A Window into the Industry Collections - February 2016 Mark Etheridge, 25 February 2016 The first object this month is this share certificate for the Ystal-Y-Fera Iron Company. This company was in operation from 1839 until 1885. The company owned the Ystalyfera iron works in the Upper Swansea Valley, as well as extensive coal and iron mining interests. The company was established in 1839 when three co-partners, Sir Thomas Branckner, Joseph James Hegan and Edward Budd acquired land in the Ystalyfera area and built a blast furnace. By 1847 the site had 11 blast furnaces, and was the largest iron works outside Merthyr Tydfil. By 1848 the works also had twelve tinplate mills, making it the largest tinplate works in the world at that time. The works later declined, and eventually closed in 1885. This certificate is made out to Joseph Hegan’s brother John, and is signed by Sir Thomas Branckner and J.P. Budd as Directors. This badge was produced in 1991 to commemorate the closure of Penallta Colliery. The colliery was opened in 1906 by the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company. By 1931 it was one of the largest collieries in South Wales, and employed over 3,000 men. In 1935 it held the European record for coal winding. Penallta finally closed in 1991, and the last shift on the 1 November was led out by a brass band. It was the last deep mine working in the Rhymney Valley.The black and white photograph shows Penallta Colliery on 9 April 1981, and was taken by John Cornwell.See this page on our Images of Industry database for more objects related to Penallta Colliery. This name plate is for a Class 37/4 locomotive No. 37429 ‘Eisteddfod Genedlaethol’. The original diesel/electric locomotive was built in 1965, and withdrawn from service in 2007. In 2015 it was designated by the Railway Heritage Designation Advisory Board and donated to Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. The final object this month is this small ceramic vase produced in the early 20th century. On the front it has a view showing ‘Llwynpia Collieries’. It would have been produced as a souvenir ornament. Mark Etheridge Curator: Industry & Transport Follow us on Twitter - @IndustryACNMW
