East and West Eliot Colliery

Wages slips 1935-1953

The Eliot Colliery was sited at New Tredegar in the Rhymney Valley. Sinking of this 'super pit' began in 1883 when the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co. negotiated mineral rights from Lord Tredegar. The colliery was named after the chairman of Powell Duffryn, Sir George Eliot, who had been very influential in founding the new pit. The completion of both pits was hampered by difficult geography, excessive water and poor industrial relations. TheWest Eliot Pit took two years to sink and was finally completed in 1885. Work on the East Eliot site began in 1888 and was finished in 1890.

Both pits were served by a number of railway companies who transported the Colliery's output to the major shipping sites. This included the Brecon & Merthyr Railway which took coal to Newport, the Rhymney Railway to Cardiff and Barry was served by the Barry Railway.

In 1935, the Powell Duffryn company merged wth Welsh Associated Collieries Ltd to form Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries Ltd. This huge company controlled 44 pits in south Wales and produced 32% of the total output for the area. After nationalisation in 1947 the colliery was placed in the National Coal Board's South Western Division, No. 5 (Rhymney) Area, Group No. 1. Eliot Colliery was finally closed in April 1967.

Source: Ray Lawrence, The South Wales Coalfield Directory, Vol. 2 (1998 edn), pp. 207-208; The Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co. Ltd 1864-1914 (50th Anniversary Publication, 1914) p. 50.

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