| AdminHistory | The first lease was granted in 1823 to a company of "adventurers" from the Caernarvon District, mainly local tradesmen, but including one Rev. Hugh Hughes, described as a "dissenting minister" (2948). Their venture lasted only two years (ibid.) and in 1825 they assigned their interest in the workings to another company composed of William Lemin, Stephen Davey and William Davey (2970). The latter in turn, finding the price of leas ore too low and the general prospects unpromising, transferred their lease in 1826 to a John Taylor of London (2951), who obtained a renewal for 21 years from the landowners (2953, 2963). Taylor worked the mine for 3 years, until September 1839 - at a considerable loss; onyl 20 tons of lead were raised, while his outlay was estimated at over £10,000 (2979, 2980, 2982). The following year, there came into the picture the St. Tudwal's Iron Ore Company, whose principal proprietor was David Williams of Castell deudraeth, a prominent Welsh non-conformist and MP for Merionethshire from 1868 until his death in December 1869. In the Summer of 1840, he obtained from the Marquess and the Earl of Powis a 31 year lease to make a railway and erect a pier at Penrhyn Du, and appeared to show some interest, too, in the lead mine (2989-3002). Of the latter's affairs, however, we hear no more until 1853, when an English company headed by William Ramsden of Holywell, negotiates for a lease (3003) |