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Ponthenry Colliery, Gwendraeth Valley.
The mine began with the formation of the Ponthenry Colliery Company in 1865. It was a typical drift mine for the Valley. Three drifts following the outcropping high class anthracite coal seams deep below ground.
Six seams of coal where worked at the mine Big vein , Felin , Gwendraeth, Braslyd,
Pumquart and a small amount of Gras.
It was the Pumquart seam that was to make the mine famous for the horrendous
outbursts of fine coal dust and methane gas earning the mine the reputation
of being one of the most dangerous mine to work in the UK. In all there were
a total of 37 outbursts which claimed the lives of ten miners over a number
of years
From the Inspector of Mines list 1896, there were 192 men employed.
At its peak the mine employed over 800 men in three separate drifts, the Gwendraeth, Stepeny and Glynhir
In 1918 there were 504 employed.
From a list 1923, there were 634 men working at Ponthenry and Glyhir Slant, producing from the Gwendraeth, Braslyd, Pumpquart and Green seams.
Later it became part of the Amalgamated Anthracite Combine.
The following are the names of the miners who lost their lives at the mine
to the outburst phenomena:
William Thomas Williams 27th February, 1920.
Thomas Evans and Edwin James Williams 14th March, 1923.
George Buck, Samuel Philip Evans, William Henry Evans, William David Jenkins
and Stanley Morris 3rd September, 1924.
David John Lewis, Richard John Williams 10th July, 1928.
In 1936 the mine was closed with extensive reserves left below ground, however, it had become simply to dangerous to work.