A new exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the closure of Elliot Colliery has opened in New Tredegar.
The exhibition is being held at the Winding House Museum – which is built on the site of the former coal mine.
The museum has launched a film starring local ex-miners as part of a celebration of the life of the colliery that employed thousands of people between 1888 and 1967.
Working together with Vision Fountain and Communities First, the ex-miners were able to share their experiences in the video of working at the colliery.
Leslie Lewis, 82, attended the opening of the exhibition last month.
He said: “I started at the colliery when I was 16-years-old and I worked there until it closed, where I moved over to Bedwas.
“I really enjoyed taking part in this project, reminiscing with my old friends and workmates and sharing stories has been lovely.
“I loved every minute of working at the colliery. I had men working for me at the age of 17 because I was the perfect dap, short and stocky, I had an ideal miners body – I did not have to stoop like many men and I was a hard worker.”
The film was dedicated to local resident and ex-miner David Price who sadly died during the production of the video. His daughter Judith Richards attended on his behalf and said her dad would have been proud to be a part of the exhibition.
The exhibition also features a ‘Wall of Fame’ with images from residents who worked at the colliery.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Mayor John Bevan is one such ex-miner who appears on the wall.
Cllr Bevan, who started at the colliery age just 15, told Caerphilly Observer: “We had a great comradeship. No matter what your position, everybody looked after everybody’s back.”
Bill Gabb, 76, another former employee, wrote the poem for the beginning of the video and set the scene for the stories told by those involved.
He explained: “It was very hard working at the colliery. We saw a lot of people die, young people, boys, just like us when we started.
“It is important to do things like this exhibition to remind people of how tough it was, but also to remember a much simpler time. We were very happy, we didn’t have cars and televisions and houses were bought for £200, but we worked hard for everything we had and we had such a good sense of camaraderie and community spirit.”
The family-friendly museum is free to attend and open seven days a week. It offers free onsite parking and easy access. For more information, call 01443 822666.