Out Of The Blue Artifacts A Library of a lifetime of collecting
Cwm Farm Level.
There were a few coal levels in the Cwm Farm area though I haven’t got any pin-point exact locations only maps with very few details. The featured photograph shows (circled) the areas of the three known levels on the map. The area was owned by the Cwm Estate, hence the names, Cwm Farm, Cwm Cottage Road, Cwm Street and the Cwm Hotel etc.
Mr Joseph Wallace.
In 1883 the Midland & Northern Coal & Iron Trades Gazette published a list of coalmines in Monmouthshire by the H.M. Inspector Mr Thomas Cadman of Lydney, Gloucestershire. The list stated that Mr Joseph Wallace was the owner of Cwm Farm Colliery. Mr Wallace was the general manager at the Cwmtillery Colliery under the South Wales Colliery Company.
The Jubilee Level.
The Jubilee Level, Cwm Farm was on ground owned by the Cwm Estate close to where the Abertillery Drill Hall is today.
In about 1880 the coal level was owned by Mr W. B. Harrison, St Julians, Abertillery.
In 1891 Mr W. B. Harrison won a contract to supply coal to the schools at Abertillery and Cwmtillery. The prices of the coal were as follows – Abertillery Schools 10s. 9d. per ton and the Cwmtillery Schools for 11s. 6d. per ton. The price difference reflected the delivery distances and the varying transport costs.
The entrance to the Jubilee Level was somewhere close to where the junction of Cwm Cottage Road and Earl Street is today, the waste was dumped just close to the entrance and formed waste tips. These tips were later flattened and spread out to enable the building of the Queen Street School and the forming of the Jubilee Field opposite. The Jubilee Field later became known as Judd’s Field when the Cwm Hotel was built, (named after the landlord Mr C. J. Judd). Many shows and fetes were held on this field though it was later purchased for the building of the Abertillery Drill Hall.
The Vivian Trial Level.
This small level was situated a little further south close to where the Vivian St – Alexandra Road junction is today. It was in production before the Vivian Colliery was sunk and later got consumed by the colliery out-buildings. The above image shows the level entrance just behind the colliery winding house.
Unknown Trial Level.
On the 1880’s maps there was a small unknown level situated directly on the site where the Cwm Hotel was built. It must have closed when the new hotel was planned or when Alexandra Road was excavated and laid down in the early 1900’s.