Mine Managers
In contrast to the ordinary miner, the names of many of the mine manages have been recorded.
Name | Information about Managers and Owners |
Bayley, Sir Nicholas | Landowner from Plas Newydd who owned the Mona Mine area and held part of the Parys mine in moiety with William Lewis. |
Beer ,Thomas | Sanderson’s successor as Chief Agent at Plas Newydd in 1851. |
Bingley Rev Edward | Visitor to the mines in 1798 who left a good description of mine operation. |
Boulton , Mathew | Entrepreneur from the Midlands who had a great influence on the industrial revolution. |
Burke , Edward | Listed as Vitriol works manager in 1851 census. Born in Ireland. |
Buzza ,William & George | Two brothers who were shown the best bargains in the mine by Trewen in 1863. This lead to a miners strike and the eventual resignation of Trewren. |
Cartwright John |
Bayley’s
mineral agent who on 13 Sept 1762 was paid £225/9/11 for 2 years and 11 months’
work in “reopening the old works at parys mountain” (MMS 2242) He had arrived at the mines in 1760 from the Penrhyn Du mines in Caernarfonshire to view “old workings” which had been discovered by a John Owen. Cartwright was shown around by Alexander Frazier. Other English agents at this time were William Ledgey, William Elliot & William Carey. |
Cockshutt ,Edwin | Local historian in the early part of the 20th Century. |
Collins and Westward | Held patent for the production of copper bolts for copper sheathing of ships. |
Champion , John | His company recovered Brimstone from the Parys mine ores on the mountain starting in 1778. He introduce vertical kilns to the mountain and later to the port. |
Davies , Oliver | His excavations in 1937 on Surface mounds demonstrated the possibility of ancient mining activity on the mountain. |
Davey , Capt.William | Together with James Treweek took over the day to day operation of the mines in 1811.Both were shareholders in the mine. |
Dawes, John | With the end of the mining lease to Roe and Co in 1778, the Bayley family sold out their share of Mona Mine to John Dawes a London banker. He in turn became a partner with Thomas Williams who hence had control of both the Mona and Parys mines. |
Dyer , Capt Charles Bunt (1803-31/3/1879) | Manager of the East Parys mining company which took over operation of the mine on 14/4/1858. He resided in Parys Lodge. Between 1857 and 1870 the Parys mountain Mining Company made a profit of £400,000 under Dyers management. Buried at Amlwch. Listed in 1851 census |
Dyer , Charles L | Listed as mine agent in 1851 census |
Edmund , Robert | Miner killed at Parys Mountain. Inquest report July 1776. Witnessess, Hugh Owen Coroner, William Griffith, Richard Jones, William Lewis, Evan Williams, John Morris, Andrew Paynter, Samual Elliot, Ben Hadsfield, Thomas Paynter, Morris Hughes. |
Edwards Capt | Under Captain at Mona Mine during 1831. |
Ellis , Griffiths (b 1768) | Held a minor administrative post in MM but was appointed as underground agent at PM in 1820. Listed as Retired mine agent aged 83 in 1851 census. |
Elliot , William | Agent for Roe and Co in 1775 till 1778 |
Evans ,C.H. | Lord Anglesey’s local land agent around 1851. |
Evans , Evan b1817. | Chief clerk at the Mona mine for around 30 years. He was paid £60 pa in 1828. He was refused the post of Mona Mine agent in 1850 In 1857 he exposed the corruption of James Henry Treweek. His son was T F Evans who eventually become mine owner. |
Evans
,Thomas Fanning (1839-1891) (Mona lodge) | Evans was the first Inspector of Metal Mines for North Wales. He resigned from this position on 10/7/1880. On 20/6/1866 he leased the Mona mine for a period of 31 years. In 1892 Mr Fanning Evans owned the Parys mine and employed 31 miners underground,126 on the surface and 34 with ochre production. By 1921 this had dropped to He was also a share holder in the Mona mines. |
Evans , Williams (b1793) | Listed as Mine Agent n 1851 census |
Francis , Absalom | A mining engineer prepared a report on Mona Mine. He recorded that in an area “300 fathoms to the east of the present workings shafts and workings dating from the 17th century, though reworked 40 years ago , are still to be seen. Further to the east again, and reaching almost to the road there where traces of ancient mining” (Mining Journal 1880 p 134) |
Francis Captain | Under Captain at Mona Mine during 1831. |
Fraser, Alexander | A Scot who first persuaded Nicholas Bayley to look for Copper at Cerrig y bleddia farm on Parys Mountain in 1762 after he and a John Owen had discovered “old workings” He died 29/8/1809 and is buried at St Eleths. Amlwch. |
Gaynor ,Thomas | Underground sub agent at Mona Mine who was made Tally man in 1820 due to disability. |
Greathead , Samual | Shop keeper accused of running a Mona Mine “Truck” shop with Treweek in 1852. the lived at “The Mount” |
Griffiths, Bill | Sample supervisor who described the work of the mine in the 1950s. |
Griffiths , Owen (1851-97) | Miner and author of ” Mynydd Parys” 1897 |
Harrison
, Thomas (d 1788) | Plas Newydd agent reported in 1783 ” all vegetation is utterly destroyed… were the smoke from the burning of ore reaches” |
Hills , Charles Henry | Came to Amlwch (Bryntirion) in 1840 to establish a chemical works to produce artificial fertilizers from waste sulphur. Appointed Lewis Hughes as manager. In 1860 he was calcining Mona mine ores to recover sulphuric acid. |
Hughes , Rev Edward | Owner of Parys farm after William Lewis death in 1761 It was he who hired Thomas Williams in his legal battle with Sir Nicholas Bayley. |
Hughes,
Lewis (1852-1935) | Manager of Hills Guano works. Lived Aber Eilian. |
Hughes , Dr Thomas | Parys mine Doctor in 1863. |
Hughes,
William (1770-1840) | Of Madyn Dysw held the carting Monopoly for Mona Mine for 20 years from 1811. |
Hughes William | Superintendent of weighing machine who was paid 14d per day in 1799. (WDAAK 6) |
Job,
Capt James (1780-1852) |
Cornish
mine captain brought to the mine by Treweek. Petitioned Sanderson in 1823 to
increase his wages to the same level as other agents around £9/3/- per month. Listed in 1851 census as being born in Perran. |
Jones. Joseph |
Parys
mine agent In 1819 he reported to Sanderson “some miners only earned 12
1/2d per day and had to repay loans from this money”. He took over the control of smelting operations at both the Mona and Parys smelters in March 1828. His methods were a failure and he was replaced by Treweek in Dec 1828. In 1829 he organized a petition against Treweek and brought false charges against Lemin which helped to create bad feeling between the Cornish and Jones native Welshmen. |
Jones ,William | A Grave stone at Llanelian church is in memory of William Jones late of Penmaen and Agent of parys mines who died 11/9/1847 aged 44 |
Legg | Succeeded Beer as chief accountant at Mona mine in1860. |
Lemin ,
William Alfred (1772-1844) | Mine Capt brought to the area in 1817 by Treweek. Faraday’ guide on his visit to the mines in 1819.Petitioned Sanderson in 1823 to increase his wages to the same level as other agents. Died 16/10/1844 buried at St Eleths. |
Lentin , Dr Augustine | A German scientist who visited and described the process in the mine and smelters in 1800. |
Lewis ,William | Lived at Llys Dulas and owned half of Parys Farm until he died in 1761. |
Llwyfo , Llew | A poet and miner.As a youngster he was required to take an assay sample of ores for analysis. On two ocasions atte,pts wre made to adulterate the ore which Llwyfo resisted. |
Manning W | Exploration manager for Anglesey mining exploration in the 1950s.Explored the mainly bluestone area of the mountain.. |
Medley | Carried out experiments on Mynydd parys waters in 1579 to precipitate copper and alum. |
Morgan,Captain
Thomas (1830-1916) | Manger of “iard ochre draw” after the death of Cox Paynter. lived at Bryn llwyd. |
Morgan , William | Moved from a smelter at Ravenhead to take over the Mona and Parys mine smelter at Amlwch Port in 1817. In 1822 Morgan wrote to Sanderson to try and smelt all of the mines ores at the smelter.16 furnaces at Mona works and 20 at Parys. By 1825 it was felt that Morgan was being too harsh and was losing control of the Smelters. An additional refiner William Rees was appointed in 1826. |
Morris , Lewis | |
Michael, Capt Thomas | A new company called the Parys Copper Corporation run by Captain Thomas Mitchell from Cornwall took over the operation of the Parys mine on 24 march 1879 |
Napier , James (b1810) |
Trained
himself as a chemist in Glasgow after experimenting with dyes for the cotton
industry. He was employed by Messers Elkington & Mason at their London
Electro-plating works in 1842. Sometime afterwards he visited Parys Mines and
began working on an idea for extracting copper by electrolysis. This was pick
up by his employer who sent him to Swansea and then Holywell in Flint to
develop the process on a large scale. ( Information supplied by decendent David Napier,Australia.) |
Oldbrey , Robert | Principle share holder of the Parys Mona and Morfu du mines in 1877. Morfu du Mine also had J.Watson, Henry Dean and Charles Parry as shareholders. |
Owens , Sion | Cut a hole 6 yards deep in the mountain in 1761 and found copper ore which was sent to Warrington for smelting. |
Paget ,Henry | Nicolas Bayley’s son who was Earl of Uxbridge and then The Marquis of Anglesey. Developed Mona Mine at the end of the Roe lease in 1785. He entered a partnership with the Vivian in 1811 which lead to the arrival of Cornish deep mining techniques to MP. |
Parr , Dr Joshua | A chemist who in 1803 together with partners set up the Mona Vitriol Company to extract chemicals from the waters on the mountain. |
Parry , John | Owner or windmill at paint works in 1866.(Hugh Hughes) |
Parry , Dr Richard Lewis (b1816) | Mona Mine Doctor in 1863. Also mentioned in 1835 diary and listed in 1851 census |
Parys , Robert | King’s debt collector who was given “Parys” Mountain |
Paynter
, John Wynne (1815-1882) Maes llwyn | On 20/6/1866 he leased the Mona mine for a period of 31 years with Fanning Evans.He built Mona mill above the busy harbour inn1816. The mill had 7 floors and 4 sets of grinding wheels. |
Paynter
, William Cox (1817-1883) |
Manager
of “Iard ochre draw” Died 5/12/1883 Buried at St Eleths, Amlwch. |
Petters, Robert | A Director of Parys mountain mines. he lived at parys lodge and later Tyn Rheol where he died in 1851. A port of Mona street was once known as Petter’s street |
Price, Hugh | A receiver appointed by the courts to try and settle financial disputes between the Mona and Parys mines in 1775 (MMS3544) |
Price, John | Mine agent who showed Rev Bingley around the Parys mine in 1789.He was replaced by Treweek in 1811. |
Pritchard ,Cornelius | Methodist deacon who assisted the sick and disabled workers to petition Lord Anglesey. in 1832 Sanderson accused him of writing many falsehoods on behalf of the injured miners and of stirring up unrest. |
Puw ,Roland | Miner credited with making the great discovery of copper at Cerrig Y Bleddia (Mona Mine) on 2nd March 1768. he lived rent free in his cottage until his death 14/8/1786. Buried at St Eleths,Amlwch.. |
Randol , Cadi (1743-1828) | A “good time girl” in the mid 1700s! She rented a cottage on the mountain from the Marquis for 2/- per year. In 1788 she was converted to Christianity by the great preacher John Elias. |
Rees ,Edward | William Rees son, Edward Rees was appointed as smelter assistant in 1826 and smelter in 1846.Listed as Refining Agent in 1851 census |
Rees , William | Appointed a refiner in 1826 and worked with William Morgan. He was experienced and had worked at the Penclawdd smelter in South Wales. His salary was £150 pa. However, he had difficulties working with Morgan and the Amlwch ores. Both men were replaced in March 1828 by Joseph Jones and then Treweek later in the same year. His son Edward Rees was appointed as his assistant in 1826 and succeeded him in 1846. William died 7/9/1845 aged 69 and is buried at St Eleths, Amlwch. |
Richard ,Evan | Formally of Swansea gave many years’ service as one of the Agents at Mona and Parys Mines.He died aged 65 on 29/6/1811 and is buried at St Eleths Amlwch. |
Roberts , Hugh |
Clerk
at the mine office appointed to the assay office in November 1826.Listed as
assay master in 1851 census On 17/1/1860 he petitioned for a pension. He had been at PM for over 45 years. PM had now adopted a method of work which makes the office of assayer dispensable and so he was sacked. |
Roberts , Owen | Miners leader who lead the strike in April 1863 against appointment of two Cornish brothers to a the tributers gang. Sacked by Trewen . Roberts was eventually reinstated and Trewen had to leave the mine. |
Robyns , John | Son of a former Mine agent at MM who left to work at a farm in september 1830 due to the low wages being paid. |
Roe , Charles | Born in Macclesfeild he developed a mine exploration company which aqquired a 21 year lease on Mona mine from Bayley in 1764. |
Roose ,
Jonathan (1731-1813) | Mining engineer who rediscovered the copper at Mynydd Parys |
Roose
,Stephen (1799-1854) Glandon | Magistrate and mine agent. |
Rowlands , Owen (b1774) |
Responsible
for the weighing machine between the Port and the Mines. He was appointed
14/10/1805, when the mines were slack, at 14/- per week plus 20 lbs of
candles and three tons of coal. By 1820 the mines were busy and he had to
attend his weighing machine for longer periods of time. In 16/11/1820 he
successfully petitioned Lord Anglesey to increase his wages by 7/- per week
and to employ his son as an assistant at a further 7/- per week as the
“dry dust from the road damaged his health” (MMS 319) He was still listed as a weigher aged 77 in the 1851 census. Richard Rowlands (b1828) was also listed as a weigher. |
Rutty, Dr John | Author on report on “medical” uses of mine water in 1760 |
Sanderson , John | Lord Uxbridge’s estate manager who looked after Uxbridge’s interests at the mine. It was to Sanderson that James Treweek reported. |
Staples , Henry | A receiver appointed by the courts to try and settle financial disputes between the Mona and Parys mines in 1775. |
Stephans , William (b1808) | Listed as mine agent from Bristol in 1851 census |
Thomas Williams | Ship building resurrected under Hughes and Thomas in 1855. William Thomas became the sole owner in 1871 and 37 ships were launched before 1914 from the Iard newydd. |
Taylor , John | Mining consultant and principle shareholding in Parys Mines company Ltd in 1860. |
Trevethick | Captain Trevethick left to go to Canada as a mining captain in 1870 due to poor conditions at PM.. |
Treweek , James (1779-6/12/1851) | Manager of the mines and smelting operations in the mid-19th century. He revitalized the mines after the death of Thomas Williams.Buried at Amlwch He escorted Faraday around mines in 1819 (Called Mr irweek by Faraday) |
Treweek John Henry (1817-18/2/1876) | James Treweek’s son who became Manager in 1847. Ship owner Buried at Amlwch Church. |
Treweek Nicholas (1804-1877) Francis ( 1811-1832) | James Treweek’s sons who developed ship building at Amlwch Port. |
Treweek
William George (1804-1877) | James Treweek’s son who became chief assayer at the Mona Mine. He was sacked in 1853 as a drunkard. |
Trewen
, George (b1833 1876) |
Replaced
Tiddy as Captain at Mona Mine in 1860. He showed favors to two brothers
called Buzza. In 1863 he was accused of accepting their price for a bargain
after the settling had been closed. The miners went on strike and would not
let the Buzza brothers into the mine. Trewren sacked the miners leader Owen Roberts
However peace was only restored to the mine when Roberts was restored to his
position and Trewen was forced to leave. He is buried at St Eleths Amlwch. |
Tiddy , Thomas (b1803) |
Local
mining official who worked for Treweek from 1825. He was related to Treweek
and was appointed Chief Agent at Mona Mine in 1950 above a popular local
man.( Evan Evans) and earned £175 pa. In 1860 Tiddy attempted change miners wage system to make them pay off there debts which resulted in a strike. Tiddy hide in the Cerrig y doll engine house the boiler of which blew up while he was there. Tiddy resigned on 8/6/1860 and was replaced by another Cornish Capt called Trewen. |
Uxbridge , Lord | Nicolas Bayley’s son Henry Pagent who was Earl of Uxbridge and then The Marquis of Anglesey. Developed Mona Mine at the end of the Roe lease in 1785. He entered a partnership with the Vivian in 1811 which lead to the arrival of Cornish deep mining techniques to MP. |
Vignoles , Charles | Charles Vignoles was born in 1793. He emigrated to the USA where he became a soldier. He later worked as a surveyor and in 1823 he returned to England. He became involved in drainage works and railway construction all over Europe until his death in 1875. At Amlwch he was involved with the initial feasibility study of a tramway from the port to the mountain in March 1828. |
Vivian, John | Swansea copper baron who took over Parys Mountain in 1811. His right hand men where Capt Treweek and Davey. |
Watkins
, James Roose (b 1844,d 6/5/1878) | Mona mine agent ” for many years” who died aged 34 years and is buried at Burwen cemetery. Listed in 1851 census.. |
Watt , James | Developer of the steam engine |
Webster ,James & Henry | Proprietors of the Parys mountain sulphuric acid works in 1828 James was buried at Amlwch 1/11/1840 aged 34 years. |
Webster , Peter (1770-3/1/1856) | From Northop in Flint.Mona Mine assayer for over 40 years.His son James Webster become chief assistant in 1832 and succeeded his father who died in 29/12/1855 aged 75.Buried at St Eleths Amlwch. |
Williams,Hugh | Parys miner killed underground in May 1776. Inquest witnesses. Hugh Owen Coroner, Stephan Roose, Robert Price, Robert Evans, Stephan Millward, Robert William, William Jones, Joseph Dudson, Richard Hughes. |
Williams , James | Mona mine assayer in 1857 who earned £108 pa. AJames Williams left with Captain Trevithick in 1870 to start work in Canada. |
Williams , Richard | Miner injured at Mona Mine 1884 |
Williams ,Thomas (1737-1802) | Twm chwarae teg the lawyer and great mine entrepreneur in the late 18 th century.Also called The Copper King. |
William , Williams (b1820) | Listed as Smelter superintendent in 1881 census |