The Broadoak Colliery – Loughor

 

Taken from the Llwchwr Society Magazine 1989

 

 

On the 17^th July, 1824, the Broadoak field was leased to Thomas Edwards. The lease was for 50 years from the Duke of Beaufort and the yearly rent was £100.

 

The work of the sinking was carried out vigorously and coal was worked early in 1825. In trying to arrive at the approximate output of the Broadoak during the early days, we find that the total quantity raised from 25^th March, 1832 to 25^th January, 1834. According to the paysheet of George Wilkinson, who held the works, was 76,763 baskets. According to the account with the landlord, it was 80,996 baskets. The total quantity shipped from the colliery, including shipments to Gower, during the same period, and according to the shipping book, was 2,283 weys.

 

On 18^th May, 1825, vessels started to take away the coal. The first took 60 chauldrons (99 tons), the ships berthing close to the colliery itself.

 

Thomas Edwards’ connection with the works was severed in 1827. Then, Mr. French took over for a short time. He was succeeded, also in 1827 by a Mr. Cliff. In the middle of 1829, Mr. George Wilkinson joined Mr. Cliff, but he soon took up the lease himself and appointed Mr. Hunt as his agent.

 

On 25^th March, 1832, Mr. Wilkinson took over the works himself without an agent until September 1833 when Mr. Evan John became manager and agent. He held the post until September 1834 when Mr. Biddulph and Mr. Shears, Spitty Copper Works, subleased the mine on condition of keeping the terms of the lease and paying Mr. Wilkinson an improved royalty. They let the colliery out under contract to Mr. Evan John for one year, then in 1835, the Loughor Colliery Co. took over and appointed a Mr. Duncan as agent.

 

In the early days the coal raised at the Broadoak was shipped at the quay near the glassworks. Recognising the advantage of a shipping place lower down the river. Mr. George Wilkinson proceeded in 1833 to repair and reconstruct the shipping place at the junction of the Lliw and Lwchwr – below the present bridges. In carrying out this work, he trespassed onto the Marsh and Beach, the property of the Corporation and the Clerk to the Corporation wrote to him asking him to reinstate the Marsh and Beach as well as an old building called the “Old Quay”. Coal from the Coalbrook or Mountain Colliery was also shipped from here until 1866.

 

Coalbrook ceased sending coal when the L&N.W. Railway was opened through Gorseinon or Loughor Common, as the station was called then.

 

There were two explosions at the pit. One on 13^th February, 1830, the other on 5^th January, 1897. In the first, six people were killed – 3 men aged between 40 – 45 years of age and 3 boys aged approximately 12 years old. The men were called :-

 

William Thomas – Y Waun – brother of Edmond Thomas

Thomas Jenkins, who lived in the 2^nd house opposite the church

David Hughes who lived in Ffosfelen

 

 

The boys were :-

 

John Morris- son of Daniel Morris – Fernhill

John Thomas- son of Edmond Thomas

Thomas Morgan- brother of Rees and Phillip Morgan

 

In 1897 five men were killed, they were :-

 

David Lewis – fireman – aged 52 – married

Morgan Saunders – haulier – aged 53 – married

Thomas White – repairer – aged 45 – married

John Tolman – repairer – aged 38 – married

Thomas Bowen – repairer – aged 28 – married

 

 

In the second occasion, a committee was formed and a relief fund opened. A sum of nearly £400 was collected and distributed among the families of the deceased.

 

The NCB took over in 1947, but the pit was closed in 1949 owing to lack of productivity.