Society does not exist for itself but for the individual and man goes into it not to lose but to find oneself

The immigrants of the late 18th and the beginning of the 19th Century who invaded the industrial centres of South Wales were prompted to do so for economic reasons. To develop the natural resources the industrial magnates required a labour force. That they succeeded in Nantyglo and Blaina there is no doubt, because in 1801 the Population of the Aberystruth parish totalled 805. However by 1831 it had reached 5992 the highest percentage increase in the British Isles.

Such as increase carried with it problems and situations which even today make one shudder. The relics of those days are seen in the indiscriminate house buildings and the huge unsightly slag and ballast heaps. From the rural atmosphere of the days of Edmund Jones to the time when in 1875 the area was described “as the dirtiest and most unpleasant place in South Wales” therein lies a story of great human endeavour; bitter recrimination and a way of life which can hardly be described or even understood by today’s standards. It is ironic that the wealth of this country was built amidst the squalor and grime of places like Nantyglo and Blaina.

Prior to the Idustrial Revolution the typical Welshman of the Valleys carried on mixed farming, coupled with working the outcrops and adits. Their occasional excursions to the fairs and markets at Abergavenny and Brecon were the highlights in their social environment. There can be no doubt that Abergavenny played a very important part in the economic and social life of the people.

The standard of the Welsh farm labourer was very low indeed. His average weekly wage in 1800 was between five and six shillings. Thus when Harford and completed his works and houses in 1795 they immediately attracted enough labour to man the various processes required, at a daily wage of 1s./6d. to 1s/9d. Some drifted in from other iron works and some from the agricultural areas of Breconshire and Monmouthshire. When trhe works closed down the workers immediately left for other works. This was characteristic of many coal and iron workers for over fifty years and while there were many people who settled down to domestic and family life there was a considerable floating population who would wander “all over the hills backwards, forwards, Glamorgan and Monmoutshire”.

Coxe who visited the area in 1799 found that English was little understood; that the men wore white and red flannel shirts which were warm and comfortable, prevented colds and could be worn longer without washing which was particularly advantageous to labourers, and those working in the mines and forges.

However it was not until 1811 that we can safely say that Nantyglo and Blaina felt the full impact of industry on the life of the people. The demand for accommodation for the new workers placed a strain on the proprietors of the works, whose chief aim was the expansion of their concerns. No attempt in any form was made at town planning. The owners were quite content to build the two, three or four roomed houses around the works within the framework of the many miles of tramroads . For many years the houses at Blaina had been built around the church and it does appear that expansion from the church outwards took place. Places like Forge Row, Lion Row, Quarry Row, Trostre Club Row and Coalbrookvale, give an indication how this type of building arose, and, while as late as 1841 Blaina itself was congregated around the Church, Nantyglo was essentially the same as it is now.

The influx of workers caused many problems besides housing. The workers and their families had to be fed and clothed. The education and to some extent the spiritual life of the people in the eighteen twenties was hardly the concern of the employers. The chief wants of their employees were food, clothes and shelter.

These wants led to the establishment of the wll known Compnay shops – one at Market Road, Nantyglo, another at the north end of Shop Row, Blaina . These were erected immediately the works were in operation and undoubtedly they were the cause of much of the unrest among the workers. The prices were always in excess of those prevailing elsewhere whilst the quality of the goods sold was sometimes doubtful. Resentment became so acute that in 1830 the Monmouthshire magistrates petitioned the House of Commons demanding the abolition of the Company Shops as the peace of the county was being endangered.

The owners, with the help of the shop managers deliberately exploited their customers and even discouraged the workers to save – “no need for the workers to save and become independent”. They were paid monthly at the works and could get sub “from the Tommy Shop” every fortnight. If the customer did not buy goods from the Company shop he was a ‘sloper’ and no further advances would be made until he changed. A commission set up to enquire into the Truck System agreed that large profits were made out of the workers. The Truck Act of 1833 abolished Company Shops and so more independent shopkeepers were allowed . The shops themselves were continued by other companies presumably for the owners of the works. The Blaina Company shops became under the control of Billington & James on behalf of Cruttwell Allies and Co. It was later continued by Mr. Elias James who became the most influential business man between Brymawr and Newport. His returns in shop goods reached £70,000 a year. He was reputed to be frind of the workers and many a strike was averted “through his timely instrumentality”.

The tramroads that been built enabled the Breconshire farmers to bring produce for sale in the Company shops. Carriers from Cardigan and West Carmarthan brought dressed and casks of butter. Every week the open-sided red Cardy carts drawn by the free-stepping light brown Cardy horses could be seen arriving in Market Road while markets were held regularly in front of the Bush Hotel.

Another bad feature of those days was the practice of paying wages in public houses. Sixpence in the pound of a man’s wages were expected to be spent on beer. One can visualise the scene at the Bush Hotel owned by the Baileys when the monthly payment of wages to the men and women took place. Tobacco at one shilling and fourpence per pound was almost a circulating medium. There can be little doubt that the continual ups and downs in the iron and coal trade led to periods of great distress and poverty in the area and during the whole of its industrial life in Nantyglo and Blaina has had its full measure of want and privation.

Local Government in the late 18th Century and for many years in the 19th Century was very different from what it is today. The administrative powers were in the hands of the Courts of Quarter Sessions and the Parish Vestry. The former was the forerunner of the modern County Councils and the latter eventually became the Urban and Rural District Councils. The Poor Law Unions had existed in one form or another since the time of Queen Elizabeth.

There was much over-lapping and innumerable Acts of Parliament have been passed in order to bring about the present status of both County and Urban Councils. “The Courts of Quarter Sessions were, until 1888, the most influential authority within the confines of their counties”. They were charged to compel Boards and Vestries to carry out their statutory obligations, prevent unnecessary spending, to make valuations and assessments, and to conduct appeals. The members, of course were not elected, but appointed on the recommendation of the Lord Lieutenant of the County.

On many occasions the Aberystruth Parish Vestry was obliged to appeal to the Quarter Sessions in case of unwanted paupers. On the other hand they were often constrained to defend appeals made by other parishes. On January 21st 1839 it resolved to defend itself against the appeal of Trevithin Parish in the case of David Williams, pauper. While of the 24th June in the same year, it asked the overseer to attend the Quarter Sessions to try the validty of the order of removal of Emund Williams and children to Carmarthanshire. In 1855 the Quarter Sessions increased the rateable value of the Parish from £37,078 to £39,420 and even as late as 1870 the Vestry resolved to make a testimonial to the Revd. D. Morgan Rector “in acknowledgement of his labours in connection with the County Rate basis of the Parish at the Quarter Sessions whereby a saving of £200 per annum” had been realised.

The Parish Vestry, being the body concerned with local affairs confined its activities to the appointment of Parish relief. In 1829 the first Select Vestry came into being and from here onwards local government gradually emerged on lines similar to today.

In April 1830 twenty five men were appointed to establish a Select Vestry for conducting the affairs of the Parish, among them being Crawshay Bailey, Thos. Brown, Charles Harford, George Brewer, and the Curate. Their duties were to act as Overseers of the Poor and Highways, while David Evans was appointed assistant overseer or clerk at a salary of £25 per annum. They fixed the poorlaw rates, apportioned relief and maintained the highways.

By October 1836 the Parish Vestry at a meeting of Parishioners had met to determine the provisions contained in an Act of Parliament called “an Act of Parliament to make provision for lighting and watching of Parishes in England and Wales.” Eleven men were appointed as inspectors to carry out the provisions of the Act including, of course, Crawshay Bailey, George Brewer, Thos. Brown, Charles Karford and the Curate. A rate of threepence in the pound was decided upon and William Williams of the Nantyglo Company Shop was appointed treasurer. Two months after their appointment the inspectors prevailed upon Mr. Roberts, Police Officer at Pontypool, to find among his acquaintances in Bristol an active and intelligent officer for their Parish at such a salary as may be agreed upon.

Next year, 1837, the Vestry appointed for the first time nine men for the office of Constable – five from the Citra Side (Ebbw Fach) four from the Ultra side (Ebbw Fawr). At the same meeting eight men were appointed collectors of the King’s tax: four from each side.

The rate levied for the relief of the poor varied from 4d. to 1/- in the pound but on one occasion during a period of distress in 1841 a rate of 2/6 in the pound was levied. The Highway rate rarely exceeded three pence in the pound. Incidentally the rates in 1845 on Ty Mawr amounted to £2 – 7s. – 6d. and on Ty Meddyg 15/- and from the whole of the Parish £873 – 13s were collected. Some of the beer houses were rated as follows: - Blaina Inn £40, Greyhound £51, Bush £70, King William £30, Rolling Mill £30, Griffin £30 and Castle £25.

It is interesting to note that a number of applications were received by the Vestry for help to allow wives and children to follow their fathers to America and from 1833 when John Williams’ three children were allows “twelve months pay” to convey them to America with their mother, the Vestry was often in session discussing such applications. Strong shoes, blankets, shrifts, bag of coal and rent were continually allowed by the Overseers. The affairs of the Vestry were nearly always in the hands of the owners, the clergy, mineral agents and innkeepers.

Previous to 1849, the Parish of Aberystruth was part of the Poor Law Union of Abergavenny. “However, in that year, a Board of Guardians comprising Aberystruth, Ebbw Vale and Bedwelty was set up and remained as one unit until is dissolution in 1920”. Parish pay and Parish Doctor became the accepted phrases in the life of the people.

The maintenance of the highways was often a matter for the owners and it was not until 1849 that the Vestry decided to form a Highway Committee. There had been a severe indictment made against the Vestry because of the bad state of the roads in the Parish and the members were commanded to appear before the Court of the Quarter Sessions. The Highway Committee, therefore, strenuously attempted with the meagre funds at its disposal to maintain the roads of the Parish in a comparable good state and in over thirty years it met regularly. Needless to state, the majority of the members of the Highway Committee were also members of the Vestry.

In its first year they appointed a surveyor at at salary of £25 per annum. Labour for road repairs was recruited from men who were thrown on the resources of Parish. One Charles Harrison was employed for many years at a wage of 1/2d. a day: other workers were paid 2/- a day when working in the river. For the five weeks ending 12th February 1852 the total sum of money spent on the roads of the Parish was £5.. 19s.. 1d.

Public health received scant attention from our civic leaders, and not until 1848 when the Public Health Act was passed did they attempt to improve the amenities of the Parish. Housing had no concern for them at all.

The indiscriminate housing development had very serious repercussions on the social life of the new workers and for thirty years was allowed to grow without much notice being taken by the central government. While the employers attempted to provide houses very little attention was being given to sanitation and drainage. The houses were badly overcrowded, and situated as they were within easy reach of the works, it was inevitable that the health of the people suffered. The dreaded cholera struck time and time again. Eventually the unrest caused several commissions to be set up. They were undertaken by three young barristers. They were biased from the start and the publication of the infamous “blue books” aroused an intensity of feeling in Wales which has never subsided” .

In 1841, a commission was set up to report on the employment of women and children in coalmines. William Jones of Loughor reported on the employment of children and young persons in Nantyglo, Beaufort, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, and Rhymney. In Nantyglo, Blaina, Cwmcelyn, Coalbrook Vale and Victoria he found 2000 people working, 1500 mines, 100 females, 120 males and 50 females under 12 years of age were employed.

In his evidence Alfred Rowlands, surgeon for 25 years did not think that the health of the children suffered and accidents were not numerous. Boys and girls went to work about 7 or 8 years of age and were taken from school by their parents. However the stature of those who worked underground was generally small. When not employed the children appeared neat and tidy. Fever, however was prevalent. James essex, another surgeon vouched the information that the diet of children was plain, nutritius and plentiful and consisted generally of one meal of animal food daily “quenched with liberal quantities of home brewed beer”.

Mary Williams, a local girl of eight years informed the Commission that she helped in the coke yards and received 3/- a week while an elder sister Ann was two years older also helped. The work did not make her ill.

David Thomas, a boy of eight years was a haulier driving horses and trams in the colliery for twelve hours a day. He was not allowed time for food and has to eat when he could. It was hard and dangerous and a strange boy would not be able to drive in the colliery. He got wet and dirty and his feet were always wet but he had got used to it. He was one of nine children, and earned 3/6d. a week. His brother Samuel earned 2/6 a week for keeping a door.

Mary Ann Williams, 13, whose father had been killed underground had been working for 7 months. Her work was to keep the door 12 hours a day. Her wages were 4/- a week.

William Miles, 8, helped his brother to cut coal and pushed a cart on four wheels, but it was harder to push the empty cart up than down. He earned 3/- a week.

Mary Jones, 11, and Elizabeth Hall, 13, wheeled iron about the forges 12 hours a day with no detriment to their health. Some of the girls were dreadful and would fight and swear worse than the boys.

Evan Evans, 7, pulled up the door of the boiling furnaces.

None of those questioned knew hardly anything about reading although Evan Evans “could say the spelling of two letter words”. 16 children were permanently crippled. One boy had lost a leg, and another lost a hand.

The Police Superintendent who gave evidence reported on the bad housing conditions. In 12 houses were five beds in a room and were of poor description. There was a complete absence of sanitary arrangements in scores of these houses.
In 1874, appeared the “Report of the Commission of Education in Wales.” No wonder their findings caused a great outcry in Wales. Here is a sample of what was published on Nantyglo and Blaina.

“Overcrowded houses or the dirt and discomfort around them contributed to destroy the decencies of domestic life and to drive old and young to the beer houses which offered them temptation at every step. The lond period of low wages during which they suffered privation had not taught them self command -------- They drink to the most brutal excesses -------. The bodies and habits of the people are almost as dirty as the town and houses of the unearthly regions in which they swarm. The people are savage in their manner and mimic the repulsive rudeness of those in authority over them. The whole district and population partake of the iron character of its produce; everything centres and ministers to the idolatry of profit; physical strength is the object of their esteem and gain their chief god. There are some individual exceptions but these are few.”

“The masters are looked upon generally as the natural enemies of the men, the intimate relations between capital and labour ---- are neither understood nor believed.”

“Moral influences are well nigh unknown. Very little is done to school children in the elements of mechanics of instruction. I have failed to find adequate efforts made by any of the employers in the districts to moralise or improve the hearts and habits of the people” .

The commission unwittingly did good work pointing out the deficiencies on the level of Education. Where it failed was in trying to preach about morals (on which it was grossly misinformed) and in pooh-poohing the virtue of Welsh of which J. C. Symons was ignorant.

Symons was regarded on the Board of Education as a censorious Jewish critic and was highly unpopular.They were, for example, ignorant of the existence and influence of a cultured literary manAnd educationalists such as Nefydd.

The only redeeming features of the report were the references to the work of the clergy in alleviating the prevailing conditions that Welsh colliers unlike their Scotch colleagues never omitted to wash all over after their labours, and they always attempted to keep their houses clean and comfortable.

The occurrence of Collier from time to time and the haphazard methods of dealing with it served to indicate the great strides made in the present century in the public health services. It was customary to issue printed warnings in Welsh and English at the approach of an outbreak. Once the epidemic had subsided very little was done to combat further attacks. Not until the outbreak or "panic" had of 1866 broke upon Nantyglo and Blaina can it be said that public health claimed the attention of our civic leaders, and even this was supervised by the Highways board.

Previously in 1853 John Canton a works' constable had been appointed Inspector of nuisances at £3 per annum. Next year he was joined by Richard Marfill another works Constable, each at a salary of £3 - 5 s shillings per annum, but such was the relative unimportance of their work that no reference was made to them in the meetings of the Highways board. However in 1857 a special meeting was called for the special purpose of taking it consideration ''the provisions of the Nuisances Removal Act for England 1855'' and to examine their sanitary conditions in the area. As a result David Williams became the third inspector in September 1857 and the three were directed to make a report to the next meeting. Evidently the resolution was not implemented because at a further meeting held thirteen months later the Highways Board resolved to take into consideration at their next meeting the provisions of the Nuisances Removal Act. Here they decided to appoint Canton and Marfell, Inspectors of Nuisances at £5 per annum.

However it was not until June it 1861 that the first sanitary report in Nantyglo and Blaina was presented. It commenced as follows, '' I beg to call you attention to a nuisance of a very serious character at the bottom of Queen Street, Blaina, in the shape of an open gutter or cesspool which is quite stagnant and a receptacle for all soap suds and other filth from the the whole of the role. '' Marfell the Nantyglo inspector reported a month later. He had had many nuisances removed in his district, and some people were down with typhus on Garnfach.

On 9th May 1862 Canton reported that about 600 houses in Blaina were deficient in privy accommodation while large dumps of ashes were to be found in the area. Among the majority of occupiers was the habit of setting fire to the soot in the chimney flues, instead of employing a sweep. The inspector was ordered to take proceedings against any parties from doing so - notice to the first given. By July 1865 sanitary conditions in the area had much improved.

Then came the 1866 epidemic. It was the most virulent attack that the area had known and it really brought home to the Highways Board a sense of their responsibilities. During July, August and September the board met regularly each week in order to discuss ways and means of dealing with the dreaded disease. Summer was very hot, drains and culverts in Queen Street and Railway Terrace could not even be flashed because of lack of water. A ton of chloride of lime was placed at the disposal of the Inspectors and tickets were issued for obtaining some. An additional inspector was appointed at £5 per annum to work in the Ebbw Vale area. The wash tubs in Bailey's row were causing a lot of trouble. The inspectors were requested to continue their efforts and remove everything which would be injurious to public health. In the middle of August the board resolved to appoint another Inspector in the Nantyglo district subject to the approval of Mr Bailey. Public notices were put up stating that no ashes were to be deposited or allowed to accumulate. The slaughter houses of William Lewis and John Davies of Garnfach which were underneath their dwellings "constantly injurious to public health'' were to be a removed forthwith. Mr Levick was consulted about the supply of water to Blaina village on the East side of the works, and a list of those keeping pigs near houses especially between ''the roles of Hope Street, Queen Street, Pump Street, and Church Street '', was to be made. The whole of the premises from Hermon to Blaina was to be inspected. Then on September 19th the Highways board of resolved that almost of houses should provide privy accommodation with proper drainage.

By the autumn the epidemic gradually subsided but it had taken a heavy toll and the special plot in St Peter's used for the burial of the victims is a tragic reminder of those fateful summer months and in February 1867 the four sanitary inspectors John Canton, James Allen, Lot Rodgers and Danielle Harris were allowed to the sum of £5 each, in addition to their salaries '' for extra work, during the prevalence of cholera in the neighbourhood ''.
In the summer of 1867 notices were again posted up in the district calling the attention of the public to the necessity of whitewashing and other wise cleansing their premises, and as if to recoup the extra expense incurred by the epidemic only two men were allowed to work on the highways. By October of that year the Highways board decided to dispense with the services of the sanitary inspectors, and requested the Board of Guardians to '' stop any dangerous nuisances and to pay the salaries of the officers ''.

For two years no reference was made at the meetings to public health until Dr Clapp the surgeon of the Nantyglo works presumably sensing another outbreak, attended the Highways board and ask that an Inspector of Nuisances of be appointed at once ''for the purpose of causing all nuisances to be removed''. As a result Sergeant Williams of the Police Force was appointed Inspector of Nuisances for Nantyglo and Blaina at the salary of £5 per annum. One month later he reported that he had abated the existing Nuisances and was rewarded for his services by being appointed Inspector for Abertillery and Newtown, Ebbw Vale at the additional salary of £5 per annum! Carbolic acid to the value of £1 - 12 - 0 was to be ordered from Dr Clapp.

However in February 1870 Sergeant Williams was obliged to reported that a accumulations of ashes were again a source of trouble and it was decided to take proceedings against the owners and occupiers of Queen Street, Hope Street, Pump Street, and Church Street if the dumps of ashes were not removed within a month. Those warnings evidently serve their purpose and for eighteen months the board of Highways was not called upon to discuss nuisances.

In September 1871 a special meeting of the board was convened to take into consideration the sanitary state of the Parish and to adopt proper means for the removal of nuisances. A committee was appointed to deal with the matter including Dr Soper and Dr C hack lap. '' Nefydd '' or for many years had been a member of the Highways board came to his last meeting.

The committee and this can be considered the first properly convened Health Committee decided '' to contract with some proper persons for the removal of ashes and other filth '' and a levy of sixpence per month was to be collected on each house.

Arrangements were made with local contractors to collect the Ashes but they did not prove satisfactory. So in February 1872 tenders were again invited and the district divided into three collecting areas. Nantyglo to the Greyhound Inn, Greyhound Inn to the Blaina Inn and Blaina Inn to the Tyler's houses. A rate of 1 d. in the pound of all houses was levied. Each contractor or was to carry up the work for 12 months at 6 d per house per calendar month. The arrangement again proved unsatisfactory. A great step forward took place in December in 1872 when a proper Sanitary Committee was instituted and while acting under the jurisdiction of the Highways Board, meetings were held at which sanitary matters only were discussed.

The following payments were agreed upon in January 1873, Garnfach 350 houses at 6 d per month, Blaina 832 houses at 6 d per month. Two months later the board decided to engage a horse and cart with one man to fill and drive away the ashes at the rate of eight shillings a day to work one day each in Nantyglo, Garnfach, Blaina and Abertillery. Thus began our present scavenging system.

During this period also, another interesting and important development in the life of the people took place. In an area where the Company Shops had played such a vital role, the principles of Corporation as practised by the Rochdale pioneers must have appeared revolutionary. In 1871 a co-operative society was established in the high street and in its first years sales amounted to over £4,000. The society steadily progressed and took under its control other co-operative societies, lower down the valley which did not flourish to the same extent as the Blaina Society. By 1900 the turnover of the Blaina Society reached beat £800,000. Like most other trading establishments the inter war years proved very difficult for the society. With full employment again in the valleys the society is quickly regaining the former important position it held in the social and economic life of the people, not only Nantyglo and Blaina, but in the Western Vale of Monmouthshire.

The influx of Irish and English immigrants into Nantyglo and Blaina has had a marked effect, although not to such an extent as in places lower down the valley. It was customary for the employers to bring in Irish workers to break down strikes and in 1843 and 1853 riots took place in the area because of Irish workers who had become black legs and were '' pelted out ''. The really influx of the Somerset and Wiltshire folk took place during the development of the coalfields and the many English surnames still persisting in the area are an indication of the inward rash of the English workers .

Between 1872 and 1875 Parliament recognised the right of self government to a limited degree by creating the Public Health Acts of those years. These set up local Government Boards . A sanitary district in Nantyglo and Blaina was the outcome also of these acts. However parish vestry meetings were held regularly. Here the rates were levied for the relief of the poor: sanitary affairs, education and highways. The vestry also appointed members to the various boards and adhered to the old practice of appointing parish constables. In 1876 the rate of one shilling and four pence was levied for the relief of the poor and to meet the expenses of the school board, while a penny in the pounds sanitary rate was levied.

By 1885 however, twenty-five ratepayers felted expedient to petition for the setting up of a local Government district in Nantyglo and Blaina. This meant that the area would become a local to many area to manage all local affairs. Elections were held on 16th March, 1886, and as a result G R Harris, James Allen, J P D Williams, Lewis Davis, Daniel Lewis, George Bennett, William Parry (grocer) John Evans, head when Evans and William Parry (contractor) became the first district councillors.

By 1894 local Government Again progress by the conversion of these districts into the urban district councils.

It is interesting to note that in the 1885 elections the four persons who received the highest number of votes were elected for a period of three years, the next four highest for a period of two years and the last four for a period of one year. Until 1909 this arrangement was deemed more satisfactory and when wards were set up in that year, the annual elections by the whole district were done away with and the number of elected representatives increased to 15 from 1885 to 1949 one hundred and fifteen people had been elected as members of the district councils, one hundred and thirteen men and two women. Those with many years of service on the council included G R Harris, J P D Williams, Edwin Griffiths, William Gregson, James Manning, W Aubrey Jones, Evan Evans, John L Adams, William Lloyd, Joseph Chard, Henry Ashton, Thomas Jones, John Jones and Evan silk. Among the officers of the council: W T Angell, W J Allen, L A Wallen, J E M Job, H C Bevan, were in the service of the Council for many years.

This chapter on the social and civic life of Nantyglo and Blaina would not be complete without reference to the development and work of the Blaina and District Hospital. The co-operative efforts of the people to maintain this institution deserves much fuller recognition than this brochure can give. The hospital has always been a challenge to the beneficence of the people of the area. Now that it has become part of a national scheme, the people can look back and remember with pride the part they played to keep open its doors especially in the days of industrial depression.

During the early-years of the present century much discussion took place among the miners the whole felt that a hospital within the area where an injured man might be sent immediately would be a very great asset and might even be the means of saving his life. However, it was not until 1908 that discussions for the building of a hospital took a serious turn, as the result of two accidents. During that year a man working in the South Griffin colliery was injured and his landlady refused to taking into her house. The local miners' agent James Manning had the men conveyed by stretcher to Tredegar's workmen's hospital which fortunately decided to accept him. Later another man, who had met with a serious accident at the lower Deep Colliery had to be taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital at Newport. He was taken by stretcher in a snowstorm to Blaina station. At Newport the railway company loaded a wagon and to take the man to the hospital.

As a result of these accidents, the district hospital committee of the miners' Federation was set up. Messrs . Webb of Aberbeeg offered Hafodyddal at the nominal rental but experts advised against it and the present site was acquired from the Price Estate at £3 .. 3 shillings, annum.

The miners agreed by ballot to lead the 11/2 d in the pound on wages and building was started towards the end of the year and completed in February 1910 with accommodation for some beds, the staff consisting of matron, two nurses and two maids. The building and equipment cost £4,500. By 1912 the cost of maintaining the hospital was £950 per annum. In 1918 the female and children's wards were opened at a cost of £4,689 plus £500 for furnishing. Facilities were also provided for the treatment of ear, nose and throat. So the hospital that had been originally planned to receive only accident cases had now become much wider in its service. By 1916 provision and accommodation had been made for an X-ray unit, eye affliction, tonsil, adenoids and dental treatment.

Flushed with success Hospital Board of Managers began to negotiate for the purchase of Neville Court, Abergavenny as a convalescence home in order to relieve pressure on hospital beds. The purchase was completed in 1920, and Neville Hall was furnished and staffed. It was with profound regret that the board was forced to close the home because of the Depression.

However, at the hospital, in spite of the Depression plans were laid for the erection of the maternity wing as a self-contained unit and March 17th 1932 there hospital received its greatest recognition when our present King and Queen, then the Duke and Duchess of York visited the hospital, and the maternity wing was opened by Her Majesty.

During the years following the Depression, the work of the hospital was gradually consolidated and when the Regional Hospital Board took over the Blaina hospital it took with it cash and assets to the value of £80,000. During the whole of its 40 years' existence the people have regarded it as one of their priceless possessions and it will always be a shining example of the spirit of voluntary service which has been equalled only by the devotion of the hospital staff. One cannot forget the efforts of John L Adam, C W Edwards and their helpers during the inter-war years. Perhaps, however, the name of James Pitman and the Blaina hospital will always be its so synonymous. It was he who guided the destinies of a hospital as a voluntary institution from the very beginning until it was handed over to the central government and the inscribed tablets in the hospital is the worthy reminder of a lifetime spent in the service of suffering humanity.