Nantyglo & Blaina

The Blaina Instruction Society. In January 1846 a British and Foreign School was built at the Blaina and Cwmcelyn Iron Works (as seen in the clipping left) to educate the children of the many iron workers and was established through the persistence of Mr Frederick Levick, Ironmaster of the Blaina and Cwmcelyn Iron Works. In March 1848 it was reported …

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. …

Havard and Morgan – Aerated Mineral Water Manufacturers Nantyglo. Messrs Havard and Morgan consisted of the partnership of Mr William Griffiths Morgan and Mr Thomas Havard. Mr William Griffiths Morgan. Mr William Griffiths Morgan, born 1875 was the son of Mr Thomas Morgan and Martha Morgan nee Phillips. His father Thomas Morgan was a Wesleyan Minister originally from St Davids, …

The Blue Pilgrims – Blaina. The Blue Pilgrims were a group of philanthropic ladies based in Kent. Their founder was Beatrice Hankey born 1858, she founded the order in 1902. In 1912 the group went to Staffordshire and aided the miners during the strike and throughout the Great War they set up home huts near army barracks for refreshment and …

Duffryn Recreational Grounds – Blaina. The Duffryn Recreation Ground had been a venue for sports since the mid 1850’s though the grounds you see today were laid down by groups of unemployed men working for the council within a scheme funded by various organisations over many years. The scheme also included funding for the Banna Recreation Grounds and the reconstruction …

Mr John Monks – Contractor. Mr John Monks was born in 1852 at Bath, Somerset, England. After the death of his father in 1869 he came to Monmouthshire and entered into the employment of his uncle Mr J. Cox at Crosskeys. He moved to Newport and was employed by Messrs Firbank, Railway Contractors. It was reported he was with this …

The Gobaith Calvinistic Methodist Church – Blaina. The Welsh Evangelists Howell Harris and Daniel Rowlands worked together to push Welsh Calvinism in Monmouthshire, though they both parted company and Howell Harris established a society at Gelli Crug, Cwmtillery, Abertillery, though it didn’t take off and soon became non-existent. Later the general conditions in the locality at that time was reported …

Nantyglo House. In the early years of the iron & coal industry at Nantyglo it was thought that Messrs Joseph and Crawshay Bailey had the round houses or towers built, I have searched for a construction date and a reason for them but can’t find information. The consensus was that they were built between 1810 and 1822 to possibly protect …

Nantyglo Iron and Coal Works History. I understand a lot of books, other articles and web pages have been written on the exploits of the Bailey Brothers and the alleged tyranny of Mr Crawshay Bailey, though this is just a brief non-judgemental timeline with a few previously unknown, details on Crawshay and Joseph Bailey and their life and times at …