South Wales Coalfield book query

Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians

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Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

Currently in my care is a book in rather poor condition. I have little idea how well known it is and wondered if it is of any great historic value (not monetary). It has a rather fine selection of photos of numerous pit sites, and glowing testimonials of the various coal companies. Any more info would be welcome.
🔗119830[linkphoto]119830[/linkphoto][/link]

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Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

It was most likely published in 1921.

Moorebooks
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5 years ago

Peter,

I have done some some searches looking for that book and there are non. I would suggest its probably rare. With a date of 1921 almost 100 years old the photos contained within are going to be a fabulous record.

Value wouldn't like to guess .

Its something that should maybe be in a library reference if that's what you want to do with it. First stop would be Big Pit?

Mike

Mike

allanr
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5 years ago

Hi Peter
I also have done a number of searches and come up blank.
Do we have any other info, publisher. etc?
Are the photos from one particular area, or are they of the S. Wales coalfield generally?
I suspect it may be some sort of local publication for local consumption, as such will be very scarce possibly even rare as Mike says.

Ty Gwyn
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5 years ago

Without the info Alan above mentioned it could possibly be a company advertisement for their products,i saw one recently on one of the Mining sites regarding Ystrad Owen Colliery advertising their Pumpquart coal.

Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

The general tone of the text suggests it is a regional mine owners' "propaganda" to counter the post WW1 narrative of nationalisation. The book turned up in our club cottage a while back and I took it home to remove it from abuse and damp, thinking to scan the photos but never got round to it. It is full of lists of directors, managers, owners etc with good descriptions of the mines and infrastructure.

Jimbo
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5 years ago

Scan it and add it to the AN database, probably long out of copyright by now. :thumbup:

"PDHMS, WMRG, DCC, Welsh Mines Society, Northern Mines Research Group, Nenthead Mines Society and General Forum Gobshite!"

Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

OK good idea - it's at least foolscap page size! I may have to take photos instead.

Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

Two sample pages (obviously I will do the photos properly 😉 ):

🔗119839[linkphoto]119839[/linkphoto][/link]

🔗119840[linkphoto]119840[/linkphoto][/link]

Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

#10

Any doubts about the purpose of the book might be dispelled by reading the last bit of the introductory chapter.

🔗119842[linkphoto]119842[/linkphoto][/link]

Jim MacPherson
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5 years ago

#11

Fascinating reading, may well be a bit one-sided but if there are no known other copies it deserves to be preserved in an archive in Wales, Big Pit, Aberystwyth library or whatever is most appropriate.

Jim

rufenig
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5 years ago

#12

"Jim MacPherson" wrote:
it deserves to be preserved in an archive in Wales, Big Pit, Aberystwyth library or whatever is most appropriate. Jim

If a "Museum attraction" like Big Pit fails the collection can get lost.
The archive at the The National Library of Wales will be safer.

(Just My opinion.) :thumbup:

skimble
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Newbie

5 years ago

#13

Could it be this book?
https://discover.library.wales/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=44NLW_ALMA21847066280002419&context=L&vid=44WHELF_NLW_NUI&lang=en_US&search_scope=LSCOP_INLIBRARY&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=tab4&query=any,contains,the%20south%20wales%20coalfield

Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

#14

Yes that is the one!

ptpeaty
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5 years ago

#15

Nationalisation was post WW2 and not WW1. However, the south Wales coalfield was in trouble after WW1 due to the loss of European customers who started getting their coal free from Germany as part of the Treaty of Versailles as war reparations. Several coal mines in Swansea area closed down as a result.
Looks a fascinating book.

Jim MacPherson
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5 years ago

#16

"ptpeaty" wrote:
Nationalisation was post WW2 and not WW1. However, the south Wales coalfield was in trouble after WW1 due to the loss of European customers who started getting their coal free from Germany as part of the Treaty of Versailles as war reparations. Several coal mines in Swansea area closed down as a result.
Looks a fascinating book.

Actually it was considered by the Sankey Commission in about 1920, generally they were in favour of it, hence the comments and tone in the book, but Government decided against.

https://www.historytoday.com/archive/black-friday-1921

Plenty about it in the link above.

Jim

Peter Burgess
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5 years ago

#17

As it seems there is a copy safely preserved in a national collection I will see what I can do about adding some or maybe all of it here if admins are ok with it. I can only post a series of image files rather than a cohesive pdf

Peter Burgess
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Newbie Topic Starter

5 years ago

#18

I have added photos from the book into relevant mine photo galleries. However, there are quite a few mines in the book that I can't find galleries for. As I am not familiar with the South Wales collieries, I can't be sure whether the mine exists in AditNow under a different name, or part of another mine, or whether I should create new mine entries for them.

Peter Burgess
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Newbie Topic Starter

5 years ago

#19

Collieries that I have not posted up are:

Bwllfa No.1 Pit
Bwllfa No.3 Pit
Coytrahen Park Colliery
Crybbwr Fawr Collieries
Cwmaman Colliery
Dyllas Colliery
Ocean Collieries Eastern Pit
Ocean Collieries Western Pit
Ely Pit
Fforchwen Colliery
Garth Colliery
Llwynhelig Colliery
Naval Colliery, Nantgwyn Pit
Naval Colliery, Pandy Pit
Oakwood Colliery
Park Pit
Ton Phillip Colliery
Welsh Navigation Coedely Pits

sinker
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Newbie

5 years ago

#20

Thanks for uploading these; they're fascinating. :thumbup:

Yma O Hyd....