Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm

Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm.
The Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm was located on the south western side of Mynydd James. It was on the mountain road between Ty Bryn and Ty Sammy’s Farm.

Clyn Mawr was originally an area of Blaenau Gwent, from the Clyn Mawr Uchaf (upper farm) to the Clyn Mawr Hotel taking in Blaenau Gwent Rows, across to the east to the Clyn Mawr Ganol (middle farm) down though Clyn Mawr Street (Glynmawr Street) and terminating at the Clyn Mawr Isaf Farm (lower farm) at the bottom of Portland Street. The area of Clyn Mawr featured heavily in the book “An Historic Account Of Aberystruth” by Edmund Jones, written in 1779 and was referred to as Clun Mawr.

Clyn is a corruption of Clun, roughly translated to meadow, moor or a wood. Mawr is large or big. On the land maps of the 1830’s the area was also written as Clain Mawr. Glynmawr was a corruption of Clyn Mawr.

The 1840 Tithe Map.
Apart from the odd newspaper article there is a lack of early information on the occupants at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm. There doesn’t seem to be any record of its history made available until the 1840 tithe map apportionment and the following year’s census of 1841.

Mr Thomas Rogers.
The 1840 tithe maps shows, Messrs Joseph and Crawshay Bailey of the Nantyglo Iron Works were the landowners, Mr Thomas Rogers was the tenant at Clyn Mawr Uchaf.

On the 1841 census Mr Thomas Rogers was resident at Clyn Mawr Uchaf. Mr Thomas Rogers was born in 1811 at Aberystruth, his wife was Mrs Leah Rogers, born in 1816. The couple lived and farmed at Clyn Mawr Uchaf with their family – Miss Mary Rogers, born in 1831. Master Edmund Rogers, born in 1833. Master Seth Rogers, born in 1835. Master William Rogers, born in 1838 and Master Henry Rogers, born in 1840.
On the 1851 census, Thomas and Leah Rogers were still at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm.
On the 1861 census, Mr Thomas Rogers was still at the farm though sadly listed as being a widower.

Mr J. Abraham.
Sometime in the 1860’s Mr J. Abraham was a farmer at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Abertillery.

The Departure of Mr J. Abraham.
On Saturday 12th of September 1868, the Star of Gwent newspaper reported that Mr Abrahams was to leave the Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm and its sale at auction on the coming Tuesday 15th of September 1868. Items for sale were described as follows – Live and dead farming stock, including horses, cows, poultry, carts and machinery.

Mr and Mrs Daniel Lewis.
On the 1871 census, Mr Daniel Lewis was resident at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Abertillery. Mr Daniel Lewis, born in 1810 at Aberystruth was listed as a farmer of 50 acres. His wife was Mars Harriet Lewis, was born in 1821, also at Aberystruth. The couple were living at the farm with their children – Miss Margaret Lewis, born 1844 and Mr Lewis Lewis, born in 1843. Also living at the farm was – Miss Mary Jones, a servant.

Mrs and Mrs Samuel Smith.
On the 1881 census Mr Samuel Smith was at Clyn Mawr Uchaf, born in 1840 at Bratton, Wiltshire was listed as Farmer and Bailiff. His wife was Mrs Margaret Smith nee Bradley, born in 1841 at Kemeys Inferior, Caerleon. The couple were married in Warwickshire in 1863 and were living at the farm with their children – Master William Edward Smith, born 1865. Master George David Smith, born 1869. Master Frederick C. Smith, born 1871. Master Evan A. Smith, born in 1873. Miss Clara of Clare Smith, born 1875. Master John Hockey Smith, born 1877 and Master Alfred August Smith, born in 1880. On the 1871 census the family were living at Trevethin and Mr Samuel Smith was listed as being a “Coachman”.
Mrs and Mrs Samuel Smith.

On the 1891 census Mr and Mrs Samuel Smith was still at Clyn Mawr Uchaf.

The Departure of Mr Smith.
On Friday 28th of July 1893, the South Wales Gazette reported on the departure of Mr Samuel Smith from the Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm and its sale at auction on the coming Monday 31st of July. Items for sale were described as follows – A brown horse by the name of “Norman”, another horse called “Rattler”, saddles and harnesses etc. A quantity of household furniture, dairy utensils, and a double barrel breechloader, pinfire and cartridge loader.

Mr Samuel Smith with his wife and children moved from the farm to live at 59 Oak Street, Abertillery. On the 1901 census, Mr Smith was now a widower and listed as a stone quarryman. There were no reports of his wife Margaret’s death.

Mrs Mary Thomas.
On the 1901 census, Mrs Mary Thomas was a farmer, resident at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Abertillery. Mrs Mary Thomas was born in 1845 at Bury Port, Carmarthenshire. She was at the farm with Mr William Thomas, born in 1863 at Abertillery. Also at the farm was Miss Maggie Jones, a servant, born in 1874 at Brynmawr. Mrs Mary Thomas had previously been a farmer at Ty Sammy’s Farm, Abertillery.

The Death of Mr Samuel Smith.
In February 1908 Mr Samuel Smith, late of Clyn Mawr Uchaf, now living at 59 Oak Street, Abertillery passed away. His body was taken to Newport for burial.

Mr and Mrs George Harris.
On the 1911 census Mr and Mrs George Harris was at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm. Mr George Harris was listed as an “Elementary School Teacher”, born in 1877 at Pembrey, Carmarthen. His wife, Mrs Elvira Sage Harris nee Harrhy was born in 1874 at Cwmtillery. The couple lived at the farm with their son Master Templar Harris, born in 1907. Also at the farm were – Mrs Mary Thomas (Aunt), a previous resident at the farm, Mr William Thomas (Cousin). Mr Frank Dawson, a boarder. Mr William Purchase and Miss Lillie Jenkins, both servants.

Mr and Mrs George Jukes Snr.
In 1920 Mr and Mrs George Jukes Snr moved into Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Blaenau Gwent. Mr George Jukes had previously been the head farmer at Glandwr Farm, and Coed Castellau Farms, Abertillery. Mr George Jukes was born in 1853 at Ludlow, Shropshire. His wife was Mrs Margaret Jukes, born in 1856 at Dowlais, Glamorgan.

The Death of Mrs Margaret Jukes.
In 1923 Mrs Margaret Jukes passed away at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Blaenau Gwent.

The Death of Mr George Jukes Snr.
In 1937 Mr George Jukes passed away at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Blaenau Gwent. After the death of Mr George Jukes Snr, the Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm was passed onto his son Mr John Jukes.

Mr John Jukes.
On the 1939 register, Mr John Jukes was the farmer at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm. Mr John Jukes born in 1886 was the son of Mr George Jukes Snr. He was at the farm as a Dairy Farmer with his wife Mrs Eva Jukes nee Oldland, born 1891 and their son Mr Noel Jukes, born 1914.

The Dairy Farm and Milk Round.
On the 1939 register, Mr David Jukes, born in 1888 was at Glandwr Farm, he was listed as being a Milk Roundsman.

In 1944 Mr David Jukes had left Glandwr Farm and was now living at 23 Gladstone Street, Abertillery. The South Wales Gazette printed a notice stating that Mr David Jukes, now of 23 Gladstone Street, Abertillery has changed ownership of his milk round. It was stated that the new owner was Mr Noel Jukes of Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm.

The Departure of Mr Noel Jukes.
On Friday 25th of January 1946, the South Wales Gazette printed a notice informing the public that Mr Noel Jukes had transferred the Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm milk round registration from himself to the new proprietor of the farm, Mr O. Bruten.

Mr O. Bruten.
In 1946 Mr Oswald Bruten was the farmer at the Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Blaenau Gwent, Abertillery. Mr Bruten lived at the farm with his wife Muriel Bruten nee Smith, the couple married in 1941.

Later Years.
With the growth in population at Abertillery and the building of the Rose Heyworth Housing Estate which began in the late 1940’s, Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm and the little ground that was left became engulfed by the new buildings of Attlee Avenue to the south and to the north with the waste tips of the Rosemont Colliery Levels.

After the building of the Rose Heyworth Housing Estate, the Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm was directly behind the houses number 12 and 13 Attlee Avenue. The Rosemont Colliery Levels extended from close to the farm and across to number 30 Attlee Avenue, the two of the tallest waste tips were behind numbers 27 and 28 Attlee Avenue. In 1974, eight years after the aftermath of the Aberfan tip disaster, the waste tips of the the Rosemont Colliery Levels, which were perched high above Attlee Avenue, as a precaution, were flattened out with a drainage system put in place and landscaped. The farm was later left unoccupied, became a ruin and was demolished in the mid 1970’s.

Points of Interest –
There were reports in the local paper of Mr Hercules Jones, a butcher of Abertillery being the tenant at Clyn Mawr Uchaf Farm, Blaenau Gwent in the 1880’s. Also, a Mr John James, a grocer and provision dealer of 19 Castle Street, Abertillery being at Clyn Mawr Farm Uchaf Farm, Blaenau Gwent in the late 1880’s. There is no real evidence to support this claim at the moment.

Mr John Hockey Smith.
During the Great War 1914-1918, Mr John Hockey Smith, son of Mr Samuel Smith, late of Clyn Mawr Uchaf farm, born in 1877 was in the 1st Batt. Grenadier Guards and had served through the Egyptian and South African campaigns. The South Wales Gazette, October 1915, stated he was back home on leave after a brief visit to Northern France, he possessed four medals with various clasps. He was, at the time of the report, to return as a non-commissioned officer of the Royal Veterinary Corps.