Welsh Journals

Douglas and Smalley had opened banks in Holywell and Denbigh pre-1800*8. The silk works at Pen-y-maes was expanding. A throwing mill was added in 1822 and 100 additional employees were taken on. There was a steady immigration of workers from Staffordshire to Buckley44 where brick-making had become very much more important than pottery. Brickworks outside the Buckley area were small, usually fulfilling a very localised building demand. The other industries of Flintshire were small and relatively static there were paper works at Afonwen (Mather and Roberts) and Greenfield (Richard Unsworth) and the sal-ammoniac factory at Saltney. CENSUS COMPARISONS In detail the rate of change 1821-31 shows little sympathy with that of the previous decade. Flint had the highest growth rate (37.5 represented over 600 additional people). This was three times the growth rate of the previous decade. The prosperity of the lead works and to a lesser extent of some of the coal mines had proved a strong attractive force. St. Asaph also had a relatively high growth rate of 37% but this was lower than 1811-21 (50.9%). Coed Talon iron works seems to have been responsible for growth in Treuddyn (35.70/0-218 persons). Growth rates of over 20% were maintained at Mold (29%), Meliden (26.5%), Llanasa (26.4%), Dyserth 22)%, Gwaenysgor (21%). Newmarket (Trelawnyd) showed a substantial improvement (20.6%). At Cilcain and Bodfari net loss figures -(14.3% and -8.2% respectively) 1911-21 became net gain (6.4%) and 8.1% respectively). Elsewhere, growth was much reduced or non-existent: Halkyn -16.5% (22. 1% in 1811-21), Tremeirchion -3.5% (7.7%), Ysgeifiog 0.4%) (11%), Rhuddlan 2.7% (35.5%) and even Holywell 7. 9% (29.9%) due mainly to the low state of the metal industries. For some parishes the census reports give a more detailed subdivision into townships which clarify some of the basic trends. In Northop parish the gain in population is concentrated around the coastal and quay area of Wepre with extensions into the adjacent minor coal-producing area of Golftyn, Kelsterton and Northop. Owing to the setback to its collieries, Soughton remained unchanged in population size. Thus, natural increase had just equalised the rate of emigration. The number of houses had increased in the township during the decade, possibly mainly during the more optimistic period before bankruptcy struck the colliery. The other townships in the parish, e.g. Leadbrook, Major and Minor, more distant from the growth point of Wepre, suffered decline, as did the neighbouring township of Shotton in Hawarden parish. In Hawarden parish the main growth points were Pentrobin (21 increase), Ewloe and Broadlane­-the brickmaking centres Mancot (17% increase), Manor and Rake, the coal producing townships, and Broughton and Bretton (both 21 increase), predominantly agricultural settlements. The canalised section of the Dee had little attraction. The remaining townships appear to lack growth or show absolute decline (Aston -5%, Hawarden -7.2%, Shotton -15.4%). ttldem, The beginnings of Banking in North Wales,' Economica, 1926, p. 23. "T. Cropper, Buckley and District (1923), p. 65; C. R. Williams, op. cit., pp. 116-7.