DOCSLIB.ORG

History of Ynys Fawr, Abercynon History Report by James M

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
History of Ynys Fawr, Abercynon History Report by James M History of Ynys Fawr, Abercynon History Report by James M. Burton Nov 2018 Ynys Fawr (Big Island) is a small plot of land that sits on the edge of the river Cynon in Abercynon, in Rhondda Cynon Taff, S/Wales. It is currently being revamped as community allotments by a team of volunteers in 2018, so I thought it pertinent to seek any history regards the land to ensure proper insight was given when considering future use, and help us know how it was formed. The Cynon river was formed over many millennia after the retreat of the last ice age. Up until the arrival of man it meandered through a low lying wooded valley, frequently flooding. Gradual clearance of woodland floodplains for agriculture turned most of the valley floor into fertile meadow-lands for cattle, the annual flood bringing valuable silts onto the land. Thus it came into ownership of Celtic tribes, which were conquered by the English Crown and given over to the church. It is debated that the monasteries at Aberdare under Llanwonno or Caerleon Abbey farmed this land until the reformation whence it was given over to the Mathews family of Aberaman. The first document that I have discovered relating to the land without in-depth research is within the Tithe schedule of 1844. It was then owned by Richard Basset Esq of Beaupre Castle and leased to George Forest Esq who further sublet to Thomas Evans, tenant of Blaen-nant y Fedw Farm nearby. The area was known then as Abertaff-ar-Cynon, relating to the confluence of those two rivers. Tithe Schedule for Abercynon, 1844 (National Library of Wales) Landowner Occupier No. On Plan Name of Land & State Premises Basset, Richard Esq Forest, George Esq Part of Blaennant Y Fedw 1135 Ynis Fawr meadow 1136 Coed Pasture wood 1137 Cae Calk meadow 1138 Cae Calk meadow Transcript of Tithe Schedule for Abercynon, 1844 (National Library of Wales) Tithe Map for Abercynon, 1844 (National Library of Wales) (Ynis Fawr No.1135 area dotted) The area can be traced in the tithe map comparing to modern day maps as a thin strip of land named ‘Ynis Fawr’, No.1135. It has not changed shape since this time. But we can see that the Ynys Meurig bridge lower down is present with a path running north from it, stopping at field no.1136, which was pasture woodland, known as ‘Coed’ (wood). Nearby was field 1137 and 1138, both known as ‘Cae Calk’. Calk means nothing in Welsh, it is an English mutation of the word calch, lime. My supposition is that as this path runs from here to the Aberdare canal it was used to either store or burn lime for loading onto the barges destined for Cardiff. Abercynon was a major docking point prior to this time. In the modern day that path extends into field 1136 and 1138 and runs alongside 1135. Thus parts of ‘Coed’ and ‘Cae Calk’ were incorporated into ‘Ynis Fawr’ on the coming of the railways, the footpath extended to provide access. Richard Basset Esq can be reliably traced in county genealogies as being a Captain of the Royal Artillery, born 1797, who descended from a noble line of Normans. The Bassets were based at Beaupre castle, near Cowbridge, beaupre from the French beautiful meadow. In the 1600’s they came into the ownership of the Mathews estate of Aberaman through the marriage of one of Richards ancestors, Sir Richard Basset to Elizabeth, widow of James Mathews. It is reasonable to assume this is how they are found as landowners of Ynis Fawr, as part of Blaenant Y Fedw farm in 1844 through the process of pre-nuptial marriage endowments. George Forest Esq is a little harder to trace, but I believe he was part of the Forest family, iron foundry owners in Neath. Blaenant Y Fedw farm is named after the nearby stream, literally translating to ‘Head of the Bedw Stream’, bedw, meaning birch (tree). Thomas Evans the farmer and guardian of the land was no doubt a noble native descended from the very first Welsh tribes. Coming of the Railways 1851 Shortly after this the Aberdare railway was opened in 1851, as stated, cutting the valley in two, passing very near to Ynys Fawr, I would presume on the raised elevation as it is today, due to frequent flooding. Several parts of fields are amalgamated into one, as can be seen on the 1876 OS map below. There was heavy use of this line to transport coal and goods, but also by legions of miners’ families to Barry on their Summer days off. 1876 Ordnance Survey Map (Ynys Fawr no.975) Influx of Coal Miners 1890s With the coming of the railways there followed an influx of labourers who willingly parted from their toil in the fields, for the toil of the underground coal seams, for slightly better pay and cheap, quick built houses, a plethora of which was built on the opposite side of the tracks, as seen in the 1900 map below, note one of the streets named Basset Street in honour of its former landowner. You may also note that the topography of Ynys Fawr has completely changed between 1876 and 1900. A huge gouge of land has been bitten from the middle of the area. I can debate that it was either a ferocious storm that changed the course of the river, or the retrieval of gravel for the house building that was to blame. 1900 Ordnance Survey Map (Ynys Fawr no.1068) The Frequent Floods If we look into newspaper reports of the period, we do indeed find evidence of ferocious storms that drowned the lower valley floor, killing many, with reports of topographical change. They were principally in 1872, 1882, 1894 and 1909. It adds weight to the argument that this was the cause of the reduction of the land. Wartime Allotments 1914 In time, with such an influx of workers, there was hunger not only for land, but for blood. When the finest men of the borough were sent off to be slaughtered in the Somme, those with reserved occupations starved at home through the blockades, leading I presume to the Bassett family donating Ynys Fawr to the community for use as wartime allotments, as seen in the 1919 map below. It is from this time that many artefacts have appeared from the ground, old mattocks, clay pipes, medicine bottles, crockery (see pics below). Note that the large tract of ground that we think was swallowed by the floods has been filled in again. Digging into this ground we see that it is filled with slag from coal tips and much of the above mentioned rubbish. So we can assume that after either the floods or denudation by builders, the meadow, and its repair and use as a tip, was no longer suitable for agricultural use, being as it was also cut off by road, river, houses and railways over time. 1919 Ordnance Survey Map (Ynys Fawr no.1068) 2004 Revamp From evidence of further maps we can see Ynys Fawr was used as allotments up to the 1940s, whence a leisure area with tennis courts was built to the north, and the allotments split in two, the southern half being used until around the 2000s, but then became neglected. In around 2009 a new project called ‘Green Valley Centre’ sought to bring the area back to life, with huge grants from the lottery and the EU to support community gardens, willow coppice, fishing areas, bee gardens and school growing areas. It was a very successful scheme with large investment into planting, paths, signs, water pumps and greenhouses. However local gossip suggest greed and corruption got the better of the committee involved in the project, and by 2012 it was again in a neglected state. 2018 Revamp In early 2018 Jan Werrett gained the lease to the land under a local landholder and set up a ‘not for profit scheme’ known as the ‘Cynon Valley Organic Adventures’. They have initially tidied up the area, cutting back 5 years of overgrowth and aim to provide community gardens for those in need. Additional Map Images Ynys Fawr aerial photo from 1945 showing many allotments (Google Maps) Ynys Fawr satellite view 2001 showing some allotment usage (Google Maps) Ynys Fawr satellite view 2006, showing neglect (Google Maps) Ynys Fawr satellite view 2010, showing ‘Green Valley’ Revamp (Google Maps) Ynys Fawr satellite view 2018, showing partial C.V.O.A. revamp (Google Maps) Richard Basset genealogy (part) from ‘Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Vol 1’ ed H. Colburn, 1847. Note Sir Richards daughter m. the son of James. He then married the widow of James. Reference National Library of Wales Tithe Schedules 1844 https://places.library.wales/browse/51.648/-3.328/14?page=1&alt= Old Maps https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/308500/195500/12/100196 Floods in Aberdare National Library of Wales Newspapers https://tinyurl.com/ybh2pfky Cynon Valley Organic Adventures https://www.facebook.com/organicadventure/ Burkes Landed Gentry 1847 (Google Books) https://tinyurl.com/y8ndc5n7 Division of land between Caerleon and Margam Abbeys in Aberdare Harley Charters (British Library) Page 554 [851] 75A 32. (Synopsis in Book III/IV Cardiff Archves W/83 iii/iv) .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Handbook to Cardiff and the Neighborhood (With Map)
    HANDBOOK British Asscciation CARUTFF1920. BRITISH ASSOCIATION CARDIFF MEETING, 1920. Handbook to Cardiff AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD (WITH MAP). Prepared by various Authors for the Publication Sub-Committee, and edited by HOWARD M. HALLETT. F.E.S. CARDIFF. MCMXX. PREFACE. This Handbook has been prepared under the direction of the Publications Sub-Committee, and edited by Mr. H. M. Hallett. They desire me as Chairman to place on record their thanks to the various authors who have supplied articles. It is a matter for regret that the state of Mr. Ward's health did not permit him to prepare an account of the Roman antiquities. D. R. Paterson. Cardiff, August, 1920. — ....,.., CONTENTS. PAGE Preface Prehistoric Remains in Cardiff and Neiglibourhood (John Ward) . 1 The Lordship of Glamorgan (J. S. Corbett) . 22 Local Place-Names (H. J. Randall) . 54 Cardiff and its Municipal Government (J. L. Wheatley) . 63 The Public Buildings of Cardiff (W. S. Purchox and Harry Farr) . 73 Education in Cardiff (H. M. Thompson) . 86 The Cardiff Public Liljrary (Harry Farr) . 104 The History of iNIuseums in Cardiff I.—The Museum as a Municipal Institution (John Ward) . 112 II. —The Museum as a National Institution (A. H. Lee) 119 The Railways of the Cardiff District (Tho^. H. Walker) 125 The Docks of the District (W. J. Holloway) . 143 Shipping (R. O. Sanderson) . 155 Mining Features of the South Wales Coalfield (Hugh Brajiwell) . 160 Coal Trade of South Wales (Finlay A. Gibson) . 169 Iron and Steel (David E. Roberts) . 176 Ship Repairing (T. Allan Johnson) . 182 Pateift Fuel Industry (Guy de G.
    [Show full text]
  • Railway and Canal Historical Society Early Railway Group
    RAILWAY AND CANAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY EARLY RAILWAY GROUP Occasional Paper 251 BENJAMIN HALL’S TRAMROADS AND THE PROMOTION OF CHAPMAN’S LOCOMOTIVE PATENT Stephen Rowson, with comment from Andy Guy Stephen Rowson writes - Some year ago I had access to some correspondence originally in the Llanover Estate papers and made this note from within a letter by Benjamin Hall to his agent John Llewellin, dated 7 March 1815: Chapman the Engineer called on me today. He says one of their Engines will cost about £400 & 30 G[uinea]s per year for his Patent. He gave a bad account of the Collieries at Newcastle, that they do not clear 5 per cent. My original thoughts were of Chapman looking for business by hawking a working model of his locomotive around the tramroads of south Wales until I realised that Hall wrote the letter from London. So one assumes the meeting with William Chapman had taken place in the city rather than at Hall’s residence in Monmouthshire. No evidence has been found that any locomotive ran on Hall’s Road until many years later after it had been converted from a horse-reliant tramroad. Did any of Chapman’s locomotives work on south Wales’ tramroads? __________________________________ Andy Guy comments – This is a most interesting discovery which raises a number of issues. In 1801, Benjamin Hall, M.P. (1778-1817) married Charlotte, daughter of the owner of Cyfarthfa ironworks, Richard Crawshay, and was to gain very considerable industrial interests from his father- in-law.1 Hall’s agent, John Llewellin, is now better known now for his association with the Trevithick design for the Tram Engine, the earliest surviving image of a railway locomotive.2 1 Benjamin Hall was the son of Dr Benjamin Hall (1742–1825) Chancellor of the diocese of Llandaff, and father of Sir Benjamin Hall (1802-1867), industrialist and politician, supposedly the origin of the nickname ‘Big Ben’ for Parliament’s clock tower (his father was known as ‘Slender Ben’ in Westminster).
    [Show full text]
  • Deposit Draft Local Development Plan 2006 - 2021 Preserving Our Heritage • Building Our Future Contents
    Deposit Draft Local Development Plan 2006 - 2021 Preserving Our Heritage • Building Our Future Contents Chapter 1 Introduction and Context ......................................3 Chapter 7 Monitoring and Review Framework....................117 Introduction...................................................................3 Appendix 1 Detailed Allocations ..........................................121 Structure of document ..................................................4 a) Housing Allocations .............................................121 Key facts about Rhondda Cynon Taf.............................5 b) Employment Allocations......................................128 Links to other Strategies................................................5 c) Retail Allocations .................................................130 National Planning Policy and Technical Advice.........11 d) Major Highway Schemes......................................131 How to use the document...........................................15 e) Sites of Important Nature Conservation Chapter 2 Key Issues in Rhondda Cynon Taf .........................17 and Local Nature Reserves ..................................133 Chapter 3 Vision and Objectives ..........................................21 Appendix 2 Statutory Designations.......................................137 Chapter 4 Core Strategy.......................................................25 Appendix 3 Local Development Plan Evidence Base..............139 Key Diagram ................................................................28
    [Show full text]
  • No. 52 Autumn 2010
    CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY PRESIDENT: THE LORD ABERDARE VICE-PRESIDENTS: TOM EVANS, JOHN F. MEAR AND KEN COLLINS www.cynonvalleyhistorysociety.org HHAANNEESS . NEWSLETTER OF THE CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY CYLCHLYTHYR CYMDEITHAS HANES CWM CYNON ISSUE NUMBER 52 AUTUMN 2010 HANES ON STREETS (No.2): OLD HIGH STREET Dirty, ugly and unsafe to travel through. In 1873 The Aberdare Times commented if one part of Aberdare more than another requires demolition and reconstruction it is that part of High Street which clusters around the Farmers’ Arms [the area] is a dense nursery of crime and immorality and a traffic danger. A few years later the Town Directory (Worrall 1875) described the main streets of Aberdare as wide and clean and pointed out that the old and narrow ones were fast disappearing. Today High Street hardly exists, except as a thoroughfare; it contains but one retail business (a café) a public house (Wetherspoon’s) and a handful of offices. In fact it now has the appearance of a town centre bypass. In the first half of the nineteenth-century however it was one of the most important streets in Aberdare, vibrant and the area where most needs could be satisfied. The extent of High Street can be seen on the parish tithe map of 1847, and since 1866 extended from the foot of the Gadlys Trip railway bridge to the point where the street entered Commercial Place. (Victoria Square since 1896) Note: The Farmers’ Arms was opposite the present entrance to Rock Grounds. Here follows a list of the trades etc., which were to be found in High Street in l852.
    [Show full text]
  • ABERCYNON OR CARNETOWN? the Residents of Abercynon Are of One Accord Against the Proposals of the Post Master General to Substitute the Name Carnetown for Abercynon
    CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY CYMDEITHAS HANES CWM CYNON PRESIDENT: THE LORD ABERDARE VICE PRESIDENTS MRS TYDFIL THOMAS O.B.E., J.P., M.A., ELFED BOWEN B.Sc., KEN COLLINS B.A. & HYWEL VAUGHAN M.A. www.cvhs.org.uk HHAANNEESS NEWSLETTER OF THE CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY CYLCHLYTHYR CYMDEITHAS HANES CWM CYNON ISSUE NUMBER 67 SUMMER 2014 MEA CULPA The editor occasionally receives letters from readers, and these are always welcome as they tend to raise interesting points, act as a catalyst and stimulate debate, or result in the discovery of forgotten or new facts. A recent item of correspondence, received from an Associate Member living in Somerset, mildly, but with humour, rebukes the compiler of this Newsletter for giving undue emphasis to events and personalities connected with the Aberdare area. 24th April 2014 “Dear Mr. Evans, I have been an associate member – a ‘drone’, really for several years and the receipt of Hanes really does lift the spirit so I hope you will not find my observations impertinent, BUT I find that Aberdare and its environs (with the occasional foray to Mountain Ash), is given undue prominence and whilst I can sense the reason for this it does leave virtually two-thirds of the valley below the salt on the editorial table. Anyway, to temper this mild criticism I enclose a poem I’ve written about the valley in the hope that it might cause some latent poets in the Society to put pen to paper, (poetry or prose), about what the valley means to them. Perhaps a slice of Hanes could be devoted to these reflections — present and from the past? I hope that the poem and the suggestions prove that I am not completely idle.
    [Show full text]
  • No. 57 Winter 2011
    CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY CYMDEITHAS HANES CWM CYNON PRESIDENT: THE LORD ABERDARE VICE-PRESIDENTS: MRS TYDFIL THOMAS O.B.E., J.P., M.A., AND KEN COLLINS B.A. www.cynonvalleyhistorysociety.org HANES HANES NEWSLETTER OF THE CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY CYLCHLYTHYR CYMDEITHAS HANES CWM CYNON ISSUE NUMBER 57 WINTER 2011/2012 How those curiosities would be quite forgot, did not such idle fellows as I am put them down. (John Aubrey, antiquary, 1626-1697) THOMAS JAMES EVANS Members of the Cynon Valley History Society will have heard with deep sadness and regret of the death, on 29 November 2011, of our Vice President, Tom Evans. They will recall him as a gentle, scholarly man with a commanding presence and a great sense of humour. He was 94 years of age. Thomas James Evans was a native of Aberdare and although a Geography teacher by profession had a great interest in and knowledge of the history of Aberdare, particularly its industrial past. Tom was educated at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (B.Sc.) and taught for most of his life at the Aberdare Boys’ Grammar School where he was head of Geography. He served as a captain in The South Wales Borders from 1941, and saw active service in the Normandy (D-Day) landings, and in engagements in France, Belgium and Holland. He was very proud of the SWB and is seen wearing the regimental tie in this photograph. Tom was one of the founder members of the Society in 1971; he delivered the first lecture to it on April 17 1971 (The Industrial History of Aberdare) and led a number of the Society’s summer field trips.
    [Show full text]
  • IL Combo Ndx V2
    file IL COMBO v2 for PDF.doc updated 13-12-2006 THE INDUSTRIAL LOCOMOTIVE The Quarterly Journal of THE INDUSTRIAL LOCOMOTIVE SOCIETY COMBINED INDEX of Volumes 1 to 7 1976 – 1996 IL No.1 to No.79 PROVISIONAL EDITION www.industrial-loco.org.uk IL COMBO v2 for PDF.doc updated 13-12-2006 INTRODUCTION and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This “Combo Index” has been assembled by combining the contents of the separate indexes originally created, for each individual volume, over a period of almost 30 years by a number of different people each using different approaches and methods. The first three volume indexes were produced on typewriters, though subsequent issues were produced by computers, and happily digital files had been preserved for these apart from one section of one index. It has therefore been necessary to create digital versions of 3 original indexes using “Optical Character Recognition” (OCR), which has not proved easy due to the relatively poor print, and extremely small text (font) size, of some of the indexes in particular. Thus the OCR results have required extensive proof-reading. Very fortunately, a team of volunteers to assist in the project was recruited from the membership of the Society, and grateful thanks are undoubtedly due to the major players in this exercise – Paul Burkhalter, John Hill, John Hutchings, Frank Jux, John Maddox and Robin Simmonds – with a special thankyou to Russell Wear, current Editor of "IL" and Chairman of the Society, who has both helped and given encouragement to the project in a myraid of different ways. None of this would have been possible but for the efforts of those who compiled the original individual indexes – Frank Jux, Ian Lloyd, (the late) James Lowe, John Scotford, and John Wood – and to the volume index print preparers such as Roger Hateley, who set a new level of presentation which is standing the test of time.
    [Show full text]
  • Cowbridge & District Local History Society Newsletter
    COWBRIDGE & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSLETTER No 57 : APRIL 2005 Fishtveir FUTURE MEETINGS Edward Bassett lived at Fishweir and was April ls‘: “In Search of Kenfig” - Dr Terry Robins described as being 'of Fishweir' when he Sept 2"d: AGM and “Where in Cowbridge is this?”- married Catherine Came of Nash Manor. The a picture quiz by Jeff Alden Summer excursion; probably at the end of May or Bassetts got into financial difficulties as a result in early June. Details in the April meeting of the Civil War, and were forced to sell up. The purchaser of the house and lands was Sir CHARTER DAY Edward Mansell of Margam. Neither he nor any member of his family resided at Fishweir; it Yvonne Weeding organised an excellent became a tenanted farm - perhaps fortunately celebration for Charter Day: a very good lunch for us, for the house was not modernised. It at the Bush Inn in St Hilary, followed by a visit was left to the Bevans, when they took over to Fishweir, on Monday 14th March. The Bush more than 20 years ago, to preserve all the early is a fine historic inn of mid-sixteenth century features which remain in the house. origins, and is now one of the few buildings in the Vale with the once ubiquitous thatched One of the rooms downstairs was in a roof. The two-centred arch stone doorways, soriy state with a vestigial stone staircase; the the stone staircase, and the great fireplace with room and the staircase have been rebuilt. The a hood supported on corbels are all features for two principal rooms were the kitchen and the the local historian to enjoy.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal Railway & Canal Historical Society
    Journal of the Railway & Canal Historical Society Volume 35 Part 3 No 193 November 2005 The Railway & Canal Historical Society President: Hugh Compton Vice-Presidents: Dr A L Barnett, G J Biddle, G A Boyes, R Christiansen, J V Gough, A A Jackson, Dr M J T Lewis, K P Seaward Chairman (Managing Committee): Roger Davies Hon Secretary: M Searle, 3 West Court, West Street, Oxford 0X2 ONP Hon Treasurer: R 0 Welton, Wynch House, Ashton-u-Hill, Evesham WR11 7SW Membership Secretary: R J Taylor, 16 Priory Court, Berkhamsted HP4 2PD Local Group Secretaries East Midlands: S Birch, 34 Cotes Road, Barrow-on-Soar, Loughborough LE12 8JS London: M Thomson, Flat 5, 28 Blakesley Avenue, London W5 2DW North East: D B Slater, 8 Grainger Avenue, Acomb, York Y02 5LF North West: G Leach, 5 Tabley Close, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 ONP South West (acting): A Richardson, 25 Boscombe Crescent, Downend, Bristol BS16 6QR West Midlands: R M Shill, 100 Frederick Road, Stechford, Birmingham B33 8AE Co-ordinators of Special Interest Groups Air Transport: P L Scowcroft, 8 Rowan Mount, Doncaster DN2 5PJ Pipelines: T Foxon, 2 Oldfield, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 5QX Railway Chronology: E H Cheers, 7 Wealden Hatch, Bushbury, Wolverhampton WV10 8TY Road Transport: P L Scowcroft, 8 Rowan Mount, Doncaster DN2 5PJ Tramroads: Dr M J T Lewis, 60 Hardwick Street, Hull HU5 3PJ Waterways History Research (including Docks & Shipping): P E Jones, 27 Bexley Avenue, Denton Burn, Newcastle NE15 7DE The Railway & Canal Historical Society was founded in 1954 and incorporated in 1967.
    [Show full text]
  • The London Gazette, November 27, 1857
    4162 THE LONDON GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 27, 1857. immediately adjoining thereto, at his residence, are empowered to raise, and, if necessary, to and that, ou or before the 31st day of December enable the same three companies, or any of them, next, printed copies of the said intended Bill will to raise additional capital for the purpose of such be deposited at the Private Bill Office of the House contribution, whether by shares or by borrowing, of Commons. and to attach to the additional capital so to be Dated this 2nd day of November, 1857. raised, such preference or priority in payment of G. F. Holroyd, Secretary to the East interest or dividends as the Bill shall define. Kent Railway Company. 4. To enable the Worcester and Hereford Railway Company and the commissioners of the town of Great Malvern, the committee of commo- East Kent Railway. ners, the surveyors of the highways, and any (Dover Extension.—Extension of Time for Pur- other persons interested in the matter, to agree chase of Lands and Houses, and for Completion for the purchase, by the said company, of any of Works ; Amendment of Acts, &c.) common land, or commonable rights vested in TVj OTICE is hereby given, that application is the said commissioners, or other persons, in the i. 1 intended to be made to Parliament, in the parish of Great Malvern; such purchase being ensuing session, for leave to bring in a Bill to in consideration of a rent charge or other price, extend the time limited by the "East Kent Rail- instead of a sum in gross.
    [Show full text]
  • Udab Glamorgan Record Office Records Of
    UDAB GLAMORGAN RECORD OFFICE RECORDS OF ABERDARE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL 1894-1974 UDAB GLAMORGAN RECORD OFFICE ABERDARE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL 1894-1874 Aberdare Urban District Council was established following the Local Government Act of 1894. It took over the functions of Aberdare Local Board of Health (for details of records see Glamorgan Record Office ref. no. L/B A). The Council's area of responsibility was the parish of Aberdare. Aberdare Urban District Council ceased to exist on 31 March 1974, and was merged with Mountain Ash Urban District Council to form Cynon Valley Borough Council. The Record Office did not receive an official deposit of Aberdare Urban District Council records when the council was disolved in 1974, and therefore we do not hold any of the main series of records, such as the minutes of the Council or its Committees. The main parts of the collection were deposited by the Aberdare and Mountain Ash Divisional Education Officer on 22 September 1967 (Acc. No. 2353), by Cynon Valley Borough Council on 26 July 1979 (Acc. No. 1979/103), and by a private depositor on 12 October 1994 (Acc. No. 1994/108). Please note that all the records in the list which follows are kept in an outside repository. If you wish to consult any items in the collection, at least one week's notice is required by the Record Office. The material requested will be brought into the Record Office for consultation in the public searchroom. UDAB C/1-21 ABERDARE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL CLERK'S DEPARTMENT Parliamentary papers [Part of a series of numbered wooden and metal boxes, probably originated by the Local Board of Health, and subsequently added to by the Urban District Council] Waterworks 1/1-12.
    [Show full text]
  • No. 88 Autumn 2019
    CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY CYMDEITHAS HANES CWM CYNON PRESIDENT: THE LORD ABERDARE VICE PRESIDENTS MRS TYDFIL THOMAS O.B.E., J.P., M.A., ELFED BOWEN B.Sc. www.cvhs.org.uk HANES NEWSLETTER OF THE CYNON VALLEY HISTORY SOCIETY CYLCHLYTHYR CYMDEITHAS HANES CWM CYNON ISSUE NUMBER 88 AUTUMN 2019 During this Indian summer, let’s hope it lasts, it is good to reflect on recent anniversaries as well as past events. We look at 150th Anniversary of the Opening of Aberdare Park, the 160th Anniversary of the establishment of the Cwmbach Co- operative Society, a local survivor of the Spanish Civil War, part 2 of the memories of Runge’s shop, and, Society news. Enjoy reading about them! 150th Anniversary of the Opening of Aberdare Park by Colin Rees In the mid-nineteenth century Aberdare was a heavily industrialised town, with tramroads and railways criss-crossing the valley floor, waste tips, and furnaces with their chimney stacks contributing to a forbidding and inhospitable atmosphere in the valley. With much of nearby land in private hands, the working man and his family had little recreational space that was easily accessible. Responding to these circumstances the Local Board of Health, under its chairman Rees Hopkin Rhys, (Blind Rhys), acquired almost 50 acres of Hirwaun Common for creating Wales’ first public park. To do so necessitated negotiating a loan of £5000, (about £620,000 today with adjustment for inflation), repayable over 30 years. The scheme had its detractors, particularly from ratepayers, and a public enquiry was necessary before the loan could be sanctioned.
    [Show full text]