Henwaun Colliery

Blaina, Ebbw Fach Valley (199084)

The two shafts of this mine were sunk in 1857 to the steam coal seams of the Lower and Middle Coal Series, by the Bailey’s, the shaft was 165 yards deep. It was used to feed the iron works and was later owned by the Nantyglo and Blaina Company while in 1881 it became part of John Lancaster’s empire.

On the 3rd of March 1882, an explosion at this colliery killed five miners. It was managed in 1878 and 1888 by J. Williams, while in 1888 it was working the Big Vein (Four-Feet) and Elled coal seams. In 1889 it produced 141,024 tons of coal and in 1894 it produced 142,271 tons of coal while in 1896 it employed 391 men underground and 47 men on the surface working the same seams. The manager was still J. Williams. It was worked in conjunction with the Lower Deep Pit and in 1913 employed 1,368 men with the manager being Thomas Jones, and in 1918 along with the Lower Deep it employed 1,277 men underground and 140 on the surface, the manager was still Thomas Jones. He was still there in 1919 when it employed 1,368 men. It was in 1913 that John Lancaster advertised his coals; ‘Griffin Nantyglo Steam Coal (John Lancaster & Co., Ltd.

The Griffin Nantyglo Steam Coal Collieries are situated in the Western Valley of Monmouthshire, and the principal seams worked are the Old Vein, Three-quarter, Big Vein, Elled and The World-Famed Black Vein, of which there is a very large area remaining unworked in the Company’s Mineral undertaking. The coal is semi-bituminous and Ranks High For Its Evaporative Power And Economic Value. Its Uniformity Of Quality renders it an admirable fuel for Marine and Stationary Engines and for Locomotives. It is used extensively by many of the principal Steamship Companies and by British and Foreign Railways, including the Great Western Railway.

In 1922 the pits of the area were re-organised with the Beynon Colliery replacing them as the main production unit. The Henwaun pit was filled in in June 1963.

Some of those that died at this mine:

• 3/12/1856, William Thomas, Age: 25: Collier: Fall of stone from the side of the heading.
• 12/10/1858, James Butcher, Age: 14: Haulier: Fell under trams.
• 14/02/1870, John Jones, Age: 22: Collier: Whist at work in the Henwain pit a clod that should be taken down with the coal suddenly fell and killed him on the spot.
• 25/01/1875, Charles Tilley, Age: 40: Collier: Fall of the roof in Henwain Pit.
• 6/06/1872, Thomas Griffiths, Age: 55: Collier: Explosion of gas in Henwain pit.
• 10/10/1874, Daniel Gibbs, Age: 60: Platelayer: Killed by a truck on Henwain Railway
• 25/01/1875, Charles Tilley, Age: 40: Collier: Fall of the roof in Henwain Pit.
• 10/02/1877, Thomas Smith, Age: 32: Collier: Fall of the roof.
• 23/08/1890, John Bale, Age: 30: Collier: Fall of coal which he was holing.
• 22/03/1892, William Lovatt, Age: 15: Miner boy: Having jumped from the (morning) collier’s train before it stopped at Lower Deep Pit he stumbled and his leg was run over.
• 1/08/1893, John Walton, Age: 27: Collier: Fall of rock roof in Elled seam from unseen slips.
• 11/08/1894, John George Jones Age: 13 Date:: Door Boy: Crushed between a full train and the side of the road about 50 yards from the door which he was attending to.

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