Whitworth Colliery

Overview

An ambitious Tonmawr sinking that reached 1,520 feet without ever finding workable coal, defeated by water, cost and the death of its own driving force.

History

The Whitworth family, Northampton gentry who had built up a substantial mineral estate east and south of Neath through the 19th century, incorporated the Whitworth Mineral Estate Company in 1890 to trade in coal, coke and minerals. Whitworth Collieries Ltd was not registered as colliery proprietor for the estate until 12 February 1905, and the first sod of the new colliery at Tonmawr, on the eastern side of Cwmgwenffrwyd, was not cut until 29 April 1907. Control of the company passed into German hands in October 1906, when two of its British directors resigned. Sinking, managed by Percy Jacob, employed between 65 and 172 men through 1907-1911 without ever finding a workable seam. The No.2 shaft reached the Wernddu (No.2 Rhondda) seam far deeper than expected, flooding badly, and in November 1911 sinking was abandoned — the Northern Mine Research Society attributes this to the excessive water and cost overruns, while a Welsh Coal Mines forum contributor citing the company's own registration records attributes it instead to the death of a Mr de Frietas, evidently a key figure in the venture. The final depth reached was 1,520 feet 8 inches. The colliery lay idle from 1912. In January 1913 the New Rhondda Collieries Ltd was registered to acquire the Whitworth estate and the defunct company's assets, but nothing came of the venture and it was dissolved on 15 December 1916. The abandoned works were eventually bought by Baldwin's Limited, who dismantled the surface equipment.

Nearby mines

• Cefn Parc Arlais Colliery — 2.2 km S
• Tonmawr Colliery — 2.4 km NE
• Cynon Colliery — 2.6 km E
• Ynisdavid Colliery — 3.1 km SW
• Cwmavon Copper Works — 4.4 km SW

Straight-line distance, within 15 km. Show on the map.

Recorded claims

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

• Whitworth Collieries Ltd sank the colliery at Tonmawr from 1907, employing between 65 and 172 men under manager Percy Jacob, but abandoned the No.2 shaft in November 1911 owing to excessive water and cost overruns after the Wernddu seam proved deeper than expected; the completed depth was 1,520 feet 8 inches. ¹
• A Welsh Coal Mines forum contributor, citing the companies' own registration and dissolution dates, records that Whitworth Collieries Ltd was registered 12 February 1905, passed into German-controlled directorship in October 1906, cut its first sod 29 April 1907, and suspended sinking in November 1911 owing to the death of a Mr de Frietas — an additional or alternative cause to the water and cost problems NMRS records. (disputed) ^1,2
• The failed venture passed to the New Rhondda Collieries Ltd, registered 3 January 1913 to acquire the Whitworth estate and assets, but came to nothing and was dissolved on 15 December 1916; the site was later bought by Baldwin's Limited, who dismantled the surface equipment. ^1,2

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Small Collieries in the Afan Valley and surrounding areas — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Whitworth colliery tonmawr (forum thread) — Welsh Coal Mines forum

Record created: 14 September 2026 · Last researched: 15 September 2026