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Senghenydd in the Parish of Eglwysilan

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"SENGHENYDD (or Senghenith) is a large mining town, in the civil parish of Eglwysilan and the Pontypridd division of the county of Glamorgan, with a station on the branch from Cardiff of the Great Western railway, and is 11½ miles from Cardiff and 3 from Pontypridd by road and 11 miles by rail." [From Kelly's South Wales Directory 1923 (ArchiveCDBooks) - transcribed by Gareth Hicks]

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Church Records

For full and up-to-date details of their holdings see the sites of Glamorgan Record Office and/or West Glamorgan Archives

Senghenydd contains two Anglican churches :-

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Senghenydd in the Parish of Eglwysilan which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

Senghenydd pit disaster, multiple items - on the People's Collection Wales site
"Universal Colliery, Senghenydd, operated between 1893 and 1928. At the height of its production, it supplied over 10,000 tons of coal a week to the British Fleet based in Scapa Flow during World War One.
An accident in 1901 killed 81 men, and on 14 October 1913 Universal was the scene of the worst ever mining disaster in the UK when an explosion killed 439 men and boys."

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference ST119903 (Lat/Lon: 51.60462, -3.273517), Senghenydd in the Parish of Eglwysilan which are provided by:

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Military History

War Memorial, for World War I and II. Names listing contributed by Phil Roderick, 2001

Senghenydd War Memorial - on the People's Collection Wales site

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Occupations

The National Library of Wales 'Treasures' series. Postcards recording the terrible explosion at the Universal pit, Senghennydd in 1913. 22 postcards, good quality

Memorial for Miners who died in two mining disasters on May 24th 1901 and 14th October 1913. Contributed by Phil Roderick, 2001

Universal Colliery, Senghenydd 1901 - a Death Roll on the Welsh Coal Mines site

Universal Colliery, Senghenydd on the Welsh Coal Mines site

A Welsh Coal Mining Disaster in 1913 on the People's Collection Wales site

The Senghenydd Colliery Disaster - on Wikipedia

National Mining Memorial, Senghenydd - on the People's Collection Wales site

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

  • Universal Colliery explosion, Senghenydd, coroner's report, 1914 "The inquest on the bodies of those who perished in the Universal Colliery disaster, Senghenydd, Glamorgan, took place at the Gwern-y-Milwr Hotel, Senghenydd between 5-14 January 1914. The coroner was David Rees. The Universal Colliery was a deep-mine opened in the 1890s. In 1913, 439 people were killed in a methane explosion carried by coal dust. The mine closed in 1928 and the derelict workings were cleared in 1963" :
  • G.H. Evans "Payslips (photocopies) to G.H. Evans from the Lewis Merthyr Consolidated Collieries Ltd., (Senghenydd Collieries) 1913"
  • Senghenydd Workmen's Library and Institute and Universal Collieries "Material relating to Senghenydd Workmen's Library and Institute (1917-1973), and Universal Collieries (1901-1921)."
    "..................................Universal Colliery (1891-1928) was in Senghenydd (Wales). Two fatal accidents occurred there; in 1901 (81 killed), and in 1913 (439 killed), with the 1913 accident being the biggest mining disaster in Great Britain. During the enquiry into the disaster, several breaches of regulations were uncovered, the most serious of these was the inability of the ventilating fans to reverse the airflow. Legislation had required that all mines should have implemented this by January 1st 1913. It was estimated if the current of air had been reversed a hundred lives might have been saved."
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Social Life & Customs

Carnival, 1935. Senghenydd Con. Club Jazz Band. - on the People's Collection Wales site