John Griffith (Anglican priest)

Not to be confused with Griffith John.

John Griffith was among the most prominent clergyman in industrial south Wales during the second half of the nineteenth century. He was born in 1818 or 1819 in Llanbadarn Fawr, Cardiganshire, the son of Thomas Griffith. Educated at Ystradmeurig School, Swansea Grammar School and Christ's College, Cambridge, he was ordained a priest in 1843. He was rector of Aberdare from 1846 until 1859. From 1859 until his death in 1885 he was vicar of Merthyr Tydfil where he proved a strong supporter of workers' rights and, by the end of his life a supporter of the disestablishment of the Church of England in Wales. He died on 22 April 1885.

John Griffith at Aberdare

John Griffith was the first vicar of Aberdare, which in the pre-industrial era had been a part of the parish of Llantrisant. Soon after his arrival at Aberdare, Griffith became embroiled in the controversy over the 1847 Education Reports following evidence he gave to the commissioners about the alleged immorality of the local population. This provoked fury form local nonconformist ministers led by the Rev Thomas Price and it has been argued that this episode enabled Price to assume the leadership of political nonconformity in Aberdare and further afield.

However, he soon proved to be a more complex figure than the caricature attacked by Price. In late 1848 he criticised his own church's apparent indifference towards the Welsh-speaking population, most clearly seen in the appointment of monoglot Englishmen to ecclesiastical posts in Wales. While at Aberdare he sought to expand the activities of the established church in the parish Aberdare, commencing services at Hirwaun and building St Fagan's Church, Trecynon. His main achievement, however, was the building St Elvan's Church which revitalisized the influence of the Church in this industrial community. He also sought to improve the conditions of the working classes in the town, and sought to establish a mechanics’ institute, a reading room and lending-library. He also inaugurated a series of public lectures.

John Griffith at Merthyr Tydfil

Griffith's move to Merthyr Tydfil saw him take over a much larger and more established parish than Aberdare. He became less than popular with the church authorities, however, as a result of his support for disestablishment. In July 1883, he stated that ‘I have been for years convinced that nothing but Disestablishment, the separation of the Church from the State, can ever reform the Church in Wales.’

Griffith's funeral was said to have been attended by between 12,000 and 15,000 people 'I venture to declare', wrote one correspondent, ' no man in this part of the kingdom could be more popular in his day and generation than the Rev. John Griffith.' Among the nonconformist ministers present at the funeral was his old rival, Dr Thomas Price of Aberdare.