Williamstown
Williamstown lying the foot
of Mynydd Dlnas near Pen-y-Gralg in the
Rhondda, was built during the 1870s on land
which had been Inherited in 1867 by members of
the Williams family from their father’s
cousin, Walter Coffin, one of the pioneers of
the South Wales coal trade. The trustees of
the estates, were Morgan Bransby Williams,
Leonard Dyson Williams and Arthur John
Williams. In addition, their sister, Caroline
Elizabeth Williams, was an executrix and while
not named In the will as a trustee, did
nevertheless come to play an influential part
In managing the estate.
The Williams family, and
the families from whom they were descended
produced some Interesting individuals who not
only made their mark on the history of
Glamorgan but also Influenced national and
international affairs. Worthy of mention
amongst these are Ann Thomas, the legendary
‘Maid of Cefn Ydfa’ (1704-1727), Dr Richard
Price FRS, philosopher and International
‘Apostle of Liberty’ (1723-1791), William
Morgan FRS, actuary and pioneer of scientific
life Insurance (1750-1833) and George Cadogan
Morgan, minister of religion and scientist
(1754-1798). Biographical details of other
individuals are given In the sections which
follow
Walter Coffin Walter Coffin was born in 1784, the second son of Walter Coffin and his second wife Anne Morgan. At the age of eight Coffin went to Cowbridge Grammar School and after remaining there for some eight years went on to a private nonconformist academy at Exeter run by the Revd Timothy Kenrlck, a leading Unitarian minister. The Coffin family were active Unitarians and did much to promote that cause. On completing his education, Coffin had hoped to enter the Bar but because of discrimination against dissenters he returned to Bridgend In 1804 and entered his father’s tanning business. It was whilst prospecting for bark In the Rhondda that Coffin first became Interested In coal. His father Invested In land, purchasing several farms In the north western part of the parish of Llantrlsant at Dlnas Uchaf and Dinas Isaf. It was on these mineral-bearing lands spread over some three hundred acres that Coffin concentrated his coal prospecting. He opened up various coal levels during the 1800s but It was the Lower Dlnas Colliery, sunk in 1812 to give access to the No. 3 Rhondda seam, which proved a really profitable Investment. It paved the way for his success as a pioneer In the South Wales coal trade In which he marketed what became known as ‘Coffin’s Coal’ In July 1812, following the death of his father, Coffin left the family home at Nolton, Brldgend and moved to Llandaff Court, Cardiff This move was to prove advantageous to him and brought him positions of authority and Influence. In the early 1830s he was appointed a JP and in 1835 was made an alderman of Cardiff This was followed In 1848 by his election as mayor of Cardiff; he later became chairman of the quarter sessions. In addition to being a successful colliery owner, Coffin owned several corner ships. He was a promoter and director of the Tall Vale Railway, and on Its formation In 1836 opposed Its extension up the Rhondda Valley believing It would be unprofitable. His view was that Dinas was the limit of coal of any consequence to be found in the Rhondda and that distribution could be handled by tramroad and canal, means which he himself was already using. Over the years, Coffin had come to hold strong Liberal views and his home at Llandaff Court became something of a centre of Liberal political opinion In the Cardiff area. In 1852, in response to a petition from some of the Cardiff electorate, he stood as the Liberal candidate for the borough, winning the seat by twenty six votes. At the same time he relinquished his commercial interests. In 1857 he gave up his parliamentary duties, never having addressed the House as a member, and moved from Wales to England In order to be nearer his relatives Coffin died at his home In Kensington In 1867 and was burledat Brldgend. Neither he nor his brothers and sisters ever married, and on his death the family name became extinct. In the circumstances, It was only natural that he should have chosen as the executors and beneficiaries of his will those members of the Williams family who had taken a close interest in his welfare during his last years. Caroline Elizabeth Williams
Caroline Elizabeth Williams was born in 1823 and her name is commemorated in Caroline Street, Williamstown. Although she was an executrix of the will of Walter Coffin and was a beneficiary of his household effects, she was not a beneficiary of his freehold and leasehold mortgages, lands and buildings (these were bequeathed to her brothers). However, It Is apparent that she did play an active and Influential part In administering the lands and property in and around Williamstown, and claims In her own will to have had a general power by appointment over certain freehold and leasehold property In the Parish of Llantrisant although at the same time openly admitting that ‘doubts exist as to the validity of all or some of the acts In which I have concurred.’ Kelly’s Directory of South Wales for the year 1895 refers to the Dlnas Institute, built In 1893, which was presented to the district by Miss Caroline Williams (owner of the estate). In her will she bequeathed £800 to Aberdare Hall, Cardiff In trust for a Catherine Buckton scholarship (Catherine Buckton was her married sister who did much to promote education In matters of health and domestic arts in Leeds), £800 to the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and £100 to the promotion of women’s suffrage. She was a founder of the Women’s Printing Society and she herself wrote A Welsh Family which relates in an Interesting (but sometimes confusing) manner the history of her own family and ancestry. She died In 1908. Arthur John Williams Arthur John, the youngest son of Dr John Morgan Williams, was born on April 14 1834 and his name is commemorated in Arthur Street, Williamstown. He was privately educated and studied law with the intention of entering the legal profession. He was eventually called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1867. For many years. Williams served as honorary secretary to the Law Society, of which Lord Brougham was president. He was also honorary secretary to the Legal Education Association which was established to found a university of law. Another interesting post he held was that of honorary secretary to John Stuart Mill when he was chairman of the committee for preventing the corrupt use of money and undue Influence at elections, which led to the passing of the Corrupt Practices Act. Politics and economics were subjects which held a particular fascination for Williams and In 1868 he published a book entitled The Appropriation of the Railways by the State. He also wrote Hints to Honest Citizens on Going to Law, How to Avoid Law, A Just Law for Wales and other works. In 1879 he became secretary to the Royal Commission on Accidents in Mines and In the course of the Commission’s enquiries he inspected all of the collieries in England. Wales and Scotland in which serious explosions had taken place. He declined to accept the £400 per year salary which this post offered. In 1882, In association with Joseph John Tylor, elder son of Alfred Tylor, founder of TYLORSTOWN (q.v.), he founded the National Liberal Club; he had already entered politics in 1880 when he unsuccessfully contested the seat at Blrkenhead. In 1885. however, he was elected as the first Liberal member for South Glamorgan and hel4~,that seat until 1895. For five years of that time, as a government member of the Intermediate Education Committee for the county of Glanaorgan, he was constantly engaged In framing the schemes for Its fourteen county schools. On May 23 1877 Williams met and fell in love with Rose Harriette, eldest daughter of Robert Thompson Crawshay, the great ironmaster of Cyfarthfa Castle. Merthyr Tydfil. A marriage was arranged for later In the year but this presented problems. Rose (or Trotty as she was known affectionately) was then aged twenty nine but some years previously she had promised her father that she would not marry until after his death. The father was so opposed to the marriage that he refused to attend. Three weeks previously he had even attached a codicil to his will (the first of six) which barred any offspring of the intended marriage from benefiting from the
After his death In 1879 Crawshay was burled In churchyard near Merthyr Tydfil and on the large stone slab covered his grave were Inscribed the words God forgive Me’. It is thought by some that those words may reflect the remorse—he possibly felt at having acted as he did towards his daughter. For some time the Williams family made their home at Eastbourne but In 1889 they moved to Plas Coed-y-Mwstwr, a new mansion near Bridgend. It was here that Arthur John Williams died là 1911. His remains were cremated, placed in a sealed casket and Immured In a niche In the north wall of Coychurch church without religious ceremony In 1912. His widow and two sons survived him. His widow died In 1943. She too, was cremated and her ashes put with those of her husband: her name was added to the inscribed marble tablet to her husband’s memory that had already been erected In the church. The eldest son, Leonard Eliot Crawshay, was born in 1879 and later changed his name by deed poll to Eliot Craws bay-Williams. He also entered politics and sat as the Liberal member for Leicester from 1910 to 1913. The other son, Leslie Crawshay, was born In 1880. Morgan Bransby Williams Morgan Bransby Williams was born in 1825 and was the eldest son of Dr John Morgan Williams. He trained as a civil engineer and was engaged in the construction of the Lancaster and Carlisle, the Caledonlàn and other railways In this country. He was also employed in constructing large engineering works In France, Italy and Russia. In Russia he was the chief resident engineer associated with constructing and projecting eight hundred miles of the railway system through the country’s Baltic provinces. When the Riga and Dunaburg Railway was officially opened In 1861, Tsar Alexander II came to the opening ceremony at Riga and complimented Williams on his work. He also presented him with a diamond ring in recognition of his services. In 1859 he married Constance, Baroness von Wulf, daughter of General Carl Manderstjerna, governor of St Petersburg. The Baroness died In 1864 and Williams subsequently returned to this country. In 1870 he retired form his profession and In 1871 married Margaret, daughter of George Browne Brock, JP, Brynselfi, Swansea. Williams served as a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant for Glamorgan and as High Sheriff of the county In 1894. He died at his home, Killay House, Swansea In 1914. Leonard Dyson Williams Leonard Dyson Williams was born in 1830 and came to hold a prominent position in the Glamorganshire Banking Company. He married Catherine Hughes and he 4Ied In 1876. |