Parc Slip Colliery

Parc Slip Colliery was a coal mine near situated at Aberkenfig, near Tondu in Bridgend County Borough, Wales.

Contemporary engraving of the colliery entrance in 1892

History

This pit was opened in the 1860s by John Brogden and Sons. In 1872 Brogdens merged with the Llynfi Coal and Iron Company Ltd to make the Llynfi, Tondu and Ogmore Coal and Iron Company. This failed in 1878. Eventually the mine was taken over by North's Navigation Ltd. .[1] They had to work the difficult geology near the southern outcrop. Closed in 1904, the colliery is remembered for a mining accident that occurred at 8.20 am on 26 August 1892 as 146 men and boys were working within the mine. This was the day of the annual St Mary Hill Fair and a fine day with everyone looking forward to a day of relaxation, but they all heard the explosion and knew immediately what it meant.

The explosion was apparently caused by a hole in one of the workers' Davy lamps. Rescue attempts were hampered by roof falls, but by 4pm 42 miners had been brought out alive, some of whom died later of their injuries. The final death toll was 112 men and boys.[2]

The site is now a nature reserve which is managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.

Park Slip Colliery Explosion Report 26 August 1892 diagram

References
  1. Higgins, L.S. (Summer 1978). "The Brogden Pioneers of the early industrial development in Mid-Glamorgan". National Library of Wales Journal. XX (3): 240–252. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. David Owen (2002) South Wales Collieries, Volume 3, pages 36/7 provides much more detail.
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