Tondu, Bridgend.

This mine was owned by the Tondu Colliery Company of Cardiff in 1893 when it was managed by William Blakemore. It worked the Cribbwr and Five-Quarter seam around 1897 on the pillar & stall system using safety lamps. At that time the downcast shaft was oval in shape measuring 14 feet by 10 feet and 684 feet deep while the upcast ventilation shaft was 8 feet 6 inches in diameter and 606 feet deep.

It abandoned the Yard seam in July 1922 and the Bodwr seam in November 1927. The New Tondu drift abandoned the Malthouse seam in June 1912.

Some of those who died at this mine:

  • 7/9/1853, Llewellyn Roberts, aged 40, collier, explosion of gas.
  • 10/6/1856, Thomas Jones, fell down the shaft drunk.
  • 27/10/1859, Owen Jones, aged 32, Seth Davies, aged 28, sinkers, rope broke in the shaft.
  • 6/4/1861, George Hunt, aged 25, engineer, scalded.
  • 17/5/1862, Isaac Coslett, aged 19, collier, roof fall.
  • 13/12/1862, Jenkin Rees, aged 18, collier, roof fall.
  • 11/12/1863, Morgan Morgan, aged 32, collier, roof fall.
  • 17/2/1864, Rees Lewis, aged 18, tipper, run over by trams.
  • 18/5/1865, Thomas Richards, aged 23, collier, roof fall.
  • 26/12/1865, Richard Jones, aged 26, sinker, fell down shaft.
  • 14/4/1866, John Thomas, aged 18, collier, roof fall.
  • 31/5/1866, Henry Edwards, aged 18, collier, roof fall.
  • 22/9/1866, John Griffiths, aged 18, collier, roof fall.
  • 1/11868, William Jones, aged 24, collier, roof fall.
  • 7/11/1866, John Lewis, aged 40, collier, roof fall.
  • 23/5/1868, T. Howell, aged 23, collier, roof fall,
  • 12/6/1870, E. David, aged 65, furnaceman, shaft incident.
  • 10/1/1871, D. James, aged 13, labourer, run over by trucks.
  • 18/4/1871, J. Lambeth, collier, roof fall.
  • 13/6/1871, J. Thomas, aged 24, haulier, run over by trams.
  • 1/8/1872, John Harris, aged 50, collier, roof fall.
  • 27/8/1893, Joseph Harry, aged 56, fireman, drowned.
  • 20/10/1893, John Thomas, aged 16, trammer, roof fall.

 

TONDU COLLIERY
Tondu, Bridgend

There were two Tondu Drifts owned by the North’s Navigation Company. They were listed as temporarily abandoned in 1923 and stopped in 1924.

 

This information has been provided by Ray Lawrence, from books he has written, which contain much more information, including many photographs, maps and plans. Please contact him at welshminingbooks@gmail.com for availability.

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