This website has been launched (in 2015) mainly to allow dispersed family members to share in this research. I hope it may also prove interesting to others interested in these families. Please do get in touch via the Contact Form.
July 2015
The best pictures shown on this site are scanned from original black and white photographs taken by local journalists, copies of which were given to the family. These are infinite-pixel shots, before our digitally constrained age.
15 July 2015
Link added to aerial photographs around Roman fort at Coelbren.(Coflein).
20 July 2015
I have obtained a licence to reproduce three superb aerial photographs. Two are of the Onllwyn coal washery plant. Another is a view of the Banwen area added to Jones, Banwen page, and here (larger version).
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales has a very good searchable web-site where other photographs like these can be seen.
23 July 2015
A page has been started on the general history of Banwen Colliery (“Onllwyn No. 3”). If you have any recollections of working here and would like to share them, I’d be very interested to hear from you.
24 July 2015
A relative gave me a copy of this poem, written by a retired local collier. It details very well the working process of miners before the second world war. I have added my own notes to help those unfamiliar with mining practices in this area.
24 October 2015
I am slowly updating this page with extracts from about thirty letters written in the first world war by family member Daniel Jones to his family at Coelbren.
5 December 2015
Images of two surviving letters written by Richard Morgan shortly before his death in France in February 1916, have been added.
6 December 2015
I have re-established this site as a means of widening access to information about these families, and the general background about the area.
Please do get in touch to ask any questions or share information.
Much of the information in this web-site was originally published in the form of an A4 booklet (130 pages) entitled “Dulais Higher”. About 40 of these were distributed to close family members in late 2016.
I have a few of these left and they are available on request and a small payment to cover P&P.
No further booklets will be published - all updated information will now be shown on this web-site and will be signposted by updates on this news page.
18 August 2018
In the links page, at the bottom, two very different but important films.
21 September 2018
Most of the pages on this site have been updated. In particular, the (WW1) letters of Daniel Jones have been added, now more than 100 years old.
23 Oct 2018
Some attention paid to the page of Richard Morgan, who died aged 24, In February 1916.
19 Nov 2022
Extracts and link from amateur film footage of Banwen/Onllwyn carnivals added.
22 Nov 2019
The Ystradgynlais History website contains detailed studies of Moriah and Nantyffin chapels, amongst a lot of other very interesting information. Reciprocal links have been established between our sites about these Baptist chapels..
12 Dec 2019
I am grateful to Alun Jeffreys, of Coelbren, for continuing to provide much biographical and background information on the Jeffreys side of the family.
2020
A newspaper article has been added from 1902 concerning a short episode in the chequered history of the Banwen ironworks.
2020
Quotes from WT Davies (1994) "Coelbren School" added to reflect contrast between highly-motivated Jones/Lewis/Morgan backers/creators of the original 1894 primary school, versus contemporary gradual decline and dis-interest, leading to inevitable closure.
2020
Some further background to the Jeffreys family, who are connected at various points to the Jones and Morgan families.
Some photographs have been added of the farm abattoir at the Jeffreys farm at Penygraig, Coelbren.
2020
Richard Morgan’s obituary has been added and roughly translated.
2020
A very early photograph believed to be of Gwenllian Jones (Davies) has been added.
More material, including another early photograph, has been added on the Ann Jones & David Jeffreys family, Camnant.
These updates have been done on the basis of a paper kindly provided by Jeff Alexander, of the Camnant Jeffreys family.
2020
Further information on David Alexander and Mary Ann Jeffreys
2020
A rare nineteenth century picture of young miners has been added here. Thanks to J Alexander.
2020
Some additional information on Daniel Jones 1833-1867 (presumed) of Glynneath, brother of William Jones (1820-79), the main focus of this study.
Further information on John Jones (1823-), another brother.
Some detail on the prefabricated dwellings known as “Tin Town” at Banwen.
2021
rare photograph of the workings at Onllwyn No. 3 (Banwen) colliery has been added.
2021
More background and information on the Powell family of Onllwyn, descended from Mary Jones and John Powell.
