TOWER COLLIERY PROJECT
Following the miners strike in 1984, Tower Colliery was one of only two deep mines still working in Wales.
The strike was a national struggle, threatening the very future of the industry and Tower endured the full brunt of the conflict.
After closing due to lack of funding in 1994, Tower Colliery reopened in defiance of the large-scale pit closure programme of the Thatcher Government. 239 staff pooled their redundancy money and in 1995 Tower reopened as a cooperative and successfully produced coal until its closure in January 2008.
This was, and still is, a unique achievement. No other mine, in the history of British coal, has been bought by the workforce. Its closure marks the end of an era of hardship and bitter struggle but ultimately it tells a story of the strength of community spirit. The objects left behind have a narrative of their own which provide a glimpse into its proud history