Merthyr Tydfil County Borough
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough
Bwrdeistref Sirol Merthyr Tudful (Welsh) | |
---|---|
Admin HQ | Merthyr Tydfil |
Largest town | Merthyr Tydfil |
Government | |
• Type | Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council |
• Control | Labour |
• MPs | |
• MSs |
|
Area | |
• Total | 111 km2 (43 sq mi) |
• Rank | Ranked 15th |
• Speakers | 8.9%[1] |
Geocode | 00PH (ONS) W06000024 (GSS) |
ISO 3166 code | GB-MTY |
Website | www |
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough (
History
Pre-industrial Merthyr
What is now
The Industrial Revolution
Influence and growth of iron industry
What is now Merthyr Tydfil County Borough was situated close to reserves of
The demand for iron was fuelled by the
Several railway companies established routes that linked Merthyr with coastal ports or other parts of Britain. They included the
The
During the first few decades of the 19th century, the ironworks at
Thomas Carlyle visited Merthyr town in 1850, writing that it was filled with such "unguided, hard-worked, fierce, and miserable-looking sons of Adam I never saw before. Ah me ! It is like a vision of Hell, and will never leave me, that of these poor creatures broiling, all in sweat and dirt, amid their furnaces, pits, and rolling mills."[6]
The Merthyr Rising
The
Some 7,000 to 10,000 workers marched and, for four days, magistrates and ironmasters were under siege in the Castle Hotel, and the protesters effectively controlled Merthyr.[3] Soldiers, called in from Brecon, clashed with the rioters, and several on both sides were killed. Despite the hope that they could negotiate with the owners, the skilled workers lost control of the movement.
Several of the supposed leaders of the riots were arrested. One of them, Richard Lewis, popularly known as Dic Penderyn, was hanged for the crime of stabbing a soldier named Donald Black in the leg. Lewis became known as the first local working-class martyr.
The rising helped create the momentum that led to the Reform Act. The Chartism movement, which did not consider these reforms extensive enough, was subsequently active in Merthyr.
The decline of coal and iron
The steel and coal industries began to decline after
In 1987, the iron foundry, all that remained of the former Dowlais ironworks, finally closed, marking the end of 228 years continuous production on one site.
Post-Second World War
Immediately following the
Several other companies built factories, including the aviation components company Teddington Aircraft Controls, which opened in 1946. The Teddington factory closed in the early 1970s. The local Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind, founded in 1923, remains the oldest active manufacturer in the town.[7]
The Gurnos housing estate was established by Merthyr Tydfil Council in the early 1950s and expanded over many years. Cyfarthfa, the former home of the ironmaster
On 21 October 1966 a colliery tip slid down a mountain at Aberfan, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Merthyr, covering the village school and causing the Aberfan disaster.
In 1992, while testing a new
In 2006 inventor Howard Stapleton, based in Merthyr Tydfil, developed the technology that has given rise to the recent mosquitotone or
Open cast mining
In 2006, a large
Industrial legacy
Merthyr Tydfil has a long and varied
In Britain today, Merthyr Tydfil:
- Ranks 13th worst for economic activity
- Ranks 13th worst for life expectancy: women live on average 79.1 years, and men 75.5. This is lower than the average for England but better than the Scottish and north of England averages[10]
- Has 30% of the population suffering from a limiting long-term illness.
A Channel 4 programme rated Merthyr Tydfil as the third worst place to live in Britain in 2006 following areas of London.[11][12][13]
However, in the 2007 edition of the same programme, Merthyr had 'improved' to fifth worst place to live.[14]
Governance
The current Member of Parliament for the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency is Gerald Jones MP, while the Senedd member is Dawn Bowden MS.
The county borough is divided into twelve
Administrative history
Merthyr Tydfil was an
Under the
Three years later, in 1908, the borough was elevated to
County boroughs were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, when a system of upper-tier counties and lower-tier districts was applied across Wales. On 1 April 1974 Merthyr Tydfil became a lower-tier district with borough status within the new county of Mid Glamorgan. The new borough was also given a larger territory than the old county borough, gaining the parish of Vaynor from Brecknockshire and the Bedlinog ward from Gelligaer Urban District. Civil parishes in Wales were replaced at the same time with communities, with the borough of Merthyr Tydfil initially comprising three communities in 1974: Merthyr Tydfil (covering the area of the pre-1974 county borough), Vaynor, and Bedlinog.[23] The communities within the borough were reorganised in 1983, when the Merthyr Tydfil community was split into ten communities: Cyfarthfa, Dowlais, Gurnos, Merthyr Vale, Pant, Park, Penydarren, Town, Treharris, and Troed-y-rhiw.[24][25] Of the twelve communities in the borough, only Bedlinog has a community council.[15]
Further local government reorganisation in 1996 saw Wales divided into unitary authorities, called either counties or county boroughs. Merthyr Tydfil became a county borough again on 1 April 1996, taking over county-level functions from the abolished Mid Glamorgan County Council.[26]
Culture
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough is home to several established choirs who perform regularly in the local area and throughout the rest of the world. They include Ynysowen Male Choir, Treharris Male Voice Choir, Dowlais Male Voice Choir, Merthyr Tydfil Ladies Choir, Cantorion Cyfarthfa, and the mixed-voice choir Con Voce. Merthyr Tydfil County Borough has held many cultural events. Local poets and writers hold poetry evenings in the town, and music festivals are organised at Cyfarthfa Castle and Park. With this in mind, Menter Iaith Merthyr Tudful (The Merthyr Tydfil Welsh Language Initiative) have successfully transformed the Zoar Chapel and the adjacent vestry building in Pontmorlais into a community arts venue; Canolfan Soar and Theatr Soar, who now run a whole programme of performance events and activities through both the Welsh and English languages, together with a cafe and book shop, specialising in local interest and Welsh language books and CDs.
Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association, working in partnership with Canolfan Soar has been successful in raising funding to turn the Pontmorlais area into a cultural quarter. With references to the 1831 Merthyr Rising and the red bricks of its facade, a new arts and creative industries centre was launched in Merthyr Tydfil Town Hall on Saint David's Day 2014 under the name "Redhouse Cymru".[27]
Merthyr has several historical and heritage groups:
The Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Regeneration Trust, which has as its aim - "To preserve for the benefit of the residents of Merthyr Tydfil and of the Nation at large whatever of the Historical, Architectural and Constructional Heritage may exist in and around Merthyr Tydfil in the form of buildings and artefacts of particular beauty or of Historical, Architectural or Constructional interest and also to improve, conserve and protect the environment thereto."[28]
The Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society, which has as its aim - "To advance the education of the public by promoting the study of the local history and architecture of Merthyr Tydfil".[29]
The Merthyr Tydfil Museum and Heritage Groups, which has as its aim - "To advance the education of the public by the promotion, support and improvement of the Heritage of Merthyr Tydfil and its Museums."[30]
Merthyr Tydfil's Central Library, which is in a prominent position in the centre of the town, is a Carnegie library.
Merthyr Tydfil hosted the
Since 2005 a free multi-cultural festival, Global Village, has been held in Cyfarthfa Park, featuring music, dance, literature, arts and crafts, food and information stalls, workshops and performances from cultures from across the globe, including
Merthyr, like nearby
Tourism
The County Borough is located in a
The
Transport
Roads
Road improvements mean the county borough is increasingly a
Railways
Regular rail services operate from
Employment
Modern-day Merthyr relies on a combination of
Sports and leisure
- Cricket
Penydarren Country XI Cricket Club is the oldest established Cricket club in the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough. Penydarren Country XI Cricket Club was founded in 1971 and currently play at the ICI Rifle Fields Ground. The club's most successful players being Paul Crump & Kerry Morgan.
- Boxing
Merthyr is particularly known for its boxers, both amateur and professional. Some famous professional pugilists from the town include: Johnny Owen, Howard Winstone and Eddie Thomas.
- Football
In sporting terms, Merthyr is widely recognised for the town's football team,
The town was once home to a fully professional
- Golf
Merthyr Tydfil Golf Club is situated on the southeastern slopes of Cefn Cil Sanws, a rough gritstone and limestone hill in the north-west of the County Borough. It is one of the highest golf courses in Britain. Morlais Castle Golf Club is situated adjacent to the ruins of Morlais Castle on Morlais Hill, approximately 2 km to the east and at about the same altitude.
- Rugby union
Merthyr RFC, is known as 'the Ironmen'. Merthyr RFC was one of the twelve founding clubs of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881. Bedlinog RFC, known as 'the Foxes' and Dowlais RFC were formed in the 1970s (though there were earlier versions of both).
- Rugby league
Merthyr Tydfil is home to the Tydfil Wildcats Rugby League team who played at The Cage in Troedyrhiw until September 2010. For 2011 the club is hosted by Dowlais RFC. Merthyr Tydfil was one of the first rugby league sides formed in Wales in 1907 and notably beat the first touring Australian side in 1908.
Education
Merthyr Tydfil College is the main further education provider in the area.
Notable people
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2020) |
Among those born in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough are:
- Gareth Abraham — professional footballer[38]
- Laura Ashley — fashion designer and retailer[39]
- Des Barry — author
- Mario Basini — journalist, broadcaster and author
- Barrie Bates — professional darts player
- Baron Buckland) and Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley
- Jamie Bevan — Welsh language activist[40]
- The Blackout — post-hardcore band
- Kizzy Crawford — singer songwriter
- Nathan Craze — professional ice hockey goaltender[41]
- Lloyd Daniels — singer; X Factorfinalist
- David Davies— international footballer
- Ivor Davies — artist
- Richard Davies — actor
- Thomas Nathaniel Davies — artist
- Foreign Legion — street punk band
- Kevin Gall — professional footballer
- Sir Samuel Griffith — Australian politician
- Richard Harrington — actor
- John Hughes — businessman
- Robert Alwyn Hughes — artist
- Ciaran Jenkins — broadcaster and journalist
- Glyn Jones — poet
- Michael 'Micky' Jones (1942 – 10 March 2010) — guitarist, singer and songwriter with The Bystanders and Man
- John Edward Jones (governor) — American politician and the eighth Governor of Nevada
- William Ifor Jones — American conductor and organist
- Julien Macdonald — fashion designer
- Philip Madoc — actor
- Midasuno — alternative rock band
- Owen Money — comedian and singer
- Leslie Norris — poet
- Idloes Owen — singer, composer and conductor; founder of the Welsh National Opera
- Johnny Owen — boxer
- Jonny Owen — actor, broadcaster and producer
- Joseph Parry — composer
- Gustavius Payne — artist (painter)
- Mark Pembridge — Wales international football player
- Robert Sidoli — Welsh rugby international
- Rob Spragg – aka Larry Love – frontman (lead vocals) for Alabama 3
- Steve Speirs — actor
- Eddie Thomas — boxer
- Malcolm Vaughan — singer/actor
- Howard Winstone — boxer
- Gwyn A. Williams — historian and author
- Penry Williams — artist (painter)
- Trefor Jenkins - human geneticist and medical ethicist
Other notable residents include, and have included, poet, journalist and
References in art and literature
- Rachel Trezise's 2007 book Dial 'M' for Merthyr (Parthian) follows Troed-y-rhiw rock band Midasuno on tour.[45]
- Fierce Panda also released a compilation CD called Dial M for Merthyr in 1997 featuring Welsh rock bands including Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia, Stereophonics and 60 Ft. Dolls. Boxer Johnny Owen is pictured running over the hill tops on the cover.[46]
- Horatio Clare's retelling of one of the Mabinogion tales, The Prince's Pen (Seren) refers to Merthyr Tydfil as being "declared an insurgent zone", and that people would refer to "'what happened at Merthyr' for years to follow".[47]
- In the third episode of the 1978 BBC sitcom Going Straight Merthyr Tydfil is referred to as having, ".. more pubs.. than anywhere else in Britain, and they're all shut Sundays."
- In author Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series (set in an alternate history), begun in 2001, Merthyr Tydfil is the capital of an independent People's Republic of Wales.
- Australian poet Les Murray references his experiences in the town in his poem "Vindaloo in Merthyr Tydfil".
- Canadian songwriter Jane Siberry uses "the slags of Merthyr Tydfil" as an image in her song "You Don't Need", from the 1984 album No Borders Here.
- Joseph Parry named a hymn tune "Merthyr Tydfil". It has the metre DLM, and is sung to words such as "Tis finished, the Messiah dies".[48]
Twinnings
- Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, Since 1980[49][50]
See also
- List of places in Merthyr Tydfil- a list of settlements
- Pont-y-Cafnau - the world's earliest surviving iron railway bridge
Notes
- ^ https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/W06000024/
- ^ "Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland". ONS. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d e The Welsh Academy Encyclopedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press 2008.
- ^ "Pembrokeshire-wales.info". Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ Trevithick2004.co.uk
- ^ James Anthony Froude, Thomas Carlyle: A History of his Life in London 1834-1881, Longmans, vol 2, 1855, p. 52.
- ^ MTIB.co.uk
- ^ Staff (4 September 2007). "Blue wonder: Happy birthday Viagra". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
- ^ "Firm's ringtone 'next Crazy Frog'". BBC News. 14 June 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "WebPage". Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ Merthyr Tydfil: Best and Worst Places to Live in the UK 2006 from channel4.com
- ^ 'Third worst place in UK' — but Valleys town disputes claims — icWales
- ^ "Ten reasons to love 'worst town'". BBC News. 10 August 2005. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ Channel4.com
- ^ a b "Community councils". Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Merthyr Tydfil Ancient Parish / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Sanatory condition of Merthyr Tydfil". Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian. Cardiff. 20 April 1850. p. 4. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "No. 21106". The London Gazette. 21 June 1850. p. 1745.
- National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Incorporation of Merthyr". County Observer. Usk. 15 July 1905. p. 8. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "A Vision of Britain through Time: Relationships/Unit History of Merthyr Tudful". Visionofbritain.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 December 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ^ a b Davies (2008), p.173
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 17 October 2022
- ^ The Merthyr Tydfil (Communities) Order 1983 (S.I. 1983/124)
- ^ "Changes to Community and Community Ward Boundaries" (PDF). Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
- ^ "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 17 October 2022
- ^ "Redhouse". Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- ^ "MTHT.co.uk". Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ MTHS.co.uk
- ^ "MTHT.co.uk". Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ "Merthyr Tydfil Global Village".
- ^ "Mae Gwyl Gymraeg Beddllwynog yn ei phumed blwyddyn!". YouTube.
- ^ "Merthyr named UK's house hotspot". BBC News. 16 October 2004. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "House price boom as market grows". BBC News. 8 August 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "£19m for Merthyr-Cardiff trains". BBC News. 8 February 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "Assembly building in valleys town". BBC News. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "Treharris Athletic Western". Clubs in membership of Division Two 2011–12. Welsh Football League. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ^ "Gareth Abraham". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "South East Wales Arts - Laura Ashley". BBC. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Gareth Jamie Bevan, Man Who Trashed Conservative MP's Office Over S4C, Jailed". Huff Post Politics. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Nathan Craze". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ BBC — South East Wales Merthyr — Donny Osmond Coming Home
- ^ "BBC Two - Framing Wales, Episode 3, Heinz Koppel".
- ^ "Esther Grainger". Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ISBN 9781905762125.
- ^ "Fierce Panda Records".
- ^ "The Prince's Pen - Seren Books". Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
- ^ "Tune: MERTHYR TYDFIL". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ ""Welsh Icons - Merthyr Tydfil". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.." Retrieved on 12 January 2012.
- ^ "http://www.francemag.com/france-travel-travel-guide-and-information-twin-towns--211." Retrieved on 12 January 2012.
References
- A Brief History of Merthyr Tydfil by Joseph Gross. The Starling Press. 1980
- The Merthyr Rising by Gwyn A Williams. University of Wales Press,
- The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press,
- People, Protest and Politics, case studies in C19 Wales By David Egan, Gomer 1987
- Cyfres y Cymoedd: Merthyr a Thaf, edited by Hywel Teifi Edwards. Gomer, 2001
- Civilizing the Urban: Popular culture and Urban Space in Merthyr, c. 1870-1914 by Andy Croll. University of Wales Press. 2000.
- Methyr Tydfil A.F.C. 1945-1954: The Glory Years By Philip Sweet. T.T.C. Books. 2008
- The Eccles, Antiquities of the Cymry; or The Ancient British Church by John Williams (1844), p116.
- Noteworthy Merthyr Tydfil Citizens by Keith L. Lewis-Jones. Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Trust 2008.mtht.co.uk
- Merthyr Historian volumes 1 - 21, Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society. mths.co.uk
External links
- Old Merthyr Tydfil — Historical Photographs of Merthyr Tydfil.
- Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
- BBC Merthyr Tydfil life
- Menter a Chanolfan Iaith Merthyr Tudful Welsh Language Initiative and Centre for Merthyr Tydfil
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Merthyr Tydfil and surrounding area
- Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society
- Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Regeneration Trust
- Article on Merthyr Tydfill in the Daily Telegraph
- Merthyr Tydfil County Borough at Curlie