town of Rhymney was itself isolated for a time. The aftermath of the night’s snow was closed schools and manning problems at factories and collieries. Tuesday found the Rhymney Valley’s eleven collieries working, but experiencing traffic difficulties on the surface. As time wore on, however, their problems increased as bus companies tried valiantly to take colliers to the mines and to bring them home. All did not succeed. Mr. A.E. Everitt, Deputy Surveyor to Gellygaer Urban Council said on Wednesday morning: “Conditions are very bad throughout the area. It is still snowing heavily, and the wind is causing drifting around Fochriw. Snow ploughs are working on the roads, but supplies of salt petre are running out, and we have had to rely on mechanical loaders to shovel snow away.” Mr. T.R. Thomas, Inspector of the Gellygaer Council Transport Department said that the Fochriw service was off. Buses could run only as far as Deri.

23 August 1879  Killed by Lightening   On Saturday night at Vochriw, as a married woman was going along the road in the storm, she was struck by lightening, from the effects of which she died on Sunday night.

11 December 1909  Storm    A regular tornado of wind and rain passed over the district on Thursday night doing damage to some of the buildings. Slates were blown off the Council School, some troughing was blown from the roof of the shop of Coun. John Jones, and several tiles were blown from the roof of St. Mary's Church.

26 February 1910  Gale   Fierce gales swept over Fochriw and district last weekend, doing damage to property. On Sunday, the chimney of Mr. John Mantle's house in Pentwyn was blown down. Some of the bricks fell through the roof, and others into the fire, filling the house with soot, etc, whilst they were at dinner. A portion of the roof of the Old Church at Pentwyn was also damaged, a portion of the stone roof being dislodged, and many of the saddle tiles on the vestry blown off.

5 November 1910  The Storm   Due to the storm which visited the district on Monday night, slight damage was done to St. Mary's Church roof.

24 December 1910  Storm   Much damage was done throughout the district by the storm on Friday last. Some of the windows of St. Mary's Church were completely blown in, and slates were torn from the roof. Several windows at Carmel were also blown in. Damage was done to the new houses in course of erection at Pentwyn. Whilst Mr. D. Lewis, greengrocer, was returning from Bedlinog, his cart was overturned by the wind, and as a result the shafts were broken. Luckily, man and horse escaped without any injury.

1 November 1913  Storm   A terrific thunder storm passed over the village on Monday evening last. Vivid flashes of lightening illuminated the whole sky, accompanied by terrific claps of thunder, and a very heavy downfall of rain. Luckily, no great damage was done, other than the roads being torn up in places, and water finding its way into some houses in Pentwyn and Fochriw. Much damage was done, however, to the roof of St. David’s Church, Pantywaun, the chimney, and a large portion of the roof being blown away. Damage was also done to the roof of one of the South Tunnel pithouses.

1 January, 1916   The Gale   A heavy gale swept over the village on Monday, when several roof slates, chimney pots, and windows were blown in. The waiting room of the down platform on the Brecon and Merthyr Railway was completely blown away. The storm was one of the worst experienced for many years.