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27-583: On 10 March 1905, an explosion occurred at the Cambrian Colliery No.1. The explosion was heard for miles all around the valleys and resulted in the loss of 33 lives and serious injury to 14 others. The accident happened between the day and night shifts, otherwise the death toll would have been far higher. Before being forced back by fire, early rescue teams found and saved 50 uninjured survivors and 13 who were seriously hurt. The fire took five days to extinguish and there were no more survivors. Most of

54-576: A mound about 12 feet high by 100 feet in length remained, which over the centuries had acquired the name of Gibbet Hill , indicating perhaps, that in the area's medieval period, it was a place of execution. However, latterly, development of the mid-Rhondda by-pass road has removed all traces of the castle. Trealaw Cemetery Trealaw is the site of one of the Rhondda's largest cemeteries, located at Llethrddu ("black slope"). Opened in 1875, it also contains war graves of both world wars. The burials of

81-621: A second major mining accident occurred at the Cambrian Colliery. An explosion caused by firedamp , after poor ventilation allowed a build-up of flammable gas, killed 31 miners. The ignition point was later identified as an electric arc on an open switch panel which was being worked on. This was the last major mining disaster in South Wales history. 51°37′27″N 3°29′18″W  /  51.6241°N 3.4883°W  / 51.6241; -3.4883 Trealaw Trealaw

108-513: A ten-round fight on 21 January 1938, against former heavyweight champion James J. Braddock , "the Cinderella Man". He also lost to Max Baer the same year, even though he had defeated him before. Farr returned to the UK early in 1939, enjoying a run of victories that year. He retired in 1940, but personal tragedies saw him lose his fortune. He ended up bankrupt , having to return to the ring at

135-460: A win over top contender Tommy Loughran in 1936. In 1937 he bested ex-champion Max Baer and earned a title shot against Joe Louis . On 30 August 1937, Farr fought world heavyweight champion Joe Louis at the height of his career at Yankee Stadium , New York City . He earned respect despite losing a controversial points decision after 15 rounds. Louis had knocked out eight of his previous nine opponents and proceeded to knock out his next seven, but

162-651: Is a long village, also a community and electoral ward in the Rhondda Valley , Rhondda Cynon Taf , Wales. It stretches over two miles (three kilometres) from the junction of Cemetery Road and Brithweunydd Road in the east, to the junction of Ynyscynon Road and Partridge Road to the northwest. Trealaw is a dormitory town of the more famous Tonypandy , its name translates from the Welsh language as 'the Town of Alaw', which derives from Alaw Goch or Alaw Coch (red melody),

189-583: The Cynon Valley . Judges Hall is a community venue used in its heyday for Variety performances, boxing tournaments and snooker . Today it is used for Bingo and youth activities. Although Trealaw is considered to date from the 1860/70s, it does have an earlier history. On the river bank, near the confluence of Nant Clydach with the Rhondda Fawr River, stood Ynys-y-Crug, a 12th-century timber motte-and-bailey castle . Until recent years,

216-504: The First World War are scattered in various parts of this large cemetery, and shortly after that war a Cross of Sacrifice was erected at the cemetery entrance. The cemetery contains the graves of Lord Tonypandy , Tommy Farr , Lewis Jones and James Kitchener Davies . William Evans (1864–1934), owner of Thomas & Evans Ltd which produced the soft drink Corona , is also buried here. The cemetery features many reminders of

243-627: The Labour Party and Plaid Cymru . At the May 2012 election and May 2017 election it was won by Labour's Joy Rosser. At the May 2022 election the seat was won by Labour's Wyn Hughes, whose son Gareth Hughes was councillor for neighbouring Tonypandy . Trealaw is served by two railway stations on the Transport for Wales train services from Cardiff : Dinas and Tonypandy . Dinas (then known as Pandy station, located 100 metres downline from

270-547: The 1920s where everything from pottery to drama was taught. Today, there is a more limited range of activities, while the Dan Murphy Day Centre (named after a former councillor) on the site provides meals and a meeting place for the area's senior citizens. Originally, the village had seven pubs (The Bute Hotel, Dinas Arms, Royal Hotel, Miskin Hotel, Trealaw Hotel (known locally as Paddy's Goose), Colliers Arms and

297-506: The 1980s, Tommy's listing concludes its thumbnail on the championship bout with "...Louis came back strongly and clinched a narrow points verdict." The actual ferocity of the battle and its level of competition, seldom contested, may be summed up by Tommy Farr, later on in life: "When I talk about that fight, my nose still bleeds." After the Louis fight, Farr was unsuccessful in several contests at Madison Square Garden, New York. These included

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324-467: The United States, Farr is remembered for his 1937 world title challenge against Joe Louis . Considered one of Louis' toughest ever fights, the bout lasted the full 15 rounds and the large crowd saw Farr hurt Louis on numerous occasions. However the final result was controversial, being a wide unanimous decision in favour of Louis, with the referee awarding him the fight thirteen rounds to one, while

351-575: The Ynyscynon Hotel), but the Bute and the Dinas Arms did not survive beyond the 1960s. The Bute was located directly opposite the main entrance to Llethrddu Cemetery, and acquired the nickname of The Resurrection because, in the days of walking funerals, the mourners would repair to the Bute to 'resurrect' the deceased with tales and reminiscences over a pint or three. The Bute closed in 1964 and

378-623: The age of 36 to make a living, during this time, he was taken under the wing of businessman Lesie T.Salts, the owner of Gwrych Castle . Farr later ran a pub in Brighton , Sussex , in final retirement, and died on Saint David's Day , 1986, aged 72. He is buried at Trealaw Cemetery . In 2007, Contender , a musical based on Farr's career, was composed by Mal Pope and premiered at the United Nations building in New York, followed by

405-718: The bardic name of David (Dafydd) Williams (d. 1863) the father of Judge Gwilym Williams (1839–1906), who founded the village (along with that of Williamstown , a village to the south of Trealaw) during the 'coal-rush' of the 19th century. Judge Williams is also commemorated in Trealaw by Judges Hall (in full, the Judge Gwilym Williams Memorial Hall) and in Ynyscynon Road, named after the Williams' family seat at Ynyscynon, near Aberdare in

432-409: The finish." However, In Donovan's account, he stands by his scoring of the fight, claiming that while Farr's punches may have appeared to have done more damage than Louis's from the crowd's point of view, from his perspective and that of the ringside judges the opposite was true. Contrary views of the fight's result continued for many years. In The Encyclopedia of Boxing, as compiled by Gilbert Odd in

459-531: The introduction of Comprehensive school education in the 1970s, and it burned down soon after. Children who live near the Tonypandy end of the village are more likely to attend Tonypandy Community College; and children who live near Porth are more likely to attend Porth County Community School . For recreation, the main venue is Maes-yr-Haf Education Centre, founded by the Society of Friends ( Quakers ) in

486-474: The judges scored the fight eight to five and nine to six, both in Louis's favour. The announcement of the decision was roundly booed by the spectators. The bout was named The Ring magazine Fight of the Year for 1937. In his early career he didn't have much success. He garnered some wins but losses specked his record every two or three wins. Most of his losses were against unknowns. He soon started improving, with

513-759: The lower end, there was Davies's soft drinks factory in Marjorie Street, while in Trealaw Road the Co-op and the Hopkin Morgan bakeries provided the main employment. All the former have ceased trading, the latter two now the site of modern housing developments. Between the railway and the river, near Trealaw Station, is Foundry Road, which has a number of industrial units. There are two primary schools , Alaw Primary School and Trealaw Junior School. The Secondary modern school for senior pupils closed with

540-402: The nod, 13 frames out of 15 prompted these words from a British sportswriter: "The verdict is that of a man either blindly partisan or afflicted with astigmatism. It is a verdict that justifies the beliefs that nothing short of the annihilation of Louis would have given Farr victory. That Louis won may not be disputed, but as I read the fight, there was only a fractional difference in his favour at

567-541: The present station) was the original terminus of the Rhondda Fawr branch, opened by the Taff Vale Railway , until it was extended to Treherbert in 1863. The village is served by Stagecoach bus route 120 between Blaenrhondda and Pontypridd / Caerphilly ; and Veolia Transport Route 175 between Clydach Vale / Tonypandy and Porth . Trealaw has never had very much by way of commerce and industry. At

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594-549: The tragic loss of life which was an everyday reality during the valley's coal mining era, including most of the thirty-one victims of the Rhondda's last mining disaster at the Cambrian Colliery in May 1965. The Trealaw electoral ward is coterminous with the borders of the Trealaw community and elects one county councillor to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council . Since 1995 representation has mainly flipped between

621-479: The victims are buried at Trealaw Cemetery in Trealaw . At the time of the disaster, George Brace , brother of prominent unionist William Brace , was employed as an engine driver at the colliery. He decided to leave the mining industry to build up the family bakery business, which has now been run by his descendants for over a century. He named his house Cambrian House in memory of the disaster. On 17 May 1965,

648-514: The working class with their extensive libraries of mostly left-wing literature. In the 19th and early-20th century, behind Dinas Arms was the Brithweunydd Hotel, a low-class lodging house for workers attracted to the area by the burgeoning coal mining industry. The Royal Hotel shut its doors in early 2010 due to increased rates and the down turn in the economy. Tommy Farr Thomas George Farr (12 March 1913 – 1 March 1986)

675-528: Was a Welsh boxer from Clydach Vale , Rhondda , nicknamed " The Tonypandy Terror ". Prior to 1936, Farr boxed in the light heavyweight division, in which he was the Welsh champion. He became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Farr is considered to be one of the greatest British heavyweight fighters ever, and was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. In

702-506: Was attacked and hurt by Farr. The 50,000 crowd booed when Louis won. Referee Arthur Donovan, Sr. had seemingly raised Farr's glove in victory, causing controversy. Seven years later, in his published account of the fight, Donovan apologised for the 'mistake', claiming he had meant to shake Farr's hand to congratulate him for what he saw as an impressive fight. "Mistakes" hardly ended there, however. Donovan's own scorecard, had 13 rounds going to Louis. Though mixed accounts say Louis deserved

729-543: Was subsequently demolished to provide a car parking area for the Trealaw Workingmen's Club next door which has now acquired the 'Res' soubriquet. One of many such clubs in the South Wales Valleys , the club was paid for from contributions deducted from pit workers' wages to provide social and educational facilities for the employees. Many of these workingmen's clubs were known as the universities of

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