for dealing with coal. Sidings will open at the north end towards Fochriw Colliery and about 800 - 1,000 men will be employed over the next two years. Two new drifts have been driven in the direction of Dowlais from Fochriw Colliery, and a number of workable seams have been intercepted. These will be worked at the same time as the drift face is being driven forward. In view of the developments, it is difficult to understand the attitude of the Ministry of Health in sanctioning the removal of 40 Fochriw Houses to Bargoed, when no difficulty exists to interfere with their erection. If Gellygaer Council is not careful, and the local members are not alive to the interests of the locality, the remaining 12 houses - a quite inadequate allocation - might also go to Bargoed”

However, this euphoria was very short lived as was reported in the 3 May 1924 edition of the Merthyr Express . The depression had reached Fochriw some years in advance of the general depression that affected the whole of the United Kingdom and eventually world-wide.

Blow For Fochriw - Three Collieries Closed On Wednesday - Efforts To Find Work In Other Pits  On Wednesday last, three of Messrs. Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds’ Collieries in the Dowlais area were closed down. They are the Fochriw Nos. 1 and 2, and the South Tunnel Pits, where approximately 2,300 workmen have found employment, this number representing, roughly, half the membership of the Dowlais District of the South Wales Miners’ Federation.

Since notices for the termination of all contracts of employment were served on the workmen a fortnight ago, the local Federation leaders have sought to prevail on the employers to reverse their decision to shut down the three collieries. During the past few days, a deputation from the miners, headed by Mr. S.O. Davies (their agent), was received by Mr. Howell R. Jones. J.P., general manager Messrs. Guest. Keen and Nettlefolds’ steel and coal undertakings in Dowlais, and a director of the firm. The interview has had no material bearing on the situation, as the notices to cease work, which affects the officials at the collieries as well as the miners, have been allowed to take their course.

Arrangements are being made to absorb some of the labour thus dispensed with from the two Fochriw and the South Tunnel Pits into other collieries owned by Messrs. G.K.N. in the neighbourhood of Dowlais, and in the Merthyr area, while it is thought that a considerable number of Fochriw miners may discover a new avenue to employment in the Powell Duffryn Company’s undertakings near Deri.