Rhymney Iron Co
of Rhymney
Early 19th century: The Rhymney Iron Co was founded by some Bristol merchants trading as the Union Co to exploit a seam of iron ore found at the top of the valley.
1803 Richard Crawshay purchased the Rhymney iron works and, as a wedding present, made his son-in-law Benjamin Hall (1777-1817) a partner.
c.1817 Mr. Hall sold the works and collieries of Rhymney to Mr. Crawshay Bailey for the sum of £73,000 but for some reason the deal was never completed[1]. William Crawshay of London may have been involved later.
1825 Sold to a joint stock company Forman and Co formed by William Forman from the Hall family.[2]
1836 The company was established.
1851 One source[3] states that Mr. Hutchings, nephew of Sir John Guest, who had learnt ironmaking at Dowlais, was appointed chairman. However, Guest's nephew was Edwin John Hutchins, and he served as chairman for over 20 years.[4]
1866 One and only locomotive built [5]
1871 The company was registered on 24 March, as limited. [6]
1874 Company name changed to Rhymney Iron Company Limited
1875 Hutchings retired.
At first, the main product of the Rhymney Ironworks was wrought iron rails. They started producing steel rails in 1876, and the following year it was estimated they would be able to manufacture five hundred tons of steel rails each week. At this time the company was recorded as owning eight hundred houses, shops and a brewery. [7].
1884 Ceased making wrought iron. [8].
1891 Ceased with steel production when it wasn't a profitable venture anymore. The furnaces and plant were dismantled in the same year but the company continued to exist as a coal mining enterprise.[9].
1921 Acquired by Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co [10]
1927 See Aberconway Chapter XVIII for information on the company and its history.
*Note: Photographs of the cloth factory: Main factory's building built in 1822. The factory was using a water turbine with 35 hp. It was was named "G. Visotstky and Co". Gregory Visotstky was the landowner of the local area. He owned a water mill on the Mogza river before and in 1842 he reinstated his cloth factory to the same place. From 1881, the factory was sold to Dutchman Carl Bless and so the name was changed to "C. Bless and Co". In 1910 the factory closed.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The history of the iron, steel, tinplate and ... other trades of Wales (1903) by Charles Wilkins [1]
- ↑ Archives Wales
- ↑ The history of the iron, steel, tinplate and ... other trades of Wales (1903) by Charles Wilkins [2]
- ↑ 'A History of GKN Volume One: Innovation & Enterprise 1759-1918' by Edgar Jones, Macmillan Press, 1987
- ↑ British Steam Locomotive Builders by James W. Lowe. Published in 1975. ISBN 0-905100-816
- ↑ The Stock Exchange Year Book 1908
- ↑ The history of the iron, steel, tinplate and ... other trades of Wales (1903) by Charles Wilkins [3]
- ↑ The history of the iron, steel, tinplate and ... other trades of Wales (1903) by Charles Wilkins [4]
- ↑ The history of the iron, steel, tinplate and ... other trades of Wales (1903) by Charles Wilkins [5]
- ↑ National Archives [6]
- Biography of Benjamin Hall [7]