More Melingriffith Works
HISTORIC MELINGRIFFITH
Probably no other industrial undertaking in South Wales has been worked without break for as long a period as the Melingriffith Tinplate works. It is situated at or near the site of an ancient corn mill which in medieval times was a manorial mill of the Lordship of Senghenydd and, at a later period, of its member the Manor of Album Monasterium. The name Melin Griffith (Griffith's Mill) was probably derived from Gruffydd, son of Ifor Bach, who was Lord of Senghenydd during the latter part of the 12th century.
The mill was in operation intermittently for many centuries. In 1695 it was leased, with a 2 acre field called Cae Vellyn, by the Dowager Countess of Pembroke to John Mathew, of Splott, and was described as being in a 'ruinous' condition. It was probably put in commission by the Mathew family, for in a similar document of 1715 the adjective 'ruinous' does not appear.
The mill was driven throughout its existence by the water directed along an artificial course from the river the Taff at Radyr Weir, and this method of obtaining power has been and still is in operation at Melingriffith Works.
The earliest reference I know to an ironworks undertaking at this point occurs in an Ewenny Priory document of May, 1749. This records that Rees Powell, of Llanharan, agreed to lease for 21 years to Richard Jordan and Francis Homfray, both of Staffordshire, "a water corn grist mill called Velin Griffith and a forge in the parish of Whitchurch." In an unexpected draft lease for a period of 200 years by William Powell to Richard Jordan mention is made of forges erected on the site of a water corn grist mill called Melin Griffith and a forge erected nearby by Rees Powell. It seems clear from these documents that an ironworks enterprise was founded by Rees Powell, of Llanharan, probably before 1749.
The Jordans disposed of their interest in the property to a Bristol firm called Reynolds, Getley & Co., in 1765. Amongst the partners of this firm were ironmasters of the name of Hartford, who were well-known Bristol Quakers. By 1786, if not earlier, the ownership of the undertaking was in the hands of Hartford, Partridge & Co., a firm who were later associated with the other South Wales ironworks undertakings, including Ebbw Vale.
In the early years of the 19th century a young man named Richard Blakemore - a relative of the Partridges - was at Melingriffith, and by 1810 the works was acquired by the firm of Richard Blakemore & Co., with Blakemore as managing director. Under his direction the enterprise prospered exceedingly. He acquired the Pentyrch Forge and opened collieries in that neighbourhood, and built a railway linking up Pentyrch and Melingriffith.
Blakemore was a bachelor, and in 1820 he adopted a nephew, Thomas William Booker, who in time succeeded to the business and traded as T. W. Booker & Co. The enterprise continued to prosper, and Mr. Booker's three sons, Richard, Thomas William and John Partridge, who lived at The Pines, Velindre, and Greenhill respectively, were given an interest in the concern. In due course T. W. Booker, Senior, entered parliament and the management of the undertaking was vested mainly in his second son, T. W. Booker, Junior. In 1858, T. W. booker, Senior, who had three years previously on his uncle's death adopted the additional surname of Blakemore, died, and the three sons inherited.
The eldest son Richard was of dissolute habits and took very little interest in the business, and upon the second son fell the heaviest responsibility for the management. Considerable extensions were made to the new works, and additional mills were built and side-line industries for the manufacture of wire and red ochre were established.
Financial difficulties, arising partly from depressed conditions of trade following the Franco-Prussian War, were encountered, and in 1872 outside capital had to be obtained. The partnership was converted into a limited liability company under the title of T. W. Booker & Co.,Ltd., and the property was disposed of to the new company for the sum of £425,000. A number of outside directors joined the Board and T. W. Booker was made Managing Director. At this period Melingriffith comprised 12 mills and had an annual output of 10,000 tons of sheet iron and 100,000 boxes of tinplate.
The new company was handicapped not only by the trade slump, but to a far greater extent by the development of steel manufacturing processes during the seventies. Steel was a superior basic commodity than iron for tinplate production. A scheme for the conversion of Pentyrch Works for the manufacture of steel by Bessemer Process was prepared, but the company were unable to face the enormous cost. Pentyrch, instead of being an asset, soon became a liability.
To add to its troubles certain of the firm's customers failed to pay their debts, and involved the undertaking in a substantial loss. Then 1878 the West of England and District Bank, which had made heavy advances to T. W. Booker & Co Ltd., also failed, and its liquidators called upon the company to repay its loans. This it was unable to do, and a winding-up order was made against it.
In July, 1881 the Booker undertaking was put up for sale as a going concern, but no bid was received, and attempts to dispose of the property by private treaty also failed. Ultimately the Melingriffith section was leased to the Cardiff Iron and Tinplate Co. Ltd., with James Spence as managing director, and the Pentyrch section was closed down.
During the 1880's depressed conditions continued in the metal-lurgical industries of South Wales. In 1885-7 Melingriffith operated only intermittently, and in November, 1887, it suspended operations and the Spence Company went into liquidation. In June, 1888, the Melingriffith and Pentyrch properties were sold in lots by public auction. Melingriffith Works and railway and 39 freehold cottages were bought by Richard Thomas, of Lydbrook, for the very low sum of £12,000, plus £10,500 for machinery and plant.
A new company, the Melingriffith Company Ltd., was incorporated with a capital of £40,000, the chief shareholders being Sir William T, Lewis (afterwards Lord Merthyr), Richard Thomas and E. P. Martin. Richard Thomas became managing director. The new syndicate began working under favourable conditions. It had acquired the property at a knock-out figure and was not saddled with the obsolete and unremunerative ironworks at Pentyrch. In addition it had an advantage over competitors in the form of cheap water power.
Under Richard Thomas' skilful management the works were completely reorganised and improved. The enterprise prospered exceedingly, and in 1898 the total capital was raised to £70,000 and in 1918 to £100,000 by the issue of bonus shares.
In due time Richard Thomas acquired and developed other undertakings and founded the well-known concern, Richard Thomas & Co. Ltd. Melingriffith, however, continued as a separate private company and was under the directorship of Richard Thomas until 1916. The control then passed to his sons, and Mr, Spence Thomas was managing director when in 1934 the works was sold to Richard Thomas & Co. Ltd. Tinplate manufacture was temporarily suspended and during the recent World War the buildings and plant were used for war-time purposes.