Wales
The Forgotten History Of Coal Mining In Wales.
Coal mining in Wales has a long history. It began in the 1600s and continued until the 20th century when labour-saving technology made it cheaper for coal to be imported from other countries. Coal was essential to fuel the industrial revolution and helped power London, Manchester, Glasgow and many other cities across Britain. But it also had terrible consequences for the environment: Welsh miners suffered horrid working conditions and low pay while they dug up millions of tons of coal that polluted air, water and land throughout Wales.
Coal mining in Wales has a long history.
Wales is the fifth-largest coal mining country in Europe and has been producing coal since Roman times. The first mine was opened at Parys Mountain near Amlwch on Anglesey in 1804 by John Williams, who later went on to become High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire.
In its heyday, during the late 19th century there were over 600 mines across Wales employing over 200000 men and boys (some as young as 9 years old). During these years, many Welsh towns grew around their collieries, such as Aberdare, which had 13 pits operating within its boundaries by 1850 — making it one of Britain’s most important industrial centres.
The last deep mine in Wales closed in 2008, although opencast mining continues.
Mining coal caused terrible problems for the environment.
Coal mining damaged the landscape, destroyed wildlife and polluted water and air. It was also dangerous, with many miners losing their lives in accidents or underground explosions.
Coal mining was also backbreaking work. Miners had to use special lamps called Davy lamps to see in the dark underground mines. These lamps burned a mixture of methane and air and produced an orange-red light that miners could see when they went down into the mine.
The lamps were dangerous because they could explode and fire the miners’ clothes. There were also many accidents when miners were working with machinery underground. Miners had to work hard for very little money, as there were no laws about how much coal companies should pay them for their labour.
The conditions in the mines were so bad that many miners began to fight back. They formed unions and went on strike, even though this led to more violence in the streets between police and protesters. Eventually, the government stepped in and passed laws which meant miners were paid more money for their work.
Welsh coal was essential to the industrial revolution.
The first coal mine in Wales opened in 1425 and by 1851, there were over 1000 mines across Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. Welsh miners helped to develop new technologies that allowed them to move further underground and deeper into the earth, bringing more coal out of the ground than ever before.
They used their hard work and ingenuity to create machines like pit ponies (donkeys), which could haul carts filled with coal up steep inclines without needing any human assistance — and they did so safely for over 100 years! The growth of steam power was also key for mining: steam engines powered pumps that drained water from deep mineshafts; they also drove crushers which crushed large pieces of rock into smaller pieces, so they could be transported more easily; finally, steam locomotives were used underground as well as above ground during transportation operations such as loading coal onto ships at ports like Cardiff Docks or Port Talbot Steelworks where they would be made into steel products like railway tracks or ships’ hulls respectively.”
2023 will be the last year that workers are employed in Welsh coal mines.
It has been nearly 25 years since the last Welsh coal mine closed. In 1993, Tower Colliery in Merthyr Tydfil was shut down, bringing an end to more than 150 years of mining in Wales. The following year saw the closure of Kellingley Colliery in North Yorkshire, making it the last deep-shaft coal mine in Britain — and indeed Europe — to be abandoned by its owners.
However, despite these closures being some time ago now and many people have forgotten about them or not paying much attention at all when they happened (especially if they were born after), there is still one final chapter left for Welsh miners: 2023 will be the year that workers are employed in Welsh collieries for the very last time!
There’s a lot more to coal than just black smoke.
Coal is a fossil fuel, which means that it comes from dead plants and animals. Coal generates electricity, produces steel and cement, and makes synthetic rubber and fibres for clothing.
Coal has been mined in Wales for thousands of years, but there was a big decline in production during the early 20th century. Today there are still several active mines operating across Wales, including Cefn Coed Colliery near Aberdare, where they’ve been digging coal since 1838!
The story of coal mining in Wales is a fascinating one, and it’s easy to forget that this industry has been part of our history for over 200 years. But it’s important not to forget what happened before we moved on to other forms of energy because it gives us a better understanding of where we’re going today. The Welsh government plans new jobs in renewable energy industries like wind farms, which will help compensate for lost coal mining jobs after 2022 when all mines are closed down forever!
