The History of Brynamman

Coal mining & tinplate related extracts

By Enoch Rees  1883/1896.  Translated by Ivor Griffiths.

• Names of Coal Seams
• Names of Collieries in the Anthracite region
• Names of Tinplate Works in the Anthracite region
• Coal and Ore Mines of the Place
• Coal Mining Accidents in the Kingdom
• Mining Disasters between 1845 and 1896
• The Depths of our Coal Pits
• Hours Worked in Collieries
• Labour Congress 1891

NAMES OF COAL SEAMS  (p29)

 

The bed of Anthracite coal considered to be in the Brynamman district

                                                       Feet    Inches

•         1.      Pinshin Seam             1       8
•         2.      Goch Seam                3       10
•         3.      Sebon Seam               1       9
•         4.      Stwryn Seam             2       3
•         5.      Wen Seam                 2       10
•         6.      Ddu Seam                  2       10
•         7.      Newydd Seam           2       8
•         8.      Harnio Seam              2       4
•         9.      Fawr Seam                4       6
•         10.     Ddu Seam                 2       8
•         11.     Bresen                      4       0
•         12.     Trigloyn Seam           2       5
•         13.     Brynlloi Seam           2       4
•         14.     Bresen Fach Seam    1       8
•         15.     Ganol Seam              2       9
•         16.     Isaf Seam                  2       9
•         17.     Bryn Seam                2       0
•         18.     Astell Seam               1       8

There is about a yard of fireclay under Bresen Fach.

NAMES OF COLLIERIES IN THE ANTHRACITE REGION. (p29/30)

 

Mines marked * are Pit - all the others are Drift

Lower District.

• Trimsaran
• Pontyberem  
• Tumble  
• Pentre Mawr  
• Glynyrhebog  
• Plas Bach *
• Pont Henry
• Rock Castle
• Emlyn
• Crosshands  *
• Rhos  *
• Cae'r Bryn  *
• Park No 1
• Park No 2
• Ammanford

Central District.

• Cawdor
• Gelliceidrym
• Llwynrhydian
• Pwll Newydd y Waun  *
• Hen Bwll y Waun  *
• Pantycelyn
• Blaenywaun

Upper District.

• Hendreforgan
• Cwmgilfach
• Brynhenllysg
• Pwll Bach
• Ystradfawr   *
• Hendreladys   *
• Waunclawdd
• Abercrave
• Onllwyn
• Seven Sisters  *
• Varteg
• Crynant
• Nant Merthyr
• Ynys Merthyr
• Aberpergwm
• Pwllfaron
• Ystradowen
• International   

All the above collieries belong to the Anthracite Union

NAMES OF TINPLATE WORKS IN THE ANTHRACITE AREA (p30)

 

• 1. Brynamman    1872
• 2. Glynbeudy     1889
• 3. Garnant
• 4. Glanamman
• 5. Tirdail
• 6. Pantyffynon
• 7. Cwmtwrch
• 8. Gurnos
• 9. Ystalyfera
• 10. Yniscedwyn

COAL AND ORE MINES OF THE PLACE.(p30)

(Most of them now closed.)

Level yr Office; Level y Bresen; Level Bawns,Level Pencraig; Level Trigloyn a Coedcae Bach; Level Herbert; Level yr Ynys; Level y Cwar; Level Tyrhen -- Abraham; Level Twynadarn; Level Pantycelyn; Glynbeudy Drift; Cannon Frift; Bwli Bach Drift; Medwyn Drift; Blaenywaun Drift; Drifft y Tynel; Drifft y Wythien fawr.

                             Year sunk       Depth

• Pwll    canol   y Waun        1837,   200
• Pwll    Uchaf                      1847    140
• Pwll    Newydd                  1884    250
• Pwll    y   Gwter                 1855    110
• Pwll    Rhydwen

Several small pits were sunk here and there in the district, but they are not worth mentioning.
For instance the Byrlip Pit and similar ones ---- more water and beer than anything else.

COAL MINING ACCIDENTS IN THE KINGDOM (p31/2)

 

The causes of loss of life in and around collieries are many and varied.
As shown, explosions are only one of the causes, and the lives lost through this is small in comparison to the total.
The following gives the causes of all the deaths in 1884 and 1885.

NATURE OF ACCIDENT	NUMBER OF	LIVES LOST
	1884	1885
Explosions	65	341
Cave-in or Fall	482	439
Overwinding	2	2
Ropes or chains breaking	21	6
Descending or ascending the pit	21	19
Fall down pit from surface	8	10
Things falling down pit	3	5
Things falling along pit	8	7
Various other causes	8	15
Powder blast	22	7
Gas suffocation	19	2
Water bursting through	1	13
Falling into water	1	0
On the inclines	40	46
By trams and tubs	100	112
By underground machinery	7	9
Various other causes underground	23	30
By machinery on the surface	12	7
Boiler blast	2	1
Various causes on the surface	80	67
Total	942	1150

Is not this a black and heartrending catalogue?
So many to die in a year,and most of them, cut down in an accident.
No wonder that the words of an English bard were critical:

"They fell and faded -- and the crackling trunks
Extinguished with a crash -- and all was black."

As seen, the main cause of loss of life in the collieries was cave-ins or falls from the roof or sides. The death toll under this heading was 38.17% of the total. Most underground workers know that there are different arrangements operating in different regions concerning the setting up of timber props. In some regions, all the props are set up by specially appointed persons,and the collier does not interfere in any way with the 'timbering.' In other regions the props are put up by the colliers themselves, which is the arrangement in this area.
There has been much argueing at times on the merits and de-merits of the two systems, and I believe that I am right in saying that the miners in South Wales are practically all in favour of the second system. They argue that the nature of the roof and the ground is such that they cannot adopt the other method. Still, it would be interesting to look at the number of deaths through falls or cave-ins in the regions using the two systems.

The following list gives a clear view of the matter:

Region	Number of deaths through falls in 1885	Rate of deaths per thousand persons employed	Timbering by
Northumberland,Cumberland, and North Durham	21	.39	Officials
South Durham,Durham,Westmoreland, and North Yorkshire	39	.62	Officials
North and East Lancashire	29	.89	Workers
West Lancashire and North Wales	57	1.37	Workers
West Yorkshire	46	.72	Workers
Derbyshire,Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire	32	.58	Officials
North Staffordshire,Cheshire, and Shropshire	15	.67	Officials
South Staffordshire and Worcestershire	20	.86	Workers
Monmouthshire ,Somerset and parts of Gloucestershire and Breconshire	37	1.03	Workers
South Wales	81	1.31	Workers
East Scotland	42	.91	Workers
West Scotland	20	.66	Workers

         MINING DISASTERS

        BETWEEN 1845 and 1896

		No.Killed
1845 -- Aug 2	Cwmbach near Merthyr Tydfil	28
1846 -- Jan 14	Risca Colliery	35
1848 -- June 21	Victoria,Monmouth	11
1849 -- Aug 11	Llety Shenkin,Aberdare	52
1851 -- Sept 3	Aberdare.Chain broke	14
1852 -- May 10	Dyffryn Pit,Aberdare	64
1852 -- May 10	Gwendraeth Vale;water broke in	28
1853 -- March 12	Risca Vale.Explosion	10
1856 -- Nov 29	Cwmamman,Aberdare;cage upset	8
1856 - July 15	Cymmer,Pontypridd	114
1857 -- Feb 19	Lundhill,Barnsley	189
1858 -- Oct 13	Primrose Colliery,Swansea	13
Same Year	Dyffryn near Newport	20
1859 -- April 5	Chain Colliery,near Neath	20
1860 -- March 2	Killingworth	75
1860 -- Dec 1	Risca,near Newport	45
1860 -- Dec 20	Hetton,Northumberland	22
1861 -- June 11	Claycross,Derbyshire	21
1861 -- Oct	Lalle,France	85
1862 -- Jan 16	Hartley,Northumberland	292
1862 -- Feb 19	Gethin,near Merthyr	47
1862 -- Nov 22	Walker,Newcastle	15
1862 -- Dec 8	Barnsley	60
1863 -- March 6	Coxbridge,Newcastle	13
1863 -- Oct 17	Margam	39
1863 -- Dec  26	Maesteg	14
1865 -- June 16	Bedwellty	24
1865 -- Dec  20	Gethin,Merthyr	30
1865 --	New Pit,Tredegar	36
1866 -- Jan 23	Highbrook,Wigan	30
1866 -- June 14	Dukinfield	37
1866 -- Oct  31	Pelton Fell,Durham	24
1866 -- Dec  12	Oaks,Barnsley	360
1866 -- Dec  13	Oaks,Barnsley	28
1866 -- Dec  13	Talk o' th' Hill	80
1867 -- Aug   29	Garswood,St Helens	14
1867 -- Nov  8	Ferndale	178
1868 -- Sept 30	Ruabon	11
1868 -- Nov  26	Arley,Wigan	62
1868 -- Dec  21	Norley,Wigan	7
1868 -- Dec  30	Haydock,St Helens	26
1869 -- April  1	Highbrook,Wigan	33
1869 -- June 10	Ferndale	60
1869 -- July 21	Haydock,Wigan	58
1869 -- Nov  22	Hindley,Wigan	30
1870 -- July 7	Silverdale,Stafford	19
1870 -- Feb  14	Morfa Colliery,Port Talbot	29
1870 -- July 23	Llansamlet	19
1870 -- Aug  16	Brynu,Wigan	19
1871 -- Jan  10	Eckington,Sheffield	27
1871 -- Feb   24	Pentre	38
1871 -- March 2	Victoria,Ebbw Vale	10
1871 -- Sept 6	Moss Pitts,Wigan	70
1871 -- Oct  25	Seaham	30
1872 -- Jan  11	Llynvi Valley	11
1872 -- Oct   7	Morley Main,Dewsbury	34
1872 -- Nov   14	Pelsall Hall,Walsall	22
1873 -- Feb  18	Talke Colliery,Stafford	20
1874 -- April 14	Astley,Dukinfield	54
1874 -- July 18	Sawmills Pit,Wigan	15
1874 -- Nov  20	Rawmarsh,Rotherham	23
1874 -- Dec  24	Bignall Hall,Dudley	17
1875 -- April 30	Bunker's Hill	43
1875 -- Sept 11	Donnington,Salop	11
1875 -- Dec  4	Powell Duffryn	22
1875 -- Dec  5	Llan Colliery,Pentyrch	12
1875 -- Dec  6	Swaithe. Main,Barnsley	140
1876 -- Dec  18	Abertillery	17
1876 --	Dowlais Blast furnace	40
1877 -- Jan  23	Stonehill,Bolton	18
1877 -- March 8	New Worcester,Swansea	18
1877 -- Feb  7	Darcey Lever,Bolton	10
1877 -- April 11	Tynewydd	5
1877 -- Oct  11	Pemberton,Wigan	33
1877 -- Oct  22	High Blantyre	200
1878 -- March 8	Kilsyth,Sterling	16
1878 -- March 12	Kersley,Bolton	43
1878 -- March 27	Apedale,Chesterton	30
1878 -- June  7	Haydock,Wigan	189
1878 -- Sept  11	Abercarne	268
1879 -- Jan  13	Dinas	63
1879 -- March  4	Deep Drop,Wakefield	79
1879 -- July  2	High Blantyre	28
1880 -- Jan  21	Leycett,North Staffordshire	73
1880 -- July 15	Risca	120
1880 -- Sept 8	Seaham	170
1880 --Dec  10	Penygraig	101
1880 --	Naval Steam Coal	96
1881 --	Abram,Wigan	48
1881 --	Whitfield,Tunstall	25
1882 --	Trinidon Grange,Durham	84
1882 --	Tudhoe,Durham	37
1882 --	Clay Cross,Derbyshire	45
1882 --	Baddesley,Warwickshire	23
1882 --	West Stanley,Chester le'street	13
1883 --	Altham,Lancashire	68
1883 --	Wharnecliffe,Carlton,Barnsley	20
1884 --	Pochin,Tredegar,Mon	14
1884 --	Penygraig	11
1885 --	Naval Steam Coal,Penygraig	14
1885 --	Mardy,Rhondda Valley	51
1885 --	Usworth:,Durham	42
1885 --	Clifton-hall,Lancashire	177
1885 --	Maerdy	81
1886 --	Alltofts,Normanton,Yorkshire	22
1886 --	Bedford,Leigh,Lancashire	38
1886 --	Bedminster,Bristol(Dean-lane)	10
1886 --	Elemore,Hetton-le-hole,Durham	28
1886 -- Dec	Houghton Main Colliery,Barnsley	10
1887 -- Feb 18	Cwtch. Colliery,Rhondda	38
1887 -- March 4	Mons,Belgium	150
1887 --- May 4	Nanaimo,Vancouver	160
1887 -- May  27	Blantyre	80
1887 -- Oct  24	Walker Pit,Newcastle	30
1888 -- May  14	Aber,Tynewydd	5
1890 -- Jan  23	Glyn Pit Disaster,Pontypool	5
1890 -- Feb  6	Llanerch Colliery,Abersychan	176
1894 -- June	Cilfynydd	292
1896 -- Jan  27	Tylorstown	57

THE DEPTHS OF OUR COAL PITS. 

 

The following gives the depths of some of the South Wales coal pits that are over 200 yards deep.
The depths are given in yards.

Treharris (1) (2)	760 720
Lady Winsor,Ynysybwl (1) (2)	608 556
Bedlinog (1)  (2)	580 510
Albion	545
Penrhiwceiber	527
Merthyr Vale (1) (2)	482 476
George,Cwmpennar	470
Elliot,New Tredegar	450
Dinas,Rhondda	440
Fochriw Fochriw	430 400
Nixon's Navigation	416
Naval,Rhondda	415
National,Rhondda Fach	410
Globe,Rhondda Fawr	400
Cambrian	400
Blaenrhondda	400
Maerdy,Rhondda Fach (1) (2)	388 285
Cymmer	384
Hafod & Lewis'Merthyr	380
Llwynpia	372
Ynyshir(Standard)	370
Bwllfa(Eastern) Ocean	370
Pendyrus(Tylor'stown)	367
Parc Newydd,Cwmparc	367
New Tredegar(Old Pit)	360
Blaenllechau(5)	358
The Ocean,Nantymoel	350
Castle Pit,Cyfarthfa	330
Bedwellty,Tredegar	326
Blaenllechau (4)	300
Cwmpennar (Lower Dyffryn)	300
Deep Dyffryn,Mountain Ash	290
Blaenllechau (1)	286
Ffaldau,Cwmgarw (Victoria)  "      "       (Old Pit)	253 220
Cwmnoel	260
Blaengarw	252
Bodringallt	238
Fforchaman	226
Blaenllechau (2)	225
Pentre,Rhondda	220
Ty Trist,Tredegar	210
Treorchy	210
South,Plymouth	200
Gwauncaegurwen,Old Pit	200
Pwll Newydd	250

HOURS WORKED IN COLLIERIES. (p35/6)

FROM A REPORT DATED NOVEMBER 1st 1890.

Mr Thomas Ashton,secretary to the Miner's Federation of Great Britain,has issued a statistical report from returns supplied by checkweighers and district secretaries showing the hours worked at collieries in the various mining districts of Great Britain,with the exception of Durham,Northumberland,and Cleveland.
The return relating to Lancashire and Cheshire is confined to 179 pits,and shows that the majority of the miners descend the shaft about five o'clock in the morning,some few at four o'clock,and in some instances at six o'clock. In one instance the men ascended at one o'clock,but in the majority of cases from three to half-past is about the average.

At 21 collieries two shifts are worked, and at one pit belonging to Colonel Hargreaves,two and three shifts are returned as being worked at one colliery. The question how many hours are worked at the coal face is answered as follows:
In only one instance,viz., Moss Arley,are 12 hours worked; at 2 collieries,11 hours; at 38,from 10 to 10 1/2 hours; at 67,9 to 9 1/2 hours; at 55,8 to 8 1/2 hours; 5 are returning as making 7 to 7 1/2 hours; and the men at Bower's Pit,7 and 7 1/4 hours.

The boys are returned as working at one colliery(Allen's Grren),10 1/2 hours; at 63 collieries,10 hours; at 65 collieries,9 to 9 1/2 hours.
The day men work from 9 to 10 hours;and in some few instances,11 hours.
It is shown that at the collieries as a rule,they commence to draw coal at six o'clock, and cease at five.

In most instances in South Staffordshire there is only one shift worked,and with one exception,8 hours form the working day. In Somersetshire only 7 to 7 1/2 hours are worked at the coal face.
The return relating to 145 Yorkshire pits compares favourably with other districts as to the hours worked by both men and boys. Although there are more collieries in the country than those noticed,the return relates to the chief pits in both South and West Yorkshire. As a rule the return shows that the men descend from five to half-past five o'clock in the morning, and ascend between half-past one and two o'clock in the afternoon. There are,however,several instances where they do not ascend until half-past three,and in one case until four o'clock.
Less time is stopped for meals than in Lancashire and some other counties. Most of the collieries begin to draw coal at six o'clock in the morning,and cease at from half-past three to four o'clock.
At Rothwell Haigh it is stated that they begin to draw coal at six o'clock and cease at ten. Three shifts are worked,and the distance the men have to travel to the coal face is from 1,000 to 2,000 yards.
At Carr House the distance travelled is 1 to 3 miles,and at Victoria,Haigh Moor,2 miles. At 6 collieries in the county,9 hours are worked at the coal face; at 19,8 1/4 to 8 1/2 hours; at 38,8 hours; and at 31,7 to 7 3/4 hours.

The lads employed underground work longer hours than the miners. The return shows that at 16 Yorkshire pits they work 10 hours, at 48,from 9 to 9 1/2 hours; and at 51,from 8 to 8 3/4 hours. At the Allerton Main Colliery neither men nor boys work more than 7 hours.
The claymen employed underground work as a rule 10 1/2 hours per day. So far as regards the working of shifts,it appears that at 9 collieries in the county,3 shifts are worked,and at 27 pits,2 shifts,those working 3 shifts. averaging 7 1/2 to 8 hours per shift. It ought to be explained that in some instances, where firms have more than one pit,only one return is made.

---

LABOUR CONGRESS 1891. (p36/9)

HELD IN WESTMINSTER HALL,LONDON.

The following appeared in " Cwrs y Byd" dated November 1892

Mr David Dale,Chairman; Messrs W.Abraham,M.P.; G.Balfour,M.P.; T.Burt,M.P.; A.Hewlett; E.Trow; The Right Honourable A.J.Mundella,M.P.; Sir J.E.Gorst, Q.C.M.P.; The Right Honourable Leonard Courtney,M.P.; Messrs.M.Austin and J.Maudsley; Messrs. G.Drage;J.Burnett,and F.V.Hornby,Secretary.

This congress was authorized by the House of Commons to look into the conditions of workers in various fields of labour,and on the occasion appointed Mr Enoch Rees,Brynamman,to give testimony before it on behalf of the Anthracite Coal Regions of South Wales,for whom,Mr Rees has filled the post of secretary for over ten years.
It can be seen,on looking over the report that his connection. with the labour field is extensive; and it was clear that he was faithful in his supervision,and has gained for himself the trust of the region,so that he is often appointed as supervisor to the collieries in various special circumstances,like the present one.
The post of secretary of any society is not unimportant,and the larger the area,the more is the responsibility of the officials,especially the secretary. The truth of it is,he is the chief adjudicator and in the present day we get many instances of neglectful and dogmatic secretaries running the train of their societies to destruction with the results proving bitter to hundreds of honest and thrifty workers. Often a great mistake is the appointment of inexperienced persons to fill important posts in very important areas. Businessmen take special care not to make a mistake which might prove damaging to them when choosing their employees. When choosing a secretary for the Anthracite Coal Region,it was noted that a businessman was needed as well as an experienced miner.
It is certainly not often that there is success in this direction,but as for Mr Rees, it would not be regarded as insulting -- in fact,perhaps he is proud to say that he was born and raised at the 'Coalface',so that the whole of the colliery district is as familiar and natural to him as the trickle of the brook over the smooth faces of small pebbles,as the following report reveals;-

THE REPORT.

"I am presenting the following report on behalf of the members of the Miner's Federation of the Anthracite Coal Region. Out of 42 collieries, in the region,38 are attached to the Federation,which negotiates wages and employment.And although four of the collieries are not affiliated to the federation,yet the peace and understanding which exists between the masters and workers stems from the fact that they follow the arrangements of the federation. The membership of the federation at present is 3,500.

The members live in hilly,country districts scattered through three counties, namely Brecon,Glamorgan,and Carmarthenshire. 95% of them are Welsh,speaking corresponding and carrying on the business of the federation in Welsh.
I worked for 20 years underground,but for the last 10 years I have held the post of secretary to this federation,so I have had enough opportunities to become familiar with the circumstances and opinions of the miners.
The strikes that took place in the region before the adoption of the "sliding scale" damaged the relationship between capital and labour,and it has meant financial loss to both employer and employee as well as unpleasant feelings. The effect was greater on the workers due to their poorer circumstances and the weakness of union administration. The miners in country areas as a rule are more thrifty than those living in populous or civic districts,and improve their circumstances by building a house or keeping a cow or two. The strikes therefore were more destructive in their effects on industrial areas in country places than in the towns,forcing those in the first place to give up their homes and sell their cows,etc.,and go "on the tramp" as they say,to look for maintenance for themselves and their families.
Seldom, it is true,did they succeed in getting work in the neighbouring collieries, being 'strikers' from another district.

Incidentally I shall give an example of one strike out of the many I could mention.
On March 1st 1880,the workers came out on strike at a colliery in Brynamman,Carmarthenshire,a country district with a population of around 2,000,and where the tradesmen depended entirely upon the workers. The strikers were demanding a rise of three shillings in the pound.This,if agreed to would put them on equal terms to other colliers,but as there was no sort of 'sliding scale' operating,or a reconciliation board to rule on wages,and as the employers refused to agree to the workers demands,the strike lasted for 12 months and 5 days.
The same company owned three furnaces and a forge in Brynamman,and they had to close these down because of the work stopping at the colliery. After this long stoppage,the matter was given to arbitration,and work restarted on the standard operating in eight of the neighbouring pits. If an arbitration board or 'sliding scale' had been operating at the time as it does today,it could all probably been avoided,and it is quite true to say that more than half of the wage increase they received from the employers before the introduction of the sliding scale had been lost through strikes -- hardly any increase or reduction taking place without there being a strike of one or two weeks taking place over the problem.
On August 24th. 1882,an agreement was signed by the employers and the representatives of the workers of the region,by virtue of which,it was decided that the wages would be governed by the sliding scale of steam coal.
Since November 1st 1888,we have received in the region at various times increases to the amount of 11/- in the pound,varying from 13 3/4% to 2 1/2% according to the decision of the three-monthly accounts. A reduction of 3 3/4% took place at the beginning of the month of November in spite of this. This has all taken place within the last 3 years without a day being lost because of the decision of the sliding scale.
We,as a region are very hopeful that the government,if called upon to strengthen or improve the present form of sliding scale that rules the relationship between employer and employee,will give careful consideration and support in the matter,as I have plenty of undeniable proof that it is certainly the best system operating up until now to govern wages.

Regarding the working day and eight hours,as a region we are in favour of the system of eight hours from pithead to pithead,as we consider this to be fully enough for men who work hard under the earth. We are of the opinion that it is worthy and just to regard the distance a miner has to walk from the pitshaft to his place of work as part of his labour. I know of some workers who walk daily from Brynamman to Gwauncaegurwen,a distance which takes an hour and a half to walk there and back, and I consider that to be more than enough for a miner to walk without any payment or acknowledgement.
It was the custom in this region 15 years ago to work 10 and even 12 hours a day,and you had an example of this in the largest colliery in the area,Gwauncaegurwen. This colliery was well known for its long hours,and when the system of 9 hours was adopted some years ago,many of the workers pre-supposed that their wages would be cut. Their fears were groundless,in fact,quite the contrary,they earned better wages,and they are also more lively,healthier,and gentle than they were when working longer hours underground. There was also a re-organization in the method of working after the change.

 With regard to the inexperienced workers in the colliery,they were a great worry to experienced and careful workers because of their lack of knowledge about the nature of the work places. I can think of no calling except the miner's where a man cannot carry out his appointed task in the absence of an experienced worker after only a few hours of instruction. It is essential that the miner understands well the nature of the place where he is working,from the floor to the 'top' as well as the 'gas,'while he is there. The amount of gas might be different today to what it was yesterday,and the number of 'props' required one day not as necessary as another day because it is impossible to perceive the dangerous fissures in the top which calls for props until the coal underneath has been cleared. And very often even the most keen eyed fails to see the fissures in the top. One cannot find out the nature of the top except by sound,and it requires long experience to enable a man to recognise the sound and the nature of the top. I have every reason to believe that many inexperienced miners have met with fatal accidents through using the same number of props one day as they used the day before,and set them at the same equal distance apart as on previous occasions.

Realizing that the calling of a miner is such a dangerous one, the federation and its representatives with me believe in all conscience that a person should pass some sort of examination before being allowed to work underground,except those that started working very young,because an inexperienced worker can make a mistake in his ignorance which could endanger the lives of hundreds of his co-workers."

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It is worth mentioning that Mr Rees had,at his request as a Welshman,received permission from Mr Dale,the chairman of the conference, to give his address in clear,pure Welsh,and great attention to this fact was given by the news reporters of London and Cardiff newspapers. One London reporter congratulated Mr Rees for demanding the right to give his report in the language of the people he represented,and according to his information,this was the first bit of public Welsh that had been delivered in the hall,and it gave light to the underground darkness before the high gentry of London.