IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Grahams Yard, TREDEGAR, NP22 4QP

Blacksmith and poet. The inscription reads: William Williams ('Myfyr Wyn') 1849-1900 was born at Twyn Star, Tredegar. His father worked at Bryn Bach as an ironstone miner and William was at his side, working underground at the age of 10, when he was killed by a rock that fell upon him. Later as a young man, William served an apprenticeship at the same time as Ezechial Davies ('Gwentwyson') as a blacksmith under Joseph Bevan ('Gwentydd') at Sirhowy Ironworks. It's probably no coincidence that Joseph was a poet and both his apprentices became poets as well as blacksmiths by trade! William competed in eisteddfodau and published two volumes of poetry. His articles, which were written in the Gwent dialect 'Llythyra Bachan lfanc' were very popular. William's brother, another poet, David ('Myfyr Ddu'), published a selection of his articles and poems after William's death which included reminiscences of Sirhowy and district in the 19th century. Sarah Jones, iron piler at Sirhowy Ironworks. Sarah Jones stated that she was 15 when she gave evidence in 1841 to a commissioner enquiring for the report on the Condition of Children employed in Mines. She had been working at the ironworks for 5 years and piled the iron bars for them to be put in the heating furnace. Every other week she worked at night. She had never been to school and could not read although she sometimes went to Sunday School. Examination of census records has shown that children often stated that they were 2 or 3 years older than was actually the case.

The first furnace at Sirhowy was built in 1778. It is hard now to envisage the huge furnaces that existed above these arches and the associated industrial complex at this site during the 19th century. See http://www.sirhowy.com/svironworks.html . In front of the arches is a large lump of iron and slag.

Taken from above the arches of the Sirhowy Ironworks http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2943096 .

Text on the wall shows FOAM & FIBRE CONVERSION/FOAM CUT TO SIZE/CUSHIONS MADE TO ORDER.

This was the Company Shop for the Sirhowy Ironworks http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2943096 where employees were paid with tokens or notes which could only be spent in the company shop. This system, which led to abuse by the employers, was made illegal by the 1831 Truck Act but it took until 1887 until it applied to all workers.

Above the Sirhowy River.

Folkway Ltd http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5412905 is on the left side of the row.

The bridge carries Dukestown Road over the Sirhowy River.

Showing Give way to oncoming vehicles and the Welsh equivalent, the sign is at the edge of this bridge http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5412979 over the Sirhowy River.

This footbridge replaced an earlier bridge in 1989. The plaque states that it was the first of its type in the United Kingdom. I have been unable to find out to what this is referring. The bridge is a closed spandrel type with what appears to be a metal arch. For another view of the bridge see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3235340 .