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Early settlement and coal mining development[edit]
The area remained largely agricultural until the late 19th century, when coal mining transformed the community. Mardy Colliery was established in 1875 by Mordecai Jones of Brecon and Wheatley Cobb, with the Abergorky seam being reached by December 1875. The colliery's development accelerated after connection to the Taff Vale Railway's Maerdy Branch in 1877, enabling coal transport to Cardiff docks.
The 1885 mining disaster[edit]
On 23 December 1885, Maerdy Colliery suffered a major explosion that killed 81 miners. The disaster occurred at approximately 2:40 pm when 750 men were underground, with 63 deaths attributed to suffocation and 18 to burns and violence. A subsequent inquiry by barrister A.G.C. Liddell criticised the practice of firing shots in the mine as "full of hazard" and highlighted inadequate safety procedures common in South Wales collieries.
Maerdy Workingmen's Hall and Institute[edit]
Maerdy Workingmen's Hall and Institute in its later years.
In 1905, the community completed construction of the Maerdy Workingmen's Hall and Institute, replacing an earlier Coffee Tavern from 1882. The memorial stone was laid on 13 March 1905 by Dr Sylvanus Glanville Morris. The building cost nearly £9,000 to construct and became the largest and most central building in the community.
The Institute contained extensive facilities including a large hall and balcony capable of accommodating over 1,000 people, one of the finest libraries in South Wales, a gymnasium, and separate reading rooms for men and women. The building served as the community's cultural and educational hub, hosting concerts, theatrical performances, cinema screenings, and political meetings. During severe weather when Maerdy was cut off by snow, the Hall served as a distribution centre for emergency supplies brought by rail.
The Hall was gutted by fire in 1922 but was subsequently rebuilt. By the early 2000s, the building had fallen into severe disrepair. Following a survey that estimated restoration costs would exceed £6 million, the Communities First Partnership concluded that demolition was the only viable option. The Welsh Development Agency funded the demolition, which was completed in 2008.
Little Moscow period[edit]
Arthur Horner helped establish the village's reputation as "Little Moscow"
Maerdy became synonymous with communist politics and miners' militancy in the early 20th century. In 1919, Arthur Horner, a prominent communist, was elected checkweighman at the colliery. Under Horner's influence, the miners' lodge developed strong ties with the Communist Party of Great Britain and earned the nickname "Little Moscow".
The lodge housed a red and gold banner, allegedly presented by A.J. Cook, the General Secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, which had been given to British miners by the working women of Krasnaya Presna, Moscow, in acknowledgement of financial support during the 1926 lockout. The banner was used on special occasions such as Communist funerals and was photographed with local Communists and a life-size portrait of Lenin.
The lodge's militancy led to its suspension from the South Wales Miners' Federation following the 1926 General Strike, and to expulsion in 1930. The term "Little Moscow" was first applied by the South Wales Daily News during this period. In 1931, Horner and 33 others were arrested and sentenced to hard labour for attempting to prevent an eviction, leading to the establishment of the Mardy Defence Committee.
Pit closure and memorialisation[edit]
Maerdy remained one of the last working mines in the South Wales valleys during the 1984-85 miners' strike, with the community maintaining solid support for the strike. The colliery finally closed in December 1990, ending over a century of coal mining in the area.
Memorial commemorating the closure of Maerdy Colliery, marking the end of coal mining in the Rhondda Valley
The Frank Owen Memorial Bridge
The Maerdy Gateway Miner's Memorial, commemorating the men and women who worked in Maerdy Colliery
Several memorials commemorate the area's mining heritage. Maerdy Park contains a memorial to the 1885 disaster victims, featuring a coal dram filled with coal from the colliery. War memorials honour local soldiers who died in both world wars. A bridge near the Avon factory commemorates Frank Owen of Pentre Road, who died fighting in the Spanish Civil War. In 2017, the "Maerdy Gateway" memorial was erected at the foot of the mountain road to Aberdare, featuring a pitwheel and statue of a miner holding a child, incorporating the masonry dedication stones and signage from the demolished Workingmen's Hall.
Maerdy today[edit]
Lluest Wen Reservoir, located on the hills above Maerdy, providing water supply and electricity to the Rhondda Fach .
Today, Maerdy is a post-industrial community with a population of 3,160 as of the 2011 census. The former colliery site now houses the Avon Group factory, which manufactures rubber components for aerosol cans and vehicle gaskets and seals.
The hills surrounding Maerdy have become a significant location for renewable energy development, symbolising the area's transition from coal mining to clean energy generation. An operational 24MW wind farm with eight Siemens turbines is located on Mynydd Maerdy.
Additional wind energy projects are planned for the area. The Welsh Government has proposed the Carreg Wen wind farm as part of its renewable energy strategy, which would feature 18 turbines between Aberdare and Maerdy. These developments contribute to the Welsh Government's target of generating renewable electricity to meet 100% of Wales's needs by 2035.
The community faces contemporary challenges including high unemployment levels (19% inactivity rate), limited transport links, and below-average qualification levels, with 29% of residents over 16 having no formal qualifications.
Community facilities include Maerdy Community Primary School and Maerdy Park. The Community Archives Wales scheme operates a local archive group that preserves the area's historical photographs and documents.
