Slate industry in Wales

The Ancient Roots of the Welsh Slate Industry

Imagine stepping back in time to a period when Wales was not just a land of rolling hills and green valleys but a bustling hub of industry. The existence of a slate industry in Wales dates back to the Roman period, with production growing slowly until the early 18th century and then rapidly during the Industrial Revolution. How did this ancient material become such an integral part of Welsh culture?

The Geological Series

The slate deposits of Wales belong to three geological series: Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian. These layers hold the key to understanding why slate has been so valuable for centuries.

The virtues of slate as a building material have been recognized since the Roman period, with small-scale quarrying taking place during the medieval period. The Cilgwyn quarry in the Nantlle Valley is thought to be the oldest in Wales, dating back to the 12th century. Transport problems led to most slate use being done locally, with some transport by sea.

From Local Use to Global Trade

The earliest confirmed date of operating dates from the early 16th century when Plas Aberllefenni was roofed in slates from this quarry. The Roman fort at Segontium, Caernarfon, originally used tiles but later contained numerous slates for roofing and flooring. The nearest deposits are about five miles away, indicating that slates were not used merely because they were available on-site.

The Industrial Boom

As the 19th century rolled in, the slate industry played a significant role in the economy of northwest Wales. In 1898, a workforce of 17,000 men produced half a million tons of slate. The First World War saw a significant reduction in the number of men employed in the industry. A poem by Guto’r Glyn asks for slates to roof a house, and the wreck of a wooden ship carrying finished slates is found in the Menai Strait.

Expansion and Mechanization

The slate industry experienced rapid expansion after 1831 when slate duty was abolished. The Ffestiniog Railway was constructed to transport slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog, where it was loaded onto ships. This enabled expansion at the quarries in Blaenau.

Further expansion occurred at Blaenau when John Whitehead Greaves took a lease on land between the Votty quarry and the main road. He struck the famous Old Vein in 1846, leading to increased production. Germany became an important market for Ffestiniog slate after a fire destroyed Hamburg in 1842.

From Quarrymen to Poets

The largest quarries were highly profitable. The Penrhyn and Dinorwig Quarries produced large annual profits. Total Welsh production reached 350,000 tons per year by the end of the 1860s, with the majority coming from Blaenau Ffestiniog and Bethesda.

By the late 1870s, Wales was producing 450,000 tons of slate per year, accounting for 92% of the United Kingdom’s production. The prosperity of the slate industry led to the growth of other associated industries, including shipbuilding and engineering companies that supplied quarries.

The Decline and Revival

However, the good times did not last forever. A recession hit the slate industry in 1879, leading to tightening of rules and worsening labour relations between management and quarrymen. The owners and top managers were predominantly English-speaking, Anglican, and Tory, while the quarrymen were Welsh-speaking and mainly Nonconformist and Liberal.

The NWQMU had 8,368 members by May 1878, and led to victories for workers in disputes at Dinorwig and Penrhyn quarries. Negotiations between workers and management at the Penrhyn Quarry often involved interpreters due to language barriers. A second lock-out occurred from November 1900 to 1903, resulting in widespread hardship and bitterness among workers.

Modern Times

The slate industry experienced a depression after 1903, leading to job losses and reduced pay. Eight Ffestiniog quarries closed between 1908 and 1913, and the Oakley quarry dismissed 350 men in 1909. In the quarries and mines of the Ffestiniog district, the number of men working fell by 28-38% between 1906 and 1913.

The First World War hit the industry hard, with closures and a decline in exports. Slate quarrying was later revived after the war, but output remained below pre-war levels. Mechanization reduced manual labor, but increased dust and danger. The Great Depression led to further cuts in production, while World War II caused a severe drop in trade.

Production declined significantly, from 54,000 tons in 1958 to 22,000 tons in 1970. Many quarries closed, leading to unemployment growth. The owners of the industry denied that slate dust was causing silicosis until 1909.

In 2021, the slate landscape of Northwest Wales was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Welsh slate industry had a significant influence on Welsh culture and language, with many quarrymen becoming famous musicians, poets, and politicians. Rowland Hughes. Chwalfa (Out of their night) – Penrhyn Quarry dispute background. Y cychwyn (The beginning) – young quarryman’s apprenticeship.

The legacy of the Welsh slate industry lives on in its cultural impact and the ongoing operations of quarries like Penrhyn, which continue to produce high-quality slate today. The story of this ancient material is a testament to human ingenuity and the enduring spirit of craftsmanship.