Closure of Kilns and Impact on Local Area

1. Why did the mine and kilns close down? Lesson 10

2. The decline of the Lime Kilns • Originally the lime from the kilns was used for agriculture. • Lime was then needed for the making of iron which was the main reason for having 5 kilns in one area. There was a demand for the product. • The iron works at Ynyscedwyn used Henllys lime. • Late 1800’s local Iron ore resources were depleting and most of the iron industry started to move towards the coast of Wales. • There they could get cheap iron ore imports from abroad. • Henllys Vale lime kilns were not very accessible. • So demand for limestone was beginning to decrease and the lime kilns ceased production in the 1880’s. • During this time the Rebecca riots were happening.

3. The decline of the Colliery • The colliery was very profitable • In 1900 it employed 82 people. 71 below ground and 11 above ground. • By 1904 there was a workforce of 141. • After this time profits seem to decline. • In 1906 the colliery, silica and limestone quarries, mineral rights over 492 ½ acres, buildings, fixed and loose plants, machinery, railway lines, stocks, stores etc went up for auction. • The reserve price was £5500. • This was not reached so John Hay did not sell it.

4. New Henllys Anthracite Co. Ltd then reopened the colliery but it closed again at the beginning of the First World War (1914 – 1918). • Coal was a vital commodity for industry, shipping, railways and heating. Therefore miners were protected from conscription into the army – however a lot of them enlisted and so it was not possible to keep the mine open during the war. • After the war it was considered not worth reopening, so it closed for good in 1918.

5. What affect do you think this closure of the kilns and lime kilns had on the local area? How would it affect the: • Local economy • Environment • People Brainstorm some ideas using spider diagrams on how you think the closures affected the local area.

6. Economy Environment People