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Prince of Wales, Victoria, Ebbw Vale, 1918.
Victoria pits were a series of 16 mine workings producing both coal and iron ore to supply the Victoria Ironworks owned by the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co. Ltd.
The shaft of the original Victoria No.1 colliery was sunk to a depth of 690 feet by the Ebbw Vale Company and completed in 1846 (other shafts were sunk later). Although it was only a single shaft it was used to raise both coal and iron from three different levels. Winding was by the Water Balance method.
The No. 6 pit was added in 1847. This was also a water balance pit working both iron and coal.
There occurred an accident just over one year after it opened, when 11 miners who were descending the shaft fell to their deaths after a rope, which was connected to a counter balance bucket became detached.
On March 2nd 1871, a gas explosion occurred at the Victoria No.1 pit killing eighteen men and one boy.
At the inquest the government mines inspector reported that a blower of gas from the coalface had been ignited by a naked flame, he also added that the ventilation was inadequate and this was compounded by the abnormal weather conditions. In his report to the Home Office the inspector stated if his earlier advice on ventilation improvement had been put into practice the explosion probably would not have occurred.
After the explosion the pit was closed down, it reopened eleven years later when steam powered winding and ventilation fans were installed.
In 1896 a workforce of 363 were producing coal from the Big Vein, Byddeg, Old Coal and Old Woman's Coal seams.
By 1908 the workforce had increased to 463.
No. 6 closed in 1894 and No. 5 closed in 1895 and reopened in 1914 it was then called Prince of Wales, Victoria. Victoria No. 1 closed in 1914.
In 1918 there were 998 men employed.From a list 1923, there were 1,089 men working, producing from the Black Vein and Gwarycae seams.
Later Partridge Jones & John Paton Ltd. owned it.
Production ceased in 1929.
In 1945 there were only 8 men employed for pumping and ventilation.
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Victoria Colliery Ebbw Vale No.6 and No.5 Pits