South Wales Coalfield Collection
Encyclopedia
The South Wales Coalfield Collection (SWCC), established in 1969 was an attempt to preserve the documentary records of the mining community
in South Wales
at that time when over one hundred coal
mines had been closed since nationalisation and such records were in danger of being destroyed.
By 1971 the South Wales
Coalfield History Project was set up, funded by the Social Science Research Council, to specifically locate and collect manuscript and printed material of archival significance. The collection contains records of trade unions (notably the South Wales Miners' Federation
, later the National Union of Mineworkers (South Wales
Area) and the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation
, South Wales Division), miners' institutes, Co-operative societies, and many individuals connected with the mining community.
Such was the success of the project which lasted until 1974, that it was followed by a second from 1979-1982. A great deal of archive material was deposited from miners' lodges and institutes, co-operative societies and by individuals. Another aspect of the project was the recording of interviews with people connected with the mining community which would otherwise have vanished with them.
Mining in Wales
Mining in Wales provided a significant source of income to the economy of Wales throughout the nineteenth century and early twentieth century....
in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
at that time when over one hundred coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mines had been closed since nationalisation and such records were in danger of being destroyed.
By 1971 the South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
Coalfield History Project was set up, funded by the Social Science Research Council, to specifically locate and collect manuscript and printed material of archival significance. The collection contains records of trade unions (notably the South Wales Miners' Federation
South Wales Miners' Federation
The South Wales Miners' Federation , nicknamed "The Fed", was a trade union for miners in South Wales.The union was founded on 24 October 1898, following the defeat of the South Wales miners' strike of 1898...
, later the National Union of Mineworkers (South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
Area) and the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation
Iron and Steel Trades Confederation
The Iron and Steel Trades Confederation was a British trade union for metal-workers and allied groups. It was formed on 1 January 1917 as a merger of existing steel-workers' unions and it is now part of Community.- History :...
, South Wales Division), miners' institutes, Co-operative societies, and many individuals connected with the mining community.
Such was the success of the project which lasted until 1974, that it was followed by a second from 1979-1982. A great deal of archive material was deposited from miners' lodges and institutes, co-operative societies and by individuals. Another aspect of the project was the recording of interviews with people connected with the mining community which would otherwise have vanished with them.