Raven Colliery

Brynamman, (679135)

This anthracite mine was working as early as 1854 and was owned in 1858/65 by Thomas Strick and in 1878 by the Raven Coal Company and at that time managed by D. Hughes. It was flanked by Gelliceidrim Colliery to the west, the outcrop to the north, Ammanford Colliery to the east and Cawdor to the south.

In 1883 it was owned by Moses Davies and managed by John Thomas, while in 1884 it was owned by Messrs. Beard & Company and managed by J. Beard. In 1886/7 it was owned by the Garnant Colliery Company and worked the Peacock or Brass Vein. The manager at that time was Phillip George. In 1890 it was working the Trigloin, Peacock and Big Veins and was then owned by the Blaina & Raven Anthracite Collieries Limited.

The Raven or Amman Valley slant abandoned the Brynlloi seam in September 1893. It also worked the Big, Brass and Trigloin seams.

It was owned by Consolidated Anthracite Collieries in 1896 when it was reopening and in 1901 it was described as Amman Valley Colliery, Raven Slant and was working the Big Vein by long wall using safety lamps. It was managed by Thomas George in 1907 when it was listed as “recommenced” and working the Tyllwyd seam.

In 1918 it employed 82 men, it was still managed by Mr. George and employed 155 men in 1913 and was still owned by Consolidated Anthracite Collieries Limited, whose commercial manager was David Powell of Garnant. This company was possibly a subsidiary of Western Valleys Anthracite Company Limited who advertised in that year:

“Western Valleys Anthracite Co
Finest qualities of Anthracite For Breaking.
Cobbles, Nuts, Washed Pea Nuts, Peas, Etc
Specially prepared Anthracite for Gas Producer Plants
Collieries:- Cross Hands, Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway.
Tirydail, Great Western Railway.
Cwrngorse, Garnant, Great Western Railway.
Raven, Gamant, Great Western Railway
Closyryn, Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Railway
Llandebie, Tirydail, Great Western Railway
Shipping:- Facilities for Shipping at Swansea, Llanelly or Burry Port.
Steamers Bunkered.”

This company was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. In 1918 it employed 188 men and in 1919 it employed 130 men, with the manager in both years being R.J. Thomas.

Mr. Thomas was still the manager in 1923 when it employed 238 men working underground and 50 men working at the surface of the mine. Raven Colliery was swallowed up by Henderson’s Welsh Anthracite Collieries Limited, which in their turn was swallowed by a bigger fish in the shape of Amalgamated Anthracite Collieries Limited. In 1927 the manager was W.S. Wordlaw and it employed 550 men while in 1930 E.J. Davies was the manager and it employed 265 men working underground and 64 men at the surface of the mine. It closed in that year quoting “difficulty in working the seams.”

In 1934 Henderson’s was based at 81 Gresham Street, London and its directors were; Sir A. Cope, Sir D.R. Llewellyn, T.H. Henderson, T.P. Cook. D. Thomas, W. Peglar and W. Slark. It controlled ten collieries and employed 2,714 miners. The boys out in the west certainly liked to jiggle around with names and this colliery was no exception being called or linked to Amman Valley, Brynlloi, Fawr, Nantmain, Trigloin and Bryncwm.

It officially abandoned the Ty Llwyd in 1930, the Bryn seam in 1932, Peacock, Trigloyn and Brynlloi seams in 1935, the Big Vein in 1936 and the Upper Nine-Feet seam in 1944.

Some statistics:

• 1889: Output: 30,000 tons.
• 1901: Manpower: 15.
• 1902: Manpower: 53.
• 1907: Manpower: 40.
• 1908: Manpower: 88.
• 1910: Manpower: 166.
• 1911: Manpower: 151.
• 1912: Manpower: 180.
• 1913: Manpower: 155.
• 1918: Manpower: 188.
• 1919: Manpower: 130.
• 1920: Manpower: 130.
• 1923: Manpower: 333.
• 1924: Manpower: 485.
• 1925: Manpower: 380.
• 1927: Manpower: 279.
• 1928: Manpower: 336.
• 1930: Manpower: 330.
• 1931: Manpower: 160.
• 1933: Manpower: 322.
• 1940: Manpower: 644 with Jubilee and Pantyffynnon.
• 1944: Manpower: 227.

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