Welsh Journals

de Eweni et ecclesiam de Colewinestune in usus proprios convertandas monachis apud Eweni commorantibus ob favorem et fervorem preclare et hqneste et sancte religionis quam specialiter in monasterio glouecesetrensi non sine magno fructu florere novimus et gaudemus [ ] collegio sunt prefati monachi de Eweni quibus sicut predictus mauricius in omnibus quicquid contulit et nos [in] eodem modo sicut in cartis suis continetur [ ] fortius presenti carta nostra corroboravimus sub pena excomunicacionis districte inhibentes ne aliquis contra suam donacionem vel hanc nostram confirmacionem venire presumat quod si quis prioratum pre- dictum de diocesi mea vexare presumpserit maledictione dei omnipotentis et sancti michaelis archangeli et beati theleai tam in anima quam in corpore ferratur. Hac sentencia facta est solempniter apud Eweni in presencia domini .R. comitis gloucestrie et aliorum. Valete. C. E. WELCH. Central Library, Plymouth. A NOTE ON LUCY THOMAS OF WAUNWYLLT Messrs. J. H. Morris and L. J. Williams in an article in this Journal (Vol. X, No. i) and in their recently published work The South Wales Coal Industry, 1841-75, have convincingly shown that the credit for opening up the Welsh steam coal trade with London belongs not to Lucy Thomas, but to a Llangennech company, which had sent coal to London as early as 1824. Lucy Thomas's husband, Robert Thomas, had taken out a lease in this same year of the coal at Waun Wyllt, near Merthyr, where he opened out a level on the four feet seam. He first supplied coal to the householders of Merthyr and Cardiff, but in 1830, through the agency of George Insole, a shipload was sent to London. Later a contract was made to supply Messrs. Wood & Co. of London with 3,000 tons of coal a year after 1831 (see Morris & Williams, pp. 19-20). It is this contract that has earned for Lucy Thomas the title of 'mother of the Welsh steam coal trade'. The discovery of the probate papers of Robert Thomas among the records of the Llandaff Probate Registry, now deposited at the National Library of Wales, show that he was still alive at the time the contract was made, a suggestion which has pre- viously been put forward by Morris and Williams. Robert Thomas did not die till 19 February 1833. To him, therefore, and not to Lucy, his wife, must be given the credit for pioneering the coal trade in the eastern part of the South Wales coalfield. Lucy Thomas, when applying for letters of administration, swore an affidavit that her late husband's effects, not including leasehold property, were under £ 1,000. The sureties in the administration bond were, Lucy Thomas, who signed with a mark, Robert Thomas, her son, and George Insole of Cardiff. Lucy Thomas herself died on 27 September 1847. The papers relating to her estate are also to be found among the Llandaff probate records. Her executors, Lewis Lewis, gent., of Merthyr Tydvil, and her brother, William Williams, victualler, of Abercannaid, swore an affidavit on 21 March 1848 that her effects, including leasehold estates, were under the value of £ 12,000. An inventory of her personal estate showed that her property was valued at £ 11,448 3s. 6d., made up of household goods and leasehold houses, amounting to £ 2,307 i is. od., a moiety of the Graig colliery valued at £ 2,288 7s. 6d. and bequeathed to her son William, who already possessed the remaining moiety, her interest in Waunwyllt colliery, valued at £ 817 os. od., and of k6,033 5s. od. in mortgages, notes and cash. In the fourteen years since her husband's death Lucy's business had prospered greatly as a result of a rapidly expanding steam coal trade. It is this spectacular rise in her fortunes which probably accounts for her legendary fame. W. T. MORGAN.