Richard Griffiths (industrialist)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Richard Griffiths was a Welsh
industrial pioneer. Griffiths is notable for building the first recognised transport links into the Rhondda Valley
paving the way for future coal exploration into one of the world's richest coal fields.
; he was the third child, and second son to William Griffiths and Elizabeth (Davies). He was christened on 13 January 1756, and was brought up in a very strong Methodist family. Griffiths practised medicine in Cardiff
but it was through his family connections that he began prospecting in mineral rights for which he became best known. Griffiths is described as a 'dynamic and colourful personality', and a practical joker, even arranging a comical funeral for himself. He died in 1826, with his will being proven of 31 May.
, the Hafod Fawr Estate. In 1808, Griffiths obtained a lease for the mineral rights for the farm from his brother-in-law. Griffiths then made two sub-leases for these rights in 1809 and gave the right to Jeremiah Homfray to open a level below the Estate on the east side of the River Rhondda
. Homfray continuned to work the level until his bankruptcy in 1813.
To make the estate more profitable, Griffiths decided to improve the transportation links from the site to the newly opened Glamorganshire Canal
. The Canal linked the ironworks at Merthyr Tydfil
to the ports of Cardiff, and both were open markets for coal. The exsisiting system of transporting coal to the canal was through the use of pack horses, which were slow and inefficient due to the weight of coal each horse could carry. Griffiths first built a tramroad from the Hafod Estate to the town of Newbridge, know known as Pontypridd
, and there bridged the River Taff
. He then gained access to the Glamorganshire Canal by building a short length of private canal, which became known as the 'Doctor's Canal'. The tramline, which was serviced by horses pulling wagons along its length, was opened for business 29 September 1809, becoming the very first transportation link into the Rhondda Valley.
Although several early sources state that Griffiths was the first coal pioneer of the Rhondda, opening a coal level at Gyffeillion in 1790, these facts have been contradicted by later sources. Griffiths himself denied owning a coal level in a series of replies to a Select Committee to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in 1810. The committee was examining the petition of South Wales colliery owners concerning tax on coal, Griffiths stated categorically that he has no colliery and nor had he ever owned one. Though many modern sources still reiterate the erroneous fact that Griffiths opened a mine in the Lower Rhondda in 1790.
The transport link to the Glamorganshire Canal proved itself when Walter Coffin
, who is recognised as the first person to gain personal rights and sink the first deep mines in the Rhondda, obtained rights to use Griffiths' tramroad. Coffin's mine was further up the valley at Dinas
, and Coffin needed to build his own four mile tramline to connect his colliery to Griffiths' link at Trehafod.
On Griffiths' death the rights to the Trehafod Estate passed to his family and was successfully deep mined by John Calvert in 1851. Griffiths' tramline was used until it was replaced by the Taff Vale Railway
in 1841.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
industrial pioneer. Griffiths is notable for building the first recognised transport links into the Rhondda Valley
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
paving the way for future coal exploration into one of the world's richest coal fields.
Personal history
Griffiths was a member of the Gellifendigaid family of LlanwynnoLlanwynno
Llanwynno is a hamlet high up in the mountains between the historic mining valleys of the Rhondda and Cynon Valleys in Rhondda Cynon Taf deep in the heart of the South Wales Valleys ....
; he was the third child, and second son to William Griffiths and Elizabeth (Davies). He was christened on 13 January 1756, and was brought up in a very strong Methodist family. Griffiths practised medicine in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
but it was through his family connections that he began prospecting in mineral rights for which he became best known. Griffiths is described as a 'dynamic and colourful personality', and a practical joker, even arranging a comical funeral for himself. He died in 1826, with his will being proven of 31 May.
Business career
Griffiths' youngest sister was married to Evan Morgan, who owned a farm estate in the Lower Rhondda near modern day TrehafodTrehafod
Trehafod is a village in the Rhondda Valley between Porth and Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, although in administrative terms is split between the electoral division of Cymmer to the West and Rhondda to the East...
, the Hafod Fawr Estate. In 1808, Griffiths obtained a lease for the mineral rights for the farm from his brother-in-law. Griffiths then made two sub-leases for these rights in 1809 and gave the right to Jeremiah Homfray to open a level below the Estate on the east side of the River Rhondda
River Rhondda
The River Rhondda is a river in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales which has two major tributaries; the Rhondda Fawr and the Rhondda Fach .- Description :...
. Homfray continuned to work the level until his bankruptcy in 1813.
To make the estate more profitable, Griffiths decided to improve the transportation links from the site to the newly opened Glamorganshire Canal
Glamorganshire Canal
The Glamorganshire Canal was a canal in south Wales, UK, running from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff. Construction started in 1790, and the 25 miles of canal was fully opened by 1794. Its primary purpose was to enable the Merthyr iron industries to transport their goods, and it later served the coal...
. The Canal linked the ironworks at Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
to the ports of Cardiff, and both were open markets for coal. The exsisiting system of transporting coal to the canal was through the use of pack horses, which were slow and inefficient due to the weight of coal each horse could carry. Griffiths first built a tramroad from the Hafod Estate to the town of Newbridge, know known as Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
, and there bridged the River Taff
River Taff
The River Taff is a large river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons — the Taf Fechan and the Taf Fawr — before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil...
. He then gained access to the Glamorganshire Canal by building a short length of private canal, which became known as the 'Doctor's Canal'. The tramline, which was serviced by horses pulling wagons along its length, was opened for business 29 September 1809, becoming the very first transportation link into the Rhondda Valley.
Although several early sources state that Griffiths was the first coal pioneer of the Rhondda, opening a coal level at Gyffeillion in 1790, these facts have been contradicted by later sources. Griffiths himself denied owning a coal level in a series of replies to a Select Committee to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in 1810. The committee was examining the petition of South Wales colliery owners concerning tax on coal, Griffiths stated categorically that he has no colliery and nor had he ever owned one. Though many modern sources still reiterate the erroneous fact that Griffiths opened a mine in the Lower Rhondda in 1790.
The transport link to the Glamorganshire Canal proved itself when Walter Coffin
Walter Coffin
Walter Coffin was a Welsh coalowner and Member of Parliament. Coffin is recognised as the first person to exploit the rich coal fields of the Rhondda Valley on an industrial scale, pioneering the growth of one of the most wealthy coal mining areas in the world.-Early life:Born in 1784 he was the...
, who is recognised as the first person to gain personal rights and sink the first deep mines in the Rhondda, obtained rights to use Griffiths' tramroad. Coffin's mine was further up the valley at Dinas
Dinas Rhondda
Dinas is a village near Tonypandy in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Dinas is often referred to as Dinas Rhondda as in the railway station such as to avoid confusion with Dinas Powys in the Vale of Glamorgan...
, and Coffin needed to build his own four mile tramline to connect his colliery to Griffiths' link at Trehafod.
On Griffiths' death the rights to the Trehafod Estate passed to his family and was successfully deep mined by John Calvert in 1851. Griffiths' tramline was used until it was replaced by the Taff Vale Railway
Taff Vale Railway
The Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
in 1841.