Hello Greg
My family worked in the Old factory (Woollen Mill) at Cwmfelin, before moving further down
the valley to a former mill that used to grind flour. I'm not sure but the reason they
moved may have something to do with the opening of the Troedyrhiw Garth Iron Works in
1847 (Maesteg Celtic Playing feilds) and the or the railway line coming to Maesteg in
about 1853. The
Tin Works Garth Maesteg May 1868
The first turf of the New Tin Works, to be erected opposite the Old Garth furnaces,
Maesteg, was cut on the 30th and the work is to be pushed on with all possible speed.
If you google Mill Street, Maesteg, you will see the old mill and a railway bridge going
over the road, it cut the street in half and a pub had to be rebuilt on the other side of
the bridge. The landlord of the Rose and Crown moved to Hughesovka.
The Woollen Mill is the white building on the left. Going through the bridge and following
the road up a little hill you come to the Maesteg Celtic ground where the Troedyrhiw
Garth Iron Works once stood. In 1849 there was a Galvanised Iron Works at Garth, owned by
John Cole, David Francis and William Francis.
After all that I have found the book that states that it was because of an agreement with
the Llwydarth Tinplate Works for water that the woollen mill moved from Cwmfelin.
David Grey the owner of the Tin Works built a some houses named after his wife Gwenllian
Terrace, (later named Gwendoline Terrace) and after his daughter Olivia Terrace.
David Grey was born in Llansamlet and was the mineral agent of the Llynfi Iron Works. His
company were famous for its japanning process, which was carried out at Rock House, next
door to Tabor Maesteg, which is a garage now, the deeds of which were lost in a fire.
David Grey a mineral agent of Garth Cottage, Cwmdu, of full age married at Llangynwyd
Parish Church on 26 Oct 1854, the son of John Grey a Bolt Roller. To Gwenllian Rowland of
minor age, whose father was William Rowland a Mineral Agent of South Parade, Maesteg. his
wife died in Milan, where e had interests in the tinplate industry there.
The Garth Works produced polished sheet iron or steel, which was exclusively produced by
Russia, which is why I included the landlord of the Rose and Crown in this message (could
he have revealed the process to Grey). It employed 500 people at one time until the
McKinley tariffs were introduced and the works closed in 1897, according to a local
historian.
Regards
Gareth
P. S. I know there was a strong connection between Swansea and the Cwnfelin works but I
can't find any at present, possibly because of the McKinley tariffs, work was moved to
Swansea
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On Mon, 24/12/18, Greg Davies via GLAMORGAN <glamorgan(a)rootsweb.com> wrote:
I have re-joined the Glamorgan List in the hope that someone can give me pointers as to
something that has been excercising my mind for a while,
namely the basic link between my DAVIES ancestors and the JEREMIAH and WILLIAMS families
in the Cwmdu/ Cwmbwrla areas of Swansea.
I am aware that my great-grandfather Elias DAVIES (1839-1906) married Ann JEREMIAH and
that she had a sister Margaret (1849-1893) who married William WILLIAMS (1840-1904) - he
was an owner of tinplate works, JP, Mayor of Swansea, and Swansea MP. I am also aware
that my grandfather William David DAVIES first marriage was to Maria Ann WILLIAMS, a
niece of William WILLIAMS.
I would like to know the basic links between these families and I suspect a clue might
come from The Cambrian of 26th October 1906 which states of Elias that 'Deceased
father was Wr. Wm. DAVIES, whose family founded the old Cwmfelin Works.'
In 1906 the Cwmfelin Works was still operating, so does anyone know what was there
before it? Family lore states a foundry was involved and this might explain the links
between the families.