Tributes have been paid to Ivor England, a legendary figure of the Welsh coal mining community, who has died at the age of 90. Mr England passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
A Life Dedicated to Mining
Born in January 1936 in Ferndale to a family of miners, Mr England left school at 14 to work in a local foundry before training as a miner at Wattstown Colliery. He later worked at several Welsh collieries, including Rhondda's Maerdy Colliery, where he spent 29 years. During the miners' strike, he served as secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers Lodge.
Passion for Heritage
Mr England cared deeply about the legacy of the collieries and mining heritage. He regularly participated in community events and shared personal memories of life as a miner. In 2008, he recalled his early days at Lewis Merthyr Colliery, which he joined in 1953. He described the strict regime, including the prohibition of cigarettes and alcohol underground under the Mines Act.
He once said: 'You never went underground with cigarettes or the smell of booze on your breath because it was an offence under the Mines Act. I was even caught asleep one day on the job at dinnertime because I was exhausted and it was so humid underground.'
Memories of the Pits
Mr England recounted the tragic 1955 colliery explosion in the two-foot nine Trefor section, which killed the new manager, Mr Fox, and seven others. 'A huge ball of fire caused by an accumulation of gas ripped through it and he died not because of the burns but because of the toxemia shortly afterwards,' he said.
He also spoke of the challenging conditions underground, including poor roof control and problems with mice attracted to horse feed. 'We had a white horse working underground called Cowbridge who really was the pride of the pit because of his size and appeared in shows as well as pulling drams all day long,' he added.
Musical Talent
A gifted trombonist, Mr England had hoped to join Lewis Merthyr Colliery's first-class brass band. He later became a dedicated member of the Maerdy colliery brass band.
His funeral is being handled by J Pidgeon & Son Ltd funeral directors, with details to be announced soon.
