Quarrying Techniques - Working the Slate

(It is very important to bear in mind that since the quarrying was a Welsh language industry, the translations into English are only meant to give an idea of the meaning of the original. These English versions are modern literal translations. It is important to know that the terminology did vary to some extent from area to area. The terms used here are in the main from the Llanberis area.)

The bargen is assessed before seeing to the llnau (cleaning up) as well as ascertaining that there is no dangerous crib yn hongian (overhang) remaining. Then it was time to dragio, (lit dragging), that is to use a cyn manhollt (lit. small splitting chisel) and the morthwyl dragio (a three pound hammer) to brashollti’r plygion (rough slit the slate blocks) with the grain, into pileri (pillars) between 30 and 60 cms wide. These would then be lifted on to the sledge, but using a crane today of course to be transported to the wal (shed.) This, before the siediau hollti, (chipping sheds) were built during the second half of the twentieth century, was an area around 90cm to105cm where the holltwr (splitter) and naddwr (chipper) would work. There is a circular saw, (diamond by today) in the shed to saw the clytiau (small blocks) into crawiau tenau (thin slabs) ready to be split. Once split, the slate then becomes y garreg, (lit. the stone.)

Hollti (splitting) needs a very special expertise. The holltwr sits on a block of wood known as the blocyn hollti (splitting block) or blocyn tin (bum block), legs folded, with the clwt resting on his left knee. His tools are two or three-cyn manollt or a cyn tew wyth (lit. a chisel fat eight, [fat eight meaning a block of slate wide enough to be split into eight slates,]) together with a gordd y wal (a wooden mallet of African oak.) The thickness of the best stones are six stones to 2cm. The crawiau are then placed on a flat stone, the garreg bentwr (pile slab) ready to be chipped. The jermon is usually responsible for this.

Then the naddwr places the crawen dena or sglodyn (chips) on the blade of the drafael (a bench with a fixed iron blade, used in conjunction with the cyllell naddu [lit. chipping knife] for hand trimming roof slate.) A machine is used for this process by now. Two sides are cut straight first to achieve a straight edge. It is then measured using the pren mesur lit. a measuring stick.) This is a piece of wood, a nail at one end with graduated inch steps till fourteen inches is reached, the changing to two inch steps until twenty four inches is reached. After marking the slate, two remaining sides are then chipped resulting in a perfect rectangular slate of the proper dimensions. Before the days of the engine, an experienced chipper could reach a target of between five hundred and six hundred finished roof slates a day.

Electrically driven machines are now used. Granted finished slates are produced much quicker, but more waste is produced especially if the slates are exceptionally thick or hard.

Llanberis quarrying terms were used here, but it must also be remembered that there were variations of names used in different localities.

In Blaenau Ffestiniog a vein of slate was known as a llygad - llygadau (eye-eyes). It was a name given since the quarrymen would open the rock, thus opening the slate's 'eye.'

Llygadau Names of Blaenau Ffestiniog

Gwythien (Vein) is a thin layer of rock, many of which are found in a gwely (bed). The width of the Hen Lygad in one of the Ffestiniog Quarries is 70 yards and contains 27 veins.

Widths and Veins of the Hen Lygad

This is the traditional way Slates were Counted:

Slate sizes

It is believed that it was Colonel Hugh Wilburton of Winnington, Cheshire, and co owner of the Penrhyn estate who invented the names of some at least of the various slate sizes. As Chancellor and Chamberlain of Anglesey, Caernarfon shire and Meirionydd he was very influential figure. Indeed he was appointed as first Provincial Grand Master of the Masonic Province of North Wales, holding the post until 1741, when William Vaughan of Corsygedol was appointed in his stead, who was one of the founder members of the London Cymmrodorion Society and a great friend of the Morris brothers. His only child and heiress, Ann, married Richard Pennant, the first Lord Penrhyn of the first creation in 1765. Their marble memorial can be seen in the parish church of Llandygai.These are the names and sizes of the various roof slates in inches.

The slates were counted every 1,000, i.e. 1,260.

At the end of the day the slates were carried out and piled tidily in the clwt peilio (stacking plot.) They were then classified not only according to their sizes but also according to their thickness. All these stones were then given up at the end of every mis chwarel, (quarry month) which was exactly four weeks. Slates were counted in three (mwrw.)