Timeline 1801 - 1900
1805
Coal Mining on an indutsrial begins in the Ogmore Valley
Mountainside Outcrops and Pockets worked on the Rhondda No1, No2 and No. 3 seams.
25th May 1819
Paran Chapel, Blackmill established.
Welsh Baptists.
24th Oct 1819
Capel Newydd, Glynogwr, established
Welsh Methodists.
1820
Rev. Wm. Williams, Paran Chapel set up a Mutual Benefits Club in Blackmill.
1840
Post Office established in Blackmill, serving Ogmore, Garw and Glynogwr.
1844
Tithe Map.
Llangeinor Parish Farms: Nant Moel, Nant Dyris (1580), Fronwen, Ty Newydd, Cae Dddu[sic].
Llandyfodwg Parish Farms: Blaen Ogwr.
1846
Bethania Welsh Independant Chapel, Ogmore Vale, established.
Now the home of the Ogmore Valley Silver Prize Band
1848
The “Graig” Cottage built, only place of worship for many years in the valley.
c.1858 -1865
Early working of coal from the outcrops of the No.2 and No.3 Rhondda seams for sale. Early prospecting for coal by Trial levels and shallow pits.
1863
Act of Parliament for the construction of a railway from Tondu to Nantymoel promoted by J. Brogden & Sons and Others.
1865
Nantymoel “Klondyke” Collieries (a series of drift mines) opened in Nantymoel.
Closed in 1872.
1st Aug 1865
The railway was opened for mineral traffic from Nantymoel to Porthcawl Harbour.
Tynewydd [Ogmore Vale] and Nantymoel railway stations opened.
1865
J. Brogden & Sons opened Caedu Colliery, (No.2 Rhondda seam).
Caedu Colliery closed in 1891. The “Two Wheels” are the remains of the Endless haulage System for taking coal down to the valley floor and returning emoty drams to the colliery.
1865
J. Brogden & Sons opened Tynewydd Colliery, (No.3 Rhondda seam).
The Tynewydd (No. 3 Rhondda) Colliery was closed in 1905.
1865
J. Brogden & Sons commenced the sinking of Wyndham Colliery No. 1 and No. 2 Pits.
1865
Nicholson and Taylor – Aber Coal Company opened the Aber (No. 2. Rhondda Seam) Drift Mine on Mynydd Aber near Aber House.
Aber (Rhondda N0. 2 Seam) colliery closed in 1894.
1866
The Aber (No. 2. Rhondda Seam) Drift Mine taken over by the Aber and
Ynysawdre Coal & Coke Company.
28th Jun 1866
The Ogmore Valley Railway Act was passed by Parliament to construct a Branch line from Brynmenin to Blaengarw.
1867
Sinking of Wyndham Colliery No. 1 and No. 2 Pits completed to the Nine Feet seam at 272 Yards.
3rd Apr 1867
The first recorded fatal accident in the collieries of the Ogmore Valley; at Aber (No. 2 Rhondda Seam) Colliery John James, a collier 40 years old was killed by a fall of coal.
1869
Permanent Winding Engine installed in the Wydnham Colliery. Date stamped in stone on face of Winding House.
This remianed in use until 1945 when the colliery was electrified.
1870
The first “Rhondda Main” Colliery opened. This was a drift mine located at the rear of Caedu Road, Ogmore Vale, driving into Craig Caedu on the Western side of the valley.
This 1st Rhondda Main Colliery closed in 1876.
1870
A Boys and Girls school was established at Nos. 1 and 2 Long Row, [Nantymoel Row]. At about this time a mixed school was established at Tynewydd [Ogmore Vale] in the “Oxford University Buildings” near the northern end of Tynewydd Row.
These were originally “Company Schools”, the fees for which were 1d/2d per child per week. The Education Act made education compulsory for all children aged 4 years to 14 years.
1870
Police Station opened [in the northern end house of Llewellyn Street] Ogmore Vale.
1870
David Davies, Llandinam and his Ocean Coal Company commenced the sinking of Ocean Western Colliery at Blaenogwr, “Nantymole”.
1871
John Williams established his house and shops “Aberdare House”, Commercial Street, Ogmore Vale.
1872
A school was built at Ogmore Vale by Mrs. Blandy Jenkins; it was known as “AberCraigrhiwglyn Board School” which later became Aber Boys School
1872
Bethel Chapel Nantymoel opened.
1872
Nantymoel “Klondyke” Collieries closed.
These were a series of Drift Mines. The “Three Wheels” in Nantymoel are the remains of the endless haulage drums theses drift mines used to get the coal to the valley floor.
1872
Fronwen Colliery (drift mine) opened.
Fronwen Colliery closed c.1876.
1873
1st Winding Engine installed at the Ocean Western Colliery.
This engine remained until 1951 when the Ocean Western Colliery was converted from Steam Power to Electric Power.
1874
Police Station at Northern end house of Llewellyn Street, Ogmore Vale.
1874
Dinam Welsh Calvanistic Methodists Chapel opened in Nantymoel.
7th Dec 1874
An explosion of Methane Gas occurred during the sinking of “Edward’s” Pit at Ocean Western Colliery at Nant mole[sic]. This would be the joint worst loss of life in the Ogmore Valley Collieries from 1865 – 1984.
Lewis Davies, aged 43 yrs.
Thomas Davies, aged 27 yrs.
Thomas Watkins, aged 27 yrs.
Thomas Morris, aged 28 yrs.
Rowland Pugh, aged 25 yrs.
Before 1875
The first Rhondda Main Colliery shaft was opened to the rear of the present-day Walters Road, Ogmore Vale; there was a row of “huts” near by.
3rd Feb 1875
An explosion occurred at Wyndham Colliery in a cabin near pit bottom; the colliery carpenter was killed by falling into the sump at the bottom of the shaft.
1875
Llandyfodwg School Board founded.
1876
Blackmill to Gilfach Goch Railway opened.
1876
Fronwen Colliery Closed.
1876
The 1st Rhondda Main Colliery closed.
This was a drift mine located at the rear of Caedu Road, Ogmore Vale, driving into Craig Caedu on the Western side of the valley.
15th Sep 1876
The foundation stone of Bethlehem Welsh Baptist Chapel (Capel Y Bedyddwyr) was laid by Alex. Brogden Esq. MP
2nd October 1873
The Cardiff and Ogmore Railway was incorporated on 21 July 1873 to build a line from C&O Junction on the Ogmore Valley line north of Blackmill, to Llanharan on the South Wales Main Line.
For mineral traffic only.
25th Oct 1876
A Branch Railway line was opened from Brynmenin [sic] to Blaengarw.
1876
The building of the Corbett Hotel.
First headquarters of Ogmore Vale Rugby Football Club
1877
Saron Welsh Baptists Chapel opened in Nantymoel.
1877
The Ogmore Valley to Barry Railway was opened.
1878
Gilead Chapel, Nantymoel, opened.
1878
Caedu Colliery opened. Owned by Llynfi, Tondu, Ogmore Coal & Iron Co.
1878
A new church was completed in Station Road.
1878
Nantymoel to Barry Railway line opened.
1878
Bethlehem Welsh Baptist Chapel, Ogmore Vale, opened.
1879
Horeb English Baptist Church was established in the then day school for Nantymoel in Nantymoel Row.
1880
The Gwalia Stores opened in Commercial Street by the Llewellyn Family of Gorwyl House.
1880
Glynogwr school opened by Llandyfodwg School Board.
1880
Calvary Chapel, Ogmore Vale opened.
1880
Llangeinor School Board founded.
1882
Mount Zion Chapel, Nantymoel Opened.
1883
Nantymoel Railway Station taken over by GWR.
9th Jan 1884
Samuel Edge, aged 12 years of age, a door boy, was injured at Caedu Colliery.
He was “knocked down by trams”. He is one of the youngest recorded fatality in the collieries of the Ogmore Valley.
1884
Three schools were built in Dinam Street, Nantymoel by the Llandyfodwg School Board;
Nantymoel Boys School, Nantymoel Girls School and Nantymoel Infants School.
1884
Police Station opened in Bethania Row, Ogmore Vale.
1885
Wesley Methodist Chapel, Ogmore Vale opened.
1885
The Nantymoel Industrial Co-operative Society was established.
1886
Aber Colliery (Rhonnda No. 3 Seam) opened. This was the large Colliery immediately below Aber Cwm-y-Fuwch farm.
Aber Colliery (Rhondda No. 3 Seam) closed in 1914.
1886
Llangeinor School Board established.
1886
The Tynewydd (No. 2 Rhondda Rider Seam) Colliery was opened.
1887
Llangeinor School Board opened a mixed school for 250 pupils on the Black Road, south of Nantymoel Row.
It was known as the Wyndham School probably because of its proximity to the Wyndham Colliery.
15th Sep 1887
James Jones, Manager of the Wyndham Colliery dies on this day.
He would later be the first person interred at Pwll-y-pant cemetery, Ogmore Vale.
14th May 1888
An explosion occurred at Aber (No. 2 Rhondda Seam) Colliery. With 5 men killed by an explosion of Methane gas, this equalled the worst loss of life in a single accident in the Ogmore valley Collieries. (see 1874, Edwards Pit).
Rees Joseph, aged 62 yrs.
Evan Jones, aged 18 yrs.
Jenkin Stanford, aged 27 yrs.
David Williams, aged 30 yrs.
Edward Gibbon, aged 24 yrs.
10th Jul 1888
Isaac Devonald, Engine Stoker (trains) aged 34, was the first person interred at Blaenogwr Cemetery, Nantymoel.
Born in Narberth, Pembrokeshire lodging in Long Row (now Nantymoel Row).
1889
North’s Navigation Collieries (1889) Co. Ltd. bought all of J. Brogden and Sons Co. Ltd. Colliery properties in the Ogmore Valley.
1889
St. Peter’s Church, Nantymoel opened.
1889
Hope Chapel, Nantymoel opened
1891
North’s Navigation Collieries Co. Ltd. deepened the Wyndham Colliery shafts by 80 yards to 352 yards just below the Five Feet seam.
Apr 1891
Caedu Colliery was abandoned
[No. 2. Rhondda seam].
1891
The Aber (No. 2. Rhondda Seam) Drift Mine taken over by the Aber and
Ynysawdre Coal & Coke Company
1891
Salvation Army Barracks built in Nantymoel.
17th Dec 1892
The Ogmore Vale Electric Light & Power Supply Company provided electricity for lighting in the Ogmore Valley. Power House built at Court Colman, Nantymoel.
First electric street lighting in Wales and first Domestic electric supply (at 110 volts, not today`s 230 Volts).
1st Aug 1893
Underground hauliers at Wyndham Colliery went on strike over low wages; the strike quickly spread throughout the South Wales Coalfield.
1893
The “new” Tynewydd School built at Ogmore Vale, to accommodate 800 pupils,to replace the old school at the Oxford University Buildings.
The “Old” wooden school were then converted to colliery offices and became known as Aber Offices.
Aug 1893
The Nantymoel Male Voice Party was formed in Bethel Chapel Vestry.
1893
Typhoid outbreak
4th Jan 1894
The Inaugural Meeting of the Ogmore and Garw Urban District Council was held.
Mr. Blandy Jenkins was elected Chairman.
1894
The No. 2 Rhondda seam workings at Aber Colliery were abandoned.
1894
Bethany Chapel, Nantymoel opened.
1894
Nantymoel Infants School Built.
Mr Gaylard was the building contractor, school cost £3,000.
1894
Horeb Chapel, Nantymoel opened.
7th Dec 1894
Nantymoel Male Voice Choir wins competition at Aberdare.
8th Feb 1895
Ogmore Valley Temperance Society founded.
6th Apr 1895
“Drop Tools” in collieries.
6th May 1895
Soup kitchens opened in Valley.
May 1895
The foundation stone of Philadelphia Chapel was laid by Mr. H. Dawkin Williams, Blackmill.
1895
Mr Blandy Jenkins offered land for the building of public halls in Nantymoel and Ogmore Vale.
Donated £200 to Nantymoel. Offered £100 to Ogmore Vale if Ocean Colliery Company gives £100.
1897
The Ogmore Vale Hotel purchased by Mr. Conibear
At Auction
8th Apr 1898
Nantymoel miners hold mass meeting at “Federation Stone”.
5 Months National Miners Strike.
3rd Sep 1898
Miners return to work.
7th Oct 1898
Nantymoel workmen formed a lodge in the West District of the Association of Miners.
1900
North’s Navigation Collieries installed new steam boilers and plant at Wyndham Colliery to drive a new steam powered ventilation fan to replace a furnace system of ventilation.
17th Nov 1900
Lease was signed for the land to build the Nantymoel Workmen’s Hall.
1900
The “Tin Temple” Church was built at the end of Railway Terrace, Ogmore Vale.
St Johns Church closed in 2004.