Welsh Journals

The beginning of the Coal Industry in Loughor by M. J. THOMAS, with an introduction by F. V. EMERY THE BROADOAK COLLIERY AT LOUGHOR, unworked for many years, is well known to industrial archaeologists for some of its unique machinery. As an active pit it dominated the early days of coal mining in the Loughor district, it was large and prosperous, and in some respects it pioneered the coal industry that became a staple occupation for the men of Loughor and surrounding villages in the Victorian age. All the more remarkable, there- fore, are the notes about the Broadoak and other local collieries written by the late Mr. Morgan John Thomas of Loughor. He was the owner of Broadoak down to the time of nationalisation in 1947, and his narrative was based on the original leases, accounts and other records in his possession. Such information is by no means always easy to trace, even though concerned with relatively recent events in the industrial life and economic history of the community, so it is as well to put it on record. Mr. Thomas's notes have required very little amendment to prepare them for publication; he begins his story of the larger coal ventures in 1764 and continues it to the heyday of Welsh coal mining in the years before 1914. By 'the Borough' he means the borough of Loughor (Casllwchwr), and 'the Corporation' is also that of Loughor. The earliest authentic mention of a colliery within the Loughor Boundaries is made in a survey of Gower begun on 27th August, 1650, by Bussey Mansell, John Price and George Bellingham, who acted under a commission given by General Oliver Cromwell: "There is a coalworke on Morfa Lliw which the tenant houlds by lease from the Lord dat 26 ° Sep 1639 for xxj years and is to pay for every weight that shall be wrought iijs at Annen and Michas". Many small pits were sunk here and there after 1650. In 1764, Miss Anne Mackworth planned to open out on a more extensive scale. As yearly tenant she held Cae pen Coed, 1 t ac.; Cae mawr, 4 ac.; Cae Driscof mawr; 2 ac.; Cae Driscof Fach, t ac.; Croft Coed, t ac.; Waun y coed, 10 ac.; Cae Wern, 4 ac.; Cae Glo, 1-1 ac.; Waun Arlwydd, 8 ac.; Waun Ffa, 3 ac., in the Borough at the annual rent of £ 8. By a 25 years lease, which was granted on 7th October, 1764, but was in force as from 29th September, she held the coal under the above lands, the Gurnos, Loughor Common Loughor Marsh, Mynydd Rhos, Bishwell, and Mynydd Stafford. She was permitted to use any old workings, or open new, and was to pay 3/-d. per wey as royalty to the Duke of Beaufort and 4 horse loads of coal weekly at the pit side. The royalty was to be paid quarterly. Every wey was to be