Thank You Tower Colliery
January 30, 2008
Many people have been touched by the story of Tower Colliery’s closure.
Chris Drew of Farnham in Surrey wrote to Hirwaun Online this week with a poetic eulogy below.
“I have written a short story about Towers closure,” writes Mr Drew.
“My family has had a long association with the mine, with my grandfather and uncle having been employed there all their working lives. My father also started his working career there before becoming a Clerk of Works. I grew up in the village of Hirwaun but now live in Farnham, Surrey.”
* * *
CLOSURE
The dark tunnels have gone quite, apart from the creak of the supporting beams.
The lights have gone out and the air is turning stale.
No more will men return to your walls of black gold.
No more will the machinery sound as the black gold is removed.
The hard struggle to extract the precious ore is over and the tools are now on the bar.
The threat to life is at an end and like a candle’s light, the danger has been extinguished.
No more will men emerge covered in black gold dust.
The cage has descended for the last time and the winding gear has fallen silent.
The last shift is done and over 150 years of history is at an end.
Water starts to seep back into the tunnels and soon they will be a distant memory to all but those who have experienced them first hand.
The last deep mine in Wales is closing its shaft and a way of life is about to end.
So farewell deep mine. Over the decades, you have provided a living to many and fuel to many more.
Your seams are now spent but for those who have worked you the memories will survive and you will now enter folk law.
So as you close down for the last time we say thank you Tower you have served us well.
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