Newspaper extracts for Bedwellty

There are many references to this area in the 15 million Welsh and English language articles from Welsh newspapers transcribed by the NLW and viewable on Welsh Newspapers Online
Below are English language articles that have been re-transcribed and extracted randomly to illustrate what is available, there are many that are not extracted here that include names of local people

•  From the Monmouthshire Merlin 27th August 1870

BEDWELLTY. CLUB FESTIVAL.—On Saturday last, the "Hearts of Oak" Lodge of the Loyal Philanthropic Society held their anniversary at the New Inn, Bedwellty. They met about 11 a.m. and marched, headed by the Bargoed Brass Band, under the leadership of Mr. Josiah Foxall, through Rock and Argoed, thence back to the New Inn, where about eighty sat down to an excellent dinner, provided by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. After justice had been done to the good things provided, the chair was taken by Mr. John Thomas, of Argoed, to whom much credit is due for the efficient manner in which he conducted the evening's entertainment. The usual loyal and patriotic toasts were well received and the evening's proceedings were enlivened with singing and dancing.

• From the Monmouthshire Merlin 30th May 1873

BEDWELLTY. SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. — A meeting of the Bedwellty School Board took place on Friday, at the Drill Hall, Blackwood. The principal business of the meeting was the consideration of the use of the Drill Hall as a schoolroom, pro tem. Captain Williams, D Battery Artillery Volunteers, having expressed his willingness to grant the Drill Hall for a school, provided it could be used without interfering with the purpose for which it was built. The Board accepted the offer, and agreed to erect suitable offices, and to use moveable fittings. It was also resolved that the services of a certificated mistress be obtained.

• From the  South Wales Daily News (Third Edition) 12th November 1897

BEDWELLTY. BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—This board met at Tredegar on Wednesday, under the presidency of Mr D. F. Pritchard. Mr Bircham, Local Government Board inspector, recommended a course of industrial training for the boys and girls and a trained male nurse in view ef the abnormal number of patients. Attention was also called to the question of enlarging the house, which would have to be faced at an early date. In 1891 the population of the Union was 64,000, but it had reached now, he was told, 90,000. The pauperism of Bedwellty Union was 3.3 per cent., and the union was twenty-second on the list out of 53 unions on the figures of the census 1891. The population, however. had greatly increased, while in other unions it was either stationary or retrogressive. Taking 90,000 as the population the pauperism of Bedwellty Union would be a little over 2 percent., and that would send them up the list considerably. The total expenditure for the year was £13,400, representing a cost per head of the population of 4s 1¾d, which was the average for the whole kingdom. Mr Bircham strongly recommended the formation of a voluntary nursing association in the district, and to which the board of guardians could contribute. Greater variety in the dietary in the house was also suggested. The board promised to act upon these suggestions as far as possible.

• From the Weekly Mail 14th October 1882

BEDWELLTY. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.—During the past week a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Bedwellty Agricultural Society was held at the Carpenters' Arms Hotel, at Blackwood, when. Mr. D. F. Pritchard presided. The prize of a suit of clothes, to be given to the farm labourer who had served the longest period under the same employer, was awarded to John Parry, Cwmtysog Farm. The financial position of the society was gone into. After meeting all expenditure incurred by the recent show, a surplus of about £11 will be added to the invested funds of the society's capital.

• From the  Monmouthshire Merlin 11th October 1856

BEDWELLTY. On Saturday, the 13th ult., the members of the Bedwellty Friendly Society met for their second anniversary, and dined at the New Inn. The arrangements for the repast were creditable to the host and hostess. The day being very fine, the majority of the members employed harvesting, it was therefore late before all assembled. The Rev. Mr. Jones, Baptist minister, Pontaberbargoed, delivered to the members an appropriate address. Mr. Thomas Williams (the president), Cwmsevuke, returned thanks, (in the name of the society), to the young ladies present, for their kindness and activity in waiting on the brethren at table.

• From the Monmouthshire Merlin 21st March 1863

BEDWELLTY. The lower portion of Bedwellty consists of so many scattered villages that united action seldom takes place among the various sections of the community. However, the tide of loyalty which set in at the royal wedding united all classes for the occasion. To give effect to the wishes of the inhabitants, a committee was formed, consisting of the following gentlemen  ..............(part extract).............By the directions of the committee, the bells of Bedwellty church sent forth merry peals, and appropriate flags were displayed in various places. It is due to the various persons who provided the dinners to say that, without exception, these were of the best and most substantial description. Expense seemed not to have been regarded, the desire being to provide such a dinner as would mark their loyalty and their sense of the honour of being selected to cater for the occasion. We believe the whole affair gave complete satisfaction, and contributed materially to the promotion of heddwch, cymdeithos, a chyumryddogaeth dda.

•  From the Monmouthshire Merlin 6th December 1862

BEDWELLTY. A Thanksgiving Service was held at the parish church of Bedwellty, on the 26th of November last, when a large congregation was assembled. The prayers were said partly in English and partly in Welsh, by the Rev. Alexander Stammers, chaplain of the Gellygaer Charity, and the Rev. R. H. Morgan, incumbent of Bedwellty and the alternate use of the two languages gave a very interesting variety to the service. .....(part extract).......

•  From the Monmouthshire Merlin 28th October 1865

BEDWELLTY. PARISH MEETING.—A meeting of the ratepayers of the parish of Bedwellty was held in the Vestry-room, at Bedwellty Church, on Tuesday, the 24th inst. A poor- rate of Is. 3d. in the pound was declared for the ensuing half-year. The railway bridges at Tir Phil and Bargoed were taken into consideration, and not being approved the several Boards of Roads convened a special meeting to discuss the matter. The Rev. — Morgan was chairman, and there were present M. Fothergill, John Davis, Jenkin Matthews, R. Spencer, and Morgan Aubrey, Esqr., Dr. Heachley, and others.

•  From the The Cardiff Times 26th April 1861

BEDWELLTY. CHURCH RATE DEFEAT. This large parish contains about 40,000 people, while the hamlet in which the parish church stands contains scarcely a dozen houses. About two years ago the church was repaired by voluntary subscriptions, a rate being very distasteful to the numerous dissenters in the iron works of Tredegar, Ebbw Vale, aad Rhymney; and it was tacitly understood by all parties that the system of rating was abandoned. What was the surprise of the dissenters of the iron works than to learn that a notice was affixed On the church door calling a vestry meeting for the 19th, with the avowed purpose of levying a church rate.

To meet this subtle manoeuvre, deputations started from Rhymney, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar, early on Friday morning; but when they arrived it was found, to their astonishment, that the meeting would not take place till 3 p.m., instead of 9 a.m., as they were lead to suppose. The dissenting ministers sought the Rev. R. H. Morgan, and were told that there was not the slightest necessity for their attendance, as it was not intended to extend the rate to the iron works, and consequently they could not be allowed to vote. He further said that an ecclesiastical division of Bedwellty into three parishes, had been made by an Act of Parliament, and that rendered them independent in rating matters. This was far from satisfying the dissenters, who were told later in the day by the same gentleman, that he possessed authority to drive them all out of the churchyard. This important threat did not improve the temper of the opposition, and the meeting was a stormy one.

The INCUMBENT, as an ex-officio chairman, opened the meeting by saying he was sorry that people from a distance had been wickedly deceived as to the hour of the vestry, he could assure them that he had no wish to pack a vestry. Nevertheless, he would not take the votes of the people from the iron works. The rate was only for the lower hamlets, and the inhabitants of that district only had a right to vote

Mr. J. PHILLIPS said, we have come here to vote on the strength of a notice headed the parish of Bedwellty, and nothing short of actual force shall prevent us from voting. We will not have a rate—that's flat.

Mr. G. OWEN (Rhymney): I propose that this vestry be postponed till some authority can be shown for Mr. Morgan's assertions.

Capt. MARSH The ratepayers of the Ironworks have no right to interfere at all in this district. They have their own churches, churchwardens, and machinery for their support.

Dr. DAVIES (Blackwood) This division of the parishes had never been fairly brought before the ratepayers. You say it has been law for twenty years, how is it we never heard of it be/ore ?

......(part extract).......

The CHAIRMAN: We shall not proceed with the rate at present, nor without giving you notice. The meeting then broke up.

•  From the Monmouthshire Merlin 1st June 1861

 BEDWELLTY. THE BEDWELLTY CHURCH RATE QUESTION. A circular, of which the following is a copy, has been addressed to the ratepayers and parishioners of the upper districts of Bedwellty

Bedwellty Parsonage, May, 1861.

GENTLEMEN,—The recent vestry meeting on church matters, held on the 19th April, brought before us very forcibly the question of the legal position of the new parishes with respect to the ancient parish church of Bedwellty, and I trust you will therefore permit me to place the matter before you, so far as I am able, in a tangible form, so that you may have an opportunity to form your own opinion. The ancient parish of Bedwellty has been divided for ecclesiastical purposes into three portions or districts, viz., Rhymney, Tredegar (including the populous places in the valley of the Ebbw), and the district which belongs to the ancient parish church.

Rhymney was made a parish by a special Act of Parliament, which received the Royal Assent on the 14th day of May, 1840, and by section 3 of that Act Rhymney is made a 'distinct parish'—'independent of Bedwellty.'  And section 9 enacts 'That the inhabitants or proprietors (of said new parish) shall not as such be subject to any rates for the repair of the church of Bedwellty.' This I think puts the matter above all doubt as to Rhymney.

Tredegar, including the populous places on the right bank of the Ebbw, was made a district chapelry under 59 Geo. 3, c. 134, s. 16, by an order in council, dated June 15th, 1840; and in 1856 an Act was passed (19 and 20, Vic., c. 104) commonly called Lord Blandford's Act, which constitutes such districts as Tredegar into distinct parishes by its 14th section, and by the 15th section it is provided, among other things, that such a parish shall have and possess all the same rights and privileges, and be affected with such and the same liabilities as are incident or belong to a distinct and separate parish, and to no other liabilities.

Mr. Traill, the barrister who drew up the Act for the then Marquis of Blandford, says, that though the Act does not, totidem verbis, mention the question of church rates (either, I presume, as a privilege or a liability) yet that the phraseology is beyond all doubt sufficient to decide the purpose of the Act, which is in fact on this question to exempt such district parishes as Tredegar from a rate towards the ancient church, but to make them liable to repair and maintain their own.

"I am very glad to make this explanation, though it is precisely what I maintained at the vestry. With reference to the election of churchwardens I am sorry to say that I have not been able to remove the doubt I felt on the day of the vestry.

It is supposed, and only supposed, that as the church wardens are ex officio overseers of the poor for the whole of the ancient parish, all who pay poor rates are entitled to vote in their election,

The whole question, however, is involved in great doubt. Unwilling to put myself, even in appearance, against the great interests of the upper districts  - unwilling to trench to the breadth of a hair on the privileges, even though doubtful, of a fellow-subject, and still more unwilling to hurt the feelings of so great a number of respectable parishioners, whose good sense and temperate language and demeanor at the vestry, would do honour to any assembly of people, I allowed you all to vote in the election. It is right, however, for me to state that since then the Court of Queen's Bench has granted a mandamus bearing on this very question. The petitioners for the mandamus clearly imply that the chairman was acting illegally in admitting the votes of persons who lived in a new ecclesiastical parish, the very thing which I did at the recent vestry. The Times of May 9 states that the mandamus was granted after some hesitation. I think, gentlemen, that when her Majesty's Chief Justice Cockburn, Justices Crompton, Hill, and Blackburn, show ' some hesitation,' both you and myself may show very considerable hesitation in deciding on a legal question.

I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,

Your faithful servant, R. H. MORGAN.

•  From The Cardiff Times 3rd April 1875

BEDWELLTY. MEMORIAL TABLET.—A well-designed marble tablet has been erected in the parish church over the reading desk, in memory of the late Rev. R. H. Morgan. The tablet consists of three parts, the sides containing shields in relief, bearing the sacred monogram, and in the centre the following inscription :—" In memoriam Rev. R. H. Morgan, 10 years vicar of this parish, born 1831, died 1869. 'The Master is come and calleth for thee.' St. John, XL. 28. Erected by public subscription." Over the gravel, at the north end of the churchyard, a flat stone has been placed with the same inscription upon it, and low iron railings have been placed around it. The workmanship upon the tablet was done by Mr W. Davies, the Caerphilly sculptor. The cost is over £60. which has been subscribed.

•  From the The Cardiff Times 5th November 1870

BEDWELLTY. COLLIERY EXPLOSION.—An explosion took place at the Bedwellty pits on Monday, which fortunately might have been attended with more deplorable results than have arisen. The force of the explosion was such as to cause fire to come out of the mouth of the shaft. One man only was severely burnt, but he is expected to survive. The cause of the disaster has not yet been ascertained

• From The Cardiff Times 9th April 1892

BEDWELLTY. BREAK ACCIDENT.—On Monday morning a party of excursionists hailing from Rhymney came to grief in descending the sharp dip near Bedwellty church. The horses fell, and the break, heavily laden with men and women, was overturned, and several of the occupants sustained serious injuries.

•  From The Cardiff Times 3rd October 1874

BEDWELLTY. AN AMUSING INCIDENT.—A correspondent writes:-

The church being situated in a remote part, the fact of a wedding is not got at easily, and this is an inducement to numbers of young people who want to keep matters quiet to come here and be "joined in the bonds of holy matrimony." This a young couple from Tredegar agreed to  do one Sunday recently so with a couple of friends they came down here. But before going into church the custom invariably is to go into one of the neighbouring inns, and have a stimulant to work up the "cheek," as they term it. The "custom," on this occasion, was religiously observed. While enjoying their glasses a dispute arose between the bride and bridegroom. The bride and her  friends, however, went off to the church, nothing daunted, thinking that "Shon" would follow, but instead he ran out of the inn, jumped over the hedge in front of the door, and bolted across the fields. He was pursued and captured by his "best man," and after a little persuasion consented to come back and get married. All this time the bride waited patiently, and bore the disappointment with great fortitude. Just as the bride- groom reached the churchyard he bolted off again, and  has not been heard of since. So the bride had to return home with her friends, but without her husband.

• From  The Cardiff Times 13th January 1877

BEDWELLTY. HOLLY BUSH SCHOOL.-In October last this school was examined by Mr T. M. Owen, inspector of schools, and his report, which has only just been received, contains the following remarks

This school, I am glad to be able to state, has improved since the last inspection. A slight weakness is discernible in the arithmetic in the first and third standards with this exception the children have acquitted themselves very corditably. Both tone and order were noteworthy, Geography and singing need further attention. The infants were well attended to. Their knowledge of arithmetic, and form and colour, can be improved."

The report states that the mistress (Miss Thomas) will now have her parchment, as this is the second examination since she has left the training college. The grant is over £ 5 higher than last year's.

• From  The Cardiff Times 20th February 1904

BEDWELLTY. The adjourned sessions for the Bedwellty Licensing Division were held at B'aina Police Court-room. on Monday, the Justices present being Dr. R. T. E. Davies (in the chair), Messrs T. P. White, J. Stanfield, E. J. Williams, W. Stewart, and D. Jones. Acting-Superintendent J. James reported that during the year three licenceholders were proceeded against, and one was convicted; 257 persons had been proceeded against for drunkenness, of whom 251 were convicted, as against 286 the previous year, a decrease of 35.......(part extract of a lengthy article)........

•  From the South Wales Daily News (Third Edition) 16th August 1892

BEDWELLTY. THE LIVE STOCK SHOW.-The Bedwellty Agricultural Society's annual show of live stock, farming implements, poultry, &c, will be held on Monday, Mabon s Day, the 5th proximo, on the Forest Fields, Twynffald, midway between Pen- gam and Blackwood. Prizes are offered in 92 classes, and there are two classes for timbermen at collieries. The prizes amount to about £250.