Abertillery History

Queen Street School. On Thursday 21st March 1895, tenders were invited for the erection of schools at Queen Street, Abertillery to accommodate 625 children. Plans and specifications could be seen at the office of the School Board’s architect Mr George Rosser Victoria Buildings Abercarn. Tenders to be sent to Mr I. Aled Jones, clerk to the Aberystruth School Board, Blaina …

Gelli Crug Boys – Girls and Infants School. On Tuesday 8th of April 1902, at a monthly meeting of the Aberystruth School Board consisting of the following members – Mr J. P. D Williams (Chairman); Mr R. H. Williams (Vice Chairman); Mr E. J. Williams; Mr T. Drew; Mr C. H. Carter; Mr J. Davies; Rev T. T. Evans; Dr …

Bryngwyn School. The Bryngwyn School (as seen at the top of the main featured image) was proposed to be built as a boys school to take the overflow and ease pressure from the Queen Street Schools. In July 1907 the Abertillery Urban District Council’s Education Committee invited tenders from builders to erect the Bryngwyn School on a site close to …

Arael School – Six Bells. In January 1901, tenders were invited for the building of a school, situated between Warm Turn and Six Bells, Abertillery. The tender notices were invited from builders and contractors to erect a school to accommodate 426 children along with a caretaker’s house, out-offices, boundaries, playgrounds and approaches. Tenders were to be received by Monday 11th …

Blaentillery Infants & Mixed Schools Cwmtillery. In 1896 the Aberystruth School Board proposed to have a new infants school erected at Blaentillery, on the eastern side of the Cwmtillery valley. Tenders were invited from builders in the area to erect such school. In February 1897 at a meeting of the Aberystruth School Board held at Blaina, several tenders were received. …

The Day the Navy Came to Abertillery – The 1921 Miners Lock-Out.  Late 1920, early 1921, the collieries in the United Kingdom were still under state control following the Great War, the post war boom in coal exports was over and demand for coal was waning, thousands of miners were to lose their jobs and massive pay cuts were to follow, …

Penybont Washery Riot – Monday 1st July 1912. Towards the end of June 1912, a man employed by the J. Lancaster Company at the Penybont Coal Washery, Cwmtillery was laid-off from his employment, the remaining workers being displeased at this dismissal had put up union notices of “show cards” in connection with the Miners Federation, this action by the workers …

Penybont Bridge. The need for a bridge at Penybont was first discussed in 1889, originally there was a level crossing connecting the New Bridgend Hotel and the Old Bridgend Inn at Old Penybont Road, though as the railway traffic was increasing in the Cwmtillery valley this crossing was becoming extremely dangerous. Pressure was put on the local board to construct …

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 …