Porthdafen Colliery

Overview

Two steam-coal slants at Dafen, near Felinfoel, Llanelli, opened by William Watkeys Ltd in 1904 and known on maps as Waunllech. It employed up to 450 people in 1922 and was abandoned in 1924.

History

William Watkeys Ltd of Llanelli started the two slants at Dafen in 1904. They are shown on Ordnance Survey maps as Waunllech colliery but named Porthdafen in every list of mines. By 1908 152 men worked underground at No. 1 Slant and 122 at No. 2, under the manager David Bassett. That year about 400 men struck for five weeks after rejecting an arbitration award, until the miners' agent William Jenkins agreed terms with the owners.

William Watkeys Ltd went into liquidation in 1911, and Glyncoed Collieries Ltd took over the mine. On 18 May 1914 gas exploded in a top-hole next to the face, injuring two brothers, one of whom, Idwal Davies, 18, died. In the prosecution that followed the inspector of mines found no means of carrying air from the heading to the face. The Llanelli bench convicted Bassett of failing to provide adequate ventilation.

In 1918 the two slants employed 262 men underground and 68 at the surface. Employment peaked at 450 in 1922. In 1923 only No. 1 Slant was working, with 199 men, on steam coal from the Golden, Bushy and Fiery seams. The mine was abandoned in June 1924.

Geology

South Wales Coal Measures of the Llanelli district: the Golden, Bushy and Fiery seams, worked for steam coal.

Workings

Two slants (drifts), No. 1 and No. 2. Safety lamps were used in gassy places while other men worked with naked lights.

Closure

Only No. 1 Slant was working in 1923, and the mine was abandoned in June 1924. The reason is unknown.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• Started by William Watkeys Ltd of Llanelli in 1904 as two slants. ¹
• About 400 workmen struck for five weeks in 1908 before terms were agreed. ²
• After a fatal gas explosion on 18 May 1914 the manager was convicted of failing to provide adequate ventilation. ^1,3
• Peak employment was 450 in 1922. ¹
• Abandoned in June 1924. ¹

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Porthdafen colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) Colliery strike ended (Evening Express, 5 June 1908) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Porthdafen explosion: manager and fireman fined (The Cambria Daily Leader, 3 September 1914) — Welsh Newspapers (National Library of Wales)

Record created: 1 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026