Penygraig

Pen-y-graig
Pen-y-graig Location within Rhondda Cynon Taf
Population	5,877 (2001)
OS grid reference	SS995915
Principal area	Rhondda Cynon Taf
Ceremonial coonty	Mid Glamorgan
Kintra	Wales
Sovereign state	Unitit Kinrick
Post toun	TONYPANDY
Postcode destrict	CF40
Diallin code	01443
Police	Sooth Wales
Fire	Sooth Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
EU Pairlament	Wales
UK Pairlament	Rhondda
Welsh Assemmly	Rhondda

Penygraig (Heid o the Rock) is a veelage an commonty in Rhondda in the coonty burgh o Rhondda Cynon Taf, athin the historic coonty boondaries o Glamorgan, Wales. As a commonty Penygraig contains the neebourin destricts o Dinas, Edmondstown, Penrhiwfer an Williamstown. Leanne Wood, the current leader o Plaid Cymru wis raised in Penygraig.

Early history

The oreeginal dounset which in nou Penygraig wis cried Ffrwd Amos, tho as wi the rest o the Rhondda afore industrialisation the anely dounsets wur fermsteads. In 1832, Soar, ane o the first baptist chapels in the Rhondda wis biggit at Penygraig bi preacher David Williams.

Industrial Penygraig

Coal minin began in Penygraig in 1857 when Thomas Ellis sank a drift mine. In 1858 Moses Rowlands an Richard Jenkins discovered a seam at Penygraig an wad later form the Penygraig Coal Company. The Company sank the first deep pit in the veelage, The Penygraig Colliery; efter which the veelage wad be namit. Efter the Penygraig Colliery showed a successfu profit the Naval Colliery Company opened a seicont deep pit, The Pandy, which reached the steam coal seam in 1879. The Pandy wis then sauld tae the New Naval Colliery Company efter three disasters, which then opened three mair deep mines The Ely, the Nantgwyn an the Anthony Pits. The New Naval company wad then acome pairt o the Cambrian Combine, awned bi Viscoont Rhondda. The Ely Colliery wad be the centre o the Cambrian Combine dispute, which in turn wad lead tae the Tonypandy Riot.

The Naval Colliery pit disasters

The first o three disasters tae occur at the Naval Colliery happened on 4 Dizember 1875 when a fluid breuk throu intae the mine, resultin in twa miners drounin an the lives o mony others placit at risk. Then on 10 Dizember 1880 a gas explosion teuk the lives o 101 miners oot o the 106 who wur wirkin in the mine at the time. This wis follaeed on 27 Januar 1884 when anither explosion led tae the daith o fowerteen men. Thir disasters are likely factors in the Naval Colliery Company sellin the mine in 1887.

Sport an leisur

Penygraig is hame tae rugby union team Penygraig RFC, which durin the late 19t an early 20t century wis ane o the maist notable rugby clubs in the Rhondda, producin Wales internaitional players Dai Evans an Jack Rhapps, an wis the early club o British Isles rugby representative Percy Bush.

Penygraig, lik mony o the veelages o the Rhondda, producit notable boxers an aw, includin Tom Thomas, who in 1908 became the first Breetish naitional middle-wicht champion, an in 1909 wis the first winner o the Lonsdale Belt at the same wicht.

Freemit airtins

• Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Services, Heritage Trail:Penygraig Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine