Blaenavon Company Ltd Records

Records of the Blaenavon Company and related companies, 1696-1957, comprising administrative records, 1837-1949, including minute books, 1837-1864, 1880-1948, miscellaneous deeds and correspondence relating to the formation of the various companies, 1825-1887; financial records, 1874-1957, including investments, 1892-1945; title deeds and other papers, 1696-1946, relating to Abergavenny, Aberystruth, Goetre, Llanfoist, Llanhilleth, Llanover, Llanwenarth, Mamhilad and Trevethin, Monmouthshire, and Llanelly, Brecknockshire; mineral leases, 1838-1949, relating to Abersychan, Abertillery, Aberystruth, Goetre, Llanellen, Llanfoist, Llanhilleth, Llanover, Llanwenarth, Mamhilad and Trevethin, Monmouthshire; records relating to plant and machinery, 1911-1948; reports, 1882-1943; maps and plans, 1911-1945; papers relating to war production, 1918, 1939-1945; papers relating to coal industry nationalisation, 1936-1954; records relating to the construction of Blaenavon and Brynmawr Railway, 1867-1870; miscellaneous correspondence, 1873-1898.

The Blaenavon Iron and Coal Company was formed in 1836 and in that year purchased the ironworks at Blaenavon, Monmouthshire. The company went into liquidation in 1864. It was superseded by the Blaenavon Company Ltd, which sold out to the Blaenavon Iron and Steel Company Ltd in 1870. The cost of the switch to steel production in the 1870s forced that company's liquidation in 1878. It was replaced with a new Blaenavon Co. Ltd (the 'New Company'), incorporated in 1879, which purchased the Blaenavon Iron and Steel Works for £75,000. In 1909 the company's assets comprised 563 acres of freehold land, an iron works and steel works and underlying minerals. The plant then consisted of two blast furnaces, three Siemens Martin open hearth furnaces, soaking pits, reheating furnaces, cogging mill, finishing mill and boilers. There was also a steel tyre works, a quarry and three collieries. These works were extended by the erection of a Coke Oven and By-Product Plant in 1911 and a steel solid wheel and axle plant between 1937 and 1941. During both World Wars the Company was involved in Government work. During the First World War it manufactured shell steel as a Government 'Controlled Establishment'. During the Second World War a Crown Plant was installed for the production of aluminium and magnesium alloys for the Ministry of Aircraft Production. Following the First World War production gradually declined and by the Second World War steel production had stopped altogether. The Company lost its coal mining interests following the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947.

Arranged into the following: administrative records; financial records; staff; title deeds; plant; reports; maps and plans; pithead baths; war production; nationalisation of coal industry (D.480); the Blaenavon Co. Ltd and Blaenavon Iron and Steel Co Ltd; title deeds; mineral leases; Blaenavon and Brynmawr Railway; miscellaneous (D.591.112); administration; finance; title deeds (D.751).

No restrictions

Deposited by J. Jenkins Esq. of Parkside, Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, by Messrs Gabb & Co., Solicitors, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, and by Messrs Doncasters Blaenavon Ltd, Blaenavon.

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Gwent Record Office, Catalogue of documents relating to The Blaenavon Company Ltd (3 volumes); Atkinson, Mick, Blaenafon Ironworks: A Guide to its History and Technology (Blaenafon: Torfaen Museum Trust, [c. 1983]); Knight, Jeremy K., Blaenavon Ironworks (Cardiff, 1992).

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Gwent Record Office, the National Register of Archives and the National Library of Wales.

Usual copyright regulations apply

All records have been retained

Accruals are not expected

Further records are in Gwent Record Office, D.1583, D.2133, D.2732, D.2745; Sheffield Archives, TW 170-191.