Mining Community Gone Without A Trace

A Memory of Troedrhiwfuwch.

When they found coal, Treodrhiwfuwch was only a farm. A book was published by J R Pearce back in 1985 about Pontlottyn and Treodrhiwfuwch. Over the years terrace houses were built for miners, some turned into shops. My father David Thomas Harris was born 16th Feb 1917 in one of these houses. He went to school here and at the age of ten he was awarded a silver medal for three years never having a day off. At fourteen he, like so many before him, went down the pits, a dirty, dangerous job but that is all there was for work. He stayed down the pits for 10 back-breaking years. When war broke out he joined up to leave the pits behind. When the coal pinced out the whole community vanished, including the houses. Gone without a trace.

Now my father died last month at the age of 93, but not without a trace. He is in our hearts, as is Tredrhiwfuwch.