Out Of The Blue Artifacts A Library of a lifetime of collecting
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 firm during their construction of the first Dry Dock in Newport for Messrs Mordey, Carney & Co, Shipping Merchants.
In 1873 Mr John Monks married Miss Jane Westacott.
Later Mr John Monks launched out on his own and opened his first office in Cross Street Wharf, Newport under the name of Messrs J. Monks & Co, from that small beginning he built for himself and his family a very successful business. Mr Monks continued living in Newport with the exception of 3 years residing at Portishead. He worked on many projects in Wales and England.
In 1888 Mr John Monks came to live at Crumlin and carried out construction work on various types of roadworks in connection with the Newport Corporation. Mr Monks was later associated with various forms of building work, he constructed the Blackwood Gas Works in August 1890, he put in a tender for the building of Cwm Infants School in 1894, he built Newbridge School in 1895, was the owner of many stone quarries in the area and in 1902 had the Aerial Railway constructed for his quarries at Blaina, Monmouthshire.
Link to – Aerial Railway Cableway at Blaina
In 1898 Mr John Monks, in partnership with Messrs Parfitt constructed the Abertillery to Aberbeeg new road and the widening of the Aberbeeg to Crumlin new road.
Mr Monks also became a member of the Monmouthshire County Council, a councillor for Crumlin and was on the Board of Guardians was on the Board of Newport Guardians, a magistrate at Crumlin and was one of the founders of the Liberal Association at Crumlin and was also their president until 1905. Mr Monks was also a staunch advocate of education and served on the Risca, Rogerstone and Abercarn Group of School Managers
The Death of Mr John Monks.
On Thursday 23rd of June 1910, Mr John Monks sadly passed away. He was residing at the Woodlands Crumlin. He left a wife Mrs Jane Monks, two sons Mr John Henry Monks of St Elmo, Blaina and Mr Stephen James Monks of Marlborough Road, Newport and daughters Mrs Prior of Newport, Mrs Perkins, Miss Mabel Monks of Alteryn, Newport and Misses Gertrude and Gladys Monks. Mr J. Monks left £2,667. (£291,601,89 in today’s money) with a personalty of £1,282. and stated his business to be carried on by his sons.