Aberdare Local Board of Health was established in 1854 in response to the 1848 Public Health Act, and a report on the sanitary condition of the town conducted by

Thomas Webster Rammell Thomas Webster Rammell was born in 1814 on the Isle of Thanet, Kent, United Kingdom. He became an engineer, working for the Metropolitan Board of Works. He was a close friend of Henry Austin, son-in-law of Charles Dickens. In 1849 he visited th ...

. It was eventually replaced in 1894 by Aberdare Urban District Council. The challenges facing a rapidly developing urban community were a concern to the relatively small middle class of

Aberdare Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...

as well as the more communbity-spirited of the industrialists. One of the leading figures in persuading the community to adopt the Health of Town Acts was the nonconformist minister, Thomas Price. The first board, elected in 1854, included

David Davis, Blaengwawr David Davis, Blaengwawr (1797 – 19 May 1866), was a leading figure in the South Wales coal industry and a founder of the steam coal trade. David Davis was born in Llanddeusant, Carmarthenshire, in 1797. At a young age, he went to Merthyr Ty ...

, Crawshay Bailey,

Thomas Price Thomas Price may refer to: *Thomas Price (South Australian politician) (1852–1909), Premier of South Australia *Thomas Price (bishop) (1599–1685), Church of Ireland archbishop of Cashel *Thomas Price (Carnhuanawc) (1787–1848), Welsh literary ...

and Richard Fothergill who became its first chairman. 'We hope', reflected a local newspaper, 'after so much delay, that active measures will now be taken immediately, as a very wide field for exertion is open to the board'. Cholera was the main concern and although, at that stage, there had been no cases at Aberdare, there had been an outbreak at nearby

Hirwaun Hirwaun is a village and community at the north end of the Cynon Valley in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. It is NW of the town of Aberdare, and comes under the Aberdare post town. At the 2001 census, Hirwaun had a populati ...

. The main challenge in the early years was dealing with cholera outbreaks and the rapidly developing industrial community. At the end of its first year, four members of the Board were to retire and seek re-election and it was proposed by Thomas Price, and agreed by the other members, that they would seek to secure their return. Fothergill was re-elected chairman in August 1855. In 1866, Thomas Price, after an absence of some years, resumed his membership of the Board, heading the poll ahead of David Davis. William Thomas Lewis, later Lord Merthyr, was also elected to the Board for the first time.

Board of Health Elections

1854 Election

Elected: David Davies; Thomas Joseph; Rev. Thomas Price; John Jones; Richard Fothergill;

Rees Hopkin Rhys Rees Hopkin Rhys (19 March 1819 – 1899) was an industrialist, landowner and prominent local government figure in the Aberdare area for much of the nineteenth century. Rhys was born in Llwydcoed and from an early age showed an interest in publi ...

; J. L. Roberts; Griffith David; David Williams;, Phillip John; Thomas Wayne.; Crawshay Bailey.

1856 Election

Elected: Thomas Wayne* 806;

* 747; Griffith Davies 686; Evan Lewis 443. Non-Elected: David Evan Williams 343; John Jones 228; Rev William Edwards 155; Thomas Joseph 105.

1858 Election

Elected: R.E. Partridge 704; Samuel Thomas 577; Thomas Williams 529; Rees Williams 523; William Powell 507. Non-Elected: Jenkin Griffiths 311; William Williams 268; Jenkin Rees 232; Samuel Price 202; David Bevan 145; A.Mason 126; William Griffiths 119.

1863 Election

Elected: W.W. Wayne; J.L. Roberts; David Davis; Gwilym Williams.

1866 Election

Elected:

877; David Davis 863; Griffith Davies 742; William Thomas Lewis 665; Daniel Rees 580. Non-Elected: Arthur Jones 406; Morgan Phillips 334; Mordecai Jones 233; Herbert Simmonds 100.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * {{cite journal, last=Wills, first=Wilton D., title=The Rev. John Griffith and the revival of the established church in nineteenth century Glamorgan, journal=Morgannwg, year=1969, volume=13, pages=75–102, url=http://welshjournals.llgc.org.uk/browse/viewobject/llgc-id:1171253/article/000042297, access-date=6 November 2013 Medical and health organisations based in Wales Defunct organisations based in Wales 1854 establishments in Wales Aberdare