Maerdy, Rhonda Valley, Wales 1985

Maerdy is a village located at the head of the Rhondda Fach valley in South Wales, once known for its strong identity as a coal mining community and its deep roots in the labour and socialist movements of the 20th century. Like many settlements in the Rhondda Valleys, Maerdy grew rapidly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the expansion of the coal industry.

The Maerdy Colliery, also known as the Mardy Pit, became the village’s economic and social heart. Opened in the 1870s, it provided employment for generations and played a key role in the area’s industrial development. The colliery was known not only for its productivity but also for its political activism—Maerdy earned the nickname “Little Moscow” due to its strong ties to the Communist Party and the trade union movement, particularly during the interwar years and the 1984–85 miners’ strike.

The decline of the coal industry in the late 20th century brought deep change. Maerdy Colliery closed in 1990, marking the end of an era for the village. Despite economic challenges, Maerdy retains a proud identity shaped by its mining past, community spirit, and political heritage.