Mordecai Jones
Mordecai Jones | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1813 Brecon, Wales |
| Died | 1880-08-30 Brecon, Wales |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, coal industry pioneer, politician |
| Years active | 1841–1880 |
| Known for | Advancement of South Wales coal industry, mayor of Brecon (1854), High Sheriff of Brecknockshire (1876) |
Mordecai Jones (1813 – 30 August 1880) was a notable Welsh entrepreneur and a key figure in the advancement of the South Wales coal industry. He was an advocate for the British Schools system of free education and actively supported both Welsh and English Calvinistic Methodist congregations. In 1854, Jones held the office of mayor in Brecon.
Biography
Jones was born in 1813 to a boat builder working on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. His education in Brecon was made possible through the patronage of a local coal merchant.
Career
Following his schooling, Jones assumed control of his benefactor’s enterprise, purchasing the former Breconshire Brewery along with the Abergavenny Gas Works in 1841. He remained chairman of the Brecon Gas Works from its establishment until his passing.
Beginning in 1861, Jones developed Nantmelyn Colliery located in Cwmdare within the Aberdare Valley, and in 1876 he initiated operations at Mardy Colliery in the Rhondda Fach Valley. After his death, management of Nantmelyn Colliery was handled by the Nantmelyn Colliery Company, while the lease for Mardy transitioned to Locket's Merthyr Company.
Politics
In 1854, Jones served as mayor of Brecon and subsequently was appointed deputy lieutenant for Brecknock. He constructed Camden Cottage on land leased from both the Marquis of Camden and the Earl of Brecknock; this property currently functions as a guest house. His appointment as High Sheriff of Brecknockshire came in 1876.
A proponent of the Welsh language, Jones acted as secretary to Calvinistic Methodist ministers and elders in Brecknock and co-authored a letter in 1848 advocating for Her Majesty’s School Inspectors to be proficient in Welsh.
Religion
Jones was deeply committed to Calvinistic Methodism, serving as secretary for ministers and elders within Brecknock. He supported church expansion efforts across England and Wales and provided freehold land allotments to various denominations on his estates at Mardy and Cwmdare.
Schooling
As an influential supporter of the British and Foreign School Society throughout South Wales, Jones also financially contributed to the establishment of the Normal School in Brecon in 1846. He led the Brecon School Board as chairman from its founding until 1879.
Aligning with David Charles III’s initiative to combine government funding with voluntary contributions, Jones played a crucial role as treasurer in forming the South Wales British Schools Association, where Benjamin Hall served as president.
Death
On 30 August 1880, Jones passed away at Morgannwg House on Glamorgan Street in Brecon, situated next to the Ursuline convent.
References
- Theophilus Jones, History of the County of Brecknock (Glanusk edition), iv, 257, 297, 309
- Elizabeth Phillips, A History of the Pioneers of the Welsh Coalfield, 1925, 205–7, 249