The Llewellyns of Bwllfa

If you lived in south Wales in the first half of the last century, you would have surely known who the Llewellyns were. As the Ewings were to Dallas, so the Llewellyns were to south Wales - and both families were in the energy business, in particular, fossil fuels.

The influence of the dynasty began in 1872 when Rees Llewellyn, (1851-1919), became Surveyor and Under-manager at Bwllfa Colliery in Cwmdare. About six years later he became manager and was living at Bwllfa House at the very top of the Dare valley. Later he became chairman of Bwllfa and Merthyr Dare Steam Collieries and entered into public and professional life in south Wales. Locally, he was at different times a member of the Aberdare School Board, the Aberdare Board of Health, the A.U.D.C., and the Glamorgan County Council.

Mr Rees Llewellyn, J.P.

Sir D.R. Llewellyn, J.P.

Rees and his wife Elizabeth, from Ystradfellte, had five boys and one girl who survived to adulthood. Of these, his eldest son David Richard Llewellyn, (1879 -1940), was the most successful; on the death of his father in 1919, he became chairman of the family company. But more importantly he acquired and combined other companies so that he became extremely influential and powerful in south Wales, and of course wealthy. Like his father, D.R. entered into public life and took a full part in the A.U.D.C., (the local council), was High Constable, and treasurer at Hen Dŷ Cwrdd, Trecynon. Further afield he was President of U.C. Cardiff in 1924. He lived at Goytre, 47 Llewellyn St., then at Fairfield, off Monk Street, and finally at The Court, St. Fagans. D.R. was made a baronet in 1922. He had eight children, with three of his sons gaining knighthoods. After D.R.’s death at the age of 61, the baronetcy descended to his eldest son Rhys Llewellyn, and on his death to D.R.’s second son, Henry Morton, also known as Harry, the Olympic show jumper who rode the horse named Foxhunter. Following D.R.’s cremation, his ashes were scattered over the Darran.

William Morgan Llewellyn (1887-1943) was the third son of Rees Llewellyn. He attended Christ College, Brecon, and went on to become an agent at Bwllfa and later became general manager on his father’s retirement. A lifelong bachelor, he lived initially at Nantmelin Farm, Cwmdare but in the early 1930s made his home, with his cousin Elizabeth Llewellyn, at Tŷ Newydd on the Hirwaun-Penderyn Road — it was here in 1940 that his brother D.R. died. W.M. held numerous public offices but was well liked in the district. As well as donating the Sports Cup, W.M. created a fund that the school used for scholarships, and in later years, for school prizes. Like other members of his family he held numerous public positions in south Wales. WM’s great love was hunting, and he kept kennels at several locations in the district, finally at Tŷ Newydd. From 1931 W.M. was sole Master of the Bwllfa Hunt. As a reminder of these times, present day guests at Tŷ Newydd, now a Hotel, will notice two statues of hounds at the entry to the hotel. His other passion was soccer and he supported the Aberdare Town Football Club generously, buying the Ynys Sports Field in 1920. In 1943, at the age of 56, W.M. died at University College Hospital, London after a short illness.

Mr. W.M. Llewellyn, J.P.

Of Rees Llewellyn’s sons, only Walter Powell Llewellyn (b.1882) attended the Intermediate School in Aberdare. He was amongst the first intake of 1896, and studied for two years there. This relatively short stay at a secondary school was about the average in the early years of the school - not only for this school but also for the other Intermediate Schools in Wales. By 1901, Walter was living in Paddington and employed at The London & Provincial Bank. He remained there for about 12 years before joining D.R. as a business partner. However, his life was cut short in 1922, when he died, a bachelor, at the age of 39.

Rees Llewellyn’s only daughter Annie Matilda married a solicitor Charles E. Edwards. Their son was Martin Llewellyn Edwards, (1909-1987), who, in 1934 joined his uncle’s legal practice in Merthyr Tydfil. He served with distinction in the RAF during the war. He subsequently returned to his legal work, and after a most successful career eventually became President of the Law Society, 1973/74. He was knighted in 1974.

The family has remained in the public eye: Roddy Llewellyn, a son of Sir H.M. Llewellyn gaining notoriety as a result of his involvement with Princess Margaret in the 1970s. He became a garden designer and writer, living in Oxfordshire.

Roddy’s brother Dai continues to hit the headlines; currently, (April 2007), he is standing as UKIP candidate for Cardiff North in the Welsh Assembly election. Born on 2nd April 1946 in Aberdare and with the title of Sir David St. Vincent Llewellyn, he is the 4th Baronet of Bwllfa and was the darling of the gossip columnists in the 70s and 80s, having acquired a notorious reputation as a playboy. Don’t expect to see Sir Dai around the streets of Cwmdare however; try Mayfair or Marbella instead.

Since writing this account, the death of Sir Dai Llewellyn has been announced. There is currently, (14 January 2009), an obituary in The Telegraph, which can be reached by clicking here. Sir Roderic Victor Llewellyn is now the 5th Baronet.