From the Merthyr Express 90 years ago today….
Lest We Forget
Tag: Central Police Station
Jones Brothers (Treharris) Ltd.
The following article is reproduced here courtesy of Peter Gould.
After the end of the First World War, John Jones was provided with a motorcar by his father, which he hired out as a means of livelihood. One of three brothers, he had been gassed in the War, and sadly died a few years later, however, not before the idea of providing charabancs in the district had taken hold. The brothers each purchased a new chassis on which they put second-hand bodies, the first vehicle taking to the road in 1919. By the end of the following year they had three vehicles and the business gradually developed.
In August 1921 a service from Treharris to Pontypridd was commenced, with another route to Nelson in 1925. At this time the brothers were trading as the Commercial Bus Service from premises at the Commercial Hotel, Treharris.
To cope with the extra services two Thornycroft A1’s with Norman 20-seat bodywork were purchased during 1925.
By 1928 an additional route to Bedlinog had opened and more vehicles acquired, including two Thornycroft SB’s with Hall-Lewis B26D bodywork and two Leyland A13’s with Leyland 26-seat bodywork.
In March 1930 Jones Brothers introduced a short-lived service between Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd, which ceased shortly afterwards because of opposition from Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council. From August 1930 the company was incorporated as Jones Brothers (Treharris) Ltd. By 1931, however, other operators, including Imperial Motor Services of Abercynon, Aberdare Motor Services and Gelligaer UDC, were running along parts of Jones Brothers routes.
Under the 1930’s Road Traffic Acts Jones Brothers were granted operating licences for the following routes;
Nelson – Trelewis – Treharris – Pontypridd, and
Bedlinog – Hollybush – Nelson – Pontypridd.
Other routes were also applied for, including one to Tredegar, but were unsuccessful, however, in November 1932 another route from Blackwood to Pontypridd serving Treharris, Nelson, Ystrad Mynach and Pontllanfraith was granted, although the licence contained clauses protecting existing operators.
For some time Jones Brothers had been operating a joint service with Evans and Williams, originally a competitor, but their application to take over the route was denied and it passed to Imperial Motor Services.
By the onset of World War II the fleet had grown and had included examples of AJS, Dennis, Leyland, Lancia, Vulcan and Thornycroft vehicles. (It was reported that Jones Brothers had acquired an ex-London General Omnibus Company B-type open-top double-decker in the early years of the company, but that the vehicle was disliked and returned to LGOC. Whether it actually operated in service is unknown, but if so it would have been the only double-decker operated). During the War the inevitable Bedford utility vehicles made an appearance, including several OWB models. An interesting purchase in 1942 was an AEC Q, originally new to Corona Coaches of London in 1935, which gave several years of service with Jones Brothers before being withdrawn.
The Company operated in a livery of maroon and brown with cream lining.
On 1st November 1945, the stage carriage business was sold jointly to Caerphilly UDC, Gelligaer UDC, Pontypridd UDC and the West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board, with ten vehicles passing to these four operators, who ran the ex-Jones Brothers routes jointly.
A single vehicle, Dennis Lancet II (No.4; HB5236) now with Francis (of Swansea) C32C bodywork was retained by Jones Brothers who continued to operate the coaching side of the business until 1958, when it finally ceased.
To read the original article, please use the following link –
http://www.petergould.co.uk/local_transport_history/fleetlists/jones.htm
Fire at Merthyr
110 years ago today a serious fire occurred in Merthyr Town Centre. The report, transcribed below, appeared in the Merthyr Express on 24 December 1910.
FIRE AT MERTHYR
SERIOUS CONFLAGRATION NARROWLY AVERTED
On Friday evening last a fire broke out in one of the offices comprising part of the premises of Messrs. H. W. Southey & Sons and the offices of the Merthyr Express in Glebeland-street, Merthyr, which, but for its timely discovery, might have resulted in one of the most disastrous conflagrations in the history of the town.
It occurred in the front room of a suite occupied by Mr. H. Cowie, the local representative of the General Accident Assurance Co., and was first noticed almost simultaneously by P.S. Jones and a youth named Harris, who were passing in the street at 7.45 p.m. P.S. Jones rushed into the Western Mail office, which is almost opposite, and requested Mr. Williams to phone to the police station, which he did. Harris ran into the book shop and alarmed the assistant, and then dashed off to the police station, where, fortunately he met P.S. Hunter at the door, and assisted to bring up the hose and reel. So prompt was the action of the police that within one minute they were on the scene with hose and reel. Meanwhile P.S. Jones had warned them in the stationery shop. A singular thing had happened not a minute before. The gas-lights in the shop went out, and the assistants were investigating the cause when the sergeant came in.
Mr. Harry Southey was in his office at the time and he rushed upstairs to ascertain where the seat of the fire was.
By this time Mr. Cowie’s room was a glowing furnace. The fire was raging under the desk which ran along the front, and the flames were licking everything. He burst open the door ind with some of the office staff threw “Kylfire” compound into the room, which deadened the fire, and then contrived to smash two or three panes in the window which gave vent for the smoke and flames into the open air. The police had got ready for plying water through the windows, but Mr. Southey explained that they could not reach the seat of combustion from the Street. Another length of hose was then brought up, and the pipe taken through the passage and up the staircase on to the landing. The heat there was now so intense that three of the constables had to be taken out of it. Happily the nozzle was got to the door of the room, and once the powerful douche from the high pressure to the mains was brought to play upon the fire it was under control in a few minutes, and in less than a quarter of an hour was completely extinguished. The condition of the room then revealed what a providential escape the whole premises had had.
The front of the room was occupied by a long desk, and beneath this was a great mass of papers of one kind and another, loose and on files. It was thought at first that the fire was due to a short circuit in the electric wires, under the floor, but this was shown to have been impossible. The condition of the burnt wood and furniture indicated that this mass of papers was the seat of the origin of the fire. How the ignition took place no one can tell. The last person to leave was a young woman typist, at five o’clock, and she states that there was no sign of fire then. Yet there can be little or no doubt that the fire started amongst those papers, and for a couple of hours or more it must have smouldered slowly, steadily progressing in strength sufficient to char deeply all the adjacent wood furniture, until it burnt through the floor at a spot exactly over the gas pipe which supplies these rooms. This pipe was melted and then occurred the outrush of gas which extinguished the lights below and concurrently caused an outburst of flame in the room which simply filled it with fire and the bright blaze attracted attention in the street.
The discovery was made at a very critical moment. Had the fire been left unchecked much, longer it would have reached the pitch-pine ceiling of the shop and the consequences must have been disastrous indeed. As it was the damage by fire was considerable, but that by water to the new Christmas stock with which the windows were crowded, was far heavier. The shop had to be closed for business on Saturday. We cannot speak too highly of the admirable promptitude and conduct of the police, under Inspector Phillips and P.S. Hunter, in coping with the fire which they subdued so swiftly.
The premises and stock were covered by Insurance in the Legal Insurance Company, Ltd.. of which Messrs. J. M. Berry and Sons and Mr. W. J. Pritchard are the local agents. The district manager, Mr. H. O’Leary, Cardiff, was very prompt in attending to the notice of the occurrence sent him. The assessor was sent to Merthyr on Saturday morning, and, after carefully investigating the circumstances and the nature and extent of the damage sustained, he settled the amount of the claim before he left, and to our satisfaction. We had previously found the Company very prompt in meeting their obligations in a case of injury, to a workman, under the Employers’ Liability Act, and it gives us much pleasure to make this acknowledgment of their fair treatment of insurers who are unfortunate enough to have to present their claims.
New Fire Station
The article transcribed below appeared in the Merthyr Express 95 years ago today….
MERTHYR’S FIRE STATION
Opening of New Building and Medical Comforts Depot
On Thursday afternoon the Mayor of Merthyr (Coun. F. A. Phillips), in the presence of a large number of local ladies and gentlemen, opened the new Fire Station for the borough, which is erected on a site adjoining the Central Police Station, the cost of which was about £1,800. Accommodation is provided on the ground floor for the fire engine and the police ambulance car. The first floor will be used as a recreation room, and this has been equipped and furnished out of the Police Athletic Club’s funds. The third floor has been fitted up as a medical comforts’ department, under the Merthyr Centre of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.
A number of the nurses were present wearing their uniform, under the supervision of Mr D. M. Davies, the Chief Constable, who is also the Commissioner of the Merthyr Centre of the St. John Ambulance Brigade; Miss Williams, the supt.; and Mr Harry Jones, the corps. supt. The Mayor, who was accompanied by Mrs. Phillips, the Mayoress, was supported by members and officials of the Corporation; Lady Herbert Lewis, O.B.E., of Cardiff, who later opened the medical comforts’ department and Miss Herman, of the Priory of Wales.
A large and interested crowd of spectators assembled outside the fire station, and before the opening ceremony the Brigade gave a demonstration of how promptly they can act in case of a call being received. The fire bell sounded, the large doors swung open, and the motor fire engine, fully manned, darted out of the station and stopped just outside the entrance of the market. At the same moment another door was opened, and the ambulance car, fully manned, left the other department, and made its way to High-street. Inspector J. C. Lamb was in charge of the Brigade.
The Chief Constable was Master of Ceremonies, and after this interesting demonstration he asked Mr. Edmund Rees (the architect) to present the Mayor with a miniature fireman’s axe, and the key with which to formally open the building.
The Mayor unlocked the large doors amid applause, and Ald. W. Burr, the Deputy-Mayor, unlocked the doors of the ambulance entrance amid a similar demonstration.
The Mayor said: I congratulate the Architect (Mr. T Edmund Rees) and all others concerned for this beautiful structure just opened. For many years this part of the building has not been used owing to its unsuitability for any purpose. The ground upon which it stands is freehold, and is the property of the Corporation. This beautiful fire station will greatly add to the efficiency of the Fire Brigade, being attached to the Police Station itself, and only a few yards from the firemen’s bedrooms. Heating apparatus will be fixed later, and a certain temperature can be maintained throughout the winter, whereas now in the fire station just vacated it is almost a matter of impossibility to start a 69 horse-power engine during the winter months owing to the low temperature, with a consequent loss of valuable time; and the most valuable time at a fire is the first few minutes after the discovery of an outbreak. (Applause.)
The Chief Constable’s two pretty little daughters then presented beautiful bouquets to lady Lewis and the Mayoress.
Inside the building the Mayoress (Mrs. Phillips) was presented by P.S. Edward Jones, Chairman of the Police Athletic Club, with a pair of silver scissors with which to cut a ribbon at the foot of the staircase leading to the recreation room, where she subsequently unveiled a framed memorial to six Merthyr policemen who were killed in the Great War.
The Memorial was dedicated by the Rector of Merthyr, the Rev. J. Richards-Pugh, R.D., and the “Last Post” was sounded by P.C. F. Standard, one of four brothers who are members of the Merthyr Force, and who went through the war.
The Mayor said: As Chairman of the Watch Committee, I am very pleased that at long last the members of our Police Force have a club room for their own use. Hitherto the only room at their disposal was the messroom downstairs, which will only hold about a dozen. This messroom was used for breakfast room, dining room, supper room, etc.; and all games and meetings of necessity had to be held there. In appreciation of the provision of this club room the Police themselves purchased this billiard table, the beautiful and appropriate pictures which you see on that wall; the War Memorial in memory of their comrades who fell in the Great War; and the clock – costing altogether £103 0s. 6d. This beautiful memorial was executed throughout by Mr. E.A. Gilbert, of Rhymney, a postman; and I must congratulate him on his work. Mr. Gilbert is well known throughout the land, and especially at the Royal Academy, where he was awarded prizes for similar work; also at National Eisteddfodau. The names you see on it are those of highly respected officers of our Police Force. Four of them belonged to the “Old Contemptibles, viz.: Tom Evans, Stubbs, Leonard and Clarke. Lovis and Morgan were volunteers, and they joined the army in 1915. It may interest you to know that 47 members of our Police Force served during the Great War, leaving 40 behind to “keep the home fires burning.” The Police, out of their own funds, gave the dependents of the six men who did not come back £50 each. (Applause.)
Lady Lewis then formally opened the medical comforts’ department, and was presented with a silver key by Miss Williams, the lady supt. of the Nursing Division.
Among others who took part in the proceedings were Ald. F. Pedler, Councillors Isaac Edwards, F. T. James, H. M. Lloyd, David Parry, B. J. Williams, Miss C. Jones (Matron of Mardy Hospital) and Miss Templeman (Supt. Nurse of the Merthyr Infirmary).
Coun. Parry proposed, and Coun, B. J. Williams seconded, a vote of thanks to the Mayor for opening the building; Coun. F. T. James moved a similar compliment to the Mayoress, which Coun. H. M. Lloyd seconded; and Miss C Jones, Matron of Mardy Hospital, moved a vote of thanks to Lady Lewis, which was seconded by Miss Templeman, of the Merthyr Infirmary.
Many thanks to Tracy Barnard for transcribing this article.
Merthyr’s Police
Following the incorporation of the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough in 1908, the Merthyr Tydfil Police Force was formed. The first Chief Constable was James Arthur Wilson – appointed 110 years ago today, on 15 of August 1908 at an annual salary of £250.
Below is a photograph of the Merthyr Tydfil Police Force standing outside the old Central Police Station in Graham Street.
The Central Police Station was originally built at a cost of £840 in 1844 to house the Glamorgan Police Force . Following the formation of the Merthyr Tydfil Police Force, the building was transferred to them. The Central Police Station was demolished in 1967.
