Glamorgan Contents Nearby Places

Aberdare
ABER DAR, in the Cwmwd of Meisgyn, Cantref of Penythen (now called the Hundred of Miskin), Co. of GLAMORGAN, South Wales: a Curacy, not in charge, to the Vicarage of Llan Trisaint: Patron, The Vicar of Llan Trisaint: Church dedicated to St. John the Baptist.  The Resident Population of this Parish, in 1801, was 1486. The Money raised by the Parish Rates, in 1803, was £436..12..7 1/2, at 13s. 11 1/4d. in the pound.  It is 4 m. S.W. from Merthyr Tudfyl.  The Fairs are holden on the 19th of April, Whitsun Monday, and 14th of November.  This Parish contains about 2000 acres of cultivated land, and about 2000 acres which are uncultivated.  Here are extensive Iron works, belonging to Messrs. Tappenton and Co., and Messrs. Scales and Co. According to the Diocesan Report, in 1809, the yearly value of this Benefice, arising from Stipend, and Augmentation, was £34..13.  The Rev. EDWARD EVAN, an eminent dissenting preacher, philosopher, and poet, was a native of this place; and was one of the few who, according to Mr. Owen, being initiated into the Bardic mysteries, have helped to preserve the institution to the present time.  He died on the 21st of June, 1798, being the day fixed for him to meet the other Bards of the Chair of Glamorgan.  JEUAN DDU AB DAFYDD AB OWAIN, an eminent poet, was also a native of Aber Dar; and flourished from about the year 1440 to 1480.  He was a gentleman of a large estate: and a great patron of the Bards, whose various acts of munificence are still traditionally told in the neighborhood where he resided.
From: A Topographical Dictionary of The Dominion of Wales by Nicholas Carlisle, London, 1811.

Archives and Libraries Bibliography Business and Commerce Records Cemeteries Census Church History Church Records Description and Travel Directories Genealogy Land and Property Maps

Medical Records Names, Geographical Newspapers Occupations  Politics and Government Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc Population Public Records Religion and Religious Life Schools

Archives and Libraries

• Aberdare Central Library
  Green Street
  Aberdare CF44 7AG
• Family History Resources held at Aberdare Library

Bibliography

Here is a substantial reading list of books which relate to Glamorgan, either county or parish.

References to the town of Aberdare at

• The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

Business and Commerce Records

• Aberdare & Aberaman Consumers Gas Co, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1845-1947: minute books, agendas, registers, managers' reports, ledgers, invoice and wages books, correspondents.
  [Glamorgan Record Office, Cardiff - Reference: D/D Ga/A]
• Aberdare Canal Navigation, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1793-1961: minute, share transfer and account books, shareholders registers, deeds, plans, papers relating to liquidation.
  [Glamorgan Record Office, Cardiff - Reference: D/DB Ca/1-94]
• Aberdare & District Co-Operative Society Ltd, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1871-1935: minute books and misc papers. [University of Swansea Library - Reference: SWCC]
  1901: Cwmaman branch ledger. [Glamorgan Record Office, Cardiff]
• Aberdare Railway Co., Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1845-1902: minutes & reports, ledger, registers, list of shareholders, letter books
  [Public Record Office, Kew, London - Reference: RAIL 2]
• Aberdare Trades and Labour Council, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1907-68: minutes, correspondents and financial records
  [University of Swansea Library - Reference SWCC]
• Aberdare Valley Railway Co., Cardiff, Glamorgan
  1855-64: minutes, ledger, cash book, expenditure and receipts books
  [Public Record Office, Kew, London - Reference: RAIL 3]
• Aberdare Waterworks Co., Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1857-67: minute book
  [Glamorgan Record Office]
• JT Jones, printer and publisher
  1827-1905: account books, lists of subscribers, registers of adverts, corresp, etc, Aberdare and Carnarvon [National Library of Wales, Department of Manuscripts and Records - Reference: NLW MSS 3321-63]

Cemeteries

The Glamorgan Family History Society have produced a set of microfiche containing Monumental Inscriptions for the following burial grounds :-

• St. John the Baptist

Census

The Glamorgan Family History Society have produced a set of microfiche containing an enumerated transcription and a personal name index. These are available for the years :

• 1841 - (included in with Merthyr Tydfil)
• 1851 - HO107/2460

Church History

Chapels Database  - a  list of all known non-conformist chapels or other non-Anglican religions in the parish

• ABERDARE, St. Elvan   1849-1853   - on the Church plans online site
• ABERDARE, St. Fagan   1851-1856    - on the Church plans online site
• ABERDARE, St. John the Baptist  1862-1864   - on the Church plans online site

Church Records

The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is in the Benefice of Aberdare, and Diocese of Llandaff. Details of the present incumbent of this benefice can be found at the Church in Wales website. The church can be found at grid reference SO000026.

A transcription of the registers is available from the Glamorgan Family History Society for the years: Baptisms, 1734-1900, Marriages, 1717-1837, Burials, 1734-1924. Visit their website for information on how to purchase these fiche.

Modern Parishes & Chapels of Ease :-

• Aberdare St. Elvan - Daughter church to Aberdare St. John
• Aberdare St. Matthew
• Aberdare St. Fagan, Trecynon - Chapel of ease to Aberdare St. John
• Aberdare St. Luke, Cwmdare
• Aberdare St. James, Llwydcoed
• St. Margaret, Aberaman - Parish formed in 1888 from Aberdare
• St. Illtyd, Cefn-Pennar
• St. Joseph, Cwmaman
• St. Mary Magdalene, Cwmbach
• St. Lleurwg, Hirwaun - Parish formed in 1886 from Aberdare and Penderyn (Breconshire)
• St. Winifred, Penywaun
• St. Margaret, Mountain Ash - Parish formed in 1863 from the Parishes of Llanwonno and Aberdare
• St. Winifred, Penrhiwceibr - Parish formed in 1897 from Mountain Ash

GRO - Glamorgan Record Office, Cardiff
NLW - National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
WGAS - West Glamorgan Archive Service
PRO - Public Record Office, London

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

• Aberdare Ecclesiastical Parish records     "Aberdare Ecclesiastical Parish records including registers for churches of St John and St Elvan of baptisms, 1734-1910; marriages, 1769-1937; burials, 1734-1946; records relating to: churchwardens, 1900-1939; property, 1869-1939; endowments and finance, 1894-1915; correspondence, 1881-1940; St Elvans church, 1862-1936; miscellaneous, 1854-1935; St Johns church, 1864-1938; St John the Evangelist, Robertstown, 1886-1912; St Mary Magdalene, Cwmbach, 1906-1914; St Marys Welsh Church, Maesydref, 1894-1936; St Matthews Mission Church, Abernant, 1885-1900; church affairs, 1901-1940; church organisations, 1892-1935; charities, 1884-1928; education, 1895-1920"

A set of fiche have been produced by the Glamorgan Family History Society covering registers of some Aberdare Chapels, for the period 1788-1951 (baptisms) and 1809-1836 (burials).     "..... records including registers of baptisms, 1854-1975; marriages, 1854-1953; burials, 1855-1942"

The following Religious Institutions are covered in the Mormon International Genealogical Index (IGI) :-

• Aberdare, Carmel Particular Baptist - Births 1806-1837
• Aberdare, Salem and Ebenezer and Nebo Independent - Christenings, 1806-1837

Description and Travel

Places, villages, farms etc within Aberdare parish  as shown on the parish map on the CD of  Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. (Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R.). (Extracted by John Ball)

• Aberdare [68] - Aberaman, Aberaman House, Abercwmboi, Abercwmboi Colliery, Aberdare, Aber-nant, Bedwlwyn, Berw Ddu, Blaen-Aman-fawr, Blaencwmboi, Blaenaman Fach, Blaengwawr, Blaen-nant-y-groes, Brick Works, Bryn Du, Bwllfa Dare Colliery, Capcoch, Castell Nos, Castell y Mawn, Cefn-pennar, Cefn-pennar-uchaf, Cefn Rhos-Gwawr, Craig Bedwlwyn, Craig Rhiw-ddu, Cwm Ynys-mintan, Cwmaman, Cwmbach, Cwmdare, Cwmdare Colliery, Cwmdu, Cwm-pennar, Dyffryn House, Fedw-hir, Ffynnon-y-gog, Gadlys, Gamlyn, Garn Wen, Gelli-ddu-fach, Gelli-ddu-fawr, Golf Course, Grey's Place, Gwersyll, Hafod Wen, Llech Sychryd, Lluestai-llwydion, Lwydcoed Station, Neuadd-y-Wenallt, Pen-rhiw-llech, Penywaun Inn, Rifle Range, Roberts Town, Ropeway, Tir Howel-ap-Ifor, Trecynon, Tre-Gibbon, Troed-rhiw-llech Foel, Twyn Ddisgwylfa, Twyn Rhondda-fach, Twyn-y-Briddallt, Ty-gwyn, Viaduct, Water Works, Waun Row, Ysgubor-wen House

Description of parish from A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1833) by Samuel Lewis.

List of accommodation in the Aberdare area

Aberdare online  - the site for Cynon Valley and Rhondda Cynon Taff

Aberdare Canal -  6¾ miles of canal from Ty-draw near Aberdare to Abercynon where it joined the Glamorganshire Canal

Aberdare Walks

Rhondda Cynon Taff Heritage Trail site -  sections for Cynon, Rhondda and Taff Ely

Aberdare and Cynon Valley - on BBC Wales

Aberdare - on Wikipedia

Directories

Transcript of complete name listing for Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, from Slaters Directory for 1858-1859.

Genealogy

A Guide to Local Genealogical Sources in the Cynon Valley by D.L. Davies M.A  - on the Rhondda-Cynon-Taf site

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

• Williams Family of Pantygerddinen, Aberdare, papers      "Records of the Williams family of Pantygerddinen, Aberdare, [c. 1826]-[c. 1920], consists of: Aberdare parish records, 1853-[c. 1865]; miscellaneous papers found loose in the volume, includes, papers concerning poetry [c. 1826]-1864, miscellanea, [c. 1860]-[c. 1920]; and deeds of property in Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil, 1868-1911."

Land and Property

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

• Dyffryn Estate, Aberdare records  1615-1940     "In 1749 William Bruce (1705-68) of Llanblethian, Glamorgan, navy agent and banker, bought the Dyffryn estate in Aberdare from John Jones. His son, the Rev. Thomas Bruce (d 1790) of Llanblethian and Dyffryn, was succeeded by his sister Margaret (d 1809) the wife of John Knight (d 1799) of Llanblethian and Barnstaple in Devon. Their son John Knight (1784-1872) assumed the additional surname Bruce in 1805 on succeeding to his uncle's Aberdare estate, and the surname Pryce in 1837 on succeeding to his cousin Frances Ann Grey's Dyffryn estate in the parish of St Nicholas. ............................"

Maps

Medical Records

The Gathering the Jewels site has material for Aberdare, use the onsite search box

Names, Geographical

Newspapers

• Aberdare Times, newspaper, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1876-1902: register of advertisements received, material sent for publication
  [National Library of Wales, Department of Manuscripts and Records]

Occupations

The Gathering the Jewels site has material for Aberdare, use the onsite search box

Local Collieries not shown anywhere else on this site;

• Abergwawr Colliery (near Aberdare) on the Welsh Coal Mines site
• Blaengwawr Colliery on the Welsh Coal Mines site
• Blaennant Colliery (near Aberdare) on the Welsh Coal Mines site
• Cwmneol  Colliery (near Aberdare)  on the Welsh Coal Mines site
• The Graig Pit, Aberdare  on the Welsh Coal Mines site
• The Werfa Colliery (near Aberdare) on the Welsh Coal Mines site

Politics and Government

• Aberdare Independent Labour Party, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  • 1895-1908: list of officers, subscriptions and committees
    [Glamorgan Record Office, Cardiff]
  • 1901-06: minutes
    [Aberdare Central Library]
• Aberdare Ward Labour Party, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1933-63: ward minute books, correspondents and papers
  [University of Swansea Library, Swansea - Reference SWCC]

Poorhouses, Poor Law etc

The Gathering the Jewels site has material for Aberdare, use the onsite search box

Population

The Population of Aberdare was as follows, and a more detailed breakdown is available.

Public Records

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

• Aberdare Burial Board records 1857-1903  
• Aberdare Civil Parish records  1819-1904    "Records of Aberdare Civil Parish including tithe plan and apportionment, 1847; vestry minutes books, 1819-1904; assistant overseers' rate books, 1844-1849; church rate book, 1840-1842; surveyors' account (Cefnpennar), 1832-1844"  
• Aberdare Coroner's records   "Post mortem reports and inquests, 1973-1983"  
• Aberdare Local Board of Health       "Records of the Aberdare Local Board of Health, 1854-1901, consisting of: minutes, 1854-1894; committee minutes, 1866-1900 (including committee minutes for Aberdare Urban District Council, 1895-1900); ledgers, 1875-1878; letter books, 1866-1894; waterworks company balance sheets, 1858-1872; and the journal used by the Inspector of Canal Boats, 1890-1901"     
• Aberdare Urban District Council records  1894-1974  
• Cynon Valley Borough Council records   1974-1996    "Cynon Valley Borough Council was formed in 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act 1972. It comprised Aberdare and Mountain Ash Urban Districts and parts of Neath Rural District, in Glamorgan, and Penderyn in Vaynor and Penderyn Rural District, formerly in Breconshire. ................. In 1996, the council was replaced by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council as unitary authority."  
• Miskin Higher Petty Sessional Division records  1853-1962     "Petty Sessions divisions were established based on the groups of parishes known as hundreds.................. In Glamorgan, the hundred of Miskin was covered by two divisions, Miskin Higher and Lower. Miskin Higher covered Aberdare, Abercynon, and Mountain Ash"   
• Wales Gas Board records      Include ".......... Aberdare Gas Undertaking, 1845-1949.........."

Religion and Religious Life

• Aberdare District Baptist Choral Union, Aberdare, Glamorgan
  1889-1934: records [National Library of Wales, Department of Manuscripts and Records]

Schools

Aberdare Girls' School

Aberdare Boys' Grammar School - a history,  1896-1978

Aberdare Girls' Grammar School  

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

• Aberdare (and Mountain Ash) Division Primary/Elementary school records      19th century-20th century        "Aberdare (and Mountain Ash) Division Primary/Elementary school records including log books and admission records relating to Aberaman schools, 1866-1939; Caradog Town school, 1921-1964; Aberdare Higher Standard school, 1890-1932; Aberdare Juvenile Unemployment Centre, 1927-1941; Open Air school for Physically and Mentally Disabled Children, 1914-1950; St. Fagans National school Trecynon, 1863-1963; Aberdare Town schools, 1875-1963; Duke street and Cwmdare Infants schools, 1869-1883; Abernant schools, 1892-1967; Aman schools, 1894-1960; Blaengwawr school, 1880-1969; Capcoch schools, 1872-1938; Cwmaman and Hirwaun War Nursery, 1943-1944; Cwmaman and Glynhafod schools, 1869-1987; Cwm-bach schools, 1868-1950; Cwmdare schools, 1864-1949; Hirwaun school, 1876-1949; Llwydcoed school, 1878-1934; Parc schools, 1865-1951; Pen-y-waun schools, 1897-1983; Robertstown school, 1972-1929; Ynyslwyd school, 1904-1953"
• Aberdare School Board records      "Aberdare School Board records comprising of minute books, 1872-1886; school returns, 1879-1923; report and letter books, 1878-1903; ledgers and accounts, 1872-1903; cash books, 1881-1901; ...................................."  
• Aberdare Mardy House (Church in Wales) Senior/Secondary Modern School records       "......... comprising of logbooks, 1930-1969"
• Pantglas Senior/Secondary school, Aberdare records     "Pantglas school was a senior mixed school until 1952 when it became Pantglas Secondary school............."      "   .... records comprising of log book, 1940-1966"

Hamlets, Towns and Villages

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