North Rhondda Colliery

Glyncorrwg, Afan Valley 88818/00695

The No.1 mine was opened in 1908 to work the No.2 Rhondda seam by the North Rhondda Colliery Company of Merthyr House, James Street, Cardiff and was located approximately half a mile north-east of Glyncorrwg. The No.2 mine was located at Corrwgfechan.

In 1934 the directors of this company were; D. Morgan Rees, T.W. Jordan, C.C. Morley and H.J. Norton. The company secretary was H.R. Taylor. This company was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. In 1913/1918 it was managed by T.H. Jordan, and in 1934 it was managed by T.W. Jordan. In 1935 the No.1 Drift employed 16 men on the surface of the mine and 112 men working underground, while the No.2 Drift employed 17 men on the surface of the mine and 102 men were working underground producing steam coals. In 1943/5 it was managed by R.H. Button with the No.1 employing 18 men and the No.2 employing 104 men. Both were working the No.2 Rhondda seam.

On Nationalisation in 1947 North Rhondda Colliery was placed in the National Coal Board’s, South Western Division’s, No.2 Area, Afan Group, with the No.2 Drift being closed in May 1947. The No.1 Drift employed 38 men on the surface and 132 men underground in that year with the manager being R.H. Button who was still the manager in 1949. By 1954 manpower had increased to 42 men on the surface and 178 men underground with the manager now being H.T. Jones. In 1955 this colliery employed 126 of its workmen at the coalfaces, this figure dropped marginally to 124 men working at the coalfaces in 1956 and it dropped further down to 115 men working at the coalfaces in 1958.

North Rhondda Colliery was closed on the 29th of July 1960 when it abandoned the No.2 Rhondda seam.

Some Statistics:

• 1913: Manpower: 110.
• 1916: Manpower: 200.
• 1918: Manpower: 132.
• 1920: Manpower: 180.
• 1923: Manpower: 191.
• 1924: Manpower: 152.
• 1953: Manpower: 257. Output: 90,000 tons.
• 1954: Manpower: 220. Output: 83,000 tons.
• 1955: Manpower: 255. Output: 79,315 tons.
• 1956: Manpower: 257. Output: 75,832 tons.
• 1957: Manpower: 238. Output: 64,866 tons.
• 1958: Manpower: 223. Output: 100,130 tons. 

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