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{{Short description|Coal mine located in Ynysybwl, South Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2025}}
{{coord|51.639|-3.359|display=title|region:GB_scale:10000}}
'''Lady Windsor Colliery''' was a [[coal mine]] located in the village of [[Ynysybwl]] in [[South Wales]]. Opened in 1884, it closed in 1988, 104 years later.

==Development==
[[David Davies (industrialist)|David Davies]] began test bores in the early 1880s at Graigddu (English - Black Rock), which proved positive.<ref name="RCT1">{{cite web|url=http://webapps.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/heritagetrail/taff/ynysybwl/ynysybwl.htm |title=Rhondda Cynon Taf |accessdate=2009-03-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905200124/http://webapps.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/heritagetrail/taff/ynysybwl/ynysybwl.htm |archivedate=2008-09-05 }}</ref> Colliery development began in 1884 by Plymouth Estates,<ref name="WCM">{{Cite web|url=http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/GlamEast/LadyWindsor.htm|title=Lady Windsor Ynysybwl}}</ref> later to become the [[Ocean Coal Company]],<ref name="BBC1"/> with many of the early workers from Davies home village of [[Llandinam]], [[Montgomeryshire]].<ref name="RCT1"/> It was named after [[Harriet Windsor-Clive, 13th Baroness Windsor]], who had been co-heiress of the Plymouth Estates.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nant Clydach |url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a7ad1d2e5da74abc9efb4fabdb8a205c |website=#CulturalConnections |publisher=Wales Rural Development Plan 2014 – 2020}}</ref> The shafts Nos.1 and 2 each 689 yards deep,<ref name="WCM"/> with the first coal produced in 1886.

As with most [[coal mining]] areas in the [[South Wales Coalfield]], a local community immediately sprang up around the colliery at Ynysybwl. 300 houses were built in typical [[South Wales Valleys]] [[terrace (architecture)|terraced]] fashion by the mine owners in order to house workers and their families,<ref name="RCT1"/> with most built on the opposing (Western) side of the valley.

==Production==
The high grade of coal produced was ideal for maritime uses, and was hence bought by various shipping concerns including the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] and [[Cunard Line]].<ref name="BBC1">{{cite web| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/coalhouse/sites/mines/pages/lady_windsor_colliery.shtml| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090428213431/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/coalhouse/sites/mines/pages/lady_windsor_colliery.shtml| archive-date = 2009-04-28| title = BBC - Wales - Lady Windsor Colliery}}</ref> This spurred Davies purchase of the rival Harris-owned [[Deep Navigation Colliery]] in 1893, which from 1914 for a period provided electricity supply to Lady Windsor.

During its peak period the colliery employed around 1500 people directly although most of the 6000-7000 village community relied upon the pit in one way or another. In 1935 the colliery was employing 142 men on the surface and 949 underground.<ref name="BBC1"/> In 1931, Lady Windsor was among the first collieries in Wales to provide a pithead baths and first aid/medical treatment room, with the residents of the village were also allowed to use the baths for a small fee (3d to 6d).<ref name="RCT1"/> In 1935 the colliery was employing 142 men on the surface and 949 underground.<ref name="BBC1"/>

Post [[World War II]], [[nationalisation]] took place on 1 January 1947, but the returning miners wanted better conditions, and many choose to commute to work at the newly developed [[Treforest Estate railway station|Treforest Trading Estate]]. In part filled by displaced and stateless [[Europe]]ans, even special allowances did not fulfil the labour needs of the mines.<ref name="RCT1"/>

By 1956 The Lady Windsor was in need of deeper exploitation with almost all the reserves in the Upper Seams being exhausted. With closed pits from [[County Durham]] providing an influx of labour,<ref name="RCT1"/> during 1964 a £4 million reorganisation put in a new pit bottom area, trunk conveyors and a diesel loco haulage system.<ref name="WCM"/>

In March 1975 it was linked underground via two parallel tunnels with [[Abercynon Colliery]],<ref name="RCT1"/> which was situated on the other side of the mountain, to form a single production unit at a cost of £450,000. Coal was raised at the Lady Windsor end of the unit from a depth of 687 yards, with 1,150 men were producing 318,000 tons yearly from Six feet, Lower Nine feet and Seven feet seams.<ref name="WCM"/>

By 1981 manpower deployment broke down to 216 on development, 292 on the coalface, 342 underground and 305 on the surface.<ref name="BBC1"/>

==Closure==
The Lady Windsor Lodge assumed a leading role in the [[UK miners' strike (1984-1985)|1984/85 UK Miner's Strike]], but on return to work the unit managed an impressive recovery obtaining 98% of expected output within a month.<ref name="BBC1"/>

The Lady Windsor/Abercynon unit was closed by [[British Coal]] in February 1988,<ref name="BBC1"/> with an estimated 25 years of workable coal left.<ref name="RCT1"/>

==Transport==
The [[Taff Vale Railway]] financed and operated the Ynysybwl railway, a branch line of its [[Llancaiach Branch]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.railbrit.co.uk/Llancaiach_Branch/frame.htm|title=RAILSCOT | Taff Vale Railway | Llancaiach Branch}}</ref> which joined to the mainline to Cardiff at Stormstown Junction just south of [[Abercynon]].<ref name="roscalen">{{Cite web|url=http://www.roscalen.com/signals/Abercynon/index.htm|title = Adrian the Rock - Signals at Abercynon}}</ref> Opening a year after that of the Lady Windsor Colliery, the last passenger train from Ynysybwl Halt to Pontypridd was in 1953.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.rhodridavies.btinternet.co.uk/index3.htm |title = Page 3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010210005749/http://www.rhodridavies.btinternet.co.uk/index3.htm |archive-date=10 February 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On closure of the mine, the tracks were lifted back to Stormstown Junction, which itself was only removed in 2006, when colour light signals replaced semaphores on the mainline.<ref name="roscalen"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Collieries in South Wales]]
[[Category:Underground mines in Wales]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Rhondda Cynon Taf]]

Lady Windsor Colliery - Revision history

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