An Industry Now Lost - The Pride, Passion and Pain of Mining

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About the author

Arthur Cole

Arthur Cole was born in Caerau, a small mining village at the top of the Llynfi Valley, South Wales.

His father William (Billy), and many of his close relatives were miners and worked at the two main collieries, Caerau and Coegnant.

He attended Maesteg Grammar School, where he was heavily influenced by his English Literature teacher, the late Mr David John. Mr John introduced Arthur to war poets, such as Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, and that’s where his passion for writing began.

Arthur left school at the age of sixteen and, in 1967, joined the Glamorgan Constabulary as a cadet, he later joined the regular force, the South Wales Constabulary, as a constable. In 1973 he became a Detective Constable, and for twenty-seven years was involved in the investigation of major crimes from murder to anti-terrorism.

Throughout his career he never wrote any poetry or other literature because he could never find time.

He retired as a Detective Sergeant and then became a gardener, working at a local Council home for people with dementia.

In November 2015 he wrote his first poem ‘Aberfan’. He was inspired to write it after reading a mining poem on a colliery website.

Then poetry began to flow. His subjects are mainly coal mining and the First World War, however he can write about anything. He describes himself as an authentic poet, his philosophy being that when people read poetry they must be able to understand it and it should tell a story.

In February 2016, he wrote his first book ‘Unethical Conduct’, which is now book one in the Terry McGuire Thriller series. The books are crime thriller set in and around South Wales. He was encouraged to write the book by his friend and now co-author Nigel Williams, himself a retired police officer. It only took Arthur a fortnight to write the book, and to date together with Nigel they have written eight books in the series.

He has been married to Caroline for forty-three years and they have two children: Christopher is a serving police officer in South Wales; and Karen is a creative director, who lives and works in Singapore.