© Copyright Tom Jolliffe and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

CHALICE

For the sculptured novelist and bon viveur Martin Amis, as quoted in discussion with A.N. Wilson, The London Evening Standard, 17th July 1991.........this was before he spent over £20,000 upon having his rotten teeth transformed into humanoid ones and left his wife for a younger model.......

“The South Waleyans are a particularly bitter and deracinated breed”. He began a bad-taste joke about Aberfan causing a “ripple of pleasure” through the mining valleys, but he choked it back with a giggle.....Martin does the Welsh voice with an accuracy which reflects real loathing”.

......

The Lordship of Senghenydd

Green on Grey on Black

Betrayed by Norman Englishmen

A Thousand-Year Attack

......

On the only nation

Which has never

Declared war

On anyone

......

We were your first and last colony

And a prototype of ethical cleansing

You almost killed our language

Because it was fifteen-hundred years older than yours

With your Welsh Not just out of living memory

You killed our Church at the Synod of Whitby

Taking it away from the people and giving it to Rome

You gave us a higher density of castles and forts

Than anywhere in the world

You killed the old laws of Hywel Dda

Because they looked after the people and accepted women as equal

And instead gave all rights

in ascending importance

to people with property and titles

You tried to kill our countryside with water on villages

Like Trywerin and charge us more than your Middle Saesneg for it

You tried to kill our culture by using our best in your wars

And you stripped out all our minerals.............

......

In return you gave us nystagmus and insanity;

Emphysema, silicosis, pneumoconiosis - slow death

......

And fast death................... ......

Last century, children under 8 spent hours in the pitch black opening and closing the trapper doors of ventilation tunnels. If over 8, they dragged baskets of coal to the bottom of the shaft.

In 1840, 6-year-old Susan Reece said ‘I have been below six or eight months and I don’t like it much. I come here at 6 in the morning and leave at 6 at night. When my lamp goes out or I am hungry I go home. I haven’t been hurt yet'. Her mission was to open and close the ventilator at Plymouth Colliery, Merthyr Tydfil.

The boys who, with chains around their waist, pulled trucks of coal through galleries too low for pit-ponies, were called ‘carters’. James Davies, an 8-year-old carter, reported that he earned 10 pennies a week, which his father took from him. John Saville, a 7-year-old carter, said that he was always in the dark and only saw daylight on Sundays.

...

Listen to my inventory of lost human capital:

...

1825 Cwmllynfell 59 men and children killed in an explosion

1842 The English Parliament under Lord Shaftesbury forbids the employment

Underground of women, girls and BOYS UNDER 10 years old

As miners

The mine owners opposed the bill and there was little inspection

1844 Dinas Middle, Rhondda, 12 men and boys killed

1849 Lletyshenkin, Aberdare, 52 men and boys killed in an explosion

1849 Merthyr, Dowlais, Rhondda 884 people killed by cholera

1852 Middle Duffryn, Aberdare, 65 men and boys killed in an explosion

1856 Cymmer, Porth, 114 killed

7 of the 114 were UNDER THE AGE of 10, 7 were 10, and 7 were 11 years old

1867 Ferndale, Rhondda, 178 killed

1869 Ferndale, Rhondda, another 60 killed

1877 Tynewydd 5 killed in a flooded pit

1880 Naval Colliery, Rhondda, 96 killed in an explosion

1885 Maerdy 81 killed in an explosion

...

The first “firemen” were covered with water-soaked rags and crawled towards seepages with a naked flame on a long stick to explode the gas

...

Some survived

...

Methane = Firedamp

Carbon Monoxide = Afterdamp

Carbon Dioxide = Blackdamp

Hydrogen Sulphide = Stinkdamp

...

In 1889, there were no major disasters

- it was a good year

- just 153 deaths in the pits.

...

Among them............

...

John Evans age 14 killed in a roof fall at Ocean Colliery, Treorchy

Thomas Evans age 16 killed in a roof fall at Seven Sisters, Neath

James Minhan age 13 fell from shaft at Great Western Colliery, Pontypridd

Thomas Jones age 17 rushed by trams at Cwmheol Colliery, Aberdare

Thomas Jones age 17 knocked down by tram at Duffryn Main, Neath

Morgan Harris age 16 run over by a coal wagon at No 9 Pit, Aberdare

James Webber age 17 killed by falling stone at No 1 Pit, Ferndale

Richard Jones age 17 killed in roof fall at Abercanaid Colliery, Merthyr

Thomas Cooper age 15 killed by a roof fall at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd

Joseph Grey age 17 crushed between tram and coal face Gendros Colliery, Swansea

John Howells age 13 crushed by trams at Penrhiwceiber Colliery

Thomas Davies age 17 head crushed between crossbar and tram at Cwmaman Colliery

Thomas Pocket age 16 killed in roof fall at Brithdir Colliery, Neath

Thomas Evans age 17 killed in roof fall at Dunraven Colliery, Treherbert

Richard Martin age 15 killed in roof fall at Coegnant Colliery, Maesteg

David Jones age 17 crushed by tram at North Tunnel Pit, Dowlais

William Meredith age 15 crushed by pit cage at Maritime Colliery, Pontypridd

Aaron Griffiths age 14 crushed by tram at Clydach Vale Colliery

W.R. Evans age 15 died in roof fall at North Dunraven Colliery, Treherbert

Henry Jones age 14 killed in roof fall at Blaenclydach Colliery, Clydach Vale

Samuel Harris age 14 killed in roof fall at Fforchaman Colliery, Cwmaman

Joseph Jones age 16 killed in roof fall at Ynyshir Colliery

John Barwell age 13 fell into side of tram at Clydach Vale Colliery

Thomas Welsh age 15 killed in roof fall at Nantymelyn Colliery, Aberdare

Walter Martin age 15 killed in roof fall at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd

Robert Thomas age 17 killed in roof fall at Treaman Pit, Aberdare

David Thomas age 17 killed in roof fall at Old Pit, Gwaun Cae Gurwen

Thomas Evans age 13 run over by trams at Glamorgan Steam Colliery, Llwynypia

David Arscott age 14 run over by tram at Abercanaid Colliery, Merthyr

Ben Rosser age 14 killed by fall of rock at Gadlys New Pit, Aberdare

William Osborne age 14 crushed in engine wheels at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd

...

1892 Parc Slip 114 killed - in a gas blast - the school had a half holiday

...

1893 A Health Report on the Rhondda Valleys stated ‘the river contained a large proportion of human excrement, pig sty manure, congealed blood, entrails from slaughterhouses, the rotten carcasses of animals, street refuse and a host of other articles - in dry weather the stink becomes unbearable’

...

1894 Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd - 290 killed of the 300 on the shift - 11 could not be identified. One miner’s head had been blown 20 yards from his body. “All trough the darkness the dismal ritual of bringing up the dead continued, illuminated only by the pale fitful glare of the surrounding oil lamps....each arrival of the cage quenched the glimmer of hope that lived in the hearts of those who waited” A court case was brought against the mine owners and managers but all serious charges were dropped.

...

For the dust of our land

Now in our lungs

And in every pore of our bodies

Except our white eyes

...

A solitary

disfigured

maddened

cripple

...

Was unlucky to survive

The 1901 explosion

At Universal Colliery, Senghenydd

When 81 miners died

...

A forewarned accident

But never responsibility

So back to work, it is lads

Serene immutability

...

For the company,

Lewis Merthyr Consolidated Collieries Ltd.,

All charges were of course dismissed

...

1901 Morgan Morgans died in a fall at Cymmer Colliery, Porth, which pushed him onto a pick axe, which went through his head. His son, Dai Morgans, aged 13, witnessed the accident and was so traumatised that he never worked again

...

1905 National Colliery, Wattstown, 109 killed and the first disaster at Cambrian Colliery, Clydach Vale, 31 killed

...

October 14 1913,

Let us return to Senghenydd

Same pit, different scale

Cover their faces with their coats

There are plenty more Welsh males

...

The Universal was known as a “fiery” pit, full of hidden methane-filled caverns.A miner went to the lamp room to light his wick, a roof-fall nearby released methane into the tunnel, the explosion ignited the coal dust, and the fire caused a massive second explosion that roared up the Lancaster Section of the pit, smashing through the workings.

...

The fires could not be put out for a week, during which all but 18 of the survivors died of carbon monoxide poisoning

...

The pit cage was blown right out of its shaft

Into the clear blue air

...

Aged a little over 14 years

Harry Wedlock’s first day

As a colliery boy was spent in tears

With cracking timber falling away

...

Fire and foul air filled his chest

While Sidney Gregory cwtched him best

As he could in the black smoke and dust

2000 feet under the management offices

...

Upon October 14, 1913, at the Universal Colliery

The dead included:

8 children of 14 years

5 children of 15 years

10 children of 16 years

44 children of 17 to 19 years

And......................377 other miners

...

8 bodies were never identified and 12 could not be recovered

...

Of the 440 dead, 45 men were from Commercial Street, Senghenydd

and 35 from the High Street

...

Not one street in Senghenydd was spared -

Parc Cottages 1 dead

Gelli Terrace 2 dead

School Street 2 dead

Windsor Place 2 dead

Cross Street 2 dead

Clive Street 3 dead

Kingsley Place 4 dead

The Huts 6 dead

Alexandra Terrace 8 dead

Station Road 8 dead

Brynhyfryd Terrace 8 dead

Phillips Terrace 9 dead

Coronation Terrace 10 dead

Station Terrace 11 dead

Woodland Terrace 12 dead

Graig Terrace 14 dead

Parc Terrace 15 dead

Grove Terrace 19 dead

Stanley Street 20 dead

Cenydd Terrace 22 dead

Caerphilly Road 39 dead

High Street 40 dead

Commercial Street 44 dead

...

Some women lost their husbands in 1901 and their sons in 1913

...

Mrs Benjamin of Abertridwr lost her husband and

both her sons, aged 16 and 14

...

At 68 Commercial Street, the widowed Mrs Twining lost

each one of her 3 sons, the youngest aged 14

...

Richard and Evan Edwards, father and son, of 44 Commercial Street, were found dead together

...

Half the village rugby team died -

They changed their strip from black and white

To black

...

“ For weeks, there was no rugby on Saturday

..................................................only funerals ”

...

In 12 homes, both father and son died

...

“When Edwin John Small died

with his 21 year-old son

it left his 18 year-old daughter Mary

to rear 6 children

the youngest 3 years old”

...

A survivor, William Hyatt, recalled

...

“My father always said

That there was more fuss

If a horse was killed underground

Than if a man was killed..............

Men come cheap

...........................they had to buy horses”

.....

Houses are better than people we know

But that’s not the reason the argue

They’re all tax exempt for those in the know

We know of a price, not a value

.....

It was 75 years ago today

That the pit boss brought the band to play

But it didn’t help him

They’ve been going in and out of style

But they’re guaranteed to raise a pile

The manager was found guilty on 8 charges

So let me introduce to you

The one and only real scapegoat

Of breaches of the 1911 Coal Mines Act

And fined £24..............

.....

Five-pence ha’penny a corpse

In old money to us

2 p to you

.....

There was no compensation

Wrth gwrs

.....

For the company,

Lewis Merthyr Consolidated Collieries Ltd.,

All charges were

Of course

Dismissed

.....

But we appealed, we showed 'em

.....

And Lewis Merthyr Consolidated Collieries Ltd.

Were fined £10

With costs of £5 and 5 shillings

The copper content of the bodies

.....

There was no compensation

.....

“We slunk to the biblical parlours to stare in shock

At the coke of flesh in the coffin, the ashes of a voice;

There we learned above the lids screwed down before their time

Collects of red rebellion, litanies of violence”

.....

In Senghenydd and Abertridwr

The graves are brambled now

Monuments overgrown

The 14 year-old’s place

Into the ground is sewn

.....

Death rolls around this country

A skull with dust in its sockets

.....

1915 Thomas Williams was killed at Lucy Drift Mine, Abercanaid, leaving a widow and seven children, five of whom were still at home. No compensation was paid.

.....

St David’s Day, 1927 Marine Colliery, Cwm, Ebbw Vale - 52 dead

.....

Half a mile underground

1934 Gresford

262 colliers dead

And 3 of the rescue brigade

Despite the shotfirer’s premonition

About the gas in Dennis Deep Section

.....

“The fireman’s reports are all missing

The records of 42 days,

The colliery manager had them destroyed

To cover his evil ways”

.....

Charges? What charges?

.....

The dust comes out of the ground

Into our silicotic lungs

To be vomited near to death

Not hootering death

But doubled-up suffering wheezing darkness before our time death

.....

Buckets of death feed the flames

More dust goes on the slag heaps

.....

Fear of tears, insider squealing, new markets, Newmarket and

The Falklands hide the blameless obscenity of pulverised spines

.....

The Great War hid Senghenydd

A slag heap hid the school

Can hate fade like pain?

.....

Who wants to know?

.....

Between 1837 and 1934 there were more than 70 disasters in Welsh mines,

And in 11, more than 100 were killed in a single day

.....

Who worries, Lord Bute?

Fill the boneyards and build mock castles over them

.....

1931 Cilely Colliery, Tonyrefail, John Jones killed. Wife and four children receive £6 compensation

.....

1937 - from the notebook of Idris Davies, miner and poet - ‘I looked at my hand and saw a piece of white bone shining like snow, and the flesh of the little finger all limp. The men supported me, and one ran for an ambulance box down the heading, and there I was fainting away like a little baby girl.’

.....

Davies understood the sullen slavery of his fellow colliers -

.....

‘There are countless tons of rock above his head,

And gases wait in secret corners for a spark;

And his lamp shows dimly in the dust.

His leather belt is warm and moist with sweat,

And he crouches against the hanging coal,

And the pick swings to and fro,

And many beads of salty sweat play about his lips

And trickle down the blackened skin

To the hairy tangle on the chest.

The rats squeak and scamper among the unused props

And the fungus waxes strong.

.....

And Dai pauses and wipes his sticky brow,

And suddenly wonders if his baby

Shall grow up to crawl in the local Hell,

.....

And if tomorrow’s ticket will buy enough food for six days,

And for the Sabbath created for pulpits and bowler hats,

When the under-manager cleans a dirty tongue

And walks with the curate’s maiden aunt to church .......

.....

Again the pick resumes the swing of toil,

And Dai forgets the world where merchants walk in morning streets,

And where the great sun smiles on pithead and pub and church-steeple.’

.....

1941 Coedely Colliery - Hugh Jones was killed and his mother received £15 compensation, of which the coffin cost £14 14s. She went to the pit with the £15 and waved it at miners, shouting “Look, boys, get out of this pit as quick as you can - because this is all your lives are worth”

.....

1941 Markham Colliery - Leslie James killed, family also receives £15 for the funeral

.....

1947 Lewis Merthyr Colliery - George Waite killed - wife and five children receive £500 compensation

.....

1947 Lewis Merthyr Colliery - 18 year old Neil Evans suffocated in roof fall. His family receives £200 compensation but the National Coal Board takes away their entitlement to free coal in return

.....

Between 1931 and 1948, of the 23000 men who left mining because of pneumoconiosis, almost 20,000 came out of the South Wales pits.

.....

1950 Maritime Colliery, Pontypridd - John Phillips dies - no compensation for family

.....

1951 Wern Tarw Colliery - two brothers, Aaron and Arthur Stephens were killed in a roof fall - Aaron’s widow received £200 compensation, and Arthur’s widow £250. The differential was explained by the fact that Arthur had two children.

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1957 Bedwas Colliery - Bobby John killed - parents receive £300 compensation

.....

1960 Six Bells Colliery, Abertillery, 45 dead

.....

In 1961 No 7 Pantglas Tip was started, on top of a mountain stream, next to 6 other slag heaps on boggy ground on the side of a hill. Directly underneath it was Pantglas School. There were local protests.

.....

1962 Tower Colliery, 9 dead - Dai Morris was decapitated. The miner with him reminisced “when the nurse pulled my shirt off, she pulled away half my skin with it”

.....

Ken Strong died - his wife, Mary was only 32 and never left her home for 15 years until she died in 1977

.....

No 7 Pantglas Tip was getting bigger - the National Coal Board - a nameless, faceless, ignorant bureaucracy, used it to deposit “tailings”, tiny particles of coal and ash.

.....

1963 a Merthyr Council official wrote to the National Coal Board “You are no doubt aware that tips at Merthyr Vale tower above the Pantglas area and if they were to move a very serious situation would accrue”

.....

When wet, tailings form a consistency identical to quicksand

.....

1965 Another disaster at Cambrian Colliery, Tonypandy, with 31 dead in the explosion

.....

But we digress, it was only a ‘small’ disaster - hardly touched the ‘Nationals’

.....

Let us instead return to Merthyr Vale and Pantglas