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Victoria Pit, Gadlys Colliery, Aberdare.
During the 1820's Mathew Wayne, who was formerly in a partnership at ironworks in Nant-y-glo, in the Ebbw Fach valley in Gwent established an ironworks at Gadlys. It was supplied by ironstone and coal mined locally from small levels.
His son, Thomas Wayne sank the first deep in the area pit at Abernant-y-Groes, Cwmbach, in 1837. This shaft was 80 yards deep to the Four Feet, Steam coal seam.
Gadlys Old and New pit, which was a was sunk by the Wayne's Gadlys Iron Co, were working by 1844. They was sunk to the Five Feet seam at 140 yards deep.
Five men were killed here in a localised gas explosion on 24th of April 1848.
Another explosion occurred on October the 4th 1871, also
killing five men.
They were;
Davies, David aged 27 of Miriam Street Trecynon Hamlett, Thomas aged 11 of Ynysllwyd Street Jones, David aged 28 of Glan Road Morse, David aged 18 of Morgan Street Isaac, William died later of injuries.
Yet another explosion one the 24th October 1872 claimed four more lives.
The Ironworks closed in 1875.
Later Waynes Merthyr Steam Coal and Iron Works Co. Ltd. owned it, and they sank a New pit (Victoria), which was the upcast.
From the Inspector of Mines list 1896, New pit Gadlys, 245 employed, producing Steam coal.
Later (1892) it was owned by Lancaster, Speir and Co., before its acquisition by the Powell Duffryn Company.
It ceased production in 1939, but was maintained for pumping until 1971/2.