Glynogwr Colliery

Gilfach Goch (97748907)

This was a level opened by the Glynogwr Colliery Company in 1910 to the No.2 Rhondda seam which it worked to the west and south of Gilfach village. It produced manufacturing and house coals.

The No.2 Rhondda seam had a thickness of between 48 inches to 51 inches in this area. In 1911 it was purchased by the Glenavon Garw Company who opened the No.2 Drift between 1913 and 1916 and the No.3 Drift between 1919 and 1925.

It was managed by Joseph Evans and produced 49,761 tons of coal in 1912, employed 167 men in 1913, in 1915/6 it employed 185 men, and 154 men underground and 39 men on the surface in 1918 when managed by Joseph Evans. In 1920/2 it employed 250 men. He was still the manager in 1923 when this mine employed 263 men working underground and 63 men working at the surface. In 1924/9 it employed 460 men and in 1930 there were 230 men working underground and 63 men working at the surface. The manager was still Joseph Evans. In 1932 it employed 260 men. It employed 63 men on the surface and 230 men underground in 1934. The manager at that time was G. Jenkins. In 1943/5 E.J. Morris was manager and it employed 187 men underground and 52 men on the surface.

This colliery had its own coal preparation plant (washery).

The Glenavon Garw Colliery Company was incorporated in 1907 and owned by R. McEwen and W.F. Gibb of Port Talbot and was a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. By 1934 the directors had increased to; R. Gibb, R. McEwan, C.I. Clay, E.R. Moxey and T. Gibb with W.F. Gibb as secretary. At that time it controlled six collieries employing 3,338 miners that produced 850,000 tons of coal. It became a subsidiary company of the Ocean Coal Company.

On Nationalisation in 1947, Glynogwr Colliery was placed in the National Coal Boards, South Western Division’s, Area No.3, Group No.2 and at that time employed 64 men on the surface and 214 men underground. The manager was still E.J. Morris. It was closed on September 24th 1949 with the manpower transferred to Ty Mawr Colliery to open up the Six-Feet seam.

Some statistics:

• 1910: Manpower: 79.
• 1912: Manpower: 176.
• 1913: Manpower: 167.
• 1915: Manpower: 185.
• 1916: Manpower: 185.
• 1918: Manpower: 193.
• 1920: Manpower: 250.
• 1922: Manpower: 250.
• 1923: Manpower: 326.
• 1924: Manpower: 255.
• 1929: Manpower: 460.
• 1932: Manpower: 260.
• 1933: Manpower: 173.
• 1934: Manpower: 293.
• 1937: Manpower: 232.
• 1938: Manpower: 231.
• 1940: Manpower: 293.
• 1942: Manpower: 283.
• 1943: Manpower: 239.
• 1945: Manpower: 239.
• 1947: Manpower: 278.
• 1949: Manpower: 54.

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