Rhas Las Colliery

Overview

A Dowlais Iron Company level worked in the 19th century, at least three of whose colliers died in separate roof falls between 1852 and 1855. It lent its name to the wider Dowlais Collieries complex's Nine-Feet seam.

History

Rhas Las Colliery, at NGR 092074, was a small level worked in the 19th century by the Dowlais Iron Company; it was working in 1856 and had closed by 1871. It is possibly the same mine as Race Lace, recorded separately elsewhere as working the same, Anglicised version of the Rhas Las name for the Nine-Feet seam.

At least three colliers died at Rhas Las in separate roof falls in the early 1850s: William Evans, 45, on 9 January 1852; William Davies, 34, on 9 November 1853; and John Davies, 40, on 17 October 1855. Each death was a single-fatality incident.

The Nine-Feet seam that the wider Dowlais Collieries complex worked was itself known locally as the Rhas Las seam, after this colliery; pits sharing that seam — Brewhouse, Cwmbargoed, the Fochriw levels, Penycoedcae, the Penydarren pits and Tunnel — abandoned it in May 1917. Rhas Las also appears among the pits that shared the Big/Six-Feet seam (abandoned June 1914), the Red Vein (abandoned October 1917) and the Upper-Four-Feet seam (abandoned February 1893).

Geology

Gave its name to the Nine-Feet seam, known locally as the Rhas Las seam; also worked the Big/Six-Feet, Red Vein and Upper-Four-Feet seams.

Workings

A level working, among others, the Nine-Feet (Rhas Las), Big/Six-Feet, Red Vein and Upper-Four-Feet seams over its life as part of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex.

Closure

Working in 1856 and closed by 1871, per the record of the individual level; the seam that bore its name continued to be worked by other pits in the wider complex into 1917.

Disasters & major incidents

• Rhas Las Colliery shaft accident, 1852
  1 October 1852 · Winding / Shaft Accident · 3 fatalities

  Three colliers were thrown down the shaft at the Dowlais Iron Company's Rhas Las Colliery on 1 October 1852 when a guide chain broke and the carriage struck the shaft side.

  On 1 October 1852 three colliers were riding the shaft at Rhas Las Colliery, a Dowlais Iron Company pit, when a guide chain broke. The carriage struck the side of the shaft and tipped the men out, killing John Davies, Humphrey Edwards and Jacob Griffiths. The iron of the chain was found to have crystallised.

• Rhas Las Colliery explosion, 1855
  16 June 1855 · Explosion · 2 fatalities

  An explosion of firedamp at Rhas Las Colliery on 16 June 1855 fatally injured an eleven-year-old horse driver, Isaac Evans, and killed the collier Richard Williams, in a pit with no locked lamps and no printed rules.

  On 16 June 1855 firedamp exploded at Rhas Las Colliery. Isaac Evans, an eleven-year-old horse driver, had gone past a danger signal; he was badly burnt and died on 15 July. The collier Richard Williams, 35, was also killed. Winstanley's list records the colliery as having no printed rules and no locked safety lamps, and the Welsh Coal Mines record of the inspector's finding says that rules and discipline were wanting.

Recorded claims

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

• A small level worked by the Dowlais Iron Company in the 19th century, working in 1856 and closed by 1871. ¹
• William Evans, 45, died in a roof fall on 9 January 1852; William Davies, 34, on 9 November 1853; John Davies, 40, on 17 October 1855. ²
• Gave its name to the district's Nine-Feet seam, worked by several pits of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex and abandoned in May 1917. ²
• Also worked the Big/Six-Feet seam (abandoned June 1914), the Red Vein (October 1917) and the Upper-Four-Feet seam (February 1893) as part of the shared Dowlais Collieries working. ²
• The Mining Remediation Authority's abandonment plan SWR1439, catalogued under Rhymney, covers the Rhas Las Level, Rhas Las and Rhas Las No. 2 with the Dowlais Air, Furnace, Brynpwllog, Nantllesg, New Duffryn and Terrace workings on the Nine Feet seam (Red Vein and Rhas Las) at 1:2500, and SWR1926 names Rhas Las again with Nantllesg and Pidwellt. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Small collieries of the Dowlais Cwmbargoed & Penydarren areas — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Dowlais Collieries — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Rhymney, Rhas Las Level, Dowlais Air and other workings: abandonment plan SWR1439 (BGS mine plans catalogue) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 15 September 2026 · Last researched: 24 September 2026