History of the Gwent Collieries

The Pithead Baths Proposal. In March 1929 a proposal was presented to the workers at the Rose Heyworth Colliery to have a pithead baths built for the benefit of the coal miners. In July 1929 a ballot was held to see if the workmen really wanted a pithead baths to be built in the first place and to put forward …

Mining School – Crumlin Monmouthshire. Prior to established mining schools and colleges, the various aspects of advanced mining education in connection with colliery officials and management etc was usually given at local schools in the coal mining districts. These mining classes were usually held after normal school hours under the Technical Instruction Committees. During the rapid expansion of the coal …

Rose Heyworth Colliery Surface Plan. Abertillery New Mine – Rose Heyworth Section. Rose Heyworth Colliery surface plan. The one and only original N.C.B. plan. Size 6′ x 2′ foot.  Rose Heyworth Colliery and Cwmtillery Colliery had always been connected below ground from the time of the former’s sinking between 1874-75, though in 1959 a new drift was driven between the …

Mr Matthew Habakkuk – Colliery Owner, Agent and Mining Engineer. Mr Matthew Habakkuk was born in the 1790’s at Langyfelach, Glamorgan. Some documents have him with differing age. I believe he married a Margaret (no information) she was from the same town Langyfelach, Glamorgan and was born in 1800. An advertisement from the Monmouthshire Merlin newspaper (as seen left) dated …

Penybont Colliery Sinking Report 1848. A newspaper report from the Principality Newspaper dated Friday 8th of September 1848. It shows the Tyr Nicholas Colliery, Cwmtillery Colliery, progressing. Originally sunk under the ownership of Mr Thomas Brown, purchased by Mr John Russell in 1847 and being expanded under the supervision of Mr Martin of Risca. The report also mentions the progress …

Shaft Diver at the Penybont Tillery Colliery. The following is a report from an engineering item written by Mr T. Dyne Steel, M.E. a shareholder and engineer who had connections with of the Penybont Tillery Colliery in the 1860’s. The Devonshire Journal. This article is from the Devonshire Journal, dated December 1865, it states that Mr T. Dyne Steel has …

Six Bells Disaster June 1960. On Tuesday 28th of June 1960, at about 10.40am an explosion occurred in the No5 Pit W-District at the Six Bells Colliery, Abertillery, with forty-five men sadly losing their lives. Details of the Colliery. The Six Bells Colliery (as seen left) formerly known as the Arrael Griffin Colliery No4 and No5 was in the number …

The Six Bells Colliery Disaster – Six Bells Colliery Explosion. On Tuesday 28th June 1960, an explosion occurred below ground at the Six Bells Colliery, Six Bells, resulting in the death of 45 men. The Monmouth Constabulary – Official Report. The report that follows – was compiled by the superintendent of D-Division on the 13th of July 1960 and sent …

The Report on the Causes of, and Circumstances Attending the Explosion which occurred at Six Bells Colliery, Monmouthshire, on the 28th of June 1960. 15th December 1960. The Right Honourable Richard Wood, M.P., Minister of Power. Sir. 1. In accordance with your direction under Section 122 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1954, I held a public inquiry with respect …

The Salvation Army Congress Hall Band of London – 1911. In June 1911 the Salvation Army Congress Band of London visited Risca and Abertillery, during their visit they performed pieces of musical works. Some of the members of the Congress Band were as follows – Captain H. Otway: Bandsmen, A. Dalziel; R. Lawley; Holmes; Goffin and Kyle: At Six Bells …