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35-621: Primrose Colliery was developed from the mid-1800s, close to the village of Rhos . After the disaster of 1853, it was redeveloped as the New Primrose Colliery, owned by Sir Ralph Howard , and by 1896 employed 307. It closed in the early 1900s, but from 1908 was revived as a pumping station for the Tarenni Colliery. The major coal seams are located close beneath the valley floor, but mean accessing steeply declining seams which run in high geological fault structures, running directly under

70-418: A community historically known for its own particular identity. There is one primary school serving the village, called Rhos Primary School. The nearest secondary school is Cwmtawe. The electoral ward includes some or all of the following settlements Cilybebyll , Gellinudd and Rhos in the parliamentary constituency of Neath . Rhos is bounded by the wards of Ystalyfera and Ynyscedwyn (of Powys ) to

105-514: A figure which had fallen in 2023 to an active membership of 82. The Miners' Federation of Great Britain was established in Newport , Monmouthshire in 1888 but did not function as a unified, centralised trade union for all miners. Instead the federation represented and co-ordinated the affairs of the existing local and regional miners' unions whose associations remained largely autonomous. The South Wales Miners' Federation , founded in 1898, joined

140-612: A more stable area. Further investment was made by the purchase and refurbishment of a new 0-4-0WT shunting locomotive, formerly of the Great North of Scotland Railway . But on nationalisation, the NCB concluded that the mine was uneconomic, and it was closed in February 1949 with the loss of 320 jobs. 51°44′33″N 3°48′06″W  /  51.7425°N 3.8016°W  / 51.7425; -3.8016  ( Gleision Colliery ) Today, only

175-559: A national ballot of the union's membership, declared a national strike in March 1984, which was ruled illegal in England, making striking miners ineligible for benefits. Support for the strike was not universal; in some areas such as North Wales , support was small but great in others such as South Wales . Also, Yorkshire was more enthusiastic about the strike than Nottinghamshire where many miners refused to strike. Margaret Thatcher described

210-459: A national strike required a two-thirds majority in a ballot of members, however, this proved near impossible to achieve, and the majority was reduced to 55% in 1970, and to 50% in 1984. Regions of the union could call their own strikes. Different areas varied as to how militant they were, and it was not uncommon for animosity to exist between areas. On formation, the NUM had the following areas: The NUM

245-409: A strike. The strike was deemed illegal by the courts on the basis that the NUM rulebook required a secret ballot for a national strike. Although working miners had instigated the legal action, the NUM leadership presented it as an attack on its right to conduct its own internal affairs. The lack of a ballot reduced public support and made it easier for the government to use legal and police powers against

280-603: A total of 522 men working the complex, with over two thirds deployed on No.1 shaft. The Red vein workings in No.1 were abandoned in 1941, with a further reduction of 100 men achieved by reducing workings on the Big vein to one shift. The development work on No.1 shaft continued after the war, approved for an investment of £150,157 by the Ministry of Fuel and Power to access the Lower Peacock seam in

315-512: Is a trade union for coal miners in Great Britain, formed in 1945 from the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB). The NUM took part in three national miners' strikes, in 1972 , 1974 and 1984–85 . Following the 1984–85 strike, and the subsequent closure of most of Britain's coal mines, it became a much smaller union. It had around 170,000 members when Arthur Scargill became leader in 1981,

350-734: The Great Western Railway via the Neath and Brecon Railway , or the Midland Railway via the Swansea Vale Railway . By 1908, Tarenni employed 427 men producing anthracite , which had grown to 803 by 1918, and 947 by 1923. By 1933, the mine was producing 140,000 tonnes per annum of anthracite. From 1937, the company started development workings to check the Big vein south, sinking the No.1 shaft to 576 yards (527 m). But development work stopped due to World War 2, and by 1938, there were

385-481: The Gwendraeth valley , Tarenni Colliery had the highest set of recorded incidents for coal damp and methane gas explosions. In total during its production lifetime, there were six outbursts in which three men lost their lives: one on 12 December 1914; two on 17 February 1941. On 1 November 1909, water from the abandoned Ynysgeinon pit caused the death of five miners at Tarenni No.2. On 15 September 2011, workings at

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420-572: The Labour Party 's 1985 policy conference, the NUM's unanimous block voting support contributed to the successful passage of Composite 26, a resolution which formally committed the party to an LGBT rights platform. Long based in London, Scargill commissioned a new headquarters building in Sheffield , which was completed in 1988. However, with membership declining, the union relocated again in 1992, to share

455-579: The Yorkshire Area offices in Barnsley. Although weakened by the strike, the NUM was still a significant force into the early 1990s. A major scheme of closures of deep mines was announced by the government in 1992. The NUM ran a national ballot on possible strike action, and this was passed by members. It worked with the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers to challenge

490-518: The Gleision Colliery suffered a large ingress of water at 09:21. Three miners escaped to the surface, with one taken to Morriston Hospital . Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service called Mines Rescue units in from across the United Kingdom , to rescue four miners located at a depth of 90 metres (300 ft) below the surface. On the afternoon of 16 September, South Wales Police confirmed

525-627: The MFGB in 1899, while the Northumberland Miners' Association and the Durham Miners' Association joined in 1907 and 1908, respectively. In January 1945, the MFGB was superseded by the National Union of Mineworkers. Within the organisation, each coalfield continued to exercise a degree of autonomy, having its own district association, president, general secretary, and headquarters. Originally,

560-517: The NCB. The strike was unsuccessful and its failure was an era-defining moment in British politics. Following the strike large numbers of collieries were closed. The strike's effectiveness was reduced because the NUM leaders refused to nationally ballot members on strike action and argued that it was an issue for each area to decide. In some areas that held ballots the majority voted against striking but were subject to picketing from areas that had declared

595-595: The NUM, as the area leader Jack Jones had kept good relations with the local miners by openly defying Scargill. After the end of the strike, the NUM took an active leadership role in working to align the labour movement in the UK more closely with LGBT rights issues. Following the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign of 1984–85, the organisation's Welsh chapters participated in London's 1985 Lesbian and Gay Pride parade, and at

630-602: The River Tawe. This makes the coal easily accessible, but also dangerous to extract. The first drift mine workings occurred in the late 1800s, at a site referred to at the time as the Tirbach Slants. The Pwllbach Colliery Company started development in 1898 of two slants, main and reverse, and after a series of lease changes which reverted the lease to the Pwllbach Colliery Company, production started in 1905. After

665-552: The South Wales Primrose Coal Co Ltd, pit No.1 called Tarenni (143 yards (131 m)) was sunk to work the Red vein under Ynys Wil Hernyn Farm. A sister pit further north, Gleision (Tarenni No.2, 443 yards (405 m)), was sunk deeper to work the Big and Peacock veins, but faults made it difficult to work. There was a steep cross measure drift developed to connect the two shafts. Coal was distributed through access to either

700-485: The ballot should be lowered. The NUM opposed membership of the European Economic Community , beginning with a unanimous conference vote in 1971. During the 1975 referendum, there was a debate within the NUM over the sponsorship giving to Labour MPs in coalfields, given how many of them were campaigning in favour of membership and defying the NUM policy. The Yorkshire Area passed a resolution that tightened

735-463: The closures in the High Court ; the court imposed an emergency injunction against the closures and the strike action was called off. However, from mid-1993, the mines started closing; the number of working miners and therefore also the membership of the union continued to fall. In 2011 the union had 1,855 members. In 2012 the union's general secretary, Chris Kitchen , admitted it was in decline after

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770-643: The company collapsed into administration in 1924, the lease was taken over by the Pwllbach, Tirbach & Brynamman Anthracite Collieries Ltd, which in 1938 became Henderson's Welsh Anthracite Collieries Ltd. These companies all worked the same seams: Big (abandoned 1939); Peacock (or Brass); Middle and Lower seams. The workings employed 651 in 1936, the height of its production. The site was closed from February 1940 due to geological difficulties, with 500 men given notice in January 1940. At this time during World War II , labour

805-463: The conditions for sponsorship of MPs. In the 1980s, because many coal mines were overwhelmingly unprofitable, the Conservative government headed by Margaret Thatcher sought to close them and privatise the rest. In some areas, the NUM was militant and threatened strikes in 1981 when the government raised the issue. As the government was not ready for a confrontation, it negotiated a settlement with

840-715: The death of all four miners. Rhos, Neath Port Talbot Rhos is a village in the Swansea Valley , located outside of Pontardawe , in Neath Port Talbot county borough , South Wales , in the community of Cilybebyll . Originally part of the Cilybebyll estate, the Primrose Colliery was developed from the mid-1800s, close to the village. On 13 October 1858, when owned by Morgan and Lewis, fumes of an engine boiler suffocated 14 men and boys, and 7 horses. After

875-468: The disaster, it was redeveloped as the New Primrose Colliery, owned by Sir Ralph Howard , and by 1896 employed 307. It closed in the early 1900s, but from 1908 was revived as a pumping station for the Tarenni Colliery . Like many other villages in the former South Wales Coalfield , Rhos has seen phases of major building development within its boundaries bringing with it an influx of new residents to

910-486: The face by kneeling or lying down. The main drift of 250 metres (820 ft) provides access from a conveyor for a 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge railway , on which up to six drams at a time are moved to two surface tipplers, from which the local council have authorised access for lorries of up to 15 tonnes in laden weight. The second drift does not have rail access, and provides air circulation and emergency ingress only. Privatised in 1993, by 2001 seven men including

945-567: The investigative website Exaro revealed that in 2011 the Derbyshire branch had just one member who was not a paid official. Filings with the Trades Union Certification Officer showed that the NUM's Derbyshire branch had just four members, three of whom were paid officials. In 2012, it emerged in court cases between the NUM and its former president Arthur Scargill that a substantial proportion of union members' subscriptions

980-498: The mine owner were working the drift, producing 200 tonnes/week. However, geological problems had resulted in the development of a deep and extensive sump system to remove water ingress, and frequent problems with gas. On 13 October 1858, when the Primrose Colliery was owned by Morgan and Lewis, fumes of an engine boiler suffocated 14 men and boys, and 7 horses. According to HM Inspectorate of Mines and Quarries data, outside

1015-505: The north; Crynant to the east; Cadoxton to the south east; Bryncoch North to the south; Alltwen and Pontardawe to the west and Godre'r Graig to the northwest. In the 2017 local council elections , the electorate turnout was %. The results were: On 14 November 2019, a by-election was held following the resignation of Alex Thomas. The electorate turnout was 34%. The results were: National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain) The National Union of Mineworkers ( NUM )

1050-513: The small Gleision Colliery / ˈ ɡ l eɪ ʃ ɒ n / drift mine exists, one of three privately owned coal mines still surviving in the South Wales Coalfield . Working the same area as the Tirbach Slants, National Union of Mineworkers records suggest the development was active from 1962. The current workings of two drifts has been active from 1980, accessing the 2 feet 6 inches (0.76 m) Ynisarwed seam, with miners working

1085-418: The strikers as the "enemy within", but Scargill was equally confrontational. Picket lines were stationed outside the pits and other industrial sites requiring coal and violent clashes with police were common. Strikers had no source of income and some were forced by circumstances to cross the picket lines as reluctant " scabs ". The strike ended on 3 March 1985 and the miners returned to work without agreement with

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1120-561: The union without significant political consequences. The closed shop in the state-owned coal sector was ended when a breakaway union, the Union of Democratic Mineworkers , was formed mostly by miners in Nottinghamshire and South Derbyshire who felt betrayed by the NUM for insisting on a strike after their area ballot had rejected strike action. In contrast, the Leicestershire area stayed in

1155-502: The union, and backed down from the closures. In what the NUM considered a confrontational move, Ian MacGregor , who had overseen cutbacks and closures at British Steel Corporation , was appointed head of the National Coal Board (NCB) by Thatcher in 1983. In 1984, after secretly stockpiling coal at power stations, the NCB announced the closure of 20 pits. Local regions organised strikes but NUM President Arthur Scargill , without

1190-566: Was expensive, so it is likely that economics also played a large part in the decision to close. The mine reopened in May of that year, but had been completely abandoned by December 1940. The site then became a disposal centre for extract from the main Tarenni Colliery, and after nationalisation, the National Coal Board used it as a training site. 51°44′29″N 3°48′31″W  /  51.741447°N 3.808651°W  / 51.741447; -3.808651  ( Tarenni Colliery ) Opened in 1903 by

1225-456: Was strongly supportive of the Labour Party. During the first government of Harold Wilson , hundreds of pits closed and thousands of miners left the coal industry but the NUM leadership put up little resistance to the programme. Unofficial strikes were common in the coal industry. Following an unofficial strike in 1969 about the pay of surface workers, it was decided that the threshold for

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