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Llay Main colliery, Nr. Wrexham, 1966.
Llay Main Collieries Ltd. began the sinking of the two shafts of this colliery in 1914, but the work was suspended by orders from the Home Office in 1917. Sinking recommenced in January 1919 and was finally completed in April 1921.
No. 1 (downcast) and No. 2 (upcast) were sunk to a depth of 905 yards and 810 yards respectively, although the winding depth was 776 yards for each shaft.
From a list 1923, there were 2,013 men employed, producing House and Steam coal from the Two Yard, Brassey and Main seams.
An underground explosion caused by shot firing igniting a body of gas occurred
on the 5th of December 1924 killing nine men.
They were;
Isaac Evans, age 19. J.W. Hughes, age 22. William Ernest Williams, age 41. John Humphreys, age 53. Edward Henry German, age15. Joseph Reginald Evans, age 35. Thomas Charles Fletcher, age 43. Henry Jones, age 36. Robert Percival Evans, age 32 (Brother of Reginald Evans).
In 1926 the ownership changed hands to Charlton Main Colliery Ltd. although the name of the company did not change.
During 1929 output reached nearly 4,000 tons per day from the Two yard, Brassy and Main seams.
In 1945 there were 2,501 men employed.
Sometime after Nationalisation in 1947 the shafts were deepened to 1,000 yards making it the deepest pit the country.
The colliery closed in 1966 because of geological problems.
Photograph required
Situated at Cefn-y-Bedd, near Wrexham the sinking of this colliery was completed in 1877 by the Llay Hall Coal, Iron, and Coke Limited.
In 1881 two men and ten horses were killed in an explosion at the colliery.
From the Inspector of Mines list 1896, the owner was E.S Clarke and at this time there were 360 men in total employed, producing House and Steam coal.
By 1908 the colliery was in the hands of Executors of the late E.S Clarke and there were 476 men working.
Llay Hall Colliery Co. were the owners by 1918, employing 287 men.
The workforce numbered 233 in 1923, producing from the Main, Queen and Two Yard seams.
There were 530 and 463 men employed in 1938 and 1945 respectively.
Another explosion occurred in January 1947, which badly burned 5 men.
Llay Hall closed in November 1947.