In the latest entry in this series, we have a bit of a mystery.
Did you know that there was a part of the Brecon Road area called ‘High Germany’ at one time?
Below is an 1875 Ordnance Survey map of the area in question.
Here is another map from the 1860’s, with a more detailed view. You can see that the houses at the bottom of Park Street are clearly marked ‘High Germany’.
Don’t let the position of Tabernacle Chapel confuse you. This was the original Tabernacle Chapel which was in a different location to the present chapel.
Despite research, I have been unable to come up with an explanation as to the history of the name ‘High Germany’.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
UPDATE
Many thanks to Roger Evans for providing the following information….
The street of 8-10 dwellings appears to have been developed in 1799, by collier David Cornelius, to help meet massive housing requirements not satisfied by employers. Even by the standards of the time, the accommodation was appalling, lacking sanitation, proper drainage, and running water. There are scores of newspaper reports of crime, and disease in the street. The houses appear to have been demolished around 1894, following a request from the Board on health grounds.
‘High Germany’ was a term referring to a region of southern Germany, used widely in the 18 Century. Cornelius is a Germanic name so possibly his family emigrated from Southern Germany?
REFERENCES
In his Ph. D. thesis of 1988 ‘Work and Authority in an Iron Town: Merthyr Tydfil, 1760 – c.1815’, Christopher Evans, refers to the proliferation of property speculators, including ordinary workers, building for the huge influx of people to the Merthyr area. Evans, specifically mentions a ‘plot at Pontmorlais’ being developed in the 1790’s by David Cornelius; a miner.
PRESS COVERAGE There are many press reports of crime and disease in the area, which is referred to as being part of Pontystore-house. In 1893 Dr. DYKE reported that the Board of Guardian could proceed to order their demolished on health grounds (Merthyr Times, 03 February 1893).
In 1872 Six cottages at High Germany are advertised for sale by auction -with sitting tenants (The South Wales Daily news 20/Aug.1872) under a 99 year lease dating from May 1799. And the Merthyr Telegraph 6/Sept lists them as ‘late property of David Cornelius deceased’
CENSUS REPORTS- 1841-1891; The street appears in Census reports until 1891, where it is listed as High Germany Court, a street of 10 dwellings. (No two Census reports list the same occupants).