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Maerdy Nos. 1 and No. 2, circa 1909.
Two men from Brecon, Mordecai Jones (who also owned Mountain Ash
Level) and Wheatley Cobb started Maerdy No.1 and No. 2 in 1875. They reached
the Abergorki seam in December 1876. In 1877 the owners took the name of Locket's Merthyr
Company. The following year the shafts were deepened, the reach the steam
coal seams including the Two Feet Nine, Four Feet, and Six Feet seams at 500
yards.On the 23rd of December 1885, an explosion occurred at this
colliery killing 81 men and boys. The force of the blast in the shaft smashed a
cage and broke all four guide ropes. There were many large roof falls and some
of the air doors were reduced to splinters of wood. The explosion occurred in a part of the mine called the Arches.
Incredibly in this area of the mine naked lights were used to illuminate the
roadways, however because it was the main intake with good ventilation the naked
flames were considered to be safe.
By 1893 the workings of Nos. 1 and 2 pits
became extended so
the company decided to sink No. 3 pit, which was nearer the reserves about a
mile further up the valley. From the Inspector of Mines list 1896, there were 1262 employed at
Maerdy Nos. 1 and 2 pits, with a further 225 employed at No. 3
pit. No. 4 pit was added near to No. 3 in 1914. In 1932 it was taken over by the Bwllfa and Cwmaman Collieries
Ltd. and coal production ceased at Maerdy at Nos. 1 and 2 the same
year. Nos. 3 and 4 pits ceased production in 1940 but were kept open for
maintenance only.
After the
nationalisation of the collieries in 1947 the National
Coal Board spent £5 million completely reconstructing the colliery including a
new surface layout and a new horizon mining system underground. Also a link was
made with the Bwllfa No. 1 pit workings over two miles away at the head of the
Dare valley. During the mid 1970's a workforce of 1,120 men were producing
253,000 tons of coal yearly from the Gorllwyn and No. 1 yard seams. Maerdy the last deep mine
in the Rhondda valley closed in
1985.
Information on individual collieries kindly supplied by www.welshcoalmines.co.uk
