Wikipedia

Rhondda

For other uses, seeRhondda (disambiguation).

51°36′57″N3°25′03″W/ 51.615938°N 3.417521°W/51.615938; -3.417521

Rhondda
Valley region
Map showing the Rhondda constituency within Wales
Map showing the Rhondda constituency within Wales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryWales
County boroughRhondda Cynon Taf
Parliamentary constituencyRhondda
Area
[1]
• Total
38.59 sq mi (99.94 km2)
Highest elevation
1,935 ft (590 m)
Population
(2020[2])
• Total
69,506
• Density1,800/sq mi (700/km2)
Time zoneUTC+0(Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)UTC+1(British Summer Time)
Postal code
CF postcode area
Area code01443

Rhondda/ˈrɒnðə/,or theRhondda Valley(Welsh:Cwm Rhondda[kʊmˈr̥ɔnða]), is a formercoalminingarea inSouth Wales,historically in the county ofGlamorgan.It takes its name from theRiver Rhondda,and embraces twovalleys– the larger Rhondda Fawr valley (mawr,'large') and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley (bach,'small') – so that the singular "Rhondda Valley" and the plural are both commonly used. The area forms part of theSouth Wales Valleys.From 1897 until 1996 there was a local governmentdistrict of Rhondda.The former district at its abolition comprised 16communities.Since 1996 these 16 communities of the Rhondda have been part ofRhondda Cynon Taf County Borough.The area of the former district is still used as the RhonddaSenedd constituencyandWestminster constituency,having an estimated population in 2020 of 69,506. It is most noted for its historical coalmining industry, which peaked between 1840 and 1925. The valleys produced a strongNonconformistmovement manifest in theBaptistchapels that moulded Rhondda values in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also known for itsmale voice choirsand in sport and politics.

Etymology

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River Rhondda in theFawrValley near its source inBlaenrhondda

In theearly Middle Ages,Glynrhonddawas acommoteof thecantrefofPenychenin thekingdom of Morgannwg,a sparsely populated agricultural area. The spelling of the commote varied widely, as the Cardiff Records show:[3]

  • Rhoddeni(1203)
  • Rotheni(1213)
  • Glyn Rhoddni(1268)
  • Glenrotheney(1314)
  • Glynroddne(1314)
  • Glynroddney(1348)
  • Glynrotheney(1440)
  • Glynrothnei(1567)
  • Glynrhoddeney(1591)
  • Glynronthey(1666)

Many sources state the meaning of Rhondda as "noisy", though this is a simplified translation without research. SirIfor Williams,in his workEnwau Lleoedd,suggests that the first syllablerhawddis a form of the Welshadrawddoradrodd,as in 'recite, relate, recount', similar to theOld Irishrád;'speech'.[3][4]The suggestion is that the river is speaking aloud, a comparison to the English expression "a babbling brook".[3]

With the increase in population from the mid-19th century the area was officially recognised as theYstradyfodwgLocal Government District in 1877, but was renamed in 1897 as theRhondda Urban Districtafter the River Rhondda.[5]

Early history

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Prehistoric and Roman Rhondda: 8,000 BC – 410 AD

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The Rhondda Valley is located in the upland, orBlaenau,area ofGlamorgan.The landscape of the Rhondda was formed byglacialaction during thelast ice age,as slow-moving glaciers gouged out the deep valleys that exist today. With the retreat of the ice sheet, around 8000 BC, the valleys were further modified by stream and river action. This left the two river valleys of the Rhondda with narrow, steep-sided slopes which would dictate the layout of settlements from early to modern times.[6]

Mesolithic period

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The earliest evidence of man's presence in these upper areas of Glamorgan was found in 1963 atCraig y Llyn.A small chipped stone tool found at the site, recorded as possibly being ofCreswelliantype or at least from the earlyMesolithicperiod, places human activity on the plateau above the valleys.[7]Many other Mesolithic items have appeared in the Rhondda, mainly in the upper areas aroundBlaenrhondda,BlaencwmandMaerdy,and relating to hunting, fishing and foraging, which suggests seasonalnomadicactivity. Though no definite Mesolithic settlements have been located, the concentration of finds at theCraig y Llynescarpment suggests the presence of a temporary campsite in the vicinity.[8]

Neolithic period

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The first structural relic of prehistoric man was excavated in 1973 atCefn Glasnear thewatershedof theRhondda Fachriver. The remains of a rectangular hut with traces ofdrystone wallfoundations andpostholeswas discovered; whileradiocarbon datingof charcoal found at the site dated the structure as lateNeolithic.[7]

Bronze Age

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Llyn FawrReservoir in 2008

Although little evidence of settlement has been found in the Rhondda for the Neolithic toBronze Ageperiods, severalcairnsandcistshave appeared throughout the length of both valleys. The best example of a round-cairn was found atCrug yr Afan,near the summit ofGraig Fawr,west ofCwmparc.It consisted of an earthen mound with a surrounding ditch 28 metres in circumference and over 2 metres tall (91.9 ft × 6.6 ft).[9]Although most cairns discovered in the area are round, aring cairnorcairn circleexists onGelliMountain. Known as the Rhondda Stonehenge, it consists of ten upright stones no more than 60 cm (24 in) in height, encircling a central cist.[10]All the cairns found within the Rhondda are located on high ground, many on ridgeways, and may have been used as waypoints.[10]

In 1912, a hoard of 24 late Bronze Age weapons and tools was discovered during construction work at theLlyn Fawrreservoir, at the source of theRhondda Fawr.The items did not originate from the Rhondda and are thought to have been left at the site as avotiveoffering. Of particular interest are fragments of an iron sword, the earliest iron object to be found in Wales, and the only C-typeHallstattsword recorded in Britain.[11]

Iron Age

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The ruins of theHen Dre'r Mynyddsettlement at the head of the Rhondda

With the exception of the Neolithic settlement atCefn Glas,there are three certain pre-medieval settlement sites in the valley – Maendy Camp,Hen Dre'r GelliandHen Dre'r Mynydd.The earliest of these isMaendyCamp, ahillfortwhose remains lie betweenTon PentreandCwmparc.[12]Although its defences would have been slight, the camp made good use of the natural slopes and rock outcrops to its north-east face. It consisted of two earthworks: an inner and outer enclosure. When the site was excavated in 1901, several archaeological finds led to the camp being misidentified as Bronze Age. These finds, mainly pottery and flint knives, were excavated from a burial cairn discovered within the outer enclosure, but the site has since been classified as from theIron Age.[12]

The settlement atHen Dre'r MynyddinBlaenrhonddawas dated around the Roman period, when fragments of wheel-madeRomano-Britishpottery were discovered. The site consists of a group of ruinous drystoneroundhousesand enclosures, thought to have been a sheep-farming community.[13]

The most certain example of a Roman site in the area is found aboveBlaenllechauinFerndale.[14]The settlement is one of a group of earthworks and indicates the presence of the Roman army during the 1st century AD. It was thought to be a military site ormarching camp.[15]

Medieval Rhondda: AD 410–1550

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The 5th century saw thewithdrawal of Imperial Romansupport from Britain, and succeeding centuries saw the emergence of national identity and of kingdoms. The area which would become the Rhondda lay withinGlywysing,which incorporated the modern area of Glamorgan and was ruled by a dynasty founded byGlywys.[16]This dynasty was replaced by another founded byMeurig ap Tewdrig,whose descendantMorgan ap Owainwould give Glamorgan its Welsh nameMorgannwg.[17]With the coming of theNormanoverlords after the 1066Battle of Hastings,south-east Wales was divided into fivecantrefi.The Rhondda lay withinPenychen,a narrow strip running between modern-dayGlyn Neathand the coast betweenCardiffandAberthaw.Eachcantrefwas further divided intocommotes,withPenychenmade up of five such commotes, one beingGlynrhondda.[18]

Relics of the Dark Ages are rare in the Glamorgan area andsecularmonuments still rarer. The few sites found have been located in theBro,or lowlands, leaving historians to believe theBlaenauwere sparsely inhabited, maybe only visited seasonally bypastoralists.[19]A fewearthwork dykesare the only structural relics in the Rhondda area from this period. No carved stones or crosses exist to indicate the presence of a Christian shrine. In theEarly Middle Ages,communities were split between bondmen, who lived in small villages centred on a court orllysof the local ruler to whom they paid dues, and freemen, with higher status, who lived in scattered homesteads. The most important village was the mayor's settlement ormaerdref.Maerdyin theRhondda Fachhas been identified as such, mainly on the strength of the name, though the village did not survive past the Middle Ages.[19]The largest concentration of dwellings from the period, mainly platform houses, have been found aroundGelliandYstradin theRhondda Fawr.

During the late 11th century, theNormanlord,Robert Fitzhamonentered Morgannwg in an attempt to gain control of the area, building many earth and timber castles in the lowlands.[20]In the early 12th century Norman expansion continued, with castles being founded aroundNeath,KenfigandCoity.In the same periodBishop Urbanset up theDiocese of Llandaffunder whichGlynrhonddabelonged to the large parish ofLlantrisant.[21]

After the death ofWilliam, Lord of Glamorgan,his extensive holdings were eventually granted toGilbert de Clarein 1217.[22]The subjugation of Glamorgan, begun by Fitzhamon, was completed by the powerful De Clare family.[23]Although Gilbert de Clare had now become one of the greatMarcherLords, the territory was far from settled.Hywel ap Maredudd,lord ofMeisgyncaptured his cousinMorgan ap Cadwallonand annexedGlynrhonddain an attempt to reunify the commotes under a single native ruler.[24]This conflict was unresolved by the time of De Clare's death and the area fell under royal control.

Settlements of medieval Rhondda

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Little evidence exists of settlements within the Rhondda in the Norman period. Unlike the communal dwellings of the Iron Age, the remains of medieval buildings discovered in the area follow a pattern similar to modern farmsteads, with separate holdings spaced out around the hillsides. The evidence of medieval Welsh farmers comes from remains of their buildings, with the foundations of platform houses being discovered spaced out through both valleys.[25]When the sites of several platform houses atGelligaerCommon were excavated in the 1930s,potsherdsfrom the 13th to 14th centuries were discovered.[26]

The Rhondda also has remains of two medieval castles. The older isCastell Nos,[27]located at the head of theRhondda FachoverlookingMaerdy.The only recorded evidence ofCastell Nosis a mention byJohn Leland,who stated, "Castelle Nose is but a high stony creg in the top of an hille". The castle comprises a scarp and ditch forming a raised platform and on the north face is a ruined dry-stone building. Its location and form do not appear to be Norman and it is thought to have been built by the Welsh as a border defence, which would date it before 1247, whenRichard de ClareseizedGlynrhondda.[28]The second castle isYnysygrug,close to what is nowTonypandytown centre. Little remains of thismotte-and-baileyearthwork defence, as much was destroyed whenTonypandy railway stationwas built in the 19th century.[29]Ynysygrugis dated around the 12th or early 13th century[29]and has been misidentified by several historians, notablyOwen Morganin hisHistory of Pontypridd and Rhondda Valleys,who recorded it as adruidicsacred mound.[30]Iolo Morganwgerroneously believed it to be the burial mound of kingRhys ap Tewdwr.

The earliest Christian monument in the Rhondda is the shrine of St Mary atPenrhys,whose holy well was mentioned byRhisiart ap Rhysin the 15th century.[31]

Post-medieval and pre-industrial Rhondda: 1550–1850

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In the mid-16th century the Rhondda, then known as the Vale of Rotheney, belonged to the large but sparsely inhabited parish ofYstradyfodwg,St Tyfodwg's Vale. It was divided administratively into threehamlets:the upper orRhigoshamlet to the north, the middle orPenrhyshamlet, and the lower orClydachhamlet.[32]Through the post-medieval period the Rhondda was heavily wooded and its main economic staple the rearing of sheep, horses and cattle. The historian Rice Merrick, in describing the upland area of the Vale of Glamorgan, noted there "was always great breeding of cattle, horses and sheep; but in elder time therein grew but small store of corn, for in most places there the ground was not thereunto apt". The English cartographerJohn Speeddescribed cattle rearing as the "best means unto wealth that the Shire doth afford".[33]As there was no fair held in the Rhondda, the beasts were taken to neighbouring markets atNeath,Merthyr,Llantrisant,YnysybwlandLlandaff.However, to be self-supporting, farmers in the area grew crops such as oats, corn and barley in small quantities. Crops were grown in the lower part of the Rhondda on narrow meadows adjoining riversides, though during theNapoleonic Warsscarce supplies forced cultivation of upland areas such asCarn-y-wiwerandPenrhys.[34]Merrick described the diet of the upland inhabitants as consisting of "bread made of wheat... and ale and bear" [sic][32]and over 200 years laterBenjamin Malkinshowed how little the diet had changed when he wrote that the people still ate "oatmeal bread, with a relish of miserable cheese; and the beer, where they have any, is worse than none".[35]

In the first half of the 17th century, rising costs of consumable goods and successive bad harvests brought economic change in Glamorgan.[32]Those wealthy enough could seize chances created by the unsettled conditions and set about enlarging and enclosing farmlands. Theenclosureof freehold lands begun in the later Middle Ages now gained momentum and farms once owned by individual farmers passed to groups of wealthy landowners.[36]By the 19th century, most Rhondda farms and estates were owned byabsentee landlordssuch as theMarquis of Bute,Earl of Dunraven,Crawshay Baileyof Merthyr and the De Winton family ofBrecon.[37]

Settlements of post-medieval Rhondda

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1735 Welsh (Powys)longhousetypical of those found in mediaeval Rhondda.

TheActs of Unionin the mid-16th century and theEnglish Civil Warin the mid-17th century brought much rebuilding in theKingdom of England,to which Wales was now annexed. This appears in the structures built in the Rhondda Valley.[38]The fluctuating economy of the lateTudorperiod resulted in farmers taking in more land, creating higher levels of surplus goods and so producing higher profits. These were reflected in new farmhouses built in the Rhondda and for the first time an emphasis on domestic comfort apparent in the design of dwellings.[38]Many new farm buildings were simple structures of two or three small rooms, but of a much sturdier, more permanent quality than the medieval platform houses. A popular style was theDartmoor longhouse,which combined the house and cowshed into one building. By 1840, the Rhondda had at least 160 farms,[39]but most were destroyed with the growth of the mining industry. Of the few survivors, those of note includeTynewydd('New House') inTynewydd,a 17th-century house thought to have given its name to the neighbouring village ofTynewyddand ofTyntyleinYstraddated around 1600.

There were few industrial buildings before 1850; those of note include a 17th-centuryblast furnaceatPontygwaith[40]which gave the village its name. and afulling millestablished by Harri David in 1738, which in turn gave its name toTonypandy.[41]Corn mills existed sparsely throughout the valleys, as did early coal pits, two being recorded as opening in 1612 atRhigosandCwmparc,though they would have been open-cast, not deep mined.[40]

Industrial Rhondda 1850–1945

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Industrial growth (1850–1914)

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Further information:List of collieries in the Rhondda ValleysandSouth Wales Coalfield
Llwynypia looking north towards Llwynypia Hospital, (c. 1912)

TheSouth Wales coalfieldis the largest continuous coalfield in Britain, extending some 113 kilometres (70 mi) fromPontypoolin the east toSt Brides Bayin the West, covering almost 2,600 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi).[42]This took in most of Glamorgan and the entirety of the Rhondda within it. Although neighbouring areas such asMerthyrandAberdarehad already sunk coal mines, it was not untilWalter Coffininitiated theDinasLower Colliery in 1812 that coal was exported from the Rhondda Valleys on any commercial scale.[23]This was originally taken bypackhorse,before the extension ofDr. Griffiths'private tramline, toPontypriddand then by theGlamorganshire Canalto the port at Cardiff. The lack of transportation links was one of the main problems that curtailed exploitation of the Rhondda Valley coalfields, along with the belief that they lay too deep for economic working.[43]It was therefore seen as an expensive risk. Exploration of the Rhondda was undertaken by the Bute Trustees, agents of thethird Marquess of Bute,who not only owned large tracts of valley farmland but also possessed a large financial interest in theCardiff Dockswhich would export the coal.[43]The trustees sank theBute Merthyr Collieryin October 1851, at the top of theRhondda Fawrin what would becomeTreherbert.The Bute Merthyr began producing coal in 1855, as the first working steam-coal colliery in the Rhondda.[23]

Along with the sinking of the first colliery at the head of the Rhondda, a second issue, transportation, was tackled with the extension of theTaff Vale Railway(TVR); royal assent was given in 1836.[44]The original line was laid from Cardiff toAbercynon,and by 1841 a branch was opened to link Cardiff withDinasvia Pontypridd. This allowed easier transportation for Walter Coffin's Dinas mine, an unsurprising addition, as Coffin was a director of the TVR. In 1849 the TVR extended into the Rhondda Fach and, by 1856, the railway had reached the furthest areas of the Fach and Fawr valleys at Maerdy and Treherbert. For the first time, the Rhondda Valley was linked by a major transportation route to the rest of Wales[43]and exploitation of its coalfields could begin.

The TVR line dominated coal transportation through the Rhondda's industrial history. Its monopoly was a bone of contention: the absence of rivals precluded colliery owners from negotiating lower haulage rates.[45]Attempts were made to break the monopoly included the opening of theRhondda and Swansea Bay Railwaybetween 1885 and 1895,[46]which linkedBlaenrhonddaat the head of theRhondda Fawrto thePrince of Wales Dock.To achieve this the Rhondda Tunnel[47]was dug throughMynydd BlaengwynfytoBlaengwynfi– at the time the longest railway tunnel in Wales.

Initially the shallower pits at Aberdare proved a bigger attraction to prospective mine owners, but once Aberdare became fully worked by the 1860s, the Rhondda saw rapid growth. During the 1860s and the 1870s, 20 Rhondda Valley collieries opened, with the leading owner in theRhondda FachbeingDavid Davisof Aberdare, andDavid Daviesin theRhondda Fawr.[43]In 1865, the coal output from the Rhondda Valley was roughly one-quarter of that of Aberdare; ten years later the Rhondda was producing over two million tons more than the Aberdare valleys. These figures would later be dwarfed by massive excavation rates in the last quarter of the 19th century and up to theFirst World War.In 1913, Rhondda Valley output was 9.6 million tons.[48]

By 1893, there were more than 75 collieries in the Rhondda Valleys. Initially most were owned by a small group of individuals,[49]but the trend changed towards the start of the 20th century, as companies began buying up existing collieries. The widespread adoption oflimited liabilitystatus began a trend towards concentration of ownership,[50]reducing some of the economic risks involved in coal mining: unstable coal prices, inflated acquisitions, geological difficulties, and large-scale accidents.[51]The emerging companies were formed by the individuals and families who sank the original collieries, but by the start of the 20th century they were no more than principal shareholders. The firms included the Davies's Ocean Coal Company,Archibald Hood's Glamorgan Coal Company and David Davis & Son.[citation needed]

Population growth in the industrial period

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Year Male Female Total
1801 265 277 542
1841 386 362 748
1851 493 458 951
1861 1669 1366 3035
1871 9559 7355 16914
1881 30877 24755 55632
1891 50174 38177 88351
1901 62315 51420 113735
1911 83209 69572 152781
1921 85351 77378 162729
source[52]

During the early to mid-19th century, the Rhondda valleys were inhabited by small farming settlements. In 1841 the parish of Ystradyfodwg, which would later constitute most of the Rhondda Borough, recorded a population of less than a thousand.[23]With the discovery of massive deposits of high quality, accessible coal in the mid-19th century, the valleys experienced a large influx of financial immigrants. The first came to the lower Rhondda villages ofDinas,EirwandCymmer.Special sinkers came fromLlansamlet,while the first miners were fromPenderyn,Cwmgwrachand neighbouring areas ofLlantrisantandLlanharan.[53]The 1851 Census lists apprenticed paupers fromTemple CloudinSomerset,some of the earliest English immigrants.[53]From a mere 951 in 1851, the population ofYstradyfodwgparish grew to 16,914 in 1871. By 1901 the Rhondda Urban District had a population of 113,735.[54]As more and more coal mines were sunk the population grew to fill the jobs needed to extract the coal. In the 1860s and 1870s the majority came from neighbouring Welsh counties, but with the improving rail transportation and cheaper transport, immigrants came from further afield. The 1890s recorded workers from the South West, places such as Gloucester and Devon, and by the 1900s people came from North Wales, the lead-mining area ofAngleseyand the depressedslate-quarrying villages ofBethesda,FfestiniogandDinorwig.[55]Although there are records of Scottish workers, mainly centred on Archibald Hood'sLlwynypiamines, there were only small numbers of Irish, less than 1,000 by 1911.[56]This absence is often blamed on the forcible ejection of the Irish who lived in Treherbert during three days of rioting in 1857.[57]The population of the valleys peaked in 1924 at over 167,900 inhabitants.[23]

The mass immigration in the period was almost entirely from other parts of Wales and from England.[58]A notable exception was a group of Italian immigrants, originally fromnorthern Italyround the town ofBardi.In the late 19th century, they were forced out of London by over-saturation of the market, and instead set up a network of cafés,ice cream parloursandfish & chip shopsthroughout South Wales. These became iconic landmarks in the villages they served and they and subsequent generations becameWelsh Italians.Peculiar to the Rhondda was that shops run by Italian immigrants were known asbracchis,believed to have been named after Angelo Bracchi, who opened the first café there in the early 1890s.[59]In the early 21st century several of the Rhondda's original bracchis were still open for business.

Decline of coal and economic emigration (1914–1944)

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See also:Great Depression in the United Kingdom
Commemorative statue to the "Mining Communities of Rhondda"Robert Thomas(1926–1999)

At the start of theFirst World War,the economic prospects in South Wales were good. Although production fell after the 1913 high, demand was still strong enough to push the coalfields to their limit.[60]In February 1917 coal mining came under government control and demand increased as the war intensified, ensuring a market for sufficient supplies.[60]After the war the picture began to change. Initially the British coal industry was buoyed by a series of fortuitous economic events, such as theAmerican coal miners' strike,and by 1924 unemployment for miners was below the national average. But the belief that the mining industry would experience a permanent demand for coal was shattered by theDepression,when the Rhondda experienced a massive increase in unemployment.[61]The situation worsened in 1926, when in response to coalowners reducing pay and lengthening working hours of miners,[62]theTUCcalled ageneral strikein defence of the minerslocked outfollowingA. J. Cook's call "not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day".[63]The TUC called off the strike just nine days later, without resolving the miners' cut in wages. The miners disagreed and stayed on strike for a further seven months until they were starved into surrender. The Rhondda saw many schemes set up by miners to aid their plight, such assoup kitchensandfêtesand "joy" days to support them,[64]while inMaerdythe local miners set up a rationing system.[63]By the time the miners returned to work, there was little desire for further action, which saw a decline in the popularity of 'The Fed'[63]and greater emphasis on solving problems by political and parliamentary means.[65]

With theGreat Depression,employment in the Rhondda Valleys continued to fall. This in turn led to a decline in public and social services, as people struggled to pay rates and rents.[66]One outcome of the lack of funds was a fall in health provisions, which in Rhondda lead to a shortage of medical and nursing staff,[67]a failure to provide adequate sewage works, and a rise in deaths fromtuberculosis.[68]By 1932 the long-term unemployment figure in the Rhondda was put at 63 per cent,[69]and in Ferndale at almost 73 per cent.[61]

With little other employment available in the Rhondda,[70]the only solution appeared to be emigration. Between 1924 and 1939, 50,000 people left the Rhondda. During this time life was difficult for communities built solely around a singular industry, especially as most families were on a single wage.

The start of theSecond World Warsaw a turnaround in the employment figures, and by 1944 unemployment figures in the Rhondda ranged from 1 per cent inTreorchyto 3.7 per cent at Tonypandy.[71]

Mining disasters

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The Lewis Merthyr Colliery, now part of the Rhondda Heritage Park

The possibility of serious injury or death was an everyday risk for the mine workers of the Rhondda Valley. The most notorious form ofcolliery disasterwas thegas explosion,caused by a buildup either ofmethanegas orcoal dust.[72]As mines became deeper and ventilation harder to control, the risk increased. The worst single incident in the Rhondda was the1867 Ferndale disaster,when an explosion took 178 lives. However, the major disasters accounted for only about a fifth of the overall fatalities.[73]The list below shows mining accidents involving the loss of five or more lives in a single incident.

Mining disasters in the Rhondda Valley 1850–1965
Colliery Location Date Year Death toll Cause
Dinas Colliery Dinas 1 January 1844 12 gas explosion[74]
Cymmer Colliery Cymmer 15 July 1856 114 gas explosion
Ferndale No. 1 Pit Blaenllechau 8 November 1867 178 gas explosion[75]
Ferndale No. 1 Pit Blaenllechau 10 June 1869 53 gas explosion[76]
Pentre Colliery Pentre 24 February 1871 38 gas explosion[77]
Tynewydd Colliery Porth 11 April 1877 5 flooding
Dinas Middle Colliery Dinas 13 January 1879 63 gas explosion
Naval Colliery Penygraig 10 December 1880 101 gas explosion
Gelli Colliery Gelli 21 August 1883 5 gas explosion
Naval Colliery Penygraig 27 January 1884 14 gas explosion
Maerdy Colliery Maerdy 23–24 December 1885 81 gas explosion[78]
National Colliery Wattstown 18 February 1887 39 gas explosion
Tylorstown Colliery Tylorstown 27 January 1896 57 gas explosion[79]
National Colliery Wattstown 11 July 1905 120 gas explosion
Cambrian CollieryNo.1 Clydach Vale 10 March 1905 34 gas explosion
Naval Colliery Penygraig 27 August 1909 6 cage fall
Glamorgan Colliery Llwynypia 25 January 1932 11 explosion,afterdamp
Blaenclydach Colliery ClydachVale 25 November 1941 7 runaway trolley
Lewis Merthyr Colliery Trehafod 22 November 1956 9 gas explosion
Cambrian Colliery ClydachVale 17 May 1965 31 gas explosion

Modern Rhondda 1945–present

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Cwmparcleading into Treorchy in theRhondda Fawr

The coalmining industry of the Rhondda was artificially buoyed in the war years and there were expectations of a return to the pre-1939 industrial collapse after the end of the Second World War. There was a sense of salvation when the government announced thenationalisation of the British coal minesin 1947, but subsequent decades saw continual output reductions. From 15,000 miners in 1947, Rhondda had just a single pit within the valleys producing coal in 1984, located atMaerdy.[61]

The decline in coal mining after World War II was a countrywide issue, but South Wales and Rhondda were more gravely affected than other areas. Oil had superseded coal as the fuel of choice in many industries and there was political pressure behind the oil supply.[80]From the few industries still reliant on coal, the demand was for high quality, especiallycoking coalfor the steel industry. By then, 50 per cent of Glamorgan coal was supplied tosteelworks,[81]with the second biggest market being domestic heating: the "smokeless" fuel of the Rhondda became once again fashionable after publication of theClean Air Act 1956.[82]These two markets controlled the fate of the mines in the Rhondda, and as demand fell from both, the effect was further contraction. In addition, exports to other areas of Europe such as France, Italy and theLow Countriesexperienced sharp decline: from 33 per cent of output around the start of the 20th century to some 5 per cent by 1980.[82]

Other major factors in the decline of coal related to massive under-investment in the Rhondda mines over the previous decades. Most mines in the valleys had been sunk between the 1850s and 1880s, so that they were far smaller than most modern mines.[83]The Rhondda mines were comparatively antiquated in their methods of ventilation, coal-preparation and power supply. In 1945, the British coal industry was cutting 72 per cent of its output mechanically, whereas in South Wales the figure was just 22 per cent.[83]The only way to ensure financial survival of the mines in the valleys was massive investment by the NCB, but its "Plan for Coal" paper drawn up in 1950 was overly optimistic about future demand,[84]which was drastically reduced after an industrial recession in 1956 and with increased availability of oil.[80]

British and Welsh employment bodies funded and subsidised external businesses to locate replacement ventures in the valleys. The first attempt to bring in business unconnected to coal began in the 1920s, when David Jones, Town Clerk of the Rhondda Urban Council, gained government support for so doing.[85]Arrivals included Alfred Polikoff's clothing factory,[86]Messrs Jacob Beatus manufacturing cardboard boxes, andElectrical and Musical Industries Ltd.[86]After the Second World War, 23 firms were set up in the Rhondda Valleys, 18 of them sponsored by theBoard of Trade.Most had periods of growth followed by collapse, notablyThorn EMIin the 1970s andBurberryin the 2000s.[87]

TheRhondda Heritage Park,a museum marking Rhondda's industrial past, lies just south of Porth in the former Lewis Merthyr Colliery atTrehafod.[citation needed]

Governance

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Main article:Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

There is one tier of local government covering the Rhondda:Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.Although the Rhondda is divided into 16communities,none of them have community councils.[88]

Administrative history

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Main article:District of Rhondda

Historically, Rhondda was mostly covered by the parish ofYstradyfodwg.The small village ofYstradyfodwgwas centred on its parish church of St John the Baptist, with the old village being absorbed into the urban area ofTon Pentreas it grew during the industrial revolution. In 1877 most of the parish ofYstradyfodwgwas made alocal government district,governed by a local board, excluding only theRhigosarea of the parish, which lay to the north of the hills at the top of theRhondda Fawrvalley.[89]The local government district was enlarged in 1879 to also cover parts ofLlanwonnoandLlantrisantparishes, which had the effect of bringing thePortharea within theYstradyfodwgLocal Government District.[90][91]

In 1894 the local government district became theYstradyfodwgUrban Districtand the parish boundaries were adjusted to match the urban district.[92]The parish and urban district ofYstradyfodwgwere both officially renamed Rhondda in 1897.[93]Rhondda Urban District was made amunicipal boroughin 1955, and then reconstituted as adistrictwithin the new county ofMid Glamorganin 1974.[94]In 1996Mid Glamorgan County Councilwas abolished and Rhondda merged with the neighbouring districts ofCynon ValleyandTaff-Elyto becomeRhondda Cynon Taf.[95]

Subdivisions and settlements

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A rough layout of the main villages of the Rhondda shown along the two tributaries of the River Rhondda

Rhondda is aconurbationof numerous smaller settlements along the valleys. TheRoyal Mailtreats five of the settlements aspost towns:Ferndale,Pentre,Porth,Tonypandy,andTreorchy,all of which come under theCF postcode area.TheOffice for National Statistics(ONS) deems most of the settlements in theRhondda Fawrvalley and lowerRhondda Fachvalley to form part of the Tonypandybuilt-up area,with a population at the2011 censusof 62,545.[96]The ONS separately defines a Ferndale built-up area covering much of the upperRhondda Fachvalley, with a population in 2011 of 7,338.[97]

Until 1984, Rhondda constituted a singlecommunity.In 1984 it was divided into 16 communities:[98]

Community Population (2011 census) Post town
Cwm Clydach 2,799[99] Tonypandy
Cymmer 4,807[100] Porth
Ferndale 4,178[101] Ferndale
Llwyn-y-pia 2,247[102] Tonypandy
Maerdy 3,160[103] Ferndale
Pentre 5,232[104] Pentre
Pen-y-graig 5,554[105] Tonypandy
Porth 5,970[106] Porth
Tonypandy 3,750[107] Tonypandy
Trealaw 4,040[108] Tonypandy
Trehafod 698[109] Pontypridd
Treherbert 5,727[110] Treorchy
Treorchy 7,694[111] Treorchy
Tylorstown 4,546[112] Ferndale
Ynyshir 3,320[113] Porth
Ystrad 5,854[114] Pentre

Rhondda Fawr

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The larger of the two valleys, the Rhondda Fawr, extends fromPorthand rises through the valley up toBlaenrhondda,nearTreherbert.The settlements making up the Rhondda Fawr are:

Rhondda Fach

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TheRhondda Fachis celebrated in the 1971David Alexandersong "If I could see the Rhondda"; the valley includes Wattstown,Ynyshir,Pontygwaith,Ferndale, Tylorstown andMaerdy.The settlements that make up theRhondda Fachare as follows:

Religion

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Statue to "Our Lady", the pilgrimage site atPenrhys

The commote ofGlynrhonddawas coterminous with the earlier parish of Ystradyfodwg, but little is known of the Celtic saintTyfodwg,orDyfodwg,after whom the parish is named. He is thought to have lived around AD 600. Although the parish bears his name, there are now no religious monuments or places of worship named after him within the Rhondda boundaries,[37]although two churches outside the area are named after him:Y Tre SantinLlantrisantand Saint Tyfodwg's inOgmore Vale.

The earliest known religious monument is the Catholicholy wellinPenrhysfirst mentioned in the 15th century, though it may have been a place of pagan worship before.[115]This pilgrimage site was identified as a manor belonging to theCistercian AbbeyofLlantarnam[115]and was seen as one of the most important religious sites in Wales, due to itsMarian shrine.[115]This holy site was the main reason people would pass through the commote; it was even thought to be the main reason the first bridges were built over the River Rhondda.[116]

St Peter's Church,Pentre,'The Cathedral of the Rhondda'

During theMiddle Ages,theparish churchofYstradyfodwgnear the bank of the River Rhondda served the parishioners of theRhondda Fawr,[117]while the families of theRhondda FachattendedLlanwynnoChurch. The inhabitants of the lower Rhondda, in the vicinity of Porth andDinas,needed to reachLlantrisantto hear a service.[37]

Despite the importance of theAnglican Churchto parishioners, the growing strength ofNonconformitymade itself felt in the 18th century. In 1738 the Reverend Henry Davies formed the Independent Cause inCymmerand five years later aTŷ Cwrddor meeting house was opened there.[37]Although attracting families from as far away as Merthyr and the parish ofEglwysilan,there were no other Nonconformist Causes until David Williams began preaching in the Rhondda in 1784. In 1785 six people were baptised in the river nearMelin-yr-Omand in 1786Ynysfachwas opened inYstradas "a new house for religious services".[118]This was the firstBaptistchapelin the Rhondda and later became known asNebo, Ystrad Rhondda.[119]CymmerandYnysfachchapel would be the forerunners in a new religious movement in the valley for the next 150 years. In the early 19th century there were only three places of worship in the Rhondda; the parish church (now dedicated toSt John the Baptist) and theCymmerandYnysfachchapels. This changed rapidly after 1855 as coalmining brought an influx of population, and by 1905 there were 151 chapels in the valley.[120]

Chapel life was central to valley life throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but as with many communities throughout Britain, the post-war periods saw a decline in regular membership. To an extent the number of places of worship declined with the population, but this was exacerbated in the Rhondda by a swift decline in the number of Welsh speakers. Welsh-language chapels in particular saw a sharp drop in membership from the 1950s, and many closed in the next half-century. By 1990 the Rhondda had less than 50 places of worship and many premises had been demolished.[121]

Political activism

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Lodge banner depicting UnionistA.J. Cook

Political activism in the Rhondda has deep links with trade unions and the socialist movement, but was initially slow to develop. In the 1870s theAmalgamated Association of Minerswon support, but was destroyed by employer hostility. The Cambrian Miners' Association was more successful and the creation of theSouth Wales Miners' Federationafter the1898 coal strikegave South Wales miners a reputation formilitancy,in which the Rhondda Valley played its part.[122]

As part of theRedistribution Actof 1885 the Rhondda was granted its first seat in Parliament, which was won by a moderate trade union leader,William Abraham,who was notably the only working-class member elected in Wales.[123]Socialismandsyndicalismgrew in the 20th century and industrial struggle reached a crescendo in the 1910–1911Tonypandy riots.[124]A year later Tonypandy saw the publication ofNoah Ablett's pamphlet "The Miners' Next Step".Tonypandy was at the centre of further public disorder, when on 11 June 1936 at Dewinton Field, a crowd gathered to confront an open-air address byTommy Moran,propaganda officer of theBritish Union of Fascists.The crowd, recorded as 2,000–6,000 strong, turned violent and police had to protect Moran's Blackshirt bodyguard.[125]Seven local people were arrested.

The Rhondda also has a strong history of communist sympathy, with theRhondda Socialist Societybeing a key element in the coalition that founded theCommunist Party of Great Britain.[61]By 1936 there were seven communists on Rhondda Urban District Council and the branch was publishing its own newspaperThe Vanguard.[126]In the 1930sMaerdybecame such a hotspot of communist support known as "Little Moscow"[127]producing left-wing activists such as Merthyr bornArthur Hornerand Marxist writerLewis Jones.[126]The Rhondda miners were also active in socialist activities outside the valleys. In the 1920s and 1930s the Rhondda and the surrounding valleys provided the principal support of some of the largesthunger marches,while in 1936 more Rhondda Federation members were serving in Spain as part of theInternational Brigadesthan the total number of volunteers from all the English coalfields.[65]

In 1979, Rhondda councillorAnnie Powellbecame Wales' only communist mayor.[128]

Culture and recreation

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Role of women

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With an economy largely dependent on a single industry, there was a scarcity of paid jobs for women in Rhondda's coalmining heyday. TheEncyclopaedia of Walesnotes that the image of theWelsh Mam,a wife and mother constantly at home and exalted as the queen of the household, was essentially a Rhondda creation.[23]However the Rhondda did produce thesuffragetteand social reformerElizabeth Andrews,[23]one of nine women among a list of a hundred great Welsh heroes chosen by ballot in 2004.[129]

Sport

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Social amenities were rudimentary even before theRhondda Urban District Councilwas formed in 1897. Due to the geographic layout of the valleys, land was a scarce resource, and so leisure pursuits that took up little space, time and money were sought. This resulted in activities such asgreyhound racing,cockfighting,open-airhandball(often attached to apublic house),bo xing,foot racingandrugby union.[130]

Dai 'Tarw' Jones

Rugby union

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During the mid-19th century the influx of immigrants from older mining towns such as Aberdare and Merthyr brought the game ofrugbywith them. At Treherbert it took a five-monthlockoutin 1875 to see the game establish itself at the various collieries where the Amalgamated Association of Miners held their meetings.[131]In 1877Penygraig Rugby Football Clubwas formed, followed byTreherbertin 1879,Ferndalein 1882,Ystrad Rhonddain 1884,Treorchyin 1886 andTylorstownin 1903. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the "Rhondda forward" was a key player in manyWalesteams.[132]The heavy industrial worker was a prime aggressive attack figure in early Welsh packs, typified by the likes of Treherbert'sDai 'Tarw' (bull) Joneswho at 6-foot 1 inch (185.5 cm) and 16 stone (100 kg) in weight was seen as an animal of a man.[133]

The lack of playing fields in the valleys meant many rugby teams shared grounds, travelled every week to away grounds, or even played on inappropriate sloping pitches. The valley clubs had no clubhouses, with most teams meeting and changing in the closest local public house.[134]Many clubs built around colliery and pub teams appeared and disbanded, but many others survive to this day.

Football

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Due to the dominance of rugby union, there have been fewfootballteams of note in the history of the Rhondda Valleys. Several teams were formed around the end of the 19th century, but most folded in the Depression, including Cwmparc F.C. in 1926[135]andMid-Rhonddain 1928.[135]The area's most successful club isTon Pentre F.C.

Netball

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Netballhas become increasingly popular in the Rhondda during the 21st century. A local charity, Rhondda Netball, encourages more women to take part in sports both inside and outside school.[136]

Music

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Thetemperance movement,absorbed into the moralistic system of the Nonconformist chapels, caused a shift in social attitudes in the mid to late-19th and early 20th century Rhondda. Alcohol was looked down on and so were the increasingly violent sports such as rugby,[137]so that many young men sought more acceptable pastimes. Voice choirs were a natural progression from chapel society and brass bands eventually gained acceptance by the movement.

Male voice choirs

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The male-voice choirs of Welsh industrial communities are believed to have derived fromglee clubs.The Rhondda produced several choirs of note, including the Rhondda Glee Society, which represented Wales at the World Faireisteddfod.[138]The rivalTreorchy Male Voice Choiralso enjoyed success at eisteddfodau, and in 1895, the original choir sang before Queen Victoria.[138]Many choirs still exist, including the Cambrian Male voice choir in Tonypandy and the Cor Meibion Morlais in Ferndale.

Brass bands

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The mid-19th centurybrass bandshad a poor relationship with the Nonconformist chapels, mainly due to the heavy social drinking that came hand in hand with being a member.[139]This changed towards the end of the 19th century, when on becoming more respectable, many bands had actually joined the temperance movement. Two Rhondda brass bands which both started as temperance bands are theCory BandfromTon Pentre,who started life asTon Temperancein 1884;[140]and the Parc and Dare Band, formerly theCwmparc Drum and Fife Temperance Band.[141]The oldest in Rhondda is the Lewis-Merthyr Band, formerly Cymmer Colliery Band, founded as the Cymmer Military Band in or before 1855.[142]

As the temperance movement faded, the bands found new benefactors in the colliery owners and many took on the names of specific collieries. A memorable image of the connection between the collieries and brass bands came in 1985, when the Maerdy miners were filmed returning to work after theminers' strike,marching behind the village band.[139]

Songs

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Tom Jones,David AlexanderandPaul Childhave been among those who sang songs about the Rhondda as has Max Boyce who was born in Treorchy, Rhondda.

Rhondda is mentioned in thefolksongThe Bells of Rhymney:"Who made the mine owner?" say the black bells of Rhondda,quoting poetry fromIdris Davies.

Culture and nationality

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Language

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For most of its history, the Rhondda valleys were an exclusively Welsh-speaking area. Only in the early 20th century did English began to supplant Welsh as the first language of social intercourse.[143]In 1803, English historianBenjamin Heath Malkinmentioned that while travelling through Ystradyfodwg he had met only one person with whom he could talk, and then with the help of an interpreter.[143]This experience was repeated byJohn George Wood,who on a visit complained of the awkwardness of understanding the particular dialects and idioms used by the native speakers, which were difficult for other Welsh speakers to understand.[144]This dialect was once calledtafodiaith gwŷr y Gloran(the dialect of Gloran men).

As industrialisation began, there was still little shift in the use of Welsh. Initial immigrants were Welsh: it was not until the 1900s that English workers began settling in any great numbers, and in any case it was not these new workers who changed the language. The erosion of Welsh had begun in the 1860s in the school classrooms. The educational philosophy accepted by schoolmasters and governmental administrators was that English was the language of scholars and Welsh a barrier to moral and commercial prosperity.[145]In 1901, 35.4 per cent of Rhondda workers spoke only English, but by 1911 this had risen to 43.1 per cent, while Welsh-speaking monoglots had fallen from 11.4 to 4.4 per cent in the same period.[146]

Thorough anglicization of the Rhondda Valleys took place between 1900 and 1950. Improved transport and communications facilitated the spread of cultural influences, along with dealings with outside companies with no understanding of Welsh, trade union meetings being held in English, and the coming of radio, cinema and then television and cheap English newspapers andpaperbackbooks. All these were factors in the absorption of the English language.[147]

Cadwgan Circle

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Though the population of the Rhondda was embracing English as its first language, a literary and intellectual movement formed in the Rhondda in the 1940s that would produce an influential group ofWelsh languagewriters. The group formed during the Second World War by EgyptologistJ. Gwyn Griffithsand his German wifeKäthe Bosse-Griffithswas known as the Cadwgan Circle (Cylch Cadwgan[cy]) and met at the Griffiths' house inPentre.Welsh writers who made up the movement includedPennar Davies,Rhydwen Williams,James Kitchener DaviesandGareth Alban Davies.

Treorchy Gorsedd Stones

National Eisteddfod

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The Rhondda has hosted theNational Eisteddfodon 2 occasions, in1928atTreorchyand in2024inPontypridd.TheGorsedd stonesthat were placed to mark the 1928 event still stand on theMaindyhillside overlooking Treorchy andCwmparc.In 1947 Treorchy held theUrdd National Eisteddfodfor children and young adults.[148]

Communal activity

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Rhondda had a strong tradition of communal activity, exemplified byworkmen's halls,miners' institutesand trade unions.[149]Miners began to contribute to the building and running of institutes – such as theParc and Dare Hallin Treorchy – from the 1890s onwards, and were centres of entertainment and self-improvement, with billiards halls, libraries and reading rooms.[150]

Media

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In 1884 the Rhondda Valley had a localnewspaper,theRhondda Chronicle,[151]which became theRhondda Gazette and General Advertiser of the Rhondda Fach and Ogmore Valleysin 1891. In 1899, the Rhondda Valley was served by thePontypridd and Rhondda Weekly Postwhile theRhondda Postwas also in circulation in 1898.

TheRhondda Leader,one of the more familiar local papers, appeared in 1899[152]and nine years later became theRhondda Leader,Maesteg,Garwand Ogmore Telegraph.ThePorth Gazettewas published from 1900 to 1944,[153]and during that period there was a newspaper called theRhondda Socialist.TheRhondda Gazettewas in circulation from 1913 to 1919, while theRhondda Clarionwas available in the late 1930s.

ThePorth Gazette and Rhondda Leaderwas published from 1944 to 1967. Also published in Pontypridd during that period was theRhondda Fach Leader and Gazette.In more recent years theRhondda LeaderandPontypridd & Llantrisant Observercombined, before theRhondda Leaderbecame separate once more.[154]

In August 1952 the BBC transmitter atWenvoebegan broadcasting, allowing the Rhondda to receive television pictures for the first time.[155]This was followed in January 1958 by commercial television fromTelevision Wales and the West(TWW), giving Rhondda viewers a choice of two channels.[156]

Transport

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The A4061Bwlch-y-Clawddroad was built in 1928. It connected the Rhondda toNantymoelandAbergwynfiand made a lasting impression on the landscape to be featured inNational Geographic.[157]

The geological layout of the Rhondda Valley has led to restrictive transport links. The original road layout followed the valleys, with few links between them. In the 1920s, a major unemployment relief programme for out-of-work miners was created to build mountain roads connecting them. These had a lasting effect and transformed the valleys from being dead-end communities.[158][159]In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, new road projects such as theRhondda by-passwere created out of former railway lines.[160]

Two main roads service the area. TheA4058runs through theRhondda Fawrand theA4233services theRhondda Fach.The A4058 starts atPontypriddruns through Porth before ending at Treorchy, where it joins theA4061toHirwaun.The A4233 begins outside Rhondda atTonyrefail,heading north through Porth and through the Rhondda Fach to Maerdy, where the road links up with theA4059at Aberdare. Two otherA roadsservice the area; theA4119is a relief road known as the Tonypandy Bypass; the other is theA4061,which links Treorchy to theOgmore Valebefore reaching Bridgend.

There is a single rail link to the Rhondda, theRhondda Line,based around the oldTaff Vale Railway,which serviced both theRhondda FachandRhondda Fawr.The Rhondda Line runs through theRhondda Fawr,linking Rhondda toCardiff Central.The railway stations that once populated theRhondda Fachwere all closed under theBeeching Axe.The railway line serves 10 Rhondda stations at villages not directly linked connected through bus services.

British Railreopened some of the closed stations, such asYstrad Rhonddain 1986.[161]

Notable people

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Due to the scarcity of inhabitants in the Rhondda prior to industrialisation, there are few residents of note before the valleys became a coal-mining area. The earliest individuals to come to the fore were linked with the coal industry and the people; physical men who found a way out of the Rhondda through sport, and charismatic orators who led the miners through unions or political and religious leaders who tended to the deeply religious chapel going public.

Sport

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Boxer,Jimmy Wilde

The two main sports with which the Rhondda appeared to produce quality participants were rugby union andbo xing.One of the first true rugby stars to come from the Rhondda wasWillie Llewellyn,who not only gained 20 caps forWalesscoring 48 points but was also the first Rhondda-born member of theBritish Lions.Such was Llewellyn's fame that during theTonypandy riots,his pharmacy was left unscathed by the crowds due to his past sporting duties. Many players came through the Rhondda to gain international duty, and after the split between amateur rugby union and the professionalNorthern League,many were also tempted to the North of England to earn a wage for their abilities. Amongst the new league players wasJack Rhapps,Aberaman-born, but living in the Rhondda when he went north, to become the world's first dual-code international rugby player.

The most famous rugby player from the Rhondda in the latter half of the 20th century isCliff Morgan.Morgan was born inTrebanogand gained 29 caps for Wales, four for the British Lions and was one of the inaugural inductees of theInternational Rugby Hall of Fame.Another notable player isBilly CleaverfromTreorchy,a member of the1950 Grand Slamwinning team.Maurice Richards,born inTynntylaRoad,Ystrad Rhondda,was a Welsh international and British Lion of note, still known today for his scoring achievements playing in this code.

During the 20th century the Rhondda supplied a steady stream of championship boxers.Percy Joneswas not only the first World Champion from the Rhondda, but the first Welshman to hold a World Title when he won the Flyweight belt in 1914. After Jones came the Rhondda's most notable boxer,Jimmy Wilde,also known as the "Mighty Atom", who took theIBUworld flyweight title in 1916. British Champions from the valleys includeTommy Farr,who held the British and Empire heavyweight belt, andLlew Edwards,who took the British featherweight and Australian lightweight titles.

Althoughassociation footballwas not so popular as rugby in the Rhondda in the early 20th century, after the 1920s several notable players emerged from the area. Two of the most important came from the village ofTon Pentre;Jimmy Murphywas capped 15 times for Wales, and in 1958 managed both the Welsh national team andManchester United.Roy Paul,also from Ton Pentre, led Manchester City to two successiveFA Cupfinals in 1955 and 1956 and gained 33 Welsh caps.Alan Curtis,who was best known for representingSwansea CityandCardiff City,came from the neighbouring village ofPentre,and in an 11-year international career won 35 caps for Wales, scoring six goals.

The Rhondda Valleys have produced two world-class darts players. In 1975Alan Evansfrom Ferndale won theWinmau World Masters,a feat repeated in 1994 byRichie BurnettfromCwmparc.Burnett surpassed Evans when he also becameBDO World Darts Champion,winning the tournament in1995.

Politics

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Leanne Wood, fromPenygraig

D. A. Thomas,active in the area as an industrialist andLiberalpolitician, received the titles ofBaron Rhonddain 1916 andViscount Rhonddain 1918. Despite not being born in the Rhondda, the two most notable political figures to emerge from the area areWilliam Abraham,known as Mabon, andGeorge Thomas, Viscount Tonypandy.Abraham, best known as a trade unionist, was the first Member of Parliament of the Rhondda and the leader of the South Wales Miners' Federation. A strong negotiator in the early years of valley unionism, he lost ground as a moderate to more radical leaders in his later years. Thomas was born in Port Talbot, but raised in Trealaw near Tonypandy. He was a Member of Parliament for Cardiff for 38 years andSpeaker of the House of Commons(1976–1983). On his retirement from politics, he received the title ofViscount Tonypandy.

Leanne Wood,the former leader ofPlaid Cymru,was born in the Rhondda.

Film and television

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The best-known actors born in the Rhondda have been SirStanley Bakerand the brothersDonaldandGlyn Houston.Baker was born in Ferndale and starred in films such asThe Cruel Sea(1953) andRichard III(1955), though it was as actor/producer of the 1964 filmZuluthat his legacy endures.[162]The Houston brothers were born in Tonypandy, with Donald gaining the greater success as a film actor, with memorable roles inThe Blue Lagoon(1949) and Ealing'sDance Hall(1950).[163]Glyn Houston acted primarily in British B-Movies and was better known as a television actor.[163]

Literature

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Of the Cadwgan Circle, the most notable isRhydwen Williams,winner of the Eisteddfod Crown on two occasions, who used the landscape of the industrial valleys as a basis for much of his work. Writing in English,Peter Georgewas born in Treorchy and is best known as the Oscar-nominated screenwriter ofDr. Strangelove,based on his bookRed Alert.Reflecting the lives of the residents of the Rhondda, bothGwyn ThomasandRon Berrybrought a realism to the industrial valleys missing in the more rose-tinted writings ofRichard Llewellyn.

Visual arts

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The area has not produced as notable a group of visual artists as it has writers, though in the 1950s a small group of students, brought together through a daily commute by train to theCardiff College of Art,came to prominence as the Rhondda Group.[164]Although it did not set up a school or have a manifesto, the group, which included Charles Burton, Ceri Barclay, Glyn Morgan, Thomas Hughes, Gwyn Evans, Nigel Flower, David Mainwaring, Ernest Zobole and Robert Thomas, formed an important artistic movement in 20th-century Welsh art.

The notable members of the group includeErnest Zobole,a painter from Ystrad, whose expressionist work was deeply rooted in the juxtaposition of the industrialised buildings of the valleys against the green hills that surround them.[165]Also from theRhondda Fawrwas the sculptorRobert Thomas;[166]born inCwmparc,his heavy-cast statues have become icons of contemporary Wales, with many of his works publicly displayed in Cardiff.[167]

Science and social science

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In sciences and social sciences, the Rhondda has provided important academics for Wales and on the world stage.Donald Davies,born in Treorchy in 1924, was the co-inventor ofpacket switching,a process enabling the exchange of information between computers, a feature which enabled the Internet.[168]

In the social sciences, the Rhondda has produced the historianJohn Davies,an important voice on Welsh affairs, who was one of the most recognised faces and voices of 21st-century Welsh history, and was one of the main authors ofThe Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales.The Rhondda has also producedJ. Gwyn Griffiths,an eminent Egyptologist, who was also a member of theCadwganCircle. Griffiths and his wifeKäthe Bosse-Griffithswere influential writers and curators in the history of Egyptian lore. It is where a cluster of three internationally-distinguished social geographers spent their early lives:Michael Dear;David Hebert;[169]andKelvyn Jones.All three are Fellows of theLearned Society of Wales.[170][171][172]The noted political philosopherBrad Evans,who has written many books on violence and global affairs, was also born in the valleys of South Wales. His semi-biographical bookHow Black was my Valleyprovides a peoples history of the valleys with a particular focus on the problems blighting its towns. The book offers a reworking of Richard Llewellyn'sHow Green was my Valleyas it documents the change in the regions landscape from black back to green. As the book rephrases from Llewellyn's text, “How black was my valley, and the valley of them that are gone”.

References

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  1. ^TheEncyclopaedia of Wales(2008) does not give the area of the Rhondda Valley, but gives it in hectares for each of the 16 communities as of 2001.Clydach(487 ha),Cymmer(355 ha), Ferndale (380 ha),Llwynypia(258 ha),Maerdy(1064 ha),Pentre(581 ha),Penygraig(481 ha), Porth (370 ha), Tonypandy (337),Trealaw(286 ha),Trehafod(164 ha),Treherbert(2156 ha), Treorchy (1330 ha), Tylorstown (590 ha),Ynyshir(441 ha),Ystrad(714 ha). Total 9994 ha
  2. ^"Parliamentary constituency population estimates".Office for National Statistics.Retrieved22 October2022.
  3. ^abcHopkins (1975), p. 222.
  4. ^Gwefen Cymru-CataloniaKimkat.org
  5. ^"Rhondda Urban District Council records".Archives Network Wales.Retrieved19 February2009.
  6. ^Davis (1989), p. 5.
  7. ^abDavis (1989), p. 7.
  8. ^Williams, Glanmor, ed. (1984).Glamorgan County History, Volume II, Early Glamorgan: pre-history and early history.Cardiff: Glamorgan History Trust. p. 57.ISBN0-904730-04-2.
  9. ^Davis (1989), p. 11.
  10. ^abDavis (1989), p. 12.
  11. ^Davis (1989), p. 9.
  12. ^abDavis (1989), p. 14.
  13. ^Davis (1989), p. 15.
  14. ^Davis (1989), p. 16.
  15. ^Nash-Williams, V.E. (1959).The Roman frontier in Wales.Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
  16. ^Davis (1989), p. 17
  17. ^Wendy Davis (1982),Wales in the Early Middle Ages (Studies in the Early History of Britain),Leicester University Press;ISBN978-0-7185-1235-4,p. 102.
  18. ^William Rees (1951),An Historical Atlas of Wales from Early to Modern Times,Faber & Faber;ISBN0-571-09976-9
  19. ^abDavis (1989), p. 18.
  20. ^Davis (1989), p. 19
  21. ^Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments (in Wales),HMSO Glamorgan Inventories, Vol 3, part 2.
  22. ^Pugh, T.B. (1971).Glamorgan County History, Volume III, The Middle Ages: The Marcher Lordships of Glamorgan and Morgannwg and Gower and Kilvey from the Norman Conquest to the Act of Union of England and Wales.University of Wales Press. p. 39.
  23. ^abcdefgDavies (2008), p. 746.
  24. ^Pugh, T. B. (1971).Glamorgan County History, Volume III, The Middle Ages: The Marcher Lordships of Glamorgan and Morgannwg and Gower and Kilvey from the Norman Conquest to the Act of Union of England and Wales.University of Wales Press. p. 47.
  25. ^Davis (1989), p. 22.
  26. ^Aileen Fox (1939).Early Welsh Homesteads on Gelligaer Common, Glamorgan. Excavations in 1938. Glamorganshire.Vol. 94. Archaeologia Cambrensis. pp. 163–199.
  27. ^Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service, Digital ArchiveArchived2008-10-03 at theWayback MachinePicture of the remains ofCastell Nos.
  28. ^Davis (1989), p. 25.
  29. ^abDavis (1989), p. 26.
  30. ^Davis (1989), p. 26, "Morgan not only misidentifies the height of the 30-ft. mound as 100 ft. but states that '...all these sacred mounds were reared in this country... when Druidism was the established religion', but gives no historic proof. The book also has an illustration of the castle to which the artist has added a moat and several druids, neither of which are factual."
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edit
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