Blaina ( cy, Blaenau ) is a small

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between

Brynmawr Brynmawr (; , ,) is a market town, community and electoral ward in Blaenau Gwent, Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at above sea level at the head of the South Wales Valleys. It grew with the devel ...

and

Abertillery Abertillery (; cy, Abertyleri) is a town and a community of the Ebbw Fach valley in the historic county of Monmouthshire, Wales. Following local government reorganisation it became part of the Blaenau Gwent County Borough administrative area. ...

in the unitary authority of

Blaenau Gwent Blaenau Gwent (; ) is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw ...

, ancient parish of

Aberystruth Aberystruth was an ancient ecclesiastical parish in Wales, located beside the north-west corner of the county of Monmouthshire against the border with Breconshire and between the parishes of Bedwellty and Trevethin. It extended from Beaufort i ...

, preserved county of Gwent and historic county of

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

. The place name is derived from the Welsh word ' "uplands". As of 2011, the town has a population of 4,808.

Welsh language

According to the 2011 Census, 6.3% of the ward's 4,808 (303 residents) resident-population can speak, read, and write

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

.Welsh language skills by electoral division, 2011 Census
Retrieved 13/12/21 This is above the

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

's figure of 5.5% of 67,348 (3,705 residents) who can speak, read, and write

Notable people

:''See also :People from Blaina'' *

Arthur Fear Arthur Fear (1902–1984) was a Welsh bass and baritone opera singer. Born in Cwmcelyn, Blaina in 1902, he worked underground in the colliery until receiving a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in 1923, where he studied under Thomas Me ...

, opera singer * Parry Jones, opera singer * William Partridge, soldier, fought at

Rorke's Drift The Battle of Rorke's Drift (1879), also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was an engagement in the Anglo-Zulu War. The successful British defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenants John Chard of the ...

* Raymond "Ray" Price, rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 1950s for Abertillery RFC (RU), Great Britain (RL), Wales, Other Nationalities, Belle Vue Rangers, Warrington, and St. Helens * Kingsley Jones, rugby union flanker, coach * Frank Richards, author *

Mike Ruddock Mike Ruddock, OBE (born 5 September 1959) is a Welsh rugby union coach who is currently an interim consultant for Ospreys, having previously coached Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the Director of Rugby at the Worcester Warriors until his resignatio ...

, rugby coach *

Florence Eleanor Soper Florence Eleanor Booth (''née'' Soper; 12 September 1861 – 10 June 1957) was the wife of Bramwell Booth, Second Generals of The Salvation Army, General of The Salvation Army. Early life Born in Blaina, Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouths ...

, wife of

Bramwell Booth William Bramwell Booth, Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (8 March 1856 – 16 June 1929) was a Salvation Army officer, Christian and British charity worker who was the first Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army, Chief of Staff (1881� ...

, General of

The Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...

Mostyn Thomas Mostyn Thomas (born Thomas James Thomas) (January 14, 1896 – August 17, 1984) was a Welsh operatic baritone, prominent in the first half of the 20th century. Early life He was born in Blaina, Monmouthshire, to Thomas and Ann. At the age ...

, opera singer * David Watkins, Welsh rugby union and rugby league international *

Emlyn Watkins Emlyn Watkins (21 September 1904 – 15 May 1978) was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and at club level f ...

, rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1920s for Wales (RU), Blaina RFC, Wales (RL), and Leeds *

Emlyn A G Watkins Emlyn A. G. Watkins GM (1926–2010), born in Blaina, Wales, was a British police officer, awarded the George Medal for "outstanding bravery and devotion to duty”. Award of the George Medal In 1975 while serving with the Greater Manchester Poli ...

George Medal The George Medal (GM), instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI,''British Gallantry Medals'' (Abbott and Tamplin), p. 138 is a decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, awarded for gallantry, typically by civilians, or in circ ...

recipient

References

External links

Blaina - Nantyglo homepage on the webBlaenau Gwent Council website on the local ironworks historyWelsh Coal Mines - research the local pit historieswww.geograph.co.uk : photos of Blaina and surrounding areaBlaina heritage web site
Towns in Blaenau Gwent Geography of Blaenau Gwent {{Monmouthshire-geo-stub