"The convenience and cheapness of Coal hath occasioned the building of great Work-houses, or Manufactories by Sir Humphrey Mackworth in Neath, at the expense of several thousand pounds; for smelting of Lead and Copper Ore, for extracting Silver out of the Lead, and for making Lytharge and Red Lead for the use of the Mine Adventurers." These two paragraphs correctly state the case as it had often occurred in Wales, N. and S., with reference to the creation or suspension of trade and manufacture-discord, want of enterprize, absence of capital, general prostration and depression, which even in our time naturally follow like proceedings with similar consequences. "These Coal Works and Work-houses employ a great number of men, women, and children, to whom several thousand pounds are paid every year, which circulates in this neighbourhood, and other trades are thereby increased, the market much improved, and the rents better paid, as has been acknowledged by Sir Edward Mansel and others; the country receiving money for provisions. "The Coal Works wrought at that time lay chiefly under the common lands belonging to the town of Neath, and the Coals were in ancient times wrought by the Burgesses, each Burgess sinking a pit for himself. The Burgesses, at last, came to cross each other's works, which caused great differences and several law-suits; and these led to an arrangement by which the Burgesses granted a lease of the Coal-works to Daniel Evans, of Neath, Esq., a Burgess, yielding the Burgesses sufficient coal for their firing at the rate of twopence for each barrow of Coal, and also a rent or duty of one shilling to the Town for each weigh* of Coal sent to sea. "The Burgesses granted leases in succession to David Evans, Esq., eldest son of their former lessee; to Frances, the relict of Edward Evans, and to Sir Herbert Evans, whose daughter and heir, Mary, became the wife of Sir Humphrey Mackworth.† 66 During the last mentioned lease, Sir Humphrey Mackworth, being desirous to promote the good of the Town of Neath, gave liberty to the Burgesses to endeavour the recovery of the Coal in that Liberty for their own use, which they attempted at some expense, but, failing of success, all the Burgesses, in September 1697, did unanimously grant a lease to Sir Humphrey Mackworth for the term of 31 years, whereof about 23 years are yet unexpired. * A "weigh" of Coal in Wales is calculated at 10 tons. †This is the Eaglesbush family, I suppose-I think it likely that Sir Herbert was knighted by Charles I., in 1630—compulsorily as one of the tenants in Capite of the Crown. I recollect seeing his name as one of the persons in Glamorganshire who were likely to be called upon to accept knighthood. The date is, however, rather distant for such a supposition. -D. R. "Sir Humphrey Mackworth attempted the recovery of the Coal-works by the assistance of the Colliers of that neighbourhood, but failed of success; whereupon he travelled into other counties to find skilful miners to assist him therein, and after great expense, and by carrying on a Level or Wind-way, commonly called a Foot-rid or Waggon-way, after the manner used in Shropshire and Newcastle, he recovered the said Coalworks; and at great expense continued the said waggon-way on wooden rails from the face of each wall of Coal, 1200 yards under ground, down to the water-side, three quarters of a mile. "From the Coal-works carried on by these means, great quantities of Coal are brought forth and sold to use, whereby Her Majesty [Queen Anne] and the public receive annually, for the duty of these Coals, the sum of £1000 or upwards. "It appears that the Coals were shipped to the port of Bridgewater, and other parts. "The Mine-Adventurers had, however, much larger works than the Coal-works. They were lessees of extensive Lead Mines in Cardiganshire, from Sir Carbery Pryse, and the largest portion of their capital was employed in the manufacture of Lead, the ore having been brought from Cardiganshire to Neath to be made into metal. There are numerous printed accounts of the expense of refining Lead at Neath, and the names and wages of the workmen and boys employed are given. The highest number being 26, and the wages ranging from 3s. up to 26s. per week. "The buildings consisted of the following Work premises, which are said to have been erected by Sir Humphrey Mackworth, at his own cost and charge, (before ever the Company was established or thought of) in order to set up a manufacture there for Copper and Lead on his own account, viz. : An Old Smelting-house, A Copper-house, A Cleaning-Room, A Brick-Room, and A Stamping-Room. "A Report of a Committee in the year 1708 states that they had erected several large Work-houses in the Counties of Glamorgan and Cardigan, consisting of 17 furnaces for smelting Lead, 2 for Copper, 8 for refining, and 2 for making Red Lead, and that there was room for 15 more. "An account of Sir H. Mackworth's expenditure, by his agent, for ten years, under date of 15 April, 1710, gives a good notion of the extent of the Works. "Disbursed in ten years, at the Copper-house at Neath, for wages, charges of smelting, refining, and making Red Lead, freight of Ore from Dovey, and of Lead from Bristol, and other charges-16,689 15s. 4d. "The Company allowed £30 per annum to Mr. Wm. Williams, a schoolmaster at Neath, for the education of the poor workmen's children—a similar allowance having been made in Cardiganshire. "The origin of Sir H. Mackworth's connection with Neath seems to have been his marriage with the daughter of Sir Herbert Evans, of Eaglebush. He seems to have retained a residence at Bently, in the parish of Tardely, Worcestershire, and he had also property in Shropshire; the family originally came from Derbyshire.* The legal proceedings shew, by the proof of his own agent, that he acquired estates in the Counties of Glamorgan and Monmouth by his intermarriage with Mary, the daughter of Sir Herbert Evans, of Neath, that the rent of these estates amounted to £1200 per annum and upwards, and that his Coalworks produced him several hundred pounds more. It further appears that he bought estates in Monmouth and Glamorgan, and sold an estate in Salop to pay for them, at £5000. These disclosures were made on the part of Sir Humphrey to show that he had sufficient property to defray the expenditure (moderate it is asserted to be) of his household, sc as to disprove the inference that he had paid the expenses of his private establishment by peculation as Deputy Governor of the Mine Adventurers. "The complaints against the Justices referred to in the Case shew, if true, that Sir Humphrey experienced much local opposition in his Works. Attempts (he says) were made by interested persons concerned in other Coal-works to ruin and destroy his Works by disparaging the Coals at Bridgewater and other ports, and also the Port of Neath—and by threatening to press the seamen that came to his Coal-works. Attempts were also made to draw away the chief workmen. The case shows a great deal of anger and violence between the parties. The particulars are of but little importance now." The foregoing extracts were made for me at the British Museum, by Mr. David Rowland, Solicitor, of London, who kindly adds in an accompanying letter,-"The Company appears to have been unsuccessful, and Sir Humphrey's management was impugned by some of the shareholders, who took legal proceedings against him and others similarly charged. The papers contain several elaborate defences drawn up by Sir Humphrey, and finally they show the * There have been two Baronetcies in this family, the elder one created 1619, expired 1803; and the present, created in 1776, and now represented by Sir Arthur W. Mackworth, the sixth Baronet.-G. G. F. failure of the legal proceedings, and an acquittal of Sir H. from all dishonesty by a majority of the Company. A very large mass of original documents relating to these matters are still extant amongst the Gnoll Castle papers at Neath, to which ready access has been afforded me; the difficulty in such a case is not, the quantity but the quality of the extracts to be taken, pertinent to the special matter in hand; I select the following as historically interesting:: XXI. Att the First Select Committee of THE FORTUNATE ADVENTURERS, Held at Durham Court, in Great Trinity Lane, London, on Present, Sir Humphrey Mackworth, Deputy Governor; Sir "The Twenty Thousand Pounds Stock lockt up in the iron chest, was taken out, viewed, and told by the gentlemen present att this committee, and then laid again into the Chest." [At length we are drawing on to the period when business had settled itself more into the shape it has assumed in our times, so that I have thought it prudent as far as possible to adopt the form and matter where practicable of the determinations of Boards and Directors, so as to make them mirrors of the times, and exhibit themselves and their doings in the words recorded and preserved in their own minutes.] 1699. 15 May Sir Humphrey Mackworth offered now or at any other time when requested, voluntarily to make affidavit that he had bonâ fide disbursed in the management of the Mine Adventures the full and just sum of £14,840 and upwards, and thereupon the committee unanimously decided that he had dealt very justly and honourably by the Adventurers Co. 1699. 13 July Committee informed that the men in their employ at the Black Raven, * in Southwark, who had been brought from Cardiganshire, are ready to be employed by Sir Humphrey Mackworth, at Neath, and willing to be bound as should be directed. Ordered-That the men be sent forthwith to Neath. That they have a week's wages, and a bounty of 10s. each man. That Sir Humphrey be desired to enter into proper agreements with them at Neath, and take "an oath from every person employed at the refining furnaces for their fidelity under the trust reposed in them.” 1699. 20 July Mr. Chauncey presumed it would not be amiss to have some person appointed at Neath to keep the accounts and act as Day Steward. Sir Humphrey desired time to consider the suggestion and select a fit and proper person at Neath. (Mr. Thomas Hawkins was eventually appointed.) 28 July Committee informed that the implements, utensils, and working tools belonging to the refining furnace in Southwark had been sent by vessel for Neath. 1700. 4 January Any quantity of Lytharge not exceeding 1000 tunns may be disposed of by Sir Humphrey Mackworth, but not under £12 per tunn. 12 February The iron chest with the cash and writings ordered to be taken to the Bank of England. I July "Whereas Thomas Mansell, of Britton-ferry, Esq., has conferred several favours on this Company. Ordered-That a letter of thanks be sent to the said Thomas Mansell for his civility, and that it be referred to Sir Humphrey Mackworth, if he see fitt, to make a present of a † piece of plate of £10 in vallue. 18 July Application to Judges on the Norfolk Circuit [Holt and Hotsell] to allow the Jaylors to convey condemned criminals to the Mines [in Cardiganshire.] * Gabriel Powell alludes to this, in his letter for perusal by the Duke of Beaufort, written in 1720, to Mr. J. Burgh, his agent, at Troy, near Monmouth, see post, p. 96. Is this "piece of plate" still in Lord Jersey's possession, I wonder? It seems not, but may be at Margam. |