In 1926 a fund for the building of pithead baths was introduced through the Miners’ Welfare Fund.
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The baths would allow miners to leave work clean and improve the lives of their families.
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Before pithead baths, miners travelled home from work filthy with coal dust. Often wet with sweat and mine water, they risked contracting pneumonia, bronchitis or rheumatism.
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Women would work hard cleaning the coal dust from the home and preparing baths for miners. Hundreds of children lost their lives due to falling into boiling hot bath water.
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Pithead baths plans held at Glamorgan Archives demonstrate how the lives of miners’ and their families were improved, showing facilities such as showers, canteens and first aid centres.
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![DNCB-14-1-21](https://glamarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DNCB-14-1-21-1-1024x732.jpg)