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Glamorgan (Scotch) Colliery, Llwynypia.
Between 1861 and 1862 Mr. Begg sank the first two pits at Llwynypia, to the Rhondda No2 & 3 bituminous seams, for the Glamorgan Coal Company, which was formed by Archibald Hood.
Hood purchased Trealaw colliery and he renamed it Llwynypia No.3. Nos.2 and 3 were used for winding and No.1 was the upcast.
In the early 1870's another two shafts were sunk to the steam coal measures. No.4 for pumping and No.5, which became the upcast for No.3. Later No.6 was added.
No.3 pit worked the No.3 Rhondda seam and the coal it produced supplied the collieries coking plant, where high quality "Hoods Coke" was manufactured. Later when the No.3 Rhondda seam became exhausted, a level was driven close to the No.5 pit to work the No.2 Rhondda seam.
The colliery was also famous for making bricks from the clay mined at No.3 pit.. Women using hand moulds produced up to 10,000 per day.
From the Inspector of Mines list 1896, No.3 produced House coal and fireclay and Nos.1, 2 and 6 produced steam coal employing a workforce of 2,331 in total.
It became part of the Cambrian Combine Company 1907, and was the scene of violent clashes during the Tonypandy riots of 1910/11.
In 1913 the number employed here had increased to 3,907.
By 1918 No.3 had ceased production and was maintained for pumping only. At this time there were 3,156 employed at Nos.1,2 6 and Sherwood level.
From a list 1923, there were 2,372 men employed at Nos.1,2 and 6 and 27 at the Sherwood level, with a further 532 surface workers. Coal was produced from the Two Feet Nine, Four Feet, New Six Feet, Five Feet, Lower Five Feet, Bute and Pentre seams. At this time No.3 "water course only".
An explosion occurred at this colliery on the 25th of January 1932, which killed 11 miners, including two members of the rescue party.
The names of the dead, who all perished by afterdamp poisoning.Morgan Bowen 22 Gilfach Road, Tonypandy Richard Cheney 50 Fireman Sherwood Place, Tonypandy Charles Cryer 54 Dan y Coed, Blaenclydach Stan Dando 42 Gilmore Street, Tonypandy Herbert Evans 46 Crayshaw Road, Penygraig John Evans 54 Overman The Chandery, Lwynypia David Hughes 53 William Street, Tonypandy John Jones 57 Fireman Sherwood Place, Tonypandy David Rogers 49 Bailey Street, Tonpentre Clifford Sparrow 15 Cambrian Place, Tonypandy Will Thomas 42 Waendale, Dinas
Only Nos.1 and 2 pits remained open by 1938 employing 560 men.
The colliery closed in August 1945 but was maintained for pumping until 1966.