The collection - during the process of being cleaned and boxed
The records of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association represent a major source of information for the history of coal mining in Wales and industrial relations in the South Wales coalfield prior to nationalisation.
Founded as the Aberdare Steam Collieries Association in 1864, the Association changed its name to the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association in 1890. Following nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947, the Association began to wind down its activities and arranged for the transfer of its records to the National Library of Wales. These came to the Library during the 1940s and 50s. Listing and cataloguing work was carried out subsequently, but covered only one third of the archive leaving large parts inaccessible and forgotten. Recently it was decided that, owing to the importance of the collection, the entire archive should be fully catalogued.
Notes describing 'engine dip'
These records form one of the largest archive collections in the Library, containing large series of administrative files, minute books, papers of committees and Conciliation Boards, dispute books, financial records, reports of legal proceedings, bound collections of circulars and press cuttings, scrapbooks, research reports, statistics, photographs, and a significant amount of material relating to the Mining Association of Great Britain. There are also over 60 framed photographs of Chairmen of the Association, and works by early Secretaries, including survey books by Alexander Dalziel.
He produced a survey of Merthyr Vale Colliery, 1878–1879, containing reports and first-hand observations on numerous matters including underground workings, lamp lighting procedures, ventilation, payment of wages, and colliery management. These surveys also contain reports and plans on matters including the provision of miners’ housing and stable arrangements at pits. They are interesting for their inclusion of drawings, rough sketches, maps, plans, and photographs.
Plans of miners' houses
Dalziel’s surveys are bound in two volumes and provide his personal insight into varied aspects of colliery operation, such as what machinery was utilised, what (if any) safety measures were being investigated and implemented, reflecting general working conditions in the South Wales coalfield. They are unique by nature and complement the more formal surviving records of the Association, providing a rich dimension to the collection as a whole.
The collection is currently being catalogued.
Lorena Troughton
June 26, 2013
Thank you so kindly for all your hard work when it comes to archiving STUFF!
Anyways – The story goes (From my late Grandfather (Ernest Golan Botten from Rochester in Kent).
He shared with me that many years ago our family owned 2 coal mines and was swindled out of them because our pate Great Great Grandfather died and the family was not able to read.
Apparently lawyers took our land and fortune.
Not sure if this all corect, but sure to tell this story if there is an inheritance still waiting to be claimed by me (as a represantative) of my family.
Question: Do you know any Botten land that was swindled?
Question: Any leads to help start this search or is it just nonsense?
Thank you for replying if there is any validity to my late Grandfather’s story.
Blessings,
Raymond Ernest Botten
Owen Sound Ontario Canada
Thank you for your post on the Coal Owners Association blog. Your story certainly does sound intriguing! I’m afraid I cannot recall any references to an incident surrounding Botten land or mines – but I read through the material a long time ago now. If you would like to start a preliminary search, please do make use of the Library’s enquiry service at the following link:
http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=nlwenquiries
If you could pinpoint a date, or date range, for the incident and perhaps the names of the mines owned by your family that would be a great start.
Good luck!
Thank you for making this accessible. I am researching coal owners houses in the South Wales mining valleys – what they looked like who lived there etc and wondered if you had suggested starting points. I can come to look at documents when I know what I am looking for.
Thanks
Two volumes which contain a small section of plans, reports and descriptions of miners’ (not the owners!) houses are included among the records of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association (ref.: P6/4/1). May I suggest that you initially search the online catalogue for further sources which may be of interest? Our enquiry team will be more than happy to assist with your research and can be contacted by e-mail (enquiry@llgc.org.uk) or by completing the form on our web site.