Out Of The Blue Artifacts A Library of a lifetime of collecting
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, Pembroke, later Tredegar. After leaving school William Griffiths Morgan became a railway clerk and the family lived at Thomas Street, Merthyr Tydfil. In the 1880’s the Morgan family came to live at number 3 Row, Aberystruth.
Mr Thomas Havard.
There is not much information on Mr Thomas Havard, though he was a partner of Mr William Griffiths Morgan. They formed a partnership with the intention of manufacturing aerated mineral water at Nantyglo.
The Business.
In May 1895 Messrs Havard and Morgan purchased the old aerated water factory from Mr Frederick Kiff and his wife Sarah Kiff of 7 Limestone Road, Nantyglo. Mr and Mrs Kiff were originally from Pontypridd. I have no information on the location of the factory.
An example of one of their early aerated mineral water bottles can be seen in the link below –
Link to – Havard and Morgan early Stoneware Bottle
The manager of the Havard and Morgan Aerated Mineral Water Factory was Mr Dove.
The Fire.
On Friday 3rd of August 1900, fire broke out at Messrs Havard and Morgan Aerated Mineral Water factory at Nantyglo, a part of the building burned to the ground and the machinery was badly damaged. In a report from the South Wales Gazette at the time, it was stated that the fire brigade attended the fire at 11.45pm on the Friday night and found their hose was not long enough to reach the hydrant, seven lengths were required yet the brigade only had four lengths of hose. Water was carried in buckets and the brigade left at 3.00am Saturday morning. It was recorded that it had been arranged that the Messrs J. Lancaster & Co hooters were to be blown in the valley if a fire had broken out at any premises yet on this occasion the hooters were not blown. The factory was later rebuilt and the manufacturing of mineral waters continued.
In 1901 Mr William Griffiths Morgan lived with his father and mother at Dewi House, Alma Street, Brynmawr. His occupation was an aerated mineral water manufacturer. His father at this time was a superintendent Wesleyan minister based at Brynmawr.
In November 1902 the manager of the factory Mr Dove left to work in Sligo, Ireland.
In May 1903 Messrs Havard and Morgan were summoned for employing a girl of 14 years of age to work at their factory without first having obtained a medical fitness note. Under the Factories Act any person under 16 years of age had to be medically examined before employment. Messrs Havard and Morgan were fined £5. They were also fined £2 for not white-washing their factory. The law stated that any premises producing food or drink required to be lime washed.
In September 1903 Messrs Havard and Morgan as aerated mineral water manufacturers both went bankrupt.
Even after going into receivership in 1903, the Havard and Morgan Aerated Mineral Water Company stayed in business, they must have changed to a limited company as in 1905 the Havard and Morgan Mineral Water Company were involved in a court case, reported as follows –
Havard and Morgan Court Case Frebruary 1905.
In February 1905 the Pontypool Free Press Newspaper reported on a court case involving Messrs Havard and Morgan of Nantyglo which also had an impact on other mineral water companies in the South Wales area. The Havard and Morgan company were charged with unlawfully selling certain goods, i.e., 10 bottles of mineral water to which a certain false description was applied. Mr Charles, solicitor of Merthyr, prosecuted on behalf of the South Wales Mineral Water Association and Mr T. G. Powell defended.
The previous September an inspector working for the Mineral Water Association had visited the Market Tavern, Blaenavon. He asked to inspect 12 dozen bottles of mineral water which was crated up as Havard and Morgan, Nantyglo, who had supplied the premises with mineral water. The inspector purchased 36 bottles and examined the crates, they contained bottles, from other mineral water companies such as Chivers & Sons, Cwmtillery, Westlakes Ltd, Gwyddon Vale, Abercarn, D. S. Davies and Charles E. Ricketts of Crumlin, who’s business had recently been purchased by Mr W. Willis James. He stated that only 3 bottles of the 36 purchased actually contained Messrs Havard and Morgan mineral water.
The court was told by an employee of the Gwyddon Vale Co that even though it was illegal, it was common to use other companies’ bottles, they often became mixed, some was removed and yet others got through. The court then concluded that there was no intention to defraud, the case was proved and the bench imposed a fine of £3 including costs.
Points of interest – There were a few different shaped bottles produced for the Messrs Havard and Morgan Aerated Mineral Water Factory. There were three known stoneware bottles as seen … and a glass bottle.