The Chapels of Merthyr Tydfil

Following on from yesterday’s post, having received a growing number of requests, I have finally decided to release the revised version of my book ‘The Chapels of Merthyr Tydfil’ on CD or to download.

This is an updated version of the book that was released in 2013 – since that original release I have updated a lot of the entries, and even discovered a few extra chapels, that were missing from the first book…..and this time it has an index!!!! I know that the original book had a limited print run and it is very difficult to get a copy, so here’s a chance to have the updated version.

The book is almost 400 pages long, and covers every Non-conformist Chapel in the (current) Borough – from Cefn to Bedlinog, with histories and photos of almost every chapel, as well as many photos of ministers, deacons and congregations.

The price of the CD is £12.50 including postage (in the UK), or £10 to download. For CD postage abroad, contact me for prices. All profits will go to the upkeep of this blog.

If you would like a copy of the book on CD, or a link to the download please contact me at merthyr.history@gmail.com

Merthyr Chapels: Pontmorlais Chapel

The next chapel we are going to look at was one of Merthyr’s oldest, largest and most important chapels – Pontmorlais Calvinistic Methodist Chapel.

Pontmorlais in the early 190’s. Pontmorlais Chapel can be seen behind the shops in the centre of the photo.

In the late 18th Century a group of men began holding prayer meetings in the house of Mr John Davies just above the site of the chapel. As the group grew they moved to a house on the site of the Morlais Castle public house in Pontmorlais. The number of worshippers increased and in 1793 the congregation were in a position to build a small chapel which was called Pennsylvania.

In 1803 the first Methodist Revival took place and subsequently the congregation grew rapidly, and by 1805 a new chapel was built. Between 1805 and 1810 the chapel was also used as a school during the week. During this period, the chapel was considered to be one of the most important Calvinistic Methodist chapels in Wales, and attracted some of the most important preachers of the era.

The chapel was again extended in 1821 and following another revival in 1829 a very large new chapel was built behind the High Street, with access via a small courtyard between the houses built onto the chapel. The architect of the new chapel was the minister at the time, Rev Evan Harris (right).

The programme for the 1911 Cymanfa Ganu at Pontmorlais Chapel

In 1840 the chapel was renamed Pontmorlais Chapel. All the way through to the mid 20th Century, Pontmorlais remained one of the most important chapels in the town. Holding up to 1,500 people it was also used for many concerts, and the Calvinistic Methodist Cymanfa Ganu was held at the chapel on the first Monday in May from 1874 – the first Cymanfa Ganu to be held in Merthyr was at Pontmorlais Chapel.

By the early 1950’s the congregation had dwindled considerably and in 1954, the chapel closed.

After its closure, the building was taken over by the Blind Institute as a workshop until it was destroyed by fire in 1981. The site is now occupied by Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil.

The entrance to Pontmorlais Chapel. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm.

Consecrating the Jewish Cemetery

The article transcribed below appeared in the Merthyr Express 85 years ago today – 2 November 1935.

Consecration of New Cemetery at Cefn

The new extension of the Hebrew Cemetery at Cefn Coed was formally consecrated and declared open on Sunday in the presence of a large gathering.  The new section adjoins the old portion of the cemetery, which has been in existence upwards of 70 years or so, and the ground has been prepared and greatly improved by the inclusion of concrete paths and terraces overlooking the main road to Brecon. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. E. Bloom, the minister of the local Hebrew Congregation, who referred to the fulfilment of a very necessary want in the acquisition of the plot of land which was converted into the new portion of the cemetery.  He paid a tribute to the work of the committee, and especially to Mrs. Raina Grwsener (formerly of Treharris) who had handsomely subscribed towards the project and had thus helped them to realise their ambition.

Mrs. Grwsener, in declaring the place open, said she hoped the ground would not be used for many years. It was her pleasure to render this service to the community. Mr. Sol. Freedman presented Mrs. Grwsener with a silver trowel, suitably, inscribed, on behalf of the members of Merthyr Hebrew Congregation. A reception and tea followed at the Lesser Drill Hall. Mr. Sol. Freedman, who presided, was supported by the Rev. E. Bloom, Mr. Isaac Hamilton, Mr. E. M. Cohen, Mr. A. Moscovitch, Mr. B. Shelower, Mr. Harris Schwartz, and others. The Chairman made touching reference to the recent passing away of Mr. Hermann Gittlesohn, their honourable member and one of the founders of the congregation, whose demise they all greatly deplored.  The speaker called upon the audience to stand in memory of their departed friend and co-religionist. Mr. Freedman then paid a tribute to all those who had worked so well for the noble cause, and especially  mentioned Mr. A. Moscovitch, the president of the burial society, who had devoted a considerable amount  of his time towards the supervision of the work connected with the renovation of the new cemetery.

In responding to the toast of the visitors, Mr. Elkan, Pontypridd, said the Merthyr Congregation was, without doubt, the finest in South Wales.  They had an admirable leader in the Rev. E. Bloom, who had served them so faithfully for the past 35 years.  He hoped they would all continue to prosper. Responding, Mr Isaac Hamilton (treasurer) said they had an ideal congregation and felt proud of its members.  Mrs Grwsener had done the right thing in making her gifts during her lifetime, a matter which afforded gratification to the giver when one saw the fruits of one’s endeavours.

Mr. Harris Schwartz said that as one of the promoters of the new cemetery he felt delighted to witness the completion of their efforts.  Mr. Moscovitch and others also spoke.  Mr. G. A. Swallow proposed the vote of thanks to the ladies’ committee, who had worked so ably for the cause.

A Ghostly Tale

by Thomas Bray

Seeing that it’s Hallowe’en (‘tis the season to be spooky, etc), I have written this extract of a ghost story regarding Bethesda Chapel.  It concerns a ghostly funeral in 1879, not seen but heard. Here is a description from a witness, a certain gentleman of the name of Wilkins:

My wife was ill, and her sister and myself were sitting with her. We had left her in bed for a little while, and had gone downstairs, and were sitting by the fireside. It was midnight. The house was one of a long row. Not a hundred yards from our was an old chapel with a graveyard in the rear, and access to the yard was by means of an iron gate leading from the road. Well, we were sitting by the fire, I was resting my head in my hand, when all at once there came a sound of distant singing, as at a funeral. At first it was faint, but gradually it increased in volume, and the steps of a great number of persons could be distinctly heard, with the rustle such as you would hear when many are passing.

I looked at my sister-in-law, and she as intently as me, and we both arose,
went to the door, opened it, and looked out upon the street. Still we heard the singing and the rustle of a large crowd, but not a soul to be seen. The moonlight shone upon the street. The tramp continued up to the gate of the chapel of Bethesda, and then it ceased. That night my wife died, and a few days after that the funeral procession passed from the house to the graveyard of Bethesda.

It is here that I bid you all a very good night. Oh, and happy Hallowe’en!

Explosion at Dowlais

The article transcribed below appeared in the Western Mail 150 years ago today (28 October 1870).

THE EXPLOSION OF THE “KINGFISHER” LOCOMOTIVE AT DOWLAIS

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF JOAN THOMAS

The adjourned inquest on the body of Joan Thomas, aged 18, the woman who was scalded to death by the explosion of the locomotive known as the “Kingfisher” the property of the Dowlais Company, on the 1st instant, was resumed on Thursday by Mr. Overton, the coroner.

The nature of the accident may be best gathered from the evidence of David Price, the driver of the engine. He said: About half past eight on the morning in question, my engine was standing on a siding by the Bargoed pit, waiting for another engine to shunt trucks. I went to talk with the driver of another engine within twenty yards; and, within a few minutes of my leaving my engine, I saw the steam issuing from the fire-box. As I was passing from one engine to another, I met the deceased going towards my engine. She was employed by her uncle, who was the contractor for oiling the trams, and fetching nails and other things from Dowlais to the collieries, and was in the habit of travelling every day from Cae Harris Dowlais, where she resided, to the collieries, a distance of six miles, and returning in the evening. She was constantly in the habit of going backwards and forwards from the collieries to Dowlais for different things required at the works. I do not allow any persons to ride on the engine, unless they are engaged on the business of the company.

When I got back to my own engine, I found the deceased lying on the rails behind the engine. Mr. Matthew Truran came up at the time, and ordered the driver of the other engine to take her to Dowlais. She was scalded all over, and very bad. My two firemen were also scalded, but not severely. I then examined what was the cause of the accident, and found that one of the plates of the fire-box had burst, and caused the steam and water to escape. The locomotive was the Kingfisher,  a tank engine, built by Sharpe and Co., of the Atlas Works, Manchester, and it had been at work four years and a half. We had taken in a supply of water half an hour before. It had been leaking a little below the part that burst, and we intended sending it to be repaired that night. There is no regular inspection of the engines unless we suspect there is something amiss, when they are sent in and examined by the fitters. My engine was examined by David Edwards, the fitter, a fortnight before, and he never complained. The young woman died that night.

David Edwards, fitter, said: I examined the engine after the explosion, and found that there was a hole of about six by four inches on the left side of the fire-box, two of the stay heads broken off, and the smoke end of the boiler blown open. I believe the explosion occurred from the weakness of the copper fire-box, which was so thin as to be unequal to bear the pressure. The fire-box has not been renewed since the engine came, four and a half years ago. I cannot undertake to say whether the plate was weakened by some cause or was originally too slight. I think the fire-boxes ought to last nine years.

Mr, Samuel Truran, the mechanical engineer of the company, confirmed the evidence of Edwards.

Mr. Wales, the Government inspector, gave the following evidence:- I have made an examination of the locomotive in question. I found that the copper of which the fire-box was made was originally 7-16ths of an inch thick, but from some cause that thickness was, at the time of the explosion, reduced to the thickness of a sixpenny piece. This rendered the copper at that point unable to longer resist the pressure of steam, which was 1201bs. per square inch, and hence the explosion. It is difficult to arrive at an average length of time copper fire-boxes last, so much depends upon the quantity of coal or coke consumed, and the work done by the locomotive; but I fancy from twelve to fourteen years might be taken as a fair average in this I case. Of course repairs are required during that time. It appears that the fire-box in question had only been used between four and five years. The pressure of steam at which locomotives are worked varies from 90lbs. up to 150lbs. per square inch, and it appears that the pressure in this case was 105lbs. per square inch. I am therefore of opinion that the copper was not reduced in thickness by the pressure of steam, but by the action of the fire, which would be greatly increased if the coal used contained much sulphur. The only safeguard against such danger which suggests itself to my mind is, that the copper fire-boxes should be regularly and frequently examined by an experienced boiler-maker, and when any doubt exists after the usual tests, then holes should be bored to ascertain the thickness of the copper, and if it is found that the thickness has been slightly reduced, the pressure of steam should also be reduced; but if found reduced to any considerable extent the fire-box should be removed altogether.

Mr. Samuel Davis, of the Atlas Works, Manchester, said: I have attended this inquiry by the direction or Messrs. Sharpe and Co. They were the manufacturers of the Kingfisher locomotive. There were two pieces of copper sent to us by the Dowlais Company. They were described as part of the copper box of this engine. They are reduced to a very thin state – to about 1-30th of an inch. The thickness originally was 7-16th. We do not use any test to each plate separately, but our men would easily discover if there was any deficiency in the thickness. I feel satisfied that the plates of this box were originally 7-16th thick. From the appearance of the plates, I should say the fire was the cause of the reduction in thickness. There was no incrustation arising from the water, I cannot perceive any indication of any operating causes to explain the explosion beyond the wear and tear by use. It is usual on all railways to have the boilers periodically tested with water pressure, but I do not know what is done in iron works and collieries and I consider that it should be made imperative. I quite concur in the major part of Mr. Wales’s evidence.

The Coroner having summed up, the Jury returned the following verdict:-  “Accidental death from an explosion of a locomotive engine; and we recommend that in future a competent boiler maker be employed to make a regular inspection of the engines and boilers.”

I remember that…..

by Eira Hopkins

The before – Graig Houses. I knew, loved and lived in these houses
Graig Houses in 1968. Photo courtesy of Clive Thomas.
  1. I remember the after, before they were torn down in the mid to late 1970s supposedly because of subsidence, only to have 4 new Bungalows built on the same land.
Old Graig Chapel and Chapel House. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

2. I remember only the house remaining where the Pritchard family lived and playing in the cemetery hide and seek, and also with no disrespect at the time being a child. Swinging on the chains around one of the graves. No damage or vandalism was done just childhood fun.

3. Like you Stephen and many others from Graig Houses and Pond Row I too remember the slag tips covered by grass and the times I played hide and seek. Even sliding down, the deeper ones when snow came.

Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm
Afon Taf School. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

4. I remember the day I went to Afon Taf High School and was scared out of my mind. From Abercanaid Infants and Juniors with a total amount of pupils maybe 100 to a school of 1500 and no preparation for the transfer, unlike pupils of today. I recognise people in the picture besides Mr Powell Headmaster, does anyone else?

Gwaelodygarth House. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

5. I remember the day I started my nursing career at Gwaelodygarth House Merthyr Tydfil, myself and my soon to be friend Susan Payne started in April 1974 where we were among the 30 who started that day. That was a very important day for us all, we learned how to do the nursing procedures from basic and how the body and its anatomy worked. The Matron would check that you were doing your assignments correctly and if not, boy didn’t you and everyone else in your group know, no softly, softly, approaches then, unlike today.

The Changing View of Irish Immigration to the Welsh Valleys

by Roger Evans

Below is a poster from 1849, when starvation and unemployment in Ireland forced Irish workers to foreign fields.

50 years later however, at the peak of the Boer War, when Iron and Steel was in demand and labour in short supply:-

“It would appear that the stream of Irish immigrants flowing into the Merthyr and Dowlais district is destined, like the Tennysonian book, to go on forever. During the past few weeks some hundreds of big, braw, hearty sons of the Emerald Isle have left their native shores to fill up the much depleted ranks of the employed at the Cyfarthfa and Dowlais Iron Works.

Another contingent of 60 labourers came from Cork by the boat service to Newport on Tuesday night at a late hour after a journey occupying 36 hours. There was some difficulty in finding accommodation for them, but eventually this was accomplished, and Wednesday morning the men were sent on to Dowlais where they arrived about mid-day. They are all of the labouring class, and have been distributed about the works. It is rumoured that a further influx is expected before the week is out.The working staff has been so very much reduced by departures for the front, the Reservists and the Militia forces.It is certain that the fresh arrivals will be very acceptable at the present juncture and in view of the healthy and prosperous state of the iron and steel market.”

Transcribed from the Western Mail 25 May 1900.

Another new book

Here’s another recently published book which gives a very detailed account of Merthyr Tydfil Corporations Omnibus operations including the operation of trams and buses run in Merthyr before Merthyr’s omnibus operation was set up.

Michael Yelton completes his study of Welsh Municipal operators with his seventh book, this time on Merthyr Tydfil. Unlike other smaller South Wales municipalities, explored in previous volumes, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council started running buses while there were still trams in the town which were owned and operated by an outside private company. The trams already ran on the two most lucrative routes when the Council began running buses and it took 15 years before the local authority was able to purchase the tramway undertaking and to replace the trams with buses. This 154 page book includes a full fleet list and is well illustrated throughout with both black & white and colour photographs and maps to help bring this story to life.
To order the book, please click on the following link:

The West Family Version of the 17 Miracles – part 2

Miracle number four occurred throughout the following year as Terry continued to do research for our family and discovered many more links in the family chain but culminated with a discovery of John Thomas, a direct descendant of Margaret Rowland and Morgan Thomas. John currently lives on Penrhiw farm which has been in the family since 1724 and he and his wife Celia were willing to meet with us. He sent us a lineage chart of all the siblings of Job who remained in Wales adding much needed information to connect our family to those who had died.

This discovery came about through another miracle, (number five), that of Terry meeting Father Powell at St. Catwg’s Episcopal Church.While looking for Edward Rowland and Ann Miles he mentioned John as a possible Thomas still living on the farm.

Miracle number six: cheap tickets to Wales even though it was at the time of the royal wedding. The window for these tickets was short and directly after we booked them the price doubled.

Miracle number seven again involved Terry Jones who had looked for one year for the marriage of Edward Rowland and Ann Miles (Job and Margaret’s grandparents). Three weeks before we arrived, he found them. When we arrived in Merthyr in 2018, the scene had already been set by those who had been directing our lives for the past year.  It felt as though we were in a giant genealogical chess game over which we had no control. Terry was beginning to feel the same forces in action as well.  Every morning he would present us with a list of places we would visit that day. One day he showed us his list which had two sides. He said that he created one list the night before and then this morning, for some unknown reason, he changed it and added a new place: Gadford Elm Chapel –  the first Mormon church ever built. He said he didn’t know why he added it but thought it would be interesting for us to see. Of course, we acquiesced.

Miracle number eight: As we got to the church building we discovered the reason. The first ownership of the chapel was given to Wilford Woodruff by the United Brotherhood but it rested on or near a Brother Benbow’s farm.  Most of the early members were baptized in Benbow’s pond. Benbow was Terry’s wife’s maiden name. Terry was stunned. He kept saying he had no idea why he had changed the itinery for the day but we all knew why.

The next day we visited St. Catwg’s church and we were met by Father Powell and his lay reader Carolynn Corbin who showed us around this very impressive 2000-year-old building. While chatting Richard discovered miracle number nine: that Carolynn was a Parry and quite likely a very close cousin of ours. We exchanged emails and discovered that we did indeed have a common ancestor. This led to a wonderful afternoon tea and the uniting of another branch of Welsh and American lines. After just a few minutes with this family we knew we had met before.

Miracle number ten. We discovered the fact that we were not in charge in other ways as we went to Terry’s home for juice and to collect a book of remembrance that he had found when cleaning out the Engine House which had been recently closed. He showed Sharon a photo of a family reunion taken in 2004 (he had been doing research for the person who sent it to him) and she recognized someone. She immediately texted that person and as a result the connection was made between that photo and the book of remembrance that Terry had asked them to take back to Logan to find its owner.

Are you searching for your ancestors?
1. Check the local opening times of council offices.
2. Bring as much information as possible…full names, dates, addresses.
It does pay also if you can have a person who knows the area.
This article will hopefully help you to show that you can have a successful visit.