Rare Swansea colliery archive uncovered as new auction house launches in the city

A treasure trove of Swansea’s mining past has surfaced after a newly launched auction house in the city was handed a rare archive dating back more than a century.

Homefront Auctions, based in Swansea, says it has been entrusted with the Lonlas Colliery Company Limited Archive — a remarkable collection of original letters, ledgers and cheques from 1912 to 1925, preserved for generations by descendants of the former colliery owner.

The documents, unseen until now, offer an intimate glimpse into the day‑to‑day running of one of the area’s historic pits at a time when coal powered Wales’ industrial boom.

The archive forms part of the company’s latest sale, which closes on Tuesday 10 February, and is already drawing interest from collectors and local history enthusiasts.

Also going under the hammer is a rare 1908 miners’ lamp made by John Jones of Pontyberem and used by a Blaengwynfi miner — a piece auctioneers say is “hugely significant” to Wales’ mining heritage.

Homefront Auctions, which has only recently opened its doors, says it is proud to be bringing such important local artefacts back into the public eye.

A spokesperson said the items “represent a vital part of Welsh industrial history” and that the business is keen to support interest in the region’s mining communities.

Alongside the historic mining pieces, the sale also includes a haul of nostalgia for sports fans — from Swansea City and Wales rugby programmes to signed Wales and Ospreys shirts and a collection of Neath RFC memorabilia.

Arson attack destroys Lonlas’ former youth and welfare club

The fire service say that three of their fire crews were called to the derelict building on Saturday evening (17 May) and needed to use a whole host of specialist equipment to extinguish the fire, which took 4 hours to put out.

A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and rescue Service said: “At 4.37pm on Saturday, May 17th, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Morriston, Neath and Pontardawe Fire Stations were called to an incident at Lonlas Avenue in Skewen.

“Crews responded to a fire within a single-storey derelict building measuring approximately 50 metres by 15 metres, formerly used as a youth and welfare club.   Crews utilised hose reel jets, main jets, breathing apparatus sets, thermal imaging cameras, respirators, small tools, positive pressure ventilation fans, water hydrants and a turntable ladder appliance to extinguish the fire.

“It is believed that this fire was started deliberately.

“Crews left the scene at 8.43pm.”

The fire is the latest in a string of deliberately-set building and grass fires set across the region, with the fire service and police issuing a joint statement warning of the dangers of setting fires and the consequences for people caught doing so.

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