Cambrian Colliery

The Cambrian Colliery was a large coal mine that operated between 1872 and 1967 near Clydach Vale in the Rhondda Valley, south Wales.

Its owners sank the first pits into a rich coal seam in the 1870s from which, within 20 years, over 700 tons were being extracted daily.

[1] Before being forced back by fire, early rescue teams found and saved 50 uninjured survivors and 13 who were seriously hurt.

He decided to leave the mining industry to build up the family bakery business, which has now been run by his descendants for over a century.

An explosion caused by firedamp, after poor ventilation allowed a build-up of flammable gas, killed 31 miners.