Swan, Mervyn (Merv)
DESCRIPTION
NameSwan, Mervyn (Merv)OccupationMinerBiographyMerv Swan started work at Tongarra Colliery, Albion Park, in December 1943. His first job was to help take 3-inch water pipes in the truck to the top of the waterfall just south of the colliery, lowering and joining the pipes down the cliff face. Miners back then started as a clipper, taking empties in the mine on endless wire rope and bringing full ones out. J. Gear drove the steam winch.
To every wheeler there were 4 miners. Some of them would give you a "youldo" of 10 shillings a fortnight. When they filled all the coal they could dig, the wheelers would clean up the roads where coal was spilled. The company would pay 2 shillings per skip.
Each miner had a leather token number on his skip. After Merv did this job for two years, he was promoted to wheeling.
Merv got leave from the mine for three months and drove a coal truck for Bob Ray, from the mine to the rail siding at Albion Park Rail. Merv would be up early to catch the coal truck, and the trip home was on a loaded truck. Merv would bath at home before the bathhouse was built at the mine, which was a big step-up for the miners.
Prior to Bill Harris starting up a bus run to the mine about 1945, the workers were transported in an empty truck picking up at 6.30 a.m. and returning home at 3.30 p.m. with a tarpaulin to pull over if it rained. R. Sawtell, H. Wilson, S. Pearson and myself used to play euchre going and coming in the bus. Losers for the week bought a lottery ticket.
In 1954, Merv went for his deputy’s ticket. He travelled by coal truck to Five Islands Road and then by bus to Wollongong Tech.
At the mine, Merv went on shift work with J. Bennett as his teacher. This job was laying the rail turns for skips to go into each place on board and pillar. As there was no power in the mine, water had to be pumped with a hand pump.
Working as a contract miner, and not allowed to work on your own, miners had to be taken on as a probationary for 2 years. Merv's brother Joe took him on. Every 3 months, the miners caviled (a draw for places).
Each miner was allowed 5 pound of powdered dynamite. When about 10 blasting holes were bored, a deputy would fire them, and if lucky would fill about 12 skips with coal. The seam being 4ft 6 inch high you had to brush 3ft 6inch in width, 18inches or 2 ft deep in the middle of the roadway to lay the rails for skips and to give the horse headroom.
There were 2 pair of miners caviled for working in the Wongawilli seam. As this seam was 7ft 6 inches in height, the miners found it easier on their backs.
The mine was about to get machinery that was put in the Wongawilli seam and soon after all of the contract miners were put off. Tongarra seam closed about 1958.
Merv then got a job at Wongawilli Mine as a shift man, timbering. After 12 months, Merv as a deputy was responsible for shot firing and supervision.
Tongarra Mine got a continuous miner, and Merv went back there on 17th April 1961 as a deputy. He was on afternoon shift when there was an earthquake the next morning. All the miners said it was very frightening. Later on there was one in the evening. He was with the miners timbering on top of the timber platform high up to the roof, and there was only one hole to get 4 men scrambling down all at once.
The mine was closed down in 1965.
Merv got his job back at Wongawilli Mine as deputy on afternoon shift. In 1977, Merv left Wongawilli and went to Avon Colliery. Avon closed 26th June 1987 and opened up again in September 1988.
When Yellow Rock Mine was sold about 1997, Merv carried on as caretaker.
Contributed by Merv Swan 2006.
External LinkKiama 'B' v Albion Park 194421st Birthday 1949
To every wheeler there were 4 miners. Some of them would give you a "youldo" of 10 shillings a fortnight. When they filled all the coal they could dig, the wheelers would clean up the roads where coal was spilled. The company would pay 2 shillings per skip.
Each miner had a leather token number on his skip. After Merv did this job for two years, he was promoted to wheeling.
Merv got leave from the mine for three months and drove a coal truck for Bob Ray, from the mine to the rail siding at Albion Park Rail. Merv would be up early to catch the coal truck, and the trip home was on a loaded truck. Merv would bath at home before the bathhouse was built at the mine, which was a big step-up for the miners.
Prior to Bill Harris starting up a bus run to the mine about 1945, the workers were transported in an empty truck picking up at 6.30 a.m. and returning home at 3.30 p.m. with a tarpaulin to pull over if it rained. R. Sawtell, H. Wilson, S. Pearson and myself used to play euchre going and coming in the bus. Losers for the week bought a lottery ticket.
In 1954, Merv went for his deputy’s ticket. He travelled by coal truck to Five Islands Road and then by bus to Wollongong Tech.
At the mine, Merv went on shift work with J. Bennett as his teacher. This job was laying the rail turns for skips to go into each place on board and pillar. As there was no power in the mine, water had to be pumped with a hand pump.
Working as a contract miner, and not allowed to work on your own, miners had to be taken on as a probationary for 2 years. Merv's brother Joe took him on. Every 3 months, the miners caviled (a draw for places).
Each miner was allowed 5 pound of powdered dynamite. When about 10 blasting holes were bored, a deputy would fire them, and if lucky would fill about 12 skips with coal. The seam being 4ft 6 inch high you had to brush 3ft 6inch in width, 18inches or 2 ft deep in the middle of the roadway to lay the rails for skips and to give the horse headroom.
There were 2 pair of miners caviled for working in the Wongawilli seam. As this seam was 7ft 6 inches in height, the miners found it easier on their backs.
The mine was about to get machinery that was put in the Wongawilli seam and soon after all of the contract miners were put off. Tongarra seam closed about 1958.
Merv then got a job at Wongawilli Mine as a shift man, timbering. After 12 months, Merv as a deputy was responsible for shot firing and supervision.
Tongarra Mine got a continuous miner, and Merv went back there on 17th April 1961 as a deputy. He was on afternoon shift when there was an earthquake the next morning. All the miners said it was very frightening. Later on there was one in the evening. He was with the miners timbering on top of the timber platform high up to the roof, and there was only one hole to get 4 men scrambling down all at once.
The mine was closed down in 1965.
Merv got his job back at Wongawilli Mine as deputy on afternoon shift. In 1977, Merv left Wongawilli and went to Avon Colliery. Avon closed 26th June 1987 and opened up again in September 1988.
When Yellow Rock Mine was sold about 1997, Merv carried on as caretaker.
Contributed by Merv Swan 2006.
External LinkKiama 'B' v Albion Park 194421st Birthday 1949
Family
Place
Industry
CONNECTIONS
Swan, Mervyn (Merv). Shellharbour City Council, accessed 24/01/2026, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1889