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Markham Colliery, around 1983.
Situated between Blackwood and Tredegar in the Sirhowy Valley, shaft sinking at Markham was begun in 1910, coal was first produced at this colliery in 1913.
The two shafts (North and South) were sunk to the Big Vein level at 598 yards by the Markham Steam Coal Company a subsidiary of Tredegar Iron and Coal Company.
It was named after Sir Arthur Markham son of a director of T.I.C. and it was the first colliery in the Sirhowy Valley to employ electric winding gear.
During the sinking on May 18th, 1912 an explosion occurred in one of the shafts killing 6 men, they were:-
George Jones, mechanic
Jack Snatcham, sinker
Bert Batley, fitter
Fred Smith, sinker
Tim Patrick, fitter
Mike Carrol, fitter
Four men Llewellyn Howells, James Joseph Leach, Arthur Thomas Winborn and William Downing Wooley were award Edward V11 medals (second class) for their action at this incident.
It was stated at the inquest ".....this was the first occasion in the history of the country where life was saved by means of the rescue apparatus".
In 1918 there were 1,112 men employed.
From a report 1923, there were 2,117 men employed, working the Big Vein and Upper Rhas Las seams.
A heading was driven linking it to Oakdale Colliery during World War 2 giving men in either colliery an escape route in case of bombing. This practice took place in many collieries linking them with their neighbouring pits for the same reason.
In 1945 there were 1421 men employed.
From 1979 the coal produced at Markham reached the surface via Oakdale Colliery.
Markham closed in 1986.