Mr Edward Jones of Partridge Jones & Co 1836-1903

Mr Edward Jones of Partridge Jones & Co 1836-1903.
Mr Edward Jones was born on Sunday 4th of December 1836, at Talybont, Breconshire. His father was Mr W. Jones, a farmer and maltster of Talybont. He attended Abergavenny Grammar School and the Priory, a private school there and went on to become a mining pupil at Beaufort where he became associated with Mr Crawshay Bailey. His first official appointment was on the management of the Varteg Colliery under Mr Crawshay Bailey. He later became known to Mr W. B. Partridge and a partnership was formed to take over the proprietorship of the Varteg Collieries and Iron Works.

Mr William B. Partridge.
Mr William Bailey Partridge was Mr Crawshay Bailey’s great-nephew and was living at Llanfoist House, he later left to live in Bacton Hereford but maintained a close partnership with Mr Edward Jones. This partnership worked well as Partridge Jones & Co an unlimited company and controlled the Varteg Colliery, two blast furnaces, and they also acquired the Plasycoed and Cwmsychan Slope Collieries with coal output just a few thousand tons per year.

Messrs Partridge Jones & Co Ltd.
In 1874 the whole concern was turned into a limited company undertaking under the style of Partridge Jones & Co Ltd.

In the late 19th century Mr Edward Jones was managing director and Mr W. B. Partridge was chairman. The company’s collieries included Llanerch, Blaensychan, Gwenallt and Llanhilleth and Havod Van (House Coal). The company was said to have been employing over 3,000 men and a total output nearing 1 million tons per year.

Miss Susan Williams.
In 1865 Mr Edward Jones married Miss Susan Williams of Brecon, they had five sons and two daughters. His eldest son was a railway engineer and was working in South Africa, his second son was a mining engineer and was working in the colliery with his father, the third son was in commerce with the other two sons learning medicine and the bar at Cambridge University. Of the daughters, the elder was Mrs Leonard Llewellyn, wife of the manager of the Clydach Vale Collieries and the younger daughter was married to Mr John Paton, who was later to become a partner in the company.

Alderman Edward Jones.
Mr Edward Jones later become an Alderman and J.P. he lived at Snatchwood House, Pontypool and also resided at The Oaklands, Brecon.

In 1886 Mr Jones contested the North Monmouthshire in the Conservative interest and polled 3,285 votes second to Mr Thomas Phillips Price, a Liberal with 4,688 votes. Mr Jones was also the chairman of the new South Wales Miners Conciliation Board and the part he played in assisting to bridge the differences between the masters and men which threatened a rupture in the early months earned for him the gratitude of the whole community of South Wales.

The Abertillery Local Board.
Mr Edward Jones was a member of the Abertillery Local Board and became their chairman in 1893 though retired on its transformation from the Abertillery Local Board into the Abertillery District Council.

The Llanhilleth Miners Institute.
In 1897 Mr Edward Jones was instrumental in the formation of the Llanhilleth Miners Institute but sadly passed away before his plans were completed. The negotiations were carried on and the building of the institute went ahead in his honour.

The Death of Mr Edward Jones.
On Friday 4th of September 1903, Mr Edward Jones passed away at his residence Snatchwood House, Pontypool. His will was published which stated he had left £140,223. 12s. 04d. equivalent to 18.3 million in today’s money.

The Llanhilleth Miners Institute Clock.
In August 1907 a clock was placed on the front of the Llanhilleth Miners Institute, it was given by Messrs Jones of the Partridge Jones & Co in memory of Mr Edward Jones. It was the first public clock to be erected at Llanhilleth.