Tag: Dowlais High Street

A Locomotive Fit for a King: Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the First Steam Drawn Passenger Rail Service

by Tony Peters, Glamorgan Archives

As we recently celebrated the 200th anniversary of the first locomotive-drawn passenger service, we have delved into our records to unearth photographs of some of the magnificent steam trains that were ‘Made in Wales’.

The selection below is unusual in that the locomotives were never seen at a station or on a main line for they were built at, and for the exclusive use of, the Dowlais Iron Company. Nevertheless, in their design and finish, they were a match for their contemporaries and arguably ‘fit for a King’.

From 1832 onwards the Dowlais Iron Company used steam locomotives on site to move heavy loads. However, it was not until the turn of the century that the company elected to manufacture its own locomotives at the Ifor Works engineering shop. This decision coincided with a change in ownership, with the company acquired by Guest, Keen and Co in 1899 (known as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds from 1902) and the arrival of George Robson as Locomotive and Engineering Superintendent.

Robson had worked at the Great Western Railway works at Swindon. Drawing on his experience and background, the first engine built under his supervision at the Ifor Works in 1906 was similar in looks and power to mainline engines operated by the GWR. Turned out in a very distinctive green and black livery edged with yellow, it was an impressive sight and named, appropriately, after the company chairman, Arthur Keen.

It was no surprise that, when King George V and Queen Mary visited the Dowlais works in June 1912, Robson’s locomotives were called into service. Such was the scale of the Dowlais site that it was decided that the Royal Party would travel across the works in carriages provided by the London and North Western Railway company and pulled by Dowlais’ own locomotives, with George Robson in the cabin.

The photograph shows ‘Arthur Keen’ drawn up with the two carriages awaiting the arrival of the King and Queen. In reports of the visit, it was noted that the engine was the subject of much …admiring comment… and a …perfect example of sound engineering construction.

The opportunity was also taken during the visit for Queen Mary to name two new locomotives positioned adjacent to the Steel Arch constructed at the High Street exit of the works. Described as the …latest word on locomotive building, the engines, until then, had been known as numbers 40 and 42. However, afterwards, both carried plates confirming their new identity as the ‘King George V’ and ‘Queen Mary’.

In all, nine new locomotives were built at the Ifor works and many more were refitted before the works closed in 1930. Photographs of a selection of the locomotives employed by the Dowlais Iron Company from 1832 onwards can be found at Glamorgan Archives under reference DG/PH/3. The Glamorgan Archives catalogue can be accessed at https://canfod.glamarchives.gov.uk/.

This article is reproduced with the kind permission of the Glamorgan Archives. To view the original, please follow the link below.

A Locomotive Fit for a King: Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the First Steam Drawn Passenger Rail Service

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: Lost Chapels of Dowlais

Carrying on with the requested look at Merthyr’s lost chapels, here is the second batch – the lost chapels of Dowlais.

Bryn Sion Welsh Independent Chapel

Brynsion Street, Dowlais

Built 1834. Rebuilt 1844. Demolished 1969

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Caersalem Welsh Baptist Chapel

Well Street, Dowlais

Built 1821. Rebuilt 1833. Demolished 1977

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Calfaria Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel

High Street, Caeharris

Built 1879. Closed 1979

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel

Wind Street, Dowlais

Built 1846. Burnt down 1927

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Elizabeth Street Presbyterian Chapel

Elizabeth Street, Dowlais

Built 1876. Demolished 1965/6

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Gwernllwyn Welsh Independent Chapel

Mary Street, Dowlais

Built 1850. Rebuilt 1874. Demolished 1965

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Hermon Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel

Castle Street, Dowlais

Built 1827. Rebuilt 1841. Demolished 1960s

Libanus Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel

Libanus Street, Dowlais

Built 1852. Rebuilt 1858, 1870. Demolished 1996

Moriah Welsh Baptist Chapel

Mount Pleasant Street, Dowlais

Built 1856. Demolished 1992

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Penywern Welsh Independent Chapel

Jones Street, Peneywern

Built 1857. Rebuilt 1877. Demolished ?

Shiloh Welsh Wesleyan Chapel

Castle Street, Dowlais

Built 1811. Rebuilt 1853. Demolished 1920s

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Tabernacle (Elim) English Baptist (Pentecostal) Chapel

Ivor Street, Dowlais

Built 1873. Rebuilt 1876. Demolished 1974

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Unitarian Chapel (later Salvation Army)

White Street, Dowlais

Built 1881. Demolished ?

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Wesleyan Chapel

Castle Street, Dowlais

Built 1843. Rebuilt 1850, 1832. Demolished 1967

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

If anyone has photographs of any other chapels that are no longer with us, and there are a few I can’t find photos of, or if anyone can fill in any details, please get in touch.

Dowlais through German eyes….yet again

In January, I published an article regarding the Prince of Saxony’s visit to Dowlais (https://www.merthyr-history.com/?p=8138). Here is a transcription of another German visit from “Dawlais Works, die Eisen- und Schienen-Walzwerke des Hauses John Guest, in London, 1844” by Carl Klocke.

Anticipation mounts and, finally, at the end of the valley, where the mountains close in, lie the Dowlais works, and to the left and across the top of the peak is the hamlet Dowlais with a few protruding small churches and chapels. As we approach the place, our coachman identifies one of them as Sir John’s chapel, for it was Sir John Guest himself who had it built, then there is Sir John’s market hall and his estate situated directly above the works; next, the garden for Sir John’s horses and the three horsemen on an outing who are passing us, are none other than Sir John’s surgeons. Our omnibus terminates in front of a small, neat guesthouse on the High Street of Dowlais and we are finally at the end of our journey. One can hear the steam engines at work and the roar of the bellows; from the windows on the upper storey one can see the flickering flames of the blast furnaces which, like a nearby fire storm, then illuminate the bedrooms at night and it takes some adjustment in order to fall peacefully asleep. …

Yet, one would not have seen Dowlais properly without having gone for a walk over the surrounding heights during the late evening hours. At Dowlais, Sir John can offer his guests illuminations and fireworks every evening. By comparison, the famous fireworks of the Surrey Gardens in London (where they fabulously depict the Great Fire of London in the year 1666) are but child’s play. The blast furnaces resemble a burning city, whereas further below, the fires and forges, together with the illuminated tall chimney stacks of the steam engines, looks like a city which has just recently burnt down. In the evening light, the not quite extinguished slags gleam like glowing lava; raised up to towering heaps, here and there on the outermost edge of tall mountains, they flow to the valley like burning streams of lava. … However, to witness one such sight, one must never come to Dowlais on a Saturday or Sunday, because Sir John Guest not only quotes Nelson in saying ‘that he expects every man to do his duty’, but he also adds ‘that he likes to see every man enjoy his Sunday’.

It is for that reason that – except for the blast furnaces which, naturally, cannot suffer any disruption – at a fairly early hour each Saturday afternoon, all other fires and steam engines cease their groaning, and the workers and drawn carts swarm from the near and far factories towards town.

Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

A little way down was the Owain Glyndwr Inn, of which a Mr Thomas Williams was host. He was a brother to the David Williams, Angel. He had a son whom some of your readers may remember as a druggist; his name was John Teague Williams.

There were several roads and streets leading off from this, the High Street, to the road from the Dowlais Inn up to the church; one was called Horse Street from the fact that horses always went up that way; the one on the upper side of the Bush was Church or Chapel Street, I forget which, and would have been a nearer way, but it was exceedingly steep. One of the six shops mentioned was used as a reading room.

An 1851 map showing some of the areas mentioned.

The caretaker or librarian was Mr Henry Murton, a remarkably clever man. To illustrate the character of the man let me give some anecdotes. He was engaged in the Works to carry the patterns to and from the moulders. He had a failing, and was told he had been appointed to a better position on condition that he give up the cup. Expressing his gratitude, of course, the promise to do so was made, but alas broken before the day passed. He was clever too. In Basil Hall’s voyages, reference is made to the earthquakes in South America. Murton designed and made a model of a house that would not be affected by them – this I well remember.

Merthyr Guardian – 2 February 1833

If I may interpolate a personal matter I would say it was in this reading room in the Athaneum the first account of sun pictures was read. It was Fox Talbot’s paper read on the subject before the British Association at the sitting just concluded.

Necessarily Murton’s occupation brought him into connection with master moulder, who, although a man of substance, peculiarly was not a man well informed, and interrogating Murton as to how vessels went across the Atlantic, obtained information as to the mariner’s compass. “Well” said the moulder, “I thought a big ship took boats, and then somehow the boat would guide the ship that way again”.

Passing the entrance to the Dowlais Works there were no cottages on the right hand. The small building with their back to the road were used for store houses for the necessaries of the works. The Police Station was not built, but there was a dwelling inside contiguous to the office. A David Phillips lived there, and two or three generally had lodgings there. George Cope Pearce was one, Edward Davies (we called him Ned) another; he was a brother of R P Davies, an old Dowlais man, but whose name can be seen on the base of the clock in the Circle at Tredegar. R P Davies was for a while the London agent of Messrs Guest, Lewis & Co.

Poor Ned! The last time I ever saw him was a chance meeting near the Tower of London. He had been down to one of the docks to see the ship in which he was going to California. There was no lack of substance in him for he was desirous of making a bet that he would go to any three persons that I pointed out, and persuade them he was known to them. Finding the cause for this, its necessity was avoided, and I parted from him as he went into the City Club to see his brother.

Two others sailed with him, one, Cox by name, and assistant doctor from Dowlais, and another, I think it was a Bramwell, from Penydarren, but they never reached their destination, the ship was wrecked.

To be continued at a later date…….

The Pant Fever Hospital – part 2

by J Ann Lewis

Mr James Ricketts was Superintendant of the Hospital for several years; he was given a Rechabite funeral after his death in August 1899. The Independent Order of Rechabites, also known as the Sons and Daughters of Rechab, is a fraternal organisation and friendly society founded in England in 1835 as part of the wider temperance movement to promote total abstinence from alcoholic beverages. His wife Mary Ann then had charge of the hospital until her death a few months later. Their gravestone lies in Pant Cemetery.

During another outbreak of Typhoid Fever in September 1900, it was felt that the infection might have come from the common food supply, such as milk, or dust carried in the atmosphere from one infected district into another. The bacteria would grow on potato peelings, in water containing small quantities of animal matter, in urine and other excreta. When we remember that in many districts, the common method of disposing of urine slops was into the gutter, it is easy to understand how the disease spread, and it did indeed frequently spread down the street in the direction of slop water. The children playing in polluted puddles that collected in bad and broken surfaces were soon infected, and this would cause the spread of the disease.

There was also much debate as to who should care for the families of men stricken with Smallpox or the like; the committee deciding that poor families should be given 8s per week relief rather than make them paupers and admit them to the Workhouse.

In 1902, one patient suffering from Smallpox slipped away from the hospital and was found talking to several children; the parents were justifiably upset and sent a letter of complaint to the Committee. On another occasion, during their convalescence, two male patients also slipped away and visited the local public house, and on returning to the hospital, broke several windows and some furniture. In due course they were fined for the damage and for exposing themselves whilst suffering from an infectious disease.

I was fascinated to read that in 1906, my grandmother was fined 5s for allowing my father, aged three years old at the time, to sit on the front doorstep of their home in Lower Elizabeth Street, Dowlais whilst suffering from Scarlet Fever.

In October 1902, one man suffering from Smallpox walked from his home in the High Street, Dowlais to the Penydarren Surgery, and came into contact with at least 50 people; this caused great concern as many children had yet to be vaccinated. Another man had tramped all the way from Glasgow looking for work, only to arrive in Merthyr destitute, and dying just 20 days later from Typhus Fever which he had contracted on the journey.

Over time, the residents of Pant and Dowlais became increasing distraught that patients in the hospital were able to receive parcels and converse with outsiders over the wall, and were also seen receiving ice cream from the local ice cream vendors. They were also worried about the precautions undertaken by the nurses and other staff for disinfecting themselves on leaving the hospital.

During the 1902 Smallpox outbreak, at least 13 patients were nursed at the hospital. A petition, signed by 640 people, was presented to the council asking that a temporary hospital be erected away the area and the building be removed. In the meanwhile, Pant School was to be closed while patients were nursed there. It is hard to understand why a school was built so near a fever hospital, and, so fearful were people that some carried Camphor tablets in a little bag around their neck to ‘ward off’ the infection when passing the hospital.

A map showing the proximity of Pant School to the Fever Hospital

When the new Mardy Central Fever Hospital was officially opened in 1907 (a temporary iron structure having been constructed on the Mardy Estate for nursing Smallpox patients a few years earlier), the Pant Fever Hospital was no longer required, much to the relief of the people of Pant and Dowlais. The hospital was destroyed by fire, as planned by the committee, on 24 August 1907.

A photograph showing Pant Fever hospital (in the background)