Blaenavon Co
Blaenavon Company, one of the smaller Welsh coal producers and an iron and steel works.
1836 James Ashwell was asked to report on the Blaenavon Iron and Coal Works; he assisted in the formation of the company, and was appointed resident managing director.
1837 Plan of Blaenavon Ironworks.
1837 Establishment of Blaenavon Iron and Coal Co headed by Robert William Kennard, which acquired the Blaenavon Iron and Coal Works.
1840 The company had run out of money; Ashwell resigned[1].
1841 Acquisition by a group of businessmen from London and elsewhere including R W Kennard
1864 The entire property was purchased by Mr C Waring; Blaenavon Iron Co was established to manage the Blaenavon Works.
1870 Sale of old Blaenavon Iron Co to the new Blaenavon Iron and Steel Co
1879 Liquidation of the Blaenavon Iron and Steel Co which was taken over by the Blaenavon Company
1880 The Blaenavon Company was registered on 22 January, to take over the business of the Blaenavon Iron and Steel Co[2]
1881 Advert - Awarded Medals at the International Exhibition of London 1851. 1862 and Paris 1855.
1909 An iron works and steel works with underlying minerals. Possessed 2 modern blast furnaces and 3 Siemens Martin open hearth furnaces. The plant consisted of two blast furnaces of "the most recent design", three new 40 ton Siemens Martin open hearth furnaces, soaking pits, reheating furnaces, cogging mill, finishing mill and boilers. There was also a steel tyre works, a quarry and three collieries.
1911 Extended by construction of coke oven and by-products plant
WWI Made shell steel
1937-41 Erection of solid steel wheel and axle plant
WWII Plant installed for manufacture of aluminium and magnesium alloys for aircraft construction
Probably built four locomotives but dates unknown. [3]