Richard Griffiths (industrialist)

Dr. Richard Griffiths (1756–1826) was a Welsh industrial pioneer. Griffiths is notable for building the first recognised transport links into the Rhondda Valley paving the way for future coal exploration into one of the world's richest coal fields.

Griffiths was a member of the Gellifendigaid family of Llanwynno; he was the third child, and second son to William Griffiths and Elizabeth (Davies). He was christened on 13 January 1756, and was brought up in a very strong Methodist family. Griffiths practised medicine in Cardiff but it was through his family connections that he began prospecting in mineral rights for which he became best known. Griffiths is described as a 'dynamic and colourful personality', and a practical joker, even arranging a comical funeral for himself. He died in 1826, with his will being proven of 31 May.

Griffiths' youngest sister was married to Evan Morgan, who owned a farm estate in the Lower Rhondda near modern day Trehafod, the Hafod Fawr Estate. In 1808, Griffiths obtained a lease for the mineral rights for the farm from his brother-in-law. Griffiths then made two sub-leases for these rights in 1809 and gave the right to Jeremiah Homfray to open a level below the Estate on the east side of the River Rhondda. Homfray continuned to work the level until his bankruptcy in 1813.

To make the estate more profitable, Griffiths decided to improve the transportation links from the site to the newly opened Glamorganshire Canal. The Canal linked the ironworks at Merthyr Tydfil to the ports of Cardiff, and both were open markets for coal. The existing system of transporting coal to the canal was through the use of pack horses, which were slow and inefficient due to the weight of coal each horse could carry. Griffiths first built a tramroad from the Hafod Estate to the town of Newbridge, now known as Pontypridd, and there bridged the River Taff. He then gained access to the Glamorganshire Canal by building a short length of private canal, which became known as the 'Doctor's Canal'. The tramline, which was serviced by horses pulling wagons along its length, was opened for business 29 September 1809, becoming the very first transportation link into the Rhondda Valley.

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