Richard Griffiths

Richard Griffiths (1756–1826) was a Welsh industrial pioneer. Griffiths is notable for building the first recognised transport links into the Rhondda Valley paving the way for future coal exploration into one of the world's richest coal fields.

Personal history Griffiths was a member of the Gellifendigaid family of Llanwonno; he was the third child, and second son to William Griffiths and Elizabeth (née Davies). He was christened on 13 January 1756, and was brought up in a very strong Methodist family. Griffiths practised medicine in Cardiff but it was through his family connections that he began prospecting in mineral rights for which he became best known. Griffiths is described as a 'dynamic and colourful personality', and a practical joker, even arranging a comical funeral for himself. opening a coal level at Gyffeillion in 1790, these facts have been contradicted by later sources. Though many modern sources still reiterate the erroneous fact that Griffiths opened a mine in the Lower Rhondda in 1790.

The transport link to the Glamorganshire Canal proved itself when Walter Coffin, who is recognised as the first person to gain personal rights and sink the first deep mines in the Rhondda, obtained rights to use Griffiths' tramroad. Coffin's mine was further up the valley at Dinas, and Coffin needed to build his own four mile tramline to connect his colliery to Griffiths' link at Trehafod.

On Griffiths' death the rights to the Trehafod Estate passed to his family and was successfully deep mined by John Calvert in 1851. Griffiths' tramline was used until it was replaced by the Taff Vale Railway in 1841.