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Mclaren Colliery, Abertysswg, 1911.
Named after Sir Charles Mclaren, a director with the Tredegar Iron and Coal Co. Ltd.
The sinking of Nos.1 and 3 pits began in 1895, both shafts were 350 yards deep and production commenced in 1897. The abandoned Pwll-y-Llaca pit at Pontlottyn, which was started in 1890 by the Rhymney Iron Company was deepened and reused as an upcast shaft, No.2.
It worked coal that had become too uneconomic to mine from Bedwellty pits owning to the distance from the shafts.
By 1898 it was producing 750 tons of coal per day.
On Wednesday the 3rd of September 1902, an explosion in the No.1 pit killed seventeen men. Prior to this accident McLaren was considered to be a "safe pit". The explosion occurred about 11.00 pm when there were 120 nightshift workers underground.
In 1908 and 1913 there were 1,780 and 1,833 men employed respectively.
From a report 1923, there were 1,686 men working at the Mclaren Nos.1 and 3 pits, producing from the Big Vein, Polka, Rhas Las and Old Coal seams.
By 1945 the number of men employed was 735.
It closed in 1959.
After closure many of the men were transferred to the nearby Ogilvie colliery, to which it was connected underground, however they still descended and ascended the McLaren shaft.