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.

WELSH COALFIELD ROMANCE.

Door-boy to Director.

MR THOMAS GRIFFITHS, CYMMER, RETIRING.

It is announced that Mr Thomas Griffiths, M.E., J.P., who for half a century has been associated with the Cymmer Collieries, is retiring from the position of agent and general manager, and Mr W. B. Davies, who has acted as Mr Griffiths' deputy for some time past, will succeed him.

An Inspiring Career.

Mr Thomas Griffiths has been a remarkable and outstanding figure in the Welsh coalfield, and his career is an example of how ability and industry can surmount all obstacles to success.

Beginning as a door-boy, by sheer merit he worked his way to the posts of fireman, overman, and finally agent and general manager of the Cymmer Collieries of Messrs Insoles (Ltd.), and to a seat on the Board of Directors. In 1919 he completed a full half century's service in an official position with the company, and he was for 47 years general manager of the Cymmer Colliery. His predecessor, the late Mr Jabez Thomas, held the position for 42 years so that for practically 90 years the general managership has been in the hands of only two men.

Heroic Rescue Work.

Mr Griffiths played a heroic part in rescue and exploration work on the occasion of Welsh colliery explosions. He was a leader of exploring parties in connection with disasters at the following collieries:- 1871, Pentre; 1990, Naval, Penygraig; 1882, Coedace; 1883, Gelli; 1885, Mardy; 1885 Penygraig; 1887, Wattstown; 1890, Llanerch; 1892, Park Slip; 1892, Great Western, Pontypridd; 1894, Cilfynydd; 1896, Tylorstown; 1899, Llest; 1901, Senghenydd; 1905, Clydach Vale; 1905, Wattstown.

He has been a member of the Conciliation Board of the South Wales Coal Trade from its inception, and was chairman of the Coalowners' Association in 1911-12, and repeatedly gave expert evidence before Royal Commissions and other inquiries relating to the Welsh coal trade.

Though devoted to his profession, he takes great interest in public work. He represented his ward on the old Rhondda Local Board, and a member of the Rhondda District Council since the passing of the Act creating that body, of which he is an ex-chairman.

THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER.

Mr W. B. Davies, who will succeed Mr Thomas Griffiths, M.E., J.P., as general manager of the Cymmer Collieries, is a son of the late Alderman E. H. Davies, of Pentre, who was one of the best known public men in Glamorgan. Mr Davies is one of the few men who has qualified in three branches of engineering - civil, electrical and mining. He acquired experience as a civil engineer at Cubits Foundry, Pentre, later proceeding to a large electrical engineering firm at Durham, where he qualified as an electrical engineer. His first-class mining engineer's certificate was acquired in a very short time after entering the service of Insoles (Limited), at Cymmer Collieries, under Mr Thomas Griffiths, where he secured very rapid promotion.

He is a brother of Dr. Ivor Davies, Windsor-place, Cardiff, and Dr. Trevor Davies, of Harley-street, who had the honour of attending upon Princess Mary. Another brother was the late Major E. H. Davies, of Whitchurch and Pentre, who until his recent death, was a very well-known figure in Welsh Territorial circles.

OBITUARY.

RHONDDA LADY J.P.

The death took place at Langfield, West-cross, Mumbles, on Monday at 64 years of age of Mrs. Mary Griffiths, J.P., wife of Mr. Thomas Griffiths, late general manager of Insole's Cymmer Collieries, Rhondda Valley, lately residing at Maesgwyn, Porth. Mrs. Griffiths had distinguished herself by a career of remarkable activity during the war, when she was an active supporter of all the local organisations and charities. She was a woman of wide sympathies and extensive activities, and great (possibly too great) demands were then made on her strength. In her capacity of justice of the peace for Glamorgan, member of the Pontypridd Board of Guardians, chairman of the Porth Cottage Hospital Ladies Committee, chairman of the County School Governor for Porth, commissioner for Rhondda of the Girl Guides, and similar offices, she occupied a great sphere in the life of a great population for some years past. She was a sister of the late Mr. Tom John, of Llwynypia, the well-known educationist and Welsh Eisteddfodwr.

Mr. Thomas Griffiths, M.C., J.P., her husband, who up to July last was general manager, consulting engineer, and a director of Insole's Cymmer Collieries, and consulting engineer to the Windsor Collieries, &c., occupied a high position in the coal industry of South Wales and has sat as chairman of the Coalowners' Association. Not only was he of great repute in the engineering sphere of the Welsh coal trade, but he has given singular instances of heroism and intrepidity in Welsh coal disasters. Several years ago he was the recipient of a great testimonial from the public of the Rhondda in recognition of his personal quality and his heroism in colliery disasters.

In July last Mr. Griffiths retired from business and went to live at Langfield, West Cross, Mumbles, which house he had used as a holiday resort for some years previously.

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.