South Wales Coalfield Collection

Maesmarchog Local History Class

Ref No. Description Dates
VID/17 Interview of Davies, Dai Charles.
Memoirs of Dai Charles Davies, his parents, his early life in Onllwyn, the problems with dust, the Welfare Scheme, the fire at Onllwyn sports pavillion, building Onllwyn Welfare Hall, the activities which took place in the hall, changes in outlook since the war, the effects of open cast mining on the area, what the coal owners put back into the community, his activities as a member of the Communist Party, standing against his mother in the parish council elections, politics in the Glamorgan area, the setting up of a health clinic by the miners' lodges, the doctor who ran it and its closure.
Covers period : 1900-1982 (c).
Running time : 39mins 23secs.
24.11.1982
VID/18 Interview of Jones, Ivor.
Memoirs of Ivor Jones, his parents, his early life in Abertridwr, the Universal Colliery Disaster, his father and three brothers fighting in World War I and the death of one of the brothers, his school days and education, his wanting to teach and not be a miner, qualifying as a baptist minister, going down the pit at Seven Sisters for the first time, wages and conditions at the colliery, studying mining at University College Swansea, becoming a colliery official, nationalisation, his dissatisfaction with the number of visiting National Coal Board officials, the role of the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers after nationalisation and its relations with the National Union of Mineworkers, an explosion at Seven Sisters in which five men died, his pneuomoconiosis, the closure of the colliery and the effect this had on the community, open cast mining in the Dulais Valley and the difference between the top and bottom halfs of the valley and how things have changed over the years.
Covers period : 1913-1983 (c).
Running time : 44 mins 45 secs.
12.1.1983
VID/19 Interview of Jones, Phil.
Memoirs of Phil Jones, his family, his early life in Seven Sisters, his school days and education, failing to get to grammar school and having to go to work at the colliery, going down the pit at Seven Sisters for the first time, wages and conditions at the colliery, studying mining at University College Swansea, Swansea in the early 1930's, Mr Bevan the owner of the Seven Sisters Colliery, going on holiday to Blackpool and a Mediterranean cruise with three friends, his pnemoconiosis and his father's silicosis, the closure of Seven Sisters Colliery and the effect on the community, the feeling of comradeship in the colliery, being a member of committees and councils, strikes during World War II, getting married in war time, evacuees who came to Seven Sisters, moving to Crynant and the differences between there and Seven Sisters, how mining affected the landscape of the Dulais Valley and the economic, social and cultural changes in the community.
Covers period : 1910-1982 (c).
Running time : 42 mins 27 secs.
3.12.1982
VID/20 Interview of Jones, Phil.
Memoirs of Phil Jones. This is an edited version of the interview on SWCC : VID/19 and contains some photographs to illustrate some of the things Mr Jones says.
Covers period : 1910-1982 (c).
Running time : 30mins 41secs.
3.12.1982
VID/21 Interview of Pugh, Morgan.
Interview of Morgan Pugh. He talks about the miners of Onllwyn and Banwen setting up their own medical clinic, how several doctors refused and how eventually Dr Thomas agreed to be their doctor, buying a house for the doctor and the dispute over the house with the colliery under manager, his impression of Dr Thomas, building and setting up the surgery, the new medical services the clinic provided, the lack of medical facilities at a colliery in the early part of the century and giving Dr Thomas the surgery to compensate him for giving up his old practice.
Covers period : 1915-1947 (c).
Running time : 22mins 22secs.
1981
VID/22 Interview of Rees, Gethin.
Interview of Gethin Rees. He talks about working as a boy at Brynteg Colliery, clothes and equipment, carrying gunpowder and gelignite, socialising with the other boys and the sense of comradeship at the coal face, the differences in modern mines, mining methods, being fined for having rubbish mixed with coal, piece work, timbering and being injured when buried in a roof collapse.
Covers period : 1930-1980 (c).
Running time : 22mins 21secs.
1982
VID/23 Interview of Rees, Gethin.
Memoirs of Gethin Rees. His early life in Brynteg, his parents and his family, the number of English people in Brynteg, his school days and education, the lack of work in the area for woman and how this changed during the war, his experiences working at Brynteg Colliery, personnel and methods at the colliery, the differences at Dillwyn Colliery, the death of his friend John Davies at Dillwyn Colliery, his accident at Brynteg when he was buried in a roof collapse, the difference between men from different places, the lodge committee, making a drivage at Brynteg, pit-head baths, entertainment in the community, the local jazz band - "The Nantycafn Paraders", the setting up of the Nantycafn Social Club, changes in the landscape of the Dulais Valley, the effect of open cast and the lack of money put back into the valley.
Covers period : 1915-1980 (c).
Running time : 60 mins 5 secs.
18.12.1982
VID/24 Documentary - Gethin Rees : Memories of the Dulais Valley.
Documentary entitled Gethin Rees : Memories of the Dulais Valley. This is an edited version of the interview on SWCC : VID/23 with additional photographs and footage to illustrate what Mr Rees was saying.
Covers period : 1915- 1980 (c).
Running time : 55mins 35secs.
18.12.1982
VID/25 Discussion, Dulais Valley, Maesmarchog Local History Class.
Interview of Gethin Rees, Norman Burns, Doug Miller, Ivor Jones and three other members of the Maesmarchog Local History Class. They discuss the effect mining, and in particular open cast mining, has had on the landscape, environment, flora and fauna of the Dulais Valley, the public enquiry at Pantyfallen and what could be done to solve existing problems.
Covers period : 1960-1982 (c).
Running time : 44 mins 43 secs.
13.12.1982
VID/26 Interview of Rees, (Miss).
Memoirs of Miss Rees. Moving from Lancashire to Seven Sisters, her family, teaching in Lancashire and Seven Sisters, her first impressions of Seven Sisters and the social conditions there, teaching children, the position of a school teacher in the community, learning and teaching Esperanto, taking children abroad, the role of the school in the community, politics in Lancashire, Welsh Nationalism, the activities of the local chapels and changes in teaching.
Covers period : 1921-1955 (c).
Running time : 44 mins 55 secs.
19.10.1982
VID/27 Documentary - Miss Rees : Memories of a Dulais Valley Schoolteacher.
This is an edited version of the interview on SWCC : VID/26.
Covers period : 1921-1955 (c).
Running time : 26mins 43secs.
19.10.1982
VID/131 Discussion with Gethin Rees at Blaendulais School.
A discussion between pupils at Blaendulais Primary School and Gethin Rees. The pupils watch the interview on SWCC : VID/24 and then ask Mr Rees questions about his life, education, work etc.
Running time : 32mins 12secs.
1982 (c)
VID/180 Miss Rees - slides and photographs.
Slides and photographs, some of which are used in the documentary Miss Rees : Memories of a Dulais Valley Schoolteacher (SWCC : VID/27).
Running time : 22 mins 22 secs.
1983
VID/181 Miss Rees - Dulais Valley Footage.
Rough footage of the Dulais Valley some of which was used in Miss Rees : Memories of a Dulais Valley Schoolteacher (SWCC : VID/27).
Running time : 11 mins 32 secs.
11.7.1983
VID/185 Interview of Jeffreys, Hywel (Jeff Camnant).
Interview of Hywel Jeffreys discussing his family background and childhood, his recollections of his childhood, school years and recreation in Coelbren, his experiences working down the mine which he started doing when he was 14, relations with the colliery manager, spending his wages and his involvement in the 1925 Anthracite Strike and the 1926 General Strike.
Running time : 22 mins 30 secs.
VID/186 Interview of Jeffreys, Thomas.
Interview of Thomas Jeffreys discussing his childhood and education in Coelbren, his recollections of Coelbren at the turn of the century, going to work on a farm at the age of 13, the impact of industry on the village, working down the pit at 14, what he did for recreation as a youth, the effect of World War I on the area, language in the pit and the influx of English into the area, the 1925 and 1926 strikes and the effect of open cast mining.
Running time : 20 mins 30 secs.
VID/187 Interview of Jeffreys, Thomas and Jeffreys, Hywel (Jeff Camnant).
Interview of Thomas Jeffreys and Hywel Jeffreys (Jeff Camnant) discussing working on Sundays and attending chapel, the influence of religion on the area, the industry in Onllwyn including the pit, washery and furnace, roads in the area, local families and general recollections.
Running time : 21 mins 30 secs.

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