Vernavon Colliery

WERNAVON COLLIERY

Pontrhydyfen, Afan Valley (790936)

There was a Wern Colliery near Aberavon that was opened in 1811 by S. Fothergill Letson and sold to Vigours and Smith in 1819.

This mine was shown in 1903 as being owned by the Ynysavon Colliery Company of Cwmavon and employed 20 men underground working the Wernpistyll Rider seam in 1907. No men were listed on the surface.

On the 20th of March 1910, Francis Howells, aged 28 years and a collier, died while raising a piece of bottom stone near the extremity of a former shot, the steel wedge he was driving into a crack in the stratum appears to have struck some unexploded pellets of Saxonite left in the shot hole, causing an explosion which killed him.

In 1913 it was listed as being worked by the Wernavon Colliery Company of Skewen which was not a member of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. It was managed by T. Lougher and employed 45 men in 1913 producing house and manufacturing coals. In 1917 it was owned by the Skewen-Wernavon Colliery Company Limited of Neath and employed 28 men underground and 5 men on the surface, the manager was Thomas Loughor while in 1920 it employed 70 men and was still managed by T. Lougher.

It worked the Wernpistyll, Wernpistyll Rider and the Wernddu Rider on closure in 1919 when it employed 70 men.

Some statistics:

• 1907: Manpower: 20.
• 1909: Manpower: 21.
• 1910: Manpower: 25.
• 1911: Manpower: 20.
• 1912: Manpower: 33.
• 1913: Manpower: 45.
• 1917: Manpower: 33.
• 1920: Manpower: 70.

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