TIRPENTWYS COLLIERY

Tirpentwys Colliery was being sunk in 1878, with the Downcast shaft at a distance of around a quarter of a mile in depth. The Upcast shaft was a little less deep at 426 yards.

In its heyday the colliery employed in excess of 1500 miners and over 100 horses.

Once a year Management and colliery owners selected several horses each, who were shown and judged in competition against other Collieries owners horses.

The competition sometimes took place at Pontypool Park during carnival time, and when the winner was announced a great cheer was heard, as to win this trophy was considered to be a very great honour. From my memory, one of the Tirpentwys horses was named Archer.

This is the pit bottom of the Downcast shaft where Men and Coal were lifted to the surface by way of cages "Bonds" This operation was carried out with the aid of a man called an Onsetter "right of the image" whose job was to load and offload Men, coal and supplies, etc.

In 1902 a terrible disaster occurred when winding men to the surface in the upcast shaft. Whilst nearing the top a piece of wood had somehow become lifted with the winding rope, which in turn resulted in the rope being flipped off the wheel and causing it to drop instantly onto the wheel axle, snapping the rope thus sending the cage and its eight occupants to the shaft bottom. Among those killed were a father and two sons.

Those who perished were

William Strong 42 father

William strong 19 son

John Strong 16 son

John Price 21

James Parsons 27

James Lloyd 26

William Hawkins 17

Grantley Rudge 21