Posted: February 28th, 2022

The development and decline of the Rhondda Coalfield

On the 19th September 2005 I went on a visit to the Rhondda Heritage Park in South Wales,adopted by a breif go to to the Large Pit. My job was to evaluate the numerous varieties of info we have been supplied with from our go to to the Rhondda Heritage Park so we might examine this info with different sources, equivalent to the Large Pit and St. Fagans,and different main and secondary ones. This was to Help me reply the Question Assignment set for my second Historical past GCSE coursework project – “To what extent does the Rhondda Heritage Park present an correct image of working and neighborhood life in the Welsh mining neighborhood in the 20th Century?
” December 1990 noticed the final pit in Rhondda, Maerdy, lastly closed. After six generations of coal mining in the Rhondda valleys, this was a website that a crowd of almost 100 individuals watched in silence, as the final dram of coal inscribed “The final dram of coal raised in Rhondda 30. 6. 86,” was lifted from the floor (A1). This dram is on show at the park. This response was not surprising contemplating the position coal mining had performed on the economic system in the Rhondda valleys. Throughout its time, the Rhondda valleys had performed a significant half in the coal mining trade, producing 9.
6 million tons of coal a 12 months, a powerful one-sixth of the output of the entire of South Wales (A1), offering many roles for males throughout Wales. An enormous 41,000 males in whole have been employed (A1). This wasn’t even throughout the Rhondda valley’s most interesting instances for coal mining both, because it’s fundamental growth passed off throughout the 20 years between 1869 and 1889, when coal output went up from 1. 2 to five. eight million tons a 12 months, a rise of 371 per cent (A1). The Rhondda additionally produced the high-grade coal, which the British Navy relied on for the boilers throughout World Conflict 1.

Throughout this time there have been 66 collieries producing almost 10 million tons of coal a 12 months (A1). Nevertheless, this was all too good to be true and the finish of the steamship period and the fall-off in the export markets meant that coal manufacturing in the Rhondda declined steadily, leading to all coal mines closing by the finish of 1990. The undeniable fact that oil and even coal was accessible extra cheaply from aboard had an enter in to many coal mines closing. South Wales’ tough geological circumstances underground additionally contributed to the closures.
One of the most essential mining considerations in Britain was the Lewis Merthyr Collieries Firm Ltd. It was eight years after the closure of Lewis Merthyr, in 1983, when the Rhondda Heritage Park reopened. The Rhondda Heritage Park caters for the public, consisting of many various exhibitions and presentation aiming to coach individuals on the working and neighborhood life in the Welsh mining neighborhood. Its sights embody a feeble try at recreating a small half of a welsh butchers store( a extra traditionally correct perception into this is able to be the gwaalia shops in St.
Fagans)and additionally consists of an underground tour – A Shift In Time, “the place guests can see, hear and even odor the expertise of a colliery at work” (A5), the Black Gold presentation which “relates the distinctive character and tradition of the Rhondda by the eyes of three generations of one native household, by innovation and energetic multimedia reveals” (A5) and the Trefor and Bertie Vitality Zone, “an action-packed youngsters’s play space primarily based on the vitality cycle, together with hands-on reveals and academic info, however most of all, presents youthful guests to the park the probability to have tons of enjoyable!
” (A5) It’s designed extra for vacationer functions than historic ones,It’s not traditionally correct,however does give a good suggestion of what life was like at this era in time in the Rhondda. Upon entrance to the park,earlier than you see any shows or movies,you’ll discover the pit head buildings. There’s a large chimney,300ft roughly,and additionally a lamp room and a winding room. In Large pit there’s simply an tools room the place you recive your mild an helmet(and additionally a oxygen pack that’s only for present). Part B – The Miner’s Work Throughout my visits to the Rhondda Heritage Park and Large Pit,I gathered lots of info on the miner’s work.
My fundamental sources for this info have been the Black Gold presentation in the Trefor and Bertie Winding Homes, the Underground tour and from the Ex- miner guides at each mine websites.. The Black Gold presentation follows the development of the Rhondda Valley from about 1830, to the nationalisation of the coal in 1946. Some issues lined in the multimedia presentation have been strikes, notably earlier than World Conflict 1 and the inter conflict years, the risks of mining, particularly the 1877 Tynewydd explosion, the life of the coal house owners and how their lives contrasted with that of the miners.
The presentation in the Trefor Winding Home confirmed life in the Lewis Merthyr colliery – the 1950s and the occupations in the mines throughout this time. The Black Gold presentation had lots of power. There have been lots of sources used, equivalent to pictures, photos and documentary sources. Some have been even just like the course booklet and the faculty textbook Coal Society by David Egan. The Black Gold presentation had additionally been made extra thrilling by the use of shifting fashions and sound results, i. e. the 1890s steam engine in the Trefor Winding Home.
One other constructive level on the Black Gold presentation was that Dai Smith, an skilled in mining historical past, wrote the commentary for these movies. This more likely to be making the info and sources utilized in the presentation pretty dependable. Nevertheless some weaknesses of the presentation was the quantity of info we have been supplied with. I discovered that from video to video some of the info over lapped and additionally the content material was an excessive amount of. One other criticism I wish to make is on the Bertie Winding Homes video. For the first minute or so of this presentation the commentary was spoken in Welsh, with no translation.
I discovered this pointless as a result of regardless that the starting of the video was to do with Welsh talking none of the English talking viewers might perceive the half spoken in Welsh. I really feel if it had been translated over the prime of the Welsh commentary in English it will have been much more useful to non-Welsh audio system. The miner information – Dai jones, supplied me with lots of oral details about the miner’s work. He additionally supplied me with a short biography on himself, together with his age, schooling and household. He advised me that he was going to be 56 years outdated this 12 months and that he’d lived in Rhondda all his life.
He talked about that he went to an all boys faculty and began work doing a milk spherical at the age of 13. He left faculty with no when he was fifteen and then went in to twenty-seven years of onerous, harmful work underground. When he went into this all his transport and tools and so on was all supplied and paid for. Nevertheless, when collieries closed he went to varsity and modified jobs. He knowledgeable us that smoking was forbidden down the mines for security causes,as the draft might unfold the smoke for miles by the mines,other than in the designated ranges the place it was aloud.
He shared his experiences of accidents down the mines, the place he had been buried underground in a fall, almost drowned and noticed fellow staff killed in a fireplace. He additionally advised us that the solely well being issues he had have been a number of again issues now and then and impaired listening to. He satisfied us that he had by no means been discovered to have any lung issues other than them remaining blackened. He additionally spoke about his household. This was not essential,none of his household labored down the mines,girls have been banned from working there in 1842,though many mine proprietor ignored these guidelines,nonetheless I discovered the relaxation of the info he supplied me with very helpful.
I really feel he’s a dependable witness and supply, as he’s a main supply and in comparison with some info written in a textbook by some writer, reporting or counting on different individuals’s accounts or sources as a secondary supply, he’s very helpful and dependable as he has truly expertise what working down the mines was like. As had the information in Large pit-peter jones. He gaves us a extra real looking view of the mines. He truly took us down the new mine at Large pit,whereas in Rhondda Heritage park,we have been solely taken right into a air flow shaft as the actual mine is in disrepair and is way too harmful.
I really feel the excursions have been in all probability the locations the place I learnt the most about mining. It’s because I used to be capable of visually see what the circumstances down a mine would have been like,extra so in Large Pit, regardless that I’m conscious the circumstances have been truly lots worse throughout the time of coal mining, I used to be supplied with a imprecise perception in to what mining would have been like by the information in Rhonnda heritage park,however given a way more in depth perception into mining at Large Pit.
To see whether or not it was dependable I in contrast my expertise of the miner’s work with the movie ‘The Miner’, Large Pit and the description given by the miner information. We began in the lamp room the place we have been proven a variety of miner’s lamps, various from ones not so technical, equivalent to the oil lamps, to ones much more superior in know-how. We have been additionally advised about the security precautions of the mines. In massive pit we have been advised about security and looked for flammable gadgets and dry cell battery,as they might ignite while down the mine.
In each locations we have been proven a show about the quantity of methane gasoline current,as miners must evacuate instantly if ranges have been over a certain quantity(5% roughly). Nevertheless, we didn’t perform many of these precautions and preparations to go on the underground tour. The solely preparation we made was placing on a helmet. In comparison with in the movie ‘The Miner’ and the procedures at Large Pit this preparation was not correct, as there was no system of checks and contraband search carried out. Additionally in the 1950s anybody happening the mines would have had a cap lamp, which we weren’t supplied with.
Underground in Rhonnda heritage park,the whole lot was made to resemble the work place in the 1950s, equivalent to, posters/security notices e. g. on accidents with drams, variations in temperature and so on. Nevertheless, Heath and Security laws meant that some features of the expertise weren’t real looking, like the shot firing and the return journey to the floor and in some instances they have been easy not included, equivalent to the temperature,an actual mine would have been a lot colder,it wasnt chilly as a result of we have been solely about 10ft beneath floor. Large pit was the truth is colder,as we have been additional down(90m).
In line with the Rhondda Heritage Park leaflet the underground tour, ‘A Shift in Time’, will allow guests to “expertise for themselves the sights, sounds and smells of the Lewis Merthyr Colliery at work” (B2) and throughout some elements of the tour it was very genuine, equivalent to, the lamp room, posters/security notices, manholes and instruments, however then on the different hand some elements of the tour have been disappointing, like the cage, there was no management band, no actual preparation and the shot firing was no the place close to what it will have actually been like.
Additionally the circumstances down the mines would have been lots worse. As an illustration in B6 Noah Ablett, one of the miner’s leaders described the temperature down the miners generally being “as much as 90 levels”. Though I’m conscious this supply may very well be unreliable as the author was a miner’s chief, subsequently the description of the circumstances might have been exaggerated. Part C – Group Life Throughout my go to to the Rhondda Heritage Park I gathered lots of info on what life was like in a Welsh mining neighborhood. Large pit provides no details about this.
My fundamental sources for this info have been the reconstruction of the 1920s village road, the interiors of miner’s cottages from the late 1890s and the Fan Home video and exhibition. The reconstruction of the 1920s village road consists of a butcher’s store and a basic retailer, containing gadgets equivalent to family home equipment, garments and sneakers, espresso and so on. As a way to consider its effectiveness I in contrast it with the Gwalia shops in St. Fagans. In comparison with these shops the contents of gadgets was very poor. Additionally, in contrast to in the St.
Fagans Gwalia shops you weren’t capable of buy any gadgets from the outlets which had been reconstructed at the Rhondda Heritage Park. The down facet to that is that the ambiance that there’s in the Gwalia shops in St. Fagans, of which it will even have been like in a Welsh mining neighborhood just isn’t current, subsequently guests usually are not being proven a real perception in to what a Welsh mining neighborhood was truly like throughout this time. Reverse the reconstruction of the outlets have been some interiors of miner’s cottages from the late 1890s. Once more in contrast with the Rhyd-y-car cottages at St. Fagans they have been very disappointing.
Not like the cottages at St. Fagans they did not comprise the element and really feel of what the miner’s cottages would have truly been like in the late 1890s. They have been very tidy, no mud, and smelt clear, while at the Rhyd-y-car cottages at St. Fagans you seize the ambiance as quickly as you stroll in. The lighting is poor and dim and it smells outdated and musty. There was none of this at the exhibition at the Rhondda Heritage Park. Nevertheless, the Rhondda Heritage Park did present additional info on the partitions of the rooms with extra element and quotes on what residing conditions and circumstances have been like.
I did discover this very useful, nonetheless for younger youngsters who could not learn or individuals with not that a lot time this would not have helped them. Some individuals like to only be supplied with the info and element by taking a look at the set-up of the exhibition, with out having to learn info. This info would not have been a lot use to international or non-speaking English customer of the museum as it will have been not possible that they might learn it, subsequently simply questioning round the exhibition would not have supplied sufficient info for them.
It may be argued that a way more genuine highway exists exterior the Rhondda Heritage Park, the place many examples of a mining neighborhood will be discovered from miner’s cottages, the Trehafod lodge and so on. The different supply of my info on what a welsh mining neighborhood was like was the Fan Home video. This aimed to point out what life was like in a Welsh mining neighborhood and particularly how individuals labored collectively in instances of disaster in the 1920s and 1980s. A particular focus was the life of the miner’s spouse and how that may very well be even tougher than that of her husband.
The strengths of this video have been the giant quantity of main and secondary sources consulted. Many of the sources have been similar to ones in David Egan’s Coal Society. Sources 200 and 203 on web page 82 of David Egan’s Coal Society are the similar sources proven throughout the Fan Home video – “I used to clean the path, we had flagstones, from the again door proper all the way down to the rest room. I used to like doing it… ” by R crocks, Girls of the Rhondda, 1980. Like in the Black Gold presentation in the Bertie and Trefor Winding Homes, Professor Dai Smith, an skilled in mining historical past, wrote the commentary for the Fan Home video.
This more likely to be making the info and sources utilized in the presentation pretty dependable. The part on girls and leisure was effectively researched, equivalent to bands and chapel life. The significance of the Sunday faculty deal with was additionally empathised. Nevertheless, I really feel the video didn’t painting the significance that the miner’s institute performed in the Welsh mining neighborhood. A quote from Gerrallt D. Nash, Girls’s Hallst Institute (Cardiff 1995) expresses the significance of it – “There have been locations the place miners might spend an excellent deal of leisure time away from work-reading newspapers, enjoying snooker and so on.
Some of the buildings have been large…. ” Additionally the video solely social gathering lined the significance of the pub, which is described on pages 97 and 98 of David Egan’s Coal Society. The Fan Home video didn’t cowl the large adjustments after 1985, which is talked about in supply C6 in the Llanishen Excessive Faculty Useful resource Booklet – “The impact upon the communities of the NCB closure programme after 1985 was devastating…. ” Conclusion – Assessment of the Rhondda Heritage Park In my view the Rhondda Heritage Park provides an concept of the working and residing circumstances in a Welsh mining neighborhood throughout the twentieth century,however thats all,an concept.
Large pit provides an expertise,it’s not deigned for vacationers as Rhondda heritage park is,it’s designed to present you a sensible perception,or as shut as you’re going to get to realstic,of a welsh coal mine. I really feel Rhondda heritage park gives extra accuracy on the residing circumstances in a Welsh mining neighborhood,reasonably than on the working circumstances,which are very effectively created in Large pit. I really feel this is because of the heath and security laws they needed to obey when creating the exhibitions on the working situation, equivalent to the underground tour, ‘A Shift in Time’ an additionally the undeniable fact that Large pit receives authorities funding,wheres the heritage park doesn’t.
I really feel very strongly that Large Pit gives a a lot better perception into the work of the miners in a Welsh mining neighborhood and I imagine the sources have been much more dependable. As Large Pit solely gave me an perception in to the working circumstances in a Welsh mining neighborhood, and not the residing circumstances as effectively, I managed to match the info I used to be supplied with on the residing circumstances from the Rhondda Heritage Park with the Rhyd – y – automobile cottages and the Gwalia shops at St. Fagans. From this I can positively say that the Rhyd – y – automobile cottages and the Gwalia shops at St.
Fagans are positively a greater supply on the residing and neighborhood life of in a Welsh mining neighborhood. Supply D1 in the Llanishen Excessive Faculty Useful resource Booklet quotes – “The Rhondda Heritage Park provides a romanticised legendary view of the valley for which no authentic has ever existed. ” To be blunt, I really feel that this quote just about sums up the Rhondda Heritage Park. It does present some good info,however is principally for vacationer functions. The supply D2 additionally quotes that – “The Rhondda Heritage Park, against this (to Large Pit), goes for noise and sensual assault.
” That is additionally true. I imagine that the Rhondda Heritage Park would have been lots higher off if that they had saved it easy by not together with ‘The Journey again to the Floor’ and the tacky sound results as a result of I really feel this was unrealistic and they’d have been higher off not attempting to painting the actual life scares of working down the mines and as a substitute, leaving it to peoples imaginations, as a result of merely I really feel you could’t fully expertise the incidents that happen while working in the mines until you might have truly been there and carried out it.
Bibliography
David Egan – Coal Society – A Historical past of the South Wales Mining Valleys 1840 – 1980
Llanishen Excessive Faculty Useful resource Booklet
Rhondda Heritage Park – Black Gold Booklet
Rhondda Heritage Park Leaflet
www.Large-Pit.com
www.Rhonddaheritagepark.com
www.welshmuseamoflife.org

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