Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

An extract from the 1851 Public Health Map showing a more detailed view of the area covered in this article.

We must now start from the Dynevor Arms towards the Iron Bridge. A curriery premises was erected and for some time carried on a little way down on the right hand by Messrs M. Davies and Wayne. This was one of the Davies’s of Pantyscallog and a Wayne of the Gadlys, but Mr Wayne migrated to the Carmarthen Tinplate Works, which he carried on for many years.

Anterior to the curriery there was in this very locality a nailmaker working by the name of Samuel Jones. At this time all nails were made by hand (cut and wire nails not yet known). They were all made of slit rods, a process that, as far as South Wales works are concerned, has entirely ceased, and the making of a nail was really a good specimen of the handicraft. There was a small bellows blowing upon the point of the nail, and the work was always carefully held so that the air current passed up the rod. The why and wherefore of this has many a time been thought over, and I acknowledge that no satisfactory solution has ever been found.

Lower down was the residence of of Mr Coffin, who, in addition to curriery, was, or had been, the clerk of the Small Debts Court, and thus became very obnoxious to some, so that at the time of the Merthyr Riots his house and furniture suffered damage at the hands of the mob. One of his daughters afterwards married Mr Thomas Wayne, and resided at Glancynon, near the Gadlys. The other married a Mr William Llewellyn, of Abercarn, the then mineral and other agent of the Llanover Estates. There was a jeu d’esprit in the Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian in or about the time of Mr Wayne’s marriage, showing how very careful he had been, for he not only obtained a wife, but a coffin also.

The British Schools followed Mr Coffin’s garden, and then the Three Horse Shoes Inn, kept by a Daniel Stephens. The next and adjoining was the premises of Mr John Bryant, whose curriery was (as Mr Coffin’s was also) across the road, and Mr Bryant also took Pride’s storehouse for his trade purposes after the railway had rendered canal traffic obsolete, or rather obsolete as far as shop goods were concerned, to Merthyr at that time.

The Three Horse Shoes Inn. Next door is the Kirkhouse, built on the site of the British School. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive.

Close to Mr Bryant’s house is a way to Aberdare, which joins the road up from the Dynevor Arms, close beyond Mr Jeffries’ house. On the opposite side of this opening was the Cyfarthfa Surgery. Mr Edward Davies was the head, and in physique always reminded me of the Emperor Nicholas of Russia. Years after, Dr Davies lived at the Court House, and practised after he had left Cyfarthfa. The Miners’ Arms was adjoining. The residences coming next were built by a Mr Teague subsequently.

Bridgefield Terrace with the Miners’ Arms at the centre. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive.

To be continued at a later date…….

Merthyr’s Chapels: Market Square Chapel

Market Square English Congregational Chapel

By the 1830’s the population of Merthyr was expanding rapidly, so there was need of a place of worship for the English speaking members of the Independent chapels. A group of Scotsmen began meeting in a small room in the Old Foundry in Lower High Street.

On 30 December 1838 a public meeting was held and it was decided to establish an English Independent Church. The foundation stone was laid on 11 June 1840 and the chapel was completed and opened for worship on 4 May 1841. Market Square’s first minister was Rev Edward Griffiths. Rev Griffiths son, Samuel went on to become Prime Minister of Queensland.

Over the years many improvements were made to the chapel including the installation of an impressive organ costing £120 in 1850, and the building of a schoolroom and new vestries in 1877 costing £400.

In 1893, the Christian Endeavour Society which was very active at Market Square Chapel started to hold open air meetings at Caedraw on Sundays, and later Caedraw Board School was obtained for services.At the beginning of Rev S R Jenkins’ pastorate in 1898, the chapel engaged an evangelist, Miss Ward, for a period of twelve months, and promised to build a Mission Hall. For various reasons the building of the Mission Hall was delayed, but it was finally completed and opened on 3 November 1904. The Caedraw Mission became a great success, and a full time missioner was installed there at a fixed salary. It remained an integral part of Market Square until it was demolished in 1961 to make way for the new road being built.

Caedraw Mission Hall in the background of this photo. Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

In 1912, Alderman J M Berry, who was a leading deacon of the chapel was elected Mayor of the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil, and his three sons would go on to be prominent citizens and all three would be honoured with peerages.

Henry Seymour Berry (1877-1928) acquired substantial holdings in steel, coal, transport, printing, and shipping and was made a Freeman of the Borough in 1923 and became Baron Buckland of Bwlch in  1926. William Ewart Berry (1879-1953) and James Gomer  Berry (1883-1968) together built a vast empire of magazines, regional and national newspapers, including the Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, and the Sunday Times. Gomer became Baron Kemsley in 1936 and Viscount Kemsley in 1944. He was made a Freeman of the Borough in 1955. William was made Baron Camrose in 1929 and a Viscount in 1941.

In 1938 Market Square Chapel celebrated its centenary; one of the appreciative gifts to the chapel was the installation of a new pipe organ. Lord Kemsley and Lord Camrose had shared their parent’s affection for the church of their boyhood days and made a gift of the organ in memory of their parents.

In 1961 it was announced that the chapel was to be demolished as part of the refurbishment of the town centre, and after many discussions, in 1966 it was decided to build a new chapel. The old chapel was finally demolished in 1969 and the foundations for the new chapel were laid the same year. The new chapel which is now situated in Salmon Street officially opened in 1971. The new chapel was designed specifically so that it could house the pipe organ donated by the Berry family, so the organ was put into storage until the new chapel was built and it could be installed.

In 1972, Market Square became a United Reformed Church, and in 1974 united with Hope Chapel and Trinity Chapel, Merthyr Vale. In 2008, it became apparent that the cost of running both Market Square and Hope Chapels was too high so that it was decided that one of the buildings should be closed. A vote was held amongst the members of the congregation, and it was decided that Market Square should be kept open, and it is one of the few chapels still holding services.

Merthyr: Then and Now

THEATRE ROYAL

The Theatre Royal in the early 20th Century. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive.

The Theatre Royal was opened in May 1894 as the Theatre Royal and Opera House. It was designed by local Merthyr Tydfil architect T.C. Wakeling in a Neo-Classical style, and was equipped with a stage that was 28 feet wide and 22 feet deep, with six dressing rooms. It cost £8,000 and had a seating capacity of 1,800.

It was one of the premier theatres in Wales, and attracted many of the biggest stars who performed there. With the growing popularity of films in the 1920s, the theatre began to operate as a cinema, as well as presenting live performances.

The Theatre Royal closed in the late 1960s and was converted into a bingo club. The theatre closed as a bingo hall in 2006 and has been unused ever since. Plans for the site have been considered but never submitted. The building is now in a very poor state and on the “at risk” register.

The Theatre Royal in 2019

The future of the building looks very bleak – as are several other building in Merthyr. I will probably be demolished, as so much of the town’s heritage has been in the name of ‘progress’.

Merthyr’s Heritage Plaques: Matthew John

by Keith Lewis-Jones

Plaque sited at Vulcan House, CF47 8LR

Matthew John (1807-1888) was the son of the Rev. David John, a Unitarian Minister.

In the 1830s Matthew became active in the Chartist Movement, and became one of the leaders in Merthyr alongside his father and Morgan Williams, the three leading marches of thousands of people.

Vulcan House, which had been set up as a foundry under Matthew, soon became the focal point for Chartist activities.

Queen’s Hotel, Merthyr

I have received an enquiry about the Queen’s Hotel in Merthyr. There are two references to it in the Merthyr Telegraph (below).

Merthyr Telegraph – 10 December 1864
Merthyr Telegraph – 29 September 1866

From the description, it looks like it was situated at the bottom end of the High Street, opposite St Tydfil’s Church. Both the original enquirer and I have searched through old maps and trade directories, but neither of us can find any record of it.

Can anyone shed some light on this mystery hotel?