Teresa and myself took a trip out to Mountain Ash on Wednesday to visit the town where Daniel James lived sometime after 1895, and before his final residence in Morriston in 1916.
After losing his job in the mining industry at Blaengarw, Daniel was befriended by his
admirer Thomas Glyndwr Richards, who found him employment at Mountain Ash
Colliery, where he worked for twenty years - fifteen years in Nixon’s
colliery.
Richards was a conductor of the famous Mountain Ash Royal
Male Voice Choir, which toured America at the close of the 19th century.
We were very excited to see that both of the properties where he lodged during his time at Mountain Ash are still standing - one at Richmond Street and the other at Aberffrwd Road.
Daniel left the colliery when failing health became a problem. He took a job as a cemetery caretaker. It was interesting to note that a cemetery lay within a few hundred yards of Aberffrwd Road - perhaps this was the one he looked after. Further research continues!
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| View from the top of Richmond Street - Bev Rogers |
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