Maesmelyn Colliery

Cwmavon  788921

In 1912 this mine was opened by Bell & Daniel and in 1913 the Maesmellin Colliery Company Limited was established with a capital of £1,000 in £1 shares to take over from John Frederick Bell and Edward Daniel. The new directors were J.H. Taylor, T. Williams and D. Harris. In 1918 it employed 17 men underground and 2 men on the surface but by 1920 this had increased to 210 men. This mine was listed in 1918, 1921/1930 as being owned by Hudson’s Limited of Port Talbot with T. Walters as the manager. In 1930 it employed 172 men and produced 20,000 tons of coal.

In 1932 it was in the hands of Briton Ferry Collieries Limited of Post Office Chambers, Port Talbot. This company was incorporated in 1922 and by 1932 its directors were; R. Gibb junior, H. Williams, R. McEwan, W. Frame Gibb, W.J. Thomas and C. Noot. At that time it controlled two mines, Cwmmawr and Maesmelyn producing 35,000 tons of coal. Under the control of this company, Maesmelyn employed 5 men on the surface and 30 men underground working the Tormynydd seam for the house, manufacturing and coking coals in 1930/5.

The No.1 was lying idle in 1928/30 while the No.2 was stopped in June 1932. The manager in 1930 was Jenkin Thomas and in 1935 it was Hadyn Davies. It was owned by the Dynevor Main Colliery Company and employed five surface and 30 men underground working the Tormynydd seam for house, manufacturing and coking coals in 1930/5. In 1943 it was still owned by the Dynevor Main Colliery Company and employed five men working underground in the Lower Maesmawr seam and two men on the surface.

In 1945 it was owned by Hendy Merthyr Colliery Company and employed 64 men. The manager was T.E. Lloyd. It abandoned the Graig Seam in 1882, the Upper Maesmelyn Seam in 1924 and the Lower Maesmelyn Seam in 1946.

It had closed as a production unit by the time of Nationalisation in 1947 although the National Coal Board list D.L. Jones as manager for that year and in 1949 it is listed as employing 54 men working underground and 22 men working at the surface and produced 25,000 tons with D.L. Jones still the manager. Please also see the listing on Cwmavon Collieries.

Some statistics:

• 1912: Manpower: 8.
• 1918: Manpower: 19.
• 1920/2: Manpower: 210.
• 1923: Manpower: 46.
• 1924: Manpower: 53.
• 1925: Manpower: 110.
• 1928: Manpower: 18.
• 1930: Manpower: 35.
• 1943: Manpower: 7.
• 1945: Manpower: 64.
• 1949: Manpower: 76.

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