Place:Tonyrefail, Glamorgan, Wales

source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

Tonyrefail is a village and community (civil parish) in the county borough (or principal area) of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is situated 4 miles (6.4 km) north west of Llantrisant at the head of the Ely Valley, south of the Rhondda, being around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Trebanog and around 2 miles (3.2 km) from Williamstown. It is also around 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from the village of Gilfach Goch. Historically Tonyrefail was the site of a rural hamlet, it evolved into an industrial village during the second half of the 19th century, when coal and steel became synonymous with the South Wales Valleys. It had a population of 12,301 in the UK census of 2011.

Research Tips

• GENUKI on Glamorgan Lots of leads to other sources.
• Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service provides an historical description of a number of towns and villages in its principal area

The first three maps are provided by A Vision of Britain through Time

• A map of 1832 showing larger towns and some villages (not as good as the England county maps in this series).
• Ordnance Survey map of Glamorgan illustrating the parishes, rural districts, urban districts and boroughs as revised to 1899.
• A 1930s Ordnance Survey map of Glamorgan illustrating the parishes, rural districts, urban districts and boroughs as revised to 1944.

These maps were found on Wikimedia Commons

• Glamorgan Administrative Map 1947 separating the various types of administrations with colour coding. These division were most likely in place until 1974.
• A map of Wales outlining the prinicipal areas of Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan
• A map of Wales outlining the prinicipal areas of West Glamorgan
• A map of the Vale of Glamorgan principal area with the western part of Cardiff included

These maps of Glamorgan post-1974 were found on another site and are very useful for sorting out the up-to-date geography of the area

• A map of West Glamorgan showing the two principal areas and the towns located in them.
• A map of South Glamorgan showing the two principal areas and the towns located in them.
• A map of Bridgend, Merthyr and Rhondda showing the three principal areas and the towns located in them. The description states that this is "formerly part of Mid Glamorgan".
• A map of Caerphilly, Blaenau and Torfean showing the three principal areas and the towns located in them.