dropped the seam down c90 metres, the section of the seam had also reduced from c1.5 metres to the 0.61m to 1.22 metres found at Aberbeeg.
This pit was sunk around 1860 to the Brithdir seam by the Aberbeeg Colliery Company which owned this colliery until 1865. Webb and Spittle were the next owners, with the Bristol Mercury of Saturday, 21st September 1872, reporting that Walter Powell had recently purchased Aberbeeg Colliery from Messrs. Webb and Spittle and by combining it with Llanhilleth Colliery it will be amongst the largest in the County. Along with his brother, Henry, he held it until his death in 1881. Henry Powell then carried on until his death and in 1896 it was owned by the executors of Henry Powell. In that year it employed 225 men underground and 35 men on the surface, with the manager being R. Jordan.
On the 7th of January 1868, Isaac Barwell, aged 30 years, and a collier died under a roof fall. On the 30th of November 1868, Thomas Gibbs, aged only 12 years, and a doorboy, was run over and killed by trams. On the 1st of March 1882, Edmund Harris, aged 66 years, and a labourer was on his own descending the pit when he fell out of the cage. On the 20th of August 1884, John Prosser, aged 63 years, and a labourer was run over and killed by wagons on the surface of this mine. On New Year’s Day, 1927, Ernest Lipyeary, aged 43 years, and a haulier, was crushed and killed by trams. Poor William Williams, who was a collier aged 61 years, was walking out after his shift on the 10th of October 1899 when he was run over by a tram, the tram trapped his one leg and threw him into the gutter alongside the roadway and he drowned. These are just some of the fatalities at this mine. Aberbeeg was taken over by Budd and Company in 1902. It was managed by Job Love in 1908 and employed 265 men in 1915/23 when managed by Edward Hopkins. Budd & Co. was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. It produced coking, gas, steam, house and manufacturing coals and had reached its northern limit with Graig Fawr Red Ash levels by 1892 and the Arail Level workings by 1918.
Aberbeeg Colliery employed 260 men in 1896, 334 men from 1908 to 1911, 265 men in 1913/1920, and 221 men in 1923. It employed 220 men in 1924/5 and 178 men in 1926.
It was abandoned on the 19th of April 1929. The contract with the railway company by this pit was terminated on the 31st of December 1929.
There was also an Aberbeeg Level working at the beginning of the 20th Century by R. Williams of Aberbeeg, it only employed 2 men underground and 1 on the surface.
Aberbeeg Colliery should not be confused with Aberbeeg South Colliery which was located near Crumlin, some 3 miles to the south.
Information from Ray Lawrence and used here with his permission.
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