Ystalyfera, (81491206)

This anthracite slant was served by the Neath and Brecon Railway and was owned in 1865 by George Flook, in 1869 and in 1878/83 by the Ystalyfera Iron Company and managed by R.C. Fisher. In 1883 it was managed by E.R. Fisher. In 1893 it was owned by the Anthracite Syndicate Limited of London and employed four men working underground. In 1896 it was owned by the Big Vein Anthracite Colliery Company of Swansea and employed 68 men underground and 9 men on the surface. The manager was Morgan W. Davies.

In 1908 it was managed by E.L. Davies and employed 78 men underground and 23 men on the surface. By 1913 it was in the hands of the Gwaunclawdd Abercrave Colliery Company which was owned by D.E. Rees of Castle Square, Swansea, the manager was now Thomas Jones and the colliery employed 269 men. This company was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association.

It employed 269 men in 1915 and Mr. Jones was still the manager in 1916 when this mine employed 320 men. In 1918 D.J. Waters was manager and it employed 140 men underground and 31 men on the surface. Manpower increased to 220 in 1919 with Mr. Waters still the manager. He was still there in 1923 when the colliery employed 142 men working underground and 39 men working at the surface producing 60,000 tons of coal for that year.

In 1927 the owners were the Gwaunclawdd Abercrave Collieries Limited who employed 320 men in that year with W. James as the manager. In the late 1920’s this colliery came under the control of Welsh Anthracite Collieries Limited and was possibly closed, with the Eighteen-Feet seam abandoned in January 1927 and the Brass seam abandoned in June 1927. It was then shown in the 1930/5 listings as being developed. Driven into the Nine-Feet seam near its outcrop it also encountered the following seams:

  • The Two-Feet-Nine seam at a thickness of 19 inches.
  • The Upper-Four-Feet seam (white) was at a thickness of 31 inches at a depth of 11 feet 3 inches.
  • The Six-Feet seam (Eighteen-Feet) at a thickness of 37 inches and a depth of 51 feet 3 inches.
  • The Red Vein seam had a thickness of 36 inches.
  • The Nine-Feet (Big) seam was ten feet 8 inches in thickness and called the Big Vein at this colliery and was at a depth of 166 feet 6 inches.
  • The Bute seam was worked at a thickness of 42 inches and was called the Brass Vein, it was 231 feet 8 inches deep.
  • The Gellideg (Bluers) seam was 38 inches in thickness and at a depth of 464 feet 2 inches.

This colliery closed in 1938.

Some statistics:

  • 1896: Manpower: 77.
  • 1902: Manpower: 199.
  • 1905: Manpower: 91.
  • 1907: Manpower: 129.
  • 1908: Manpower: 101.
  • 1909: Manpower: 101.
  • 1910: Manpower: 161.
  • 1911: Manpower: 115.
  • 1912: Manpower: 184.
  • 1913: Manpower: 269.
  • 1915: Manpower: 269.
  • 1916: Manpower: 320.
  • 1918: Manpower: 171.
  • 1919: Manpower: 220.
  • 1920: Manpower: 220.
  • 1922: Manpower: 220.
  • 1923: Manpower: 181. Output: 60,000 tons.
  • 1924: Manpower: 150.
  • 1926: Manpower: 220.
  • 1927: Manpower: 141.

 

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

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