Preece Family Tree

Thomas Griffiths, Maesgwyn

While, apart from the very early days, a rise from the ranks to coalownership was comparatively rare, the same was not true of a rise from the ranks to a professional managership in the heydey of the mining valleys. Here, the progression from doorboy to manager was still comparatively common. Philip Jones, for example, who became manager of that vast enterprise the Albion Colliery Cilfynydd, had started work at a doorboy when seven years old. John Thomas Fernbank started work underground when nine years old, became a fireman, then achieved a manager's certificate before becoming manager and agent of Standard Collieries Ynyshir. But Thomas Griffiths's was the most remarkable of such careers. He achieved enormous influence on the life of the valleys, in a wide variety of rules.

He was born in 1849 at Bettws near Bridgend. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Hafod, just south-east of Porth. When he left school at the age of 11 in 1860, Griffiths started in Insole's Cymmer Colliery as a doorboy. Thereafter, he worked for ten years at the coalface, becoming a fireman in 1869. He had already determined to better himself, however, and to that end undertook part-time study, becoming a qualified mining engineer and securing a manager's certificate by examination.

In the early 1870s, he moved away from the area, but returned to Cymmer in 1875 as engineer for the sinking of the Cymmer Old Pit to the steam-coal levels. Within two years he was the manager of the Cymmer collieries. His managerial qualification had served him in good stead, because the Mines Regulation Act 1872 had made this a stipulation for new managers.

By the 1880s, he was heavily involved in the whole Insole mining business, of which he had become a director. While continuing to serve them as a mining engineer (it was he who sank their new pit at Abertridwr, the Windsor Colliery, in the 1890s), he was also involved in their strategic thinking. Meanwhile, in Porth, he rapidly gained the reputation of one of the leading figures in local society. He lived in a large house called Maesgwyn. For over 40 years he was a close friend and associate of W. H. Mathais, and was part of the Welsh-speaking society which was at the centre of Porth life. In 1882, he became a member of the Ystradyfodwg Urban Sanitary Authority, of which he was to remain a member, under its various guises culminating in the Rhondda Urban District Council, for about 40 years, and on which he was to exert enormous influence.

His role had long exceeded that of a manager and became in part that of an owner. His influence stretched throughout south Wales. By 1911, he was president of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Coalowners Association, and playing a leading part in the strike negotiatons of that year. He also became a life member of the South Wales Institute of Engineers.

In 1924, he retired to the Gower, where he died three years later at the age of 78.

GRIFFITHS Thomas of Longfield West Cross Swansea died 14 February 1927 Probate Carmarthen 4 January to William Thomas Griffiths civil servant and Sarah Thomas (wife of Henry Edward Thomas). Effects £61581 8s. 1d.

GRIFFITHS. - On February 14th, at Longfield, West Cross, Swansea, Thomas Griffiths, J.P., late Director and General Manager, Insoles Ltd., Porth. Funeral 12 noon, Friday, for Mumbles Cemetery (strictly private). No flowers.

FROM PITBOY TO DIRECTOR.

DEATH OF MR THOMAS GRIFFITHS, M.E., J.P.

SERVICES TO THE COALFIELD

The death occurred at his residence, "Longfield", West Cross, Swansea, yesterday, at the age of 77 years, of Mr Thomas Griffiths, M.E., J.P., formely a director and general manager of Messrs Insoles' Cymmer Collieries, Porth.

The late Mr Griffiths' career was a remarkable example of the triumph of personality, ability, and industry over initial obstacles and difficulties. Beginning as a door boy, he worked for ten years as a collier, and then step by step rose until he became, when still comparatively young, manager of the Cymmer Colliery, where he first worked as a door-boy. His career was also remarkable for unusually long service, as in 1919 he completed 50 years' service in an official position with the company and 43 years as the general manager of the Cymmer Colliery. His predecessor, the late Mr Jabez Thomas, held the position for 42 years.

GREAT RESCUE WORK.

Over 50 years ago, the late Mr Griffiths won the regard of the whole coalfield by his daring rescue and exploration work in colliery disasters, and his great work in this direction is shown by the fact that he was a leader of rescue and exploration parties in the following disasters: Dinas, 1860; Pentre, 1871; Naval (Penygraig), 1880; Gelli, 1883; Naval, 1885; Mardy, 1885; Wattstown, 1887; Park Slip, Tondu, 1892; Great Western Colliery, Pontypridd, 1892; Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd, 1894; Tylorstown, 1896; Llest Colliery, Garw, 1899; Sengbenydd, 1901; Clydach Vale, 1905; and Wattstown, 1905.

His exploits formed a veritable romance. He had been working at the Cymmer Colliery for six years, when, in 1856, the great explosion, at which 114 men lost their lives, so affected him that he abandoned underground work and worked for two years at a blacksmith's and fitter's shop. He returned to the mine, however, and in 1870 he was appointed manager of the Cymmer Colliery. His gallantry in later disasters was therefore all the more notable.

Mr Griffiths used to declare that the most difficult exploration work he did was at the Cambrian Collieries, Clydach Vale, where an outbreak of fire and deadly fumes made the work highly dangerous. So far as falls of roof were concerned, the worst explosion in his experience was at the Dinas Colliery, where he and his heroic band of workers failed to penetrate one fall, and the bodies of many entombed men were not recovered for some years, until the late Mr Daniel Thomas, M.E., drove through from the 4ft. to the 6ft. seams.

At the time of these early colliery catastrophes the presence of carbon monoxide was not known. Mr Griffiths often expressed the view that ignorance of the presence of the gas had caused the death of many a rescue worker. Its presence was first revealed at the Tylorstown explosion, where several lamps were found burning whilst the men lay dead, provied that satefy lamps burnt freely where this gas was present, although a very small percentage of it in the atmosphere would prove fatal.

PUBLIC SERVICES.

Though devoted to his profession, Mr Griffiths accomplished a great deal of public work, and was an ex-chairman of the Rhondda Urban Council. He first represented his ward on the old Rhondda Local Board, and became a member of the Rhondda Council upon its formation, rendering valuable public services.

All movements for public welfare received his support, and his charity was unbounded, although most unostentatious. A Welsh-speaking Welshman, with a strong but genial personality, he exercised great influence in his district, and had a solid reputation as a peacemaker in the coalfiend. He was a member of the Conciliation Board from its inception, and was also chairman of the Coalowners' Association in 1911-12, and had repeatedly given expert evidence before Royal Commissions and other bodies. When, in 1906, all classes of the Rhondda community united in presenting him with a full-length oil painting of himself for his great public services, Colonel D. Watts Morgan, M.P., D.S.O., recalled that the late Mr Griffiths was once within an ace of being made a miners' agent - an illustration of his cordial relations with the men. His work on the magisterial bench was also marked by his kindness and shrewd sense.

On retiring from an active part in the management of the Cymmer Collieries a few years ago, the late Mr Griffiths retired to West Cross, where his death occurred.

Mr Griffiths was twice married, his second wife predeceasing him two years ago. He is survived by one son and two daughters - Mr W. T. Griffiths, mineral valuer to the Inland Revenue Department for South Wales; Mrs H. E. Thomas, wife of the agent for the Powell Duffryn Co., Bargoed, and Mrs Rhys Morgan, of Abercynon.

It may be indicative of North Lewis's standing in the coal industry that in 1919, when the Prince of Wales visited South Wales, he came to Cymmer colliery where he was welcomed by North Lewis and, having been taken underground, allowed a newly worked district to be named after him.

Tom Griffiths was also present for the royal visit but he was by this time one of the veterans of the company and on 24 January 1924 he retired at the age of 74. As one who had started work as a door boy, he had come a long way. By the time of his retirement he was a director of Insoles Ltd and the Windsor Steam Coal Co. Ltd, a member of the Conciliation Board, a past president of the South Wales Coal Owner's Association and a life member of the South Wales Institute of Engineers. He was particularly well known, trusted and admired for his work in colliery rescues and disaster explorations; he was at the Pentre disaster in 1871 and, after becoming manager at Cymmer, led the following rescues (the number of men who had been killed is shown in brackets):

1879 Dinas (3)
1880 Naval, Penygraig (96)
1883 Gelli (4)
1885 Naval (14)
1885 Mardy (81)
1887 Wattstown/Ynyshir (37)
1892 Park Ship (110)
1892 Great Western (58)
1894 Albion, Cilfynydd (276)
1896 Tylerstown (57)
1899 Llest, Garw (19)
1901 Senghenydd (82)
1905 Clydach Vale (31)
1905 Wattstown (0)

In 1906 he retired from rescue work and was presented with a full-length portrait and a silver plate for his role in rescues and his public service by 'all classes' in the Rhondda Valleys. He was a Liberal member of the Rhondda Local Board and its successor, the urban district counsil, of which he was the second chairman in 1891-2. He was also a JP, known for his 'kindness on the bench', and a governor of the University of Wales.

Griffiths was Welsh speaking and his early experience underground had helped him to gain the confidence of the men, being known for his fairness, understanding and sound judgement. According to Col. Watts Morgan MP DSO he was once asked to become the miners' agent. He retired to West Cross on the Gower where he died three years later on 11 February 1927. His funeral, conducted by the Congregational minister at the cemetery, was attended by Eric Insole and Arthur North Lewis.[1] He was succeeded by William B. Davies, the son of a county alderman from Pentre, who had been his deputy. Before coming to Cymmer Davies had a varied industrial career and had qualified as a civil, electrical and mining engineer. Davies's three brothers were a Cardiff doctor, a Harley Street specialist and a major in the Territorial Army, a very different background from both of his predecessors, Jabez Thomas and Tom Griffiths.

[1] South Wales Daily News, 25 Jan. 1924, 13 Feb. 1927; Colliery Guardian, 18 Feb. 1927.

OBITUARY.

Mr. Thomas Griffiths, J.P., who died on Monday, aged 77 years, had a distinguished career, both in personal advancement and in conspicuous rescue work. He was formely a director of Insole's Cymmer collieries, in the Rhondda, and retired a few years ago from the position of general manager, which he had held for over 40 years. So far back as 1860 he commenced work in that colliery as door boy, and won his way forward by determined effort and signal ability. His personal association with the wormen, and their confidence in his fairness and judgment, gave him enormous influence with them, both in colliery control and in rescue operation, where the presence of "Griffiths, Cymmer" evoked the heartiest of co-operation. He had served as chairman of the Coal Owner's Association, and also taken prominent part in the proceedings of the Conciliaton Board; and amongst his other distinctions was 40 years membership first of Rhondda local board and afterwards in its successor, the urban council. He has repeatedly been called to give evidence on Royal Commissions and on similar inquiries that necessitated expert testimony, was a governor of the Welsh University, a life member of the Institute of Engineers, and in 1906 had a public presentation of a portrait and silver plate in recognition of his rescue work and public service. His life story would embody romance of the South Wales coal field, as can be indicated by a bald record of some of the principal colliery accidents with which he was associated in rescue work - namely, Pentre in 1871, Penygraig 1880, Gelli 1883, Naval 1885, Mardy in the same year, Wattstown 1887, Park Slip 1892, Great Weslam in the same year, Albion 1894, Tylorstown 1896, Senghenydd 1901, Clydach Vale and Wattsown 1905. His experiences in the prolonged efforts due to the underground fire at Clydach were exceptional in a remarkable degree, and he always recalled that as the most difficult exploration work undertaken. He was a widower, and leaves one son and two daughters - Mr. W. T. Griffiths, mineral valuer for South Wales to the Inland Revenue Department, Mrs. Thomas, wife of the agent to Powell Duffryn Co., and Mrs. Rhys Morgan.