Tonypandy (, ) is a town, community and electoral ward located in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, the town was the scene of the 1910 Tonypandy riots.
The community boundaries of Tonypandy are drawn relatively tightly around the central part of the urban area. According to the 2011 UK Census, the population of the community was 3,750.
The town is served by Tonypandy railway station on the Rhondda Line.
Toponymy
Tonypandy means
fulling mill lea, from Welsh
ton (archaic
tonnau) for lea, layland, pasture, grassland or unploughed land;
pannu for
fulling and
tŷ for house (cf. ). (See also Tonna.)
History
Pre-industrial
The Tonypandy area contains several
prehistoric sites, the main one being Mynydd y Gelli. Located to the north-west of the town, the remains of an
Iron Age settlement Hen Dre'r Gelli lies on the slopes of Mynydd Y Gelli hill between Tonypandy and Gelli. Near the same location are several
Bronze Age .
Tonypandy is also the site of one of two permanent Middle Ages fortifications found within the River Rhondda Valley. Named Ynysygrug, it was a lesser motte and bailey earthwork defence consisting of a wooden tower surrounded by a small fortified courtyard.
The regional library service recounts that the name 'Tonypandy' means the meadow of the fulling mill which was established there in 1838. "E. D. Lewis in his work The Rhondda Valleys provides us with an outline history of the mill that once stood in Tonypandy, and from which the town took its name".[ Heritage trail (Tonypandy) Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service]
Industrial era
In the mid-19th century, the Rhondda began its industrial transformation after the successful excavation of coal. With the extension of the Taff Vale Railway to
Treherbert and
Maerdy in 1856, the Rhondda grew as absentee landlords switched their interests from farming to mining. The
Tonypandy riots of 1910 and 1911 were a series of violent confrontations between coal
miners and police that took place at various locations in and around the
Rhondda mines of the Cambrian Combine, a
cartel of mining companies in
South Wales. Tonypandy, unlike the surrounding villages, then grew as a financial and social hub, providing services and amenities for the neighbouring communities.
Sports and recreation
In the early part of the 20th century, Tonypandy was home to
Mid-Rhondda RLFC, one of the first Welsh
rugby league teams.
Although surviving only one season, the club transformed into Mid-Rhondda AFC, one of the most notable association football teams the Rhondda has produced. Both Mid-Rhondda teams played at the Athletic Ground, now known as "the Mid" . The pitch is notable as having hosted the first international match between the Wales and England
rugby league teams on 20 April 1908.
It was also used as the opening venue for the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, when the visiting Australian rugby league team began its campaign with a match against Mid-Rhondda.
[Sean Fagan Kangaroo Tour: 1908-1909 (2006) at website RL1908.com]
When the Mid-Rhondda RLFC collapsed in 1909, the committee refocused on creating an association football team. In 1912 Mid Rhondda F.C. was formed, winning the South League Second Division in 1919–20.
Governance
In 1988 Tonypandy became a county
electoral ward to Mid Glamorgan County Council, electing one county councillor
in 1989 and 1993.
Tonypandy Town Hall was erected as a theatre in 1892.
Since 1995 Tonypandy has been a ward, coterminous with the community boundaries,[ Election Maps, Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 26 June 2022.] which elects a county borough councillor to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. In 2012 the electorate was 2,739.[ Rhondda Cyon Taff County Borough Council Election Results 1995-2012, The Election Centre (Plymouth University). Retrieved 26 June 2022.]
At every Rhondda Cynon Taf election the seat has been won by the Labour Party, apart from the 1999 election when then ward was won by Plaid Cymru.[ County Borough Council Elections 2017, Rhondda Cyon Taff County Borough Council. Retrieved 26 June 2022.]
Notable people
- See People from Tonypandy
-
Willie Llewellyn (1878 – 1973), Welsh national rugby union captain and three times Triple Crown winner
-
Writer Rhys Davies (1901 – 1978)
-
George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy (1909 – 1997) was educated at Tonypandy Grammar School.
[ George Thomas (Lord Tonypandy) at Port Talbot Historical Society. Accessed 29 April 2016]
-
Boxer Tommy Farr (1913 – 1986), the "Tonypandy Terror", trained there, living in adjoining Clydach Vale
-
Brothers Donald Houston (1923 – 1991) and Glyn Houston (1926 - 2019) were both actors
-
Len Rawle (b. 1938), organist and organ builder/restorer
-
Footballer and club manager Nathan Jones (b. 1973)
-
Footballer Alex Lawless (b. 1985)
-
Singer and actress Sophie Evans (b. 1993)
-
Stuart Richardson (b. 1973) Former bassist of Lostprophets and current bassist for No Devotion
External links
