The purpose of this publication is to portray the main surface elements of working Welsh collieries as they survived into the 1980s and 1990s - almost invariably multi-period complexes with structures adapted and re-adapted during successive rebuildings and enlargements. This book seeks to portray in simple terms the technology used in relation to these structures and buildings; and also to place them in a historical context. It is hoped that others will be encouraged to explore in greater depth the archives which have been safeguarded and to interpret further the 'archaeology' of what was one of the most significant industries in the formation of modern Wales. Contents Preface Introduction The Planning and Design of Collieries Collieries Underground Colliery Headframes Winding Coal Water Pumping Mine Ventilation The Use of Compressed Air Preparation of Coal for Sale Workshops and Stores Colliery Offices Pithead Baths Conclusion Glossary Surviving Colliery Machinery Gazetteer of Protected Colliery Sites Index

This volume portrays bygone collieries with photographs on the surface and underground of an industry now virtually non-existent and just a memory.

This collection of over 200 images provides an illustrated account of the South Wales Coalfield, once one of the largest and most productive in Britain. It shows the area's industrial history during the past 200 years as well as giving a glimpse of village life in Monmouthshire.

It is widely believed that the employment of children underground in coal mines ended in 1842. This book, in contrast, shows that young people remained an important part of the workforce up until the virtual demise of the industry in the late twentieth century. The Children’s Employment Commission was established in 1840 to expose the conditions under which children had to work underground; as we might expect, public opinion was outraged by what came to light, and a law was passed to prevent all females and boys under the age of ten from working underground. However, the lack of inspectors made the law difficult to enforce, and many females and boys under ten continued to work illegally until Parliament made school attendance compulsory in the 1860s. This popular and accessible book is a rich source of information about the working lives of children and young people in the Welsh coalfields, richly illustrated to include extensive work from Amgueddfa Cymru’s photographic archives.