Time line of events at Parys Mountain


	Prehistory
2040-1690 BC	Bronze age working for copper. Hammer stones being used Rediscovered underground in 1990s. Radiocarbon dated.
0-100 AD	Probable Roman working from evidence of copper ingots found in locality.
	Middle ages
1352	Trwysglwyn Fawr mentioned in “Stent” of 1352 Domicile of Tudor ap Ednyfed at an annual rent of 6/8
1406	Robert Parys given MP as a reward from the King for collecting taxes due from the 2112 gentry of Anglesey because of their support for Owain Glyndwr. He lived at Madyn Dysw
1564	Map showing copper works at “Hen Waith” Ore exported to copper smelters at Neath.
1568	Mines Royal Company formed monopoly on mining.
1579	“ Medleys Great Mineral Works at Mynydd Parys”investigations for the Mineral & Battery work on methods for producing materials from the waters of MP Recorded by Sir John Wynn of Gwydir Iron transmuted to copper.
1610	John Speed the famous cartographer records "Alum and Coperas were being made at parys mountain but the enterprise has beenabandoned without further hope because at first they saw it will not answer there over haste prediction"
1662	A visitor noted that the mountain yielded “a sort of earth of which they make Copperas and alum” ( Fuller :-Worthies )
1689	Crown Monopoly on mining for Copper relaxed.
1690	Gunpowder began to be used in mines
1698	Reference to “ The Princes mine at Trwysglwyn” by Henry Rowlands 1655-1723 From a letter by Bishop Humphries of Bangor dated 6/4/1698
1698	Savery invented “ Fire pump” to remove water from mines.
18th Century
1704	Coal burning reverbatory furnaces developed. Use 3 coal to 1 non-ferrous ore.
1705	Newcomen’s atmospheric steam engine invented. 10 gallons up 153 ft /stroke
1706	A visitor noted that the mountain yielded “a sort of earth of which they make Copperas and alum” (Rev J Brome Travels over England,Scotland and Wales.It is likely that this was copied from Fuller's similar remarks in 1662)
1712	Newcomen erects first pump engine at a coalmine in Dudley.
1714	First steam engine used in Wales to pump water. At Hawarden. Flintshire
31/5/1737	Thomas Williams born at Llansadwrn. Become mines manager and great industrialist.
1737	Lewis Morris in his coastal survey of Anglesey records "Amlwch is no more than hamlet of 6 houses with an insignificant harbour that is not worth mapping"
1748	Lewis Morris maps of Anglesey. He noted that earth from the mine was used to make paint. No mention of copper Amlwch described as “A cove between two steep rocks”
1750	Cheadle Brass company set up works in Holywell.
1753	Sir Nicholas Bayly (Plas Newydd) obtains 15 year lease (@£25 pa) to work Parys farm from William Lewis of Llys Dulas. Copper had not been rediscovered on the land at this time.
1756	Dr Linden in a treatise on mineral waters, mentions a mineral spring at "Trwysglwyn turning syrup of violets red, being no chalybeate whatever."
23/6/1760	Sir Nicholas Bayly was made Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey.
1760	Dr Rutty for the Royal Society investigated the curative properties of MP waters. " A powerefull detergent.. For dysentry,gleats,flour albus and diarahha"
1760	Practice of sheathing wooden ships with copper started. To prevent Teredo worm attack. John Cartwright comes to Mona to view the "old Workings" which had been discovered.
Oct 1761	Nicholas Bayly receives £108/15/9 rent from Cartwright to carry on Parys Mountain Copper mine. (MMS 2242)
1761	Cornish miners active in Anglesey. A James Thomas had Amlwch ore sent to a smelter in Warrington. (Morris letters) John Owen reported to William Morris that a horse of the Steward of the Archdeacon of Merionydd also stumbled into some ancient workings on the mountain. There was said to be a deep gully made by horse hooves, ore like that John Owen and Alexander Frazier were working at Rhosmynach and lumps of copper melted during the period of ancient workings. Frazier persuades Bayly to look for copper at MP. Some found in area of Cerrig y Bleddia but drainage problems.
1761	William Lewis of Llys Dulas dies. Estate passes to Wife. First use of Copper sheathing on ships.
13/9/1762	Bayley's mineral agent Cartwright was paid £225/9/11 for 2 years 11 months work in "reopening the old works at Parys mountain" This suggests Bayley had been active at Mona since October 1759.
1763	Bayley mineral agent, William Elliot met Mr Roe at Bangor to discuss lease of Parys mountain.
12/10/1764	Bayly agrees to lease CyB ( Mona mine) to Charles Roe & Co from Derbyshire an a 21 year lease. Ore carried in bags to Amlwch at 3d/bag. Bayly to receive 1/8th of the ore raised. Mining started April 1765. With 6 men and a manager.
1764	Plan by Reynolds drawn in 1764 shows "Ancient Roman workings" Also shows a turbary as occupying the site of the later Dyffryn Coch precipitation system, overlooked by a "mineral well and old washing place near the present Mona yard. this may have been the source for Medleys experiments in 1579. (Harwarden record office D/KK/534 Plan of Parys Mountain, 1764).
1765	By Marriage Parys Farm passes to Edward Hughes.
1766	Amlwch said to consist of only 6 house.
1/1/1768	Roe and Co copper smelter at Liverpool opened.
15/2/1768	Bayly’s agent (William Elliot) sent to Macclesfield to demand 50% share of profit from CYB. (MMS3534)
2/3/1768	Large quantity of good quality ore found near to Golden Venture shaft by Jonathan Roose. Miner Roland Puw credited with discovery and given cottage for life and a bottle of brandy each year from the plas newydd estate until his death in 1786. (MMS 3534) A few days later Cartwright was again dispatched to try and gave 1/8 share of the company. This was offered to NB who then demanded 1/4 share. This he did not gain and remained on 1/8 duty ores.
1769	Watt’s improved steam engine invented but unable to produce due to poor manufacturing techniques.
1770	Bayly has some ore storehouses built at AP. The work at Mona mine crossed the line into Parys farm. ( March 1770) Hughes still operating on his ½ of Parys farm land but reluctant to finance mine development on his land. Payments made to carpenters and stone masons for building buddles and buddle dams to separate ore from waste. (MMS 3750) This practice was revived in 1872.(MJ 17/2/1872)
29/8/1772	First recorded delivery of "scrap Iron" to Mona mine. The precipitation process must hence have been in use at least by this time (MMS 2242) Wheelbarrows of ore to port 3d, or 3/- a ton for larger loads.
1772	Records show 972 tons of ore sent to smelters. at Warrington by Bayly. ( 27 vessels of around 35 tons each.) Iron was also imported suggesting precipitation pits. Water raised by buckets and whimsy’s.
1772	Hughes takes Bayly to court for “wasteful” mining practices. Bayly stops mining for two years. Thomas Williams is Hughes’s lawyer and eventually becomes a partner with Hughes.
Aug 1774	Bayley accuses Edward Hughes of breaking into store houses stealing tool and setting to work on his land. (MMS 3544)
Dec 1774	Injunction against Bayly lifted. Restarts mining at Parys farm. Hughes also starts to work Parys farm with Thomas Williams for his own account.
Aug 1775	Hughes obtains court order to limit Bayly to 50 miners 2 agents and one assay master also restrained from opening more pits or carting away more than 1/2 of the ore. Hughes and NB agree to William Elliot, Richard Bennett and another miner to be employed as joint agents. Hugh Price to be receiver of profits and then to distribute. (MMS 3544)
19 Dec 1775	Hughes applies to put Bayly into the fleet prison for breach of agreement. Henry staples appointed by Master of the Rolls as third Agent.
1775	First successful Boulton and Watt steam engine produced at a mine.
1775	History of the Island of Anglesey Published by John Thomas. " Amlwch ... is a small cove formed at it were by an excavation of a large rock... 40 perches long and from side to side , which are uncommonly steep no more than 5 pearchs."
1776	Williams starts to petition parliament for a reduction in duties on coal carried by sea. On the basis that coal was needed for steam raising to pump the mine and for a smelter operation. Two miners killed underground.
1776	John Southern draws up a boundary map between MM & PM (UCNW 405) The first Boulton & Watt prototype steam engine built.
12/11/1778	Bayly leases his mining rights to John Dawes a London banker for 21 years for 1/3 of the ore raised.( MMS1267) Later changed to fixed rent of £4000 pa. John Dawes immediately joins Hughes/Williams partnership to form the old PMC.
1778	Jonathon Roose as mining engineer.
1778	Roe’s copper being calcined free of charge in a vertical kiln batch process at AP by Champion in return for the sulphur produced. Champion proposes to built new calciners on the mountain to extract sulphur. This company later also treated Hughes ore.
1778	Thomas Pennant visited the mines and works at Greenfield. Estimates 8000 persons depend on the mine. "The ore is not got out in the common manner of mining but is cut out of the bed in the same manner as stone is cut from a quarry"
1779	TW leases land in Ravenshead to build smelter. Also signed coal contract. Manager Michael Hughes.
1780	HMR Royal George lay at anchor in Portsmouth harbour. Suddenly the ship's hull parted in the area of the water line. Over 900 people on board were lost. The inquiry decided that the iron nails which held the copper sheathing in place had become rusty and rotted the timbers. This discovery lead to Thomas williams producing Hardened copper nails of greefield.
1780	Copper forge, wire mill and rolling mill built at Holywell for PMC. Also purchased Upper bank smelter in Swansea. Legal action by Pritchard a local landowner against TW building a new road direct to AP.
1780	Richard Owen map shows a few buildings being developed around the end of the port.
1780	Engraving of Mona Mine shows an open quarry with 7 working levels each large enough for a horse and cart. (Mining Journal 12/6/1880 p670 )
1781	A light was first positioned at Point Lynas. Often hidden by furnace smoke.
9/12/1782	Nicholas Bayly dies leaving His Son Sir Herny Bayly (Paget) who later became Earl of Uxbridge as owner.
1782	Roe and Co had 400 workers at CyB with profit of £15,000pa. Hence 1/8=£3000pa went to NB successor Earl of Uxbridge. Knowing that lease would soon expire Roe and co only working easy ores. PMC had 800 workers and built small pier and limestone kiln at Amlwch Port. It was reported that the CYB mine had dug a number of deep shafts. PM however continued using opencast.
1783	Thomas Harrison of Plas newydd reports " all vegetation is utterly destroyed... were the smoke reaches"
1784	Pennant “Tours in Wales” Details of early operations at the mine. 1500 employed at the mine. Open cast technique with a hole 100 yds length, 40 yds wide and 24 yards deep.
1784	Walter Davies says that prior to 1784 all calcining was carried out on mountain. Plan of Mona mine drawn. (MMS 31603)
11/10/1785	Roe & Co lease expires. Henry Paget Earl of Uxbridge forms Old Mona mine company to work CyB. Roe given £2013/6/- for equipment including engines , coal and iron. TW becomes principal partner. (MMS 2485) Between 9/12/1782 and 10/10/1785 Earl of Uxbridge received duty ores (1/8) worth £15261
1785	TW develops facilities on the mountain and at Amlwch port. Warehouse & Stores £1458 Horizontal kilns,condensers,flues for sulphur extraction £2022. Windmill engine, Whimsey engine, staging, pumps, tools etc £2230. Pier and Quay at Amlwch £1025. Road and storage at Amlwch £575. Total outlay £ 61,000 MM profits.1787=£5337 , 88=£6537 89=£7385 , 90=8729 , 91= £11674 , 92= £14409 , 1793=£16905. Total £70976 Parys mine said to be about twice the size of Mona at this time. Stanley works,St Helens, middle bank and Penclawdd ,Swansea set up to smelt for MMC.
1785	Cornish Metal Company set up by Thomas Williams, Mathew Boulton, James Watt and John Vivian. All Cornish copper to be sold to TW for 7 years. TW gains control of UK copper market. New patented forged bolt for copper sheathing developed at Holywell. Pascoe was William's agent for Navel copper sales on the continent.
1785	“ The Parys Copper Mine of Anglesey”Painted by Ibbetson. Shows a number of two men windlass being used to lower men in buckets to an opencast site from protruding platforms. Also a possible Horse whimsey in distance. Similar structures shown in painting by John Warwick Smith in same year, but scale of opencast is much deeper. Mathew Boulton reports that PMC has agents throughout Europe selling copper.
5/7/1786	TW gains an act of Parliament to refund duty on coastwise coal used for “ Smelting copper and lead ores and in fire engines for drawing water out of the copper and lead mines within the Isle of Anglesey” Pay back not to exceed £1500 pa. Already 31 furnaces at Amlwch and 35 ships used to send out copper/ore.
1786	Map of MM shows series off falls in Great Open cast area. Hillside has 144 shafts, some already capped.. Each about 6 foot square and around 30 feet deep. Mona Mine yard also shown at " New Yard" ( UWB 31603) PMC owner of 36 ships and had spent £7000 on developments at Amlwch port.
1786	Roland Puw who was credited with the discovery of Copper at MP dies. His rent free cottage passes to his wife who died in 1791
1787	Parys mountain penny first minted. To pay workers at the mine.
	Generally agreed to be the Zenith of copper production at MP. 4000tpa.
	One bargain produced 2931 tones of ore and only 92 tons of waste.(Hugh Hughes)
1787	Boulton visits MP and describes a vertical continuous sulphur recovery process.
1788	Amlwch Shipping company formed to carry to and from the mine. John Price MM agent, Stephan Roose,PMagent, Michael Hughes as managers. Thomas Williams petitioning parliament against abolition of slave trade which would cost him his investment in factories in Holywell , Temple mill and Penclawdd"Turn trees,rolls and stages worth £17 13/- recorded at Mona Mine (MMS 3040)
1788	Lovely Nancy first ship to be built in AP. Mona Mine built road from mines to Amlwch Port. (MMS 3040)
1790	Large rock fall at PM, which took 9 months to clear.(MMS3545) 1200 recorded as working at mine. Reference to a steam winding engine at Parys mine destroyed by the copper water. Painting by Warwick Smith still shows use of windlass and also small windmill. Williams Copper office at London became " Williams & Grenfell"
10/3/1792	Rock fall at MM making it unsafe to go underground for a few weeks. Reported by John Price mine agent, one man injured.
1792	Cornish Metal Company comes to end of legal lease and is would up. TW losses control of UK copper market. Painting by Warwick Smith shows the Mona mine buildings and possible buddles for washing ore.
1792	TW sets up Garstang Vitriol works to use sulphur from the mine. Anglesite a lead sulphate mineral discovery at PM,
1793	Act of Parliament to widen the Port. Eastern side developed. Also act for total remission of coast wise coal to MP. Aikin notes a vitriol works at Trwsglwyn. Which Parr later takes over in 1803.
Jun 1794	General Sir Walter Tremenheere travels to Amlwch as an army recruitment officer. He was told by the Tide surveyor that Amlwch had grown from 4 or 5 houses to over 100 since the mines had opened. He was informed by a Cornish Tinner that a company of Quakers had "determined to spend a few thousand to discover the continuation of the mass of copper" They had been trying for two years with out success. The mountain is bare of vegetation due to the smoke from the sulphur kilns. The workings were 100 yds long by 30 to 50 deep and wide.
1794	Painting by J Bluik still shows windlass but also at least one horse whim. Partnership between Owen Williams and Pascoe Grenfell brought Cornish ores to made 250 te of pure copper each year until 1799
1796	Prehistoric workings at MP first postulated when Christopher Sykes referred to "cobbles stones and fire set drift workings" which had already been quarried away by the open cast workings, but were still a recent memory. Aikin visits and writes " the ore continues as plentiful as ever and the quality rather superior to that which lay near the surface"
Mar 1797	Loyal Parys Mountain Volunteers formed to fight in Napoleonic war
1797	Aikin visited and described 2 smelters built at AP One for each company. Each with 31 furnaces. 90 people working at the smelters Alum & Vitriol works at Trwysglwyn and a rolling mill. Gunpowder in use at mines. Conical sulphur kilns at port. Sulphur cones sent to London and Liverpool for gunpowder and sulphuric acid manufacture. Green Vitriol and Alum made by a separate company. 1200 miners earning 1/- to 1/8 per day. He estimates Parys mine was producing between 5000 and 10000 tons of ore per quarter.
1798	Bingley’s description of workings at MP. Mining above and below ground with vast caverns and pillars remaining. Around 1000 working at mine.
12/11/1799	Original lease for PM comes to an end. New company formed with annual lease. 1/2 Rev Mr Hughes,1/4 Earl , 1/4 T.Williams. Sanderson becomes Lord Uxbridges agent at the mines. Between 1768 and 1800 MM paid £193,943/19/0 and PM £111693/15/0 as duties to Earl of Uxbridge. A Boulton and Watt steam engine installed but failed due to the acidic waters.
1799	Parliament investigates the high price of Copper. TW main witness. The case was brought by Boulton on behalf of the Birmingham manufactures to try and stop the East India Company taking Copper out of the country and at the same time take the duty off imported Copper. PMC offers “ former sulphur and vitriol works at pen y maes for sale with plenty of local cheap labour” (Chester Chron 8/3/1799)
19th Century
1800	Lentin describes the mines in detail Both batch and continuous sulphur recovery being used. He counted 45 kiln at MP & AP. Smelting done mainly at Ravenhead. Still 20 furnaces at AP. St Eleath church built with £4000 from PMC.
1800	Mona mine employs 411 underground,624 on surface=1035,Smelters 32 Port 12 Melin adda 13,Madyn farm 33 Total 1125 @ 1/4d per day=£75pd Also 54 teams with 3 horses in each @5/- per team =£13/10/0 Daily labour costs =£88/10/- (MMS 1267)
5/3/1801	“New PMC” formed with 20 year lease.
27/3/1801	1801 Census shows 182 miners and 27 copper ladies. 4877 inhabitants in 1025 houses.
21/5/1801	William Hughes of Parys Lodge writes to Michael Hughes " Hopeful of a new discovery above Parys Farm. The new discovery was visited by Williams on 15th June. However by 14/4/1802 discovery said to be disappointing. (MH letters Liverpool)
8/11/1802	Thomas Williams Bequeaths his share of Stanley and Middle bank works to his sons, Owen & John. His sons declare there intention to allow Michael Hughes and Pascoe Grenfell to take shares. (MH letters Liverpool)
29/11/1802	Thomas Williams died interest in PMC/MMC pass to sons
15/12/1802	Burial of Williams. Formation of Williams & Grenfell. ( MH letters Liverpool)
1802	“Ten day tour in Anglesea” Rev John Skinner Described the great opencast.
1803	Parr takes over Mona Vitriol Works at Trwysglwyn Isaf. Copperas, alum, vitriol,ochre
1803	"Williams & Grefell" take over the Parys works Upper bank works at Swansea.
16/10/1804	£9142 worth of Copper ore shipped to Stanley works in previous quarter. ( MH letters Liverpool)
18/10/1804	John Price agent dies owing Mona Mine a considerable sum.( MH letters Liverpool)
24/10/1804	Discrepancies in Assays produced at Amlwch and Stanley. 12 tpa. ( MH letters Liverpool)
3/11/1804	£10,616 received from Stanley Co for ore sent from Mona mine in previous quarter. (MH letters Liverpool)
1806	227 men employed underground. Suggesting that some shafts were being dug. 17036 lbs of gunpowder and 26283 lbs of candles used.(Pennant)
1806	Pascoe Grenfell is described at William's Chief assistance in the London Copper Office. He is said to earn £20,000 pa from his share of the mines.
1807	237 men employed underground. . 15345 lbs of gunpowder and 23321 lbs of candles used.(Pennant)
1808	Very few vessels recorded as entering AP. Only 122 people employed at the mine.6300lbs of gunpowder and9200 lbs of candles.(Pennant)
1809	Walter Davies states miners now earn 8/- per week guaranteed. And says that some excavations at 300feet deep and several yds square. Brimstone made in horizontal kilns into cones,9" sq cubes and stones for shops. He also has 32 reverbatory furnaces of which 16 are in constant use each using 3 tonnes of fuel per day. Replenished with 12cwt of ore every 5 hours.(16819 tpa & similar to other smelters.) Number now employed is not even 600. precipitation 1ton iron will precipitate 19 1/2 cwt of copper mud which gives 15 1/2 cwt of pure copper.
12/1/1810	Pascoe reports that a new type of navy sheathing nail has been introduced on the Thames. If Ravenshead can reduce price will pick up orders. ( MH letters Liverpool)
1810	Pennant describes some underground caverns 50Yd long,30yds wide and 40yd high supported by one central pillar.
11/10/1811	Williams Brothers sold 1/2 of Mona smelter and 1/4 of Parys smelter to Earl of Uxbridge They also sold there interests in Mona and Parys mine to him. He later forms a new company for the Mona ore and his share of the Parys ores with John Vivian of Hafod smelter works in Swansea . Also “New Mona” company formed. Lord Uxbridge 40 shares /RH Vivian 9/ JH Vivian 9/ Capt William Davey 2 shares. The tie up with the Vivians gave better access to capital and mining experience. The Vivians supplied MM with coal until 1813 and gained the lease on the Mona Smelting works and a secure supply of ore. James Treweek appointed by John Vivian to run mine/smelter. Moves to Mona Lodge. PMC smelter operating with 8 furnaces. Treweek erected pumping machinery to extend the workings deeper. Pearl Engine House probably built. several shafts named after local officials Tiddy ,Beer, Sanderson. The idea had been for Vivians to try and expand their south Wales smelting operation into Liverpool. However the MM smelting works was run down from 8 furnaces in 1811 to 4 in 1817 when the lease of the works for the new company were not renewed.
1811	William Hughes gains a monopoly for carting at Mona Mines. Received £2898 in 1826/7 for carting.(MMs 3536)
16/5/1812	Lord uxbridge decides to withdraw from the Ravenhead,Stanley and Greefiled concerns,receive his moieties from Parys mine in kind and dispose of it himself. Edward Hughes also makes same decision. ( MH Liverpool)
24/10/1812	Lord Uxbridge signs deal with Vivians of Swansea to take his ore.
1812	MM Smelters AP closed, Harbour widened again to allow two vessels to berth side by side.
1813	Fine ore shipped from MM to Stanley for smelting Oct 1786 to Apr 1802 =11611 tonnes @ standard £92. from Jul 1801 to Apr 1813 3353 Tonnes @ £118. For PM Oct 1801 to April 1813 2193 T @ £118 (MMS1267)
28/11/1814	William Morgan Parys Lodge reports 25te 8 Cwt of ore refined in Two furnaces..Hope to do similar next quarter. Rock falls at the mine are hindering output. (MH letters)
1814	Both smelters at Ravenhead closed Smelting still carried out at AP
9/9/1815	Parys mine promised to produce 300 to 320 te of precipitate and 2400 tones of ore within the year. (MH letters)
1815	Jonathan Roose dies. Plan of Parys mine drawn (MSS 31602) Three hand whimseys recorded alone edge of Great open cast (MJ 1880 p 374)
1816	Melin Porth built at port by Paynters. Vivians decide not to renew the lease on the mine and Marquis of Anglesey goes it alone with Treweek as manager.
1816	Mine output had increase to 6* that when Treweek first arrived in 1811. (383 te 1812 to 7391 te 1816).
1817	Attempt to restart Mona Mine smelters at AP. William Morgan becomes chief smelter at both the M&P Smelting works. 4 smelters working in the MM works. Full production was established the following year after “ Copper bottom” from the previous shut down were removed.
1817	Small light house built on port pier to be 28 feet above half tide level. It showed a fixed bright light visible for 4 miles.
21/2/1817	Food riots in Amlwch and troops from Ireland brought in. (Chester Chron 21/2/1817)
16/7/1818	Rock cannon fired to celebrate Lord Uxbridge coming of age
1818

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Time line of events at Parys Mountain