Journal entries

Rhys
Evans
Industrial
Revolu3on
Journal
Entries

Friday, 28 February 14

Steam
Pump
engine
designed
by
Thomas

Savery
and
improved
then
built
by
James

Wa=.

JOURNAL
ENTRY
#1
1781- Invention of steam engine
In the rural area of Myrther Tydfil, there are many people living as coal miners. It is a hard, dangerous job, but it provides for a
family. I am thirty-five years old, the youngest in the family. My dream is to help father provide for the family and later to
provide for my own family too. In order to this I have to work harder even if I hate doing the job, deep deep in my heart. My
grandfather has talked to me many times about how the Industrial Revolution started and what life was like before the
revolution.
Usually, my father spoke proudly about the remarkable invention that brought Myrther Tydfil town from an agricultural to urban
society, from farming to coal mining. It was this machine called the steam pump engine that was sourced by burning
anthracite coal that was instrumental in changing the way people lived and worked. The innovation of labor started by this
steam engine. A mechanical engineer, Thomas Savery, designed this piece and later on James Watt improved upon and then
built the model. This machine was the first one that demanded coal.
Prior to the invention of the steam engine, people’s livelihood was dictated by the weather. Therefore, when it rained, work in
the coalmine was incredibly perilous. Because it rained everyday it was filling the seam like a glass of water. By this cause
miners couldn’t work anymore and then economic process slowed down. Then we knew without a job in the town we
couldn’t run the family. I felt wretched.
Instead we could farm just like grandpa did although, he left the rural labor because it wasn’t easy enough to make money.
Physically and mentally you had to work. It was wake up, farming, and sleep. To make money prior to those times in the farms
they had to grow hay and crops in order to sell them; however, to get a big amount of that you need tools, machines for
certain uses.As a farmer my father had to always rely on the four seasons, which somewhat failed his agrarian economy To
carry items around father had three horses and four pigs each had different jobs. Although, today I just see animals running
around the fields outside of Tyler town.
I am pretty sure farming wasn’t tougher than coal mining because I once hated squeezing into those dark dusty mines. At that
I was named the cheap laborers. Even if one member from a family doesn’t work in the mines their lives would be worse than
mine looks.
Later, the construction worker from the city built the steam engine hired by James Watt. The steam engine had a pipe like an
elephants trunk sucking the water out of the mines. After two hours the mine was completely cleaned. The boss announced
the next day to come and start working.
In an age of thirteen I learnt so much from father. How the steam engine provided an urban change to Myrther Tydfil.
-Carter Evans


Blanaevon
Iron
works
in
opera3on
Rhys
Evans
when
he

was
13
years
old

"New Economy Speech-Charles Lipson."

"Industrial Revolution." Revolutionaryvoices. ISB,
27 Feb. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Picture of Rhys Evans

New Economy Speech-Charles Lipson. Charles Lipson, 27
Feb. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. Picture of Iron works.

JOURNAL
ENTRY
#2
1805- Blanaevon Iron works in operation
I am Carter Evan’s only son, John Evans. I am I enjoy my times with my beloved father. My mother, father and I work in the
coalmines of Myrther Tydfil. Same as my dad provided for his father I’ll also provide sustenance for my father too.
Today is a Saturday, and in the evening my father and I went to Benson’s house. Benson works in the iron factory. Both of us
share our feelings about the days of our work to each other. We talked about how his life and work in the iron industry. Even
though, I am thirteen and he is, nineteen we are best buddies.
After the steam engine comes to be a great use, as said by my father, many other works became a success. The iron factory
raised the bar of economic higher. Benson worked exigently everyday to build iron.
I asked him how do you make iron in your industry? Pig iron is an intermediate item of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon
fuel, sometimes with limestone flux. Also, charcoal and anthracite coal were used as fuels. The whole process of making iron
is physically demanding. Iron was laid on a large rod and there would be this enormous oven kind of machine, which would
melt the iron into high temperature constructing it into pig iron. Pig iron was made like big heavy pillars. Almost thirty-two
workers would do this part of the job. Then there would be another group of thirty-two people doing the same job for the
next six hours. Only three shifts were able to do this everyday. The workers start work at six in the morning and end eight at
night.
Benson pointed to the window, and I saw the Ironworks Company, collieries and locomotives carrying products toward
markets. At that time the houses were built beside those ironworks. This made it much easier for the workers to get to their
destination on time. Laborers of ironwork before woke up early and had to walk to long distances to their working place in
an hour, so they decided to put the houses next to the ironwork place.
In 1796 per year 5,400 tons of iron was produced. Thus, the increase of iron is because the railway tracks were connected to
other places, which had iron production and was shared altogether in Myrther. Railway tracks were associated with cities like
Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal through the 2.4km long Pwll-Du tunnel. In the mountains, north of Blaenavon, the GarnDdyrys Forge was built there to convert pig iron to wrought iron in 1817. Hence, the burning of coal produced smoke that
changed the look of the sky to black atmosphere all over England. Benson named it the Black Country.
Benson and I also spoke about the fact that there are so many people in Myrther today who came from different places.
Since Myrther Iron Production was connected with other countries, the population grew rapidly through the emigration of
workers from rural areas of Wales. Some were from the industrial midlands, such as Ireland, Scotland and rural England.
The Iron industry seemed very difficult with only few human hands. Benson would’ve been adapted to the environment over
there just like I have in the coalmines.
-Rhys Evans


Lord
Ashley
who
headed
the
royal

commission
of
inquiry
"Lord Ashley, Earl of Shaftesbury." Biography. N.p., 27 Feb. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Picture of Lord Ashley.

JOURNAL
ENTRY
#3
1842- Mines act
John Evans is my father and he lent me this diary. He lent it so, I would know the past of my father and grandfather’s moments. I am
Krony Evans I have been present in the mines act in 1838. My young sister, Angle used to go to work before the mines act. She didn’t
go to work anymore because of the Royal commission of inquiry.
On June 6th in 1838 it happened. The deluge caused by the twelve-hour rain with thrashing thunderstorms occurring at Huskar
Colliery in Silkstone, near Barnsley. As I was about to dig coal a stream smashed onto me. I was drifting through the overflowing
stream and secured myself to the walls. Father was deep underground I was worried how on earth is he going to get on surface.
Someone who offered me ropes to pull me out of the mine saved me and so, was dad after my rescue. Regardless of the other
people, they weren’t back so, a person went down tied rope on their waist. All they brought on their shoulders were young children
dead. It was horrifyingly sad. The parents of the kids were trying to rescue the kids but they never revived.
The boss announced “Twenty-six youngsters are soul-taken” and dismissed everyone back home. I feel very bad for all of those kids.
They weren’t fortuned with a country who cares for them. This job was very hazardous for them to be underground and it’s very
appalling those kids had to still work in the mine, while it was raining hard. Those innocent young miners got wiped out to heaven by
the worst stream? The mine owners are ruthless, I am sure of that. I mean what do they want the most? Money right?
I mean come on we are getting acknowledged that if each member doesn’t work in the family they can’t gain much money! The
kids aged five to six had to be trappers shutting and opening the ventilation doors in the seam. Also, women and children were used
for small edgy spaces inside deep in the mine. Those young strength people had to stay in the dark mine 11 or 12 hours. This is
painful, definitely I hear the banging souls to take their revenge onto those mine owners!!
Our hopes did come up after two years, a man called Lord Ashley came to our town. As a response to the laboring conditions of
children this result was reported to the Children Employment commission. Lord Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury held
the commission. He outlawed all females and children less than ten years from laboring in the coal mines. This mine act was called
by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, in Ashley’s perspective.
Lord Ashley came to every door’s house asking questions. Questions involving of how the miners feel about working in the mines. I’ve
been talking to some of the people in town who were investigated. All of the citizens in this town told the truth. I noticed they say
injuries, breathing, black lungs, blue mark were severe and the adjustment being inside their for 12 hours per day.
From this investigation it banned the rule of any women and child less than ten years old should not work in any mine though, mine
owners were tempted for many workers. In the 1842, only men were the ones underground digging coal.
-Krony Evans


New
Pendyrus
coal
mine
opened


JOURNAL
ENTRY
#4
1876- New Pendyrus Coal mine
I am Rhys Evans, thirteen years old. My father, Krony Evans gave me this diary, which is almost ancient to me. My great great
grandfather first wrote this diary and it’s amazing how his life was like. Here I talk about my journey to Tyler town. My family is
moving to Tyler town because a new coalmine is opened. My father says there are tools provided for certain work, they give you
a set payment more than sixty pounds and they offer better houses than this Tydfil town. These were the employment benefits
Tyler town jobs.
Not only a coalmine was opened but also a new town named after the last name of the person who built it, Alfred Tyler. Alfred
Tyler brought many regards to this town.
The departure time was at eight ten so, my whole family had to wake up early at six. All washed up, dressed and eaten well. All
of us walked to the station because it’s just near to our house. At eight we were sitting on the benches waiting for the train and
buying the train tickets.
Chu chu! Chu chu! I turned alert after the signal came. The train was coming towards us and my eyes were following as it
stopped. In the next moment everyone were holding their luggage, I had mine to, then my body moved itself without the
command of my brain. Entering the small-wide gap of the entrance indicating more to the inside of the train. The train was
traveling for three hours it was wonderful riding in them. I have never rid on anything that goes as fast as the waterfall flows.
After three hours the train slowed down and stopped. Getting off the train wasn’t easy because every single space was filled with
people. You had to dig out from the tall, short, wide and beautiful citizens of Tyler. When I stood on the platform it was a major
difference of how we were dressed and how they dressed.
Squeezing out of the crowd I was standing in the gates of the station. I have seen the most populated town today. From my view
the town was like an ants colony.
Our next destination was to go see the new Pendyrus coal mine. Sign for the job from each of us and come to work the next day.
Next we went to visit our new house given by the occupation. The house was small, clean, neat and tidy it wasn’t messy or dirty
at all like the previous house we had in Myrther Tydifl. For letting out human waste we have a trench at the back of the house
and I think it leads to the big canal I saw, while traveling in the train.
Overall, I was tired after the journey but I did discover the new places over here. I should say I would rather live here than in
Myrther Tydfils.
-Rhys Evans


Coﬃns
of
the
57
dead
people
from
the
Pendyrus
mine
disaster
on
Monday
28th
January


JOURNAL
ENTRY
#5
1896- Monday 28th January Pendyrus mine disaster.
This is a moment when I lose the important person in my life. Father. He died in the mine explosion. On the first month of
1896, Monday 28th at half past five in the morning an explosion took at pit eight then caused havoc in pit seven.
At five in the morning I came to work at pit eight with my family. Mother was working in the small edges not to deep
though, but father was working at the bottom of the shaft. I was holding a Davy lamp, while I was digging coal after five
minutes blue flames started to glow and I realized. Methane. I alerted everyone next to me and the others messaged it
to the rest. Mother was at the top and I was expecting for father to come. When father was coming from the bottom he
dropped the Davy lamp to the ground. BLAST! BOOM! I couldn’t hear any more effects after the pressure of the
explosion threw me away.
I tried to stand and see if dad survived but he was no more. I sat there shredding to tears. Somebody behind me was
shouting “everyone get out of here pit seven has methane. The whole place is going to blow up” I regretted to run. I
wanted to go to heaven to my dad. Rather than that my mother dragged me away from there. She was crying too. I
stood up again and ran away holding my mothers hands. Now were standing on the border of Tyler town. Pit seven and
eight blew to pieces and all was left was ashes and smoke. Everyone was sorrow and scared. The dead bodies were
found inside the coalmines and my dad…his right arm was torn away from his body and so, was his left leg. My
heartbeat was pumping so hard when I was crying. What did he do wrong? Why was he soul-taken? Why would he live
me here? Why would this ever happen!
Nevertheless, Tyler town made my father’s funeral meaningful actually, for all of the miners who died in the explosion. I
saw fifty-seven coffins laying there beautifully waiting in the sun. Soon everyone gave prayers to those who were soultaken. Most of my prayer went all for dad and some for the others.
Slowly, every miner family leaves and I couldn’t forget father so, I stood there for a while. Mother came to me and said,
“Don’t cry Rhys, you and I are going to be providing for the family now. This is what your father would’ve want you to
do” And it’s true.
-Rhys Evans


THANK
YOU
FOR

SEEING

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