General History

Mr Samuel Mills. Mr Samuel Mills was born in 1846 at Avening, Gloucestershire, England. He later married Elizabeth (no maiden name available) also from Avening, Gloucestershire and moved to the South Wales Valley’s to work at the collieries. In January 1876 the first branch of the Independent Order of the Rechabite Association was established at Abertillery, the branch was called …

The Alexandra Buildings Skating Rink and Cinema. The Alexandra Buildings (as seen in the middle of the main featured image above) were constructed by Messrs Skidmore and McWhirter in the early 1900’s on the south side of Alexandra Road, between the road and the back lane at Six Bells.    Messrs Skidmore & McWhirter. Mr Edward Skidmore and Mr Peter …

Mr James McBean. Mr James McBean was born in 1849 at Beauly, Invernesshire, Scotland, the son of Mr John McBean a publican and auctioneer. Mr James McBean was educated at Inverness and later apprenticed to surveying at Wrexham. He joined the Royal Engineers and became a surveyor in the Ordnance Survey department. Moved to Haverfordwest with the Royal Engineers ordnance-survey, …

Mr Matthew Habakkuk – Colliery Owner, Agent and Mining Engineer. Mr Matthew Habakkuk was born in the 1790’s at Langyfelach, Glamorgan. Some documents have him with differing age. I believe he married a Margaret (no information) she was from the same town Langyfelach, Glamorgan and was born in 1800. An advertisement from the Monmouthshire Merlin newspaper (as seen left) dated …

The Salvation Army Congress Hall Band of London – 1911. In June 1911 the Salvation Army Congress Band of London visited Risca and Abertillery, during their visit they performed pieces of musical works. Some of the members of the Congress Band were as follows – Captain H. Otway: Bandsmen, A. Dalziel; R. Lawley; Holmes; Goffin and Kyle: At Six Bells …

Brynithel Cemetery – Abertillery. The southern part of the Parish of Aberystruth (from Cwmtillery to Llanhilleth) initially had two major churches, the Parish Church of St Illtyds at Llanhilleth and the Blaenau Gwent Baptist Church, Blaenau Gwent, Abertillery. I don’t know when burials began at St Illtyds though the first person to be interred at Blaenau Gwent Baptist Church was …

Nantyglo and Blaina Hospital for Infectious Diseases. Epidemics. Throughout time many epidemics had broken out in England and Wales. Since records began in the 1600’s they were mainly confined to large cities and spread through the populous areas with poor sanitary conditions and inadequate supplies of drinking water. Though as the population grew and expanded (mostly in primitive conditions) to …

Arrail Street, Griffin Street and Lancaster Street – Six Bells. The houses on Arrail Street, Griffin Street and Lancaster Street were constructed over a period of about five years from 1898 to 1903. The housing scheme was under the direction of the Messrs J. Lancaster & Company through the Arrail Griffin Building Club. The architect was Mr Charles Telford Evans, …

Blaina House – Cwmcelyn, Blaina. Blaina House, along with a few other houses and the Blaina Inn belonged to and was part of the Blaina Estate. The estate was all part of the Blaina Iron Works. I don’t know the exact date Blaina House was constructed though it was on the 1840 tithe tap (as seen left) The block of …

Blaina Iron Works. Mr George Jones. The Blaina Iron Works were established in 1820 by Mr George Jones, Mr Jones was a Shropshire Iron Master. Over the proceeding years the area slowly built up around the iron works and was later carried on by Mr Richard Brown and his sons Thomas and James. More information on Mr George Jones below. …