photograph of Harry Johnson Wright

Harry Johnson Wright

1862–

Mining Engineer

Hafod y Bryn, Llanbedr (1895)
Brynartro, Llanbedr (1899)


Quarry Managers’ Journal 

1888–1889  agent at Lletty Walter for (1888) Merionethshire Mining Co (1889) Dyffryn Mining Co. Ltd
1888–1890agent at Cwm Mawr No 1 for Dyffryn Mining Co. Ltd
1888–1893  agent at Hafotty for Dyffryn Mining Co. Ltd
1889–1893agent at Graig Uchaf for Dyffryn Mining Co. Ltd
1891–1892operator Dduallt lead mine, Ffestiniog
1891–1894agent at Cell Fawr and Rhinog for Dyffryn Mining Co. Ltd
1892–1893owner or operator Union
1892–1895agent at Union for (1894) Tynllan Manganese Co.
1895–1896owner or operator Rhinog
1895–1900agent at Hafotty for Samuel Pope
1896owner (with H Blackwell jnr) Llanfair slate quarry, Llanfair and Plas Canol slate quarry, Llanaber
1896owner Wnion (formerly Tynllwyn) gold mine [Hall 1986: 71]
1897owner or operator Plas Canol slate quarry, Llanaber
1897–1903operator Llanfair slate quarry, Llanfair
1897–1900agent at Union gold mine for (1897) Samuel Pope (1898-1899) St David's Gold & Copper Mines Ltd (1900) St David's Mining Development Co Ltd
1898–1899agent at Moel Ispri gold mine, Llanelltyd for St David’s Gold & Copper Mines Ltd
1898–1901agent at St David’s gold mine, Llanaber and Caerwernog gold mine, Llanelltyd for A G Wells
1899 agent at Prince of Wales gold mine, Llanelltyd for St David’s Mining Development Co. Ltd
1899–1901owner Clogau gold mine, Llanelltyd [Hall 1986: 43, 45], agent at Cambrian, Fridd Gwndwn and Garn gold mines, Llanelltyd and Sett Fach gold mine, Llanaber
1899–1902agent at Moel Hafod Owen gold mine, Llanfachreth for Godfrey C Isaacs
1900–1901owner Gwynfynydd gold mine, Dolgellau [Hall 1986: 59], agent at Gwyn gold mine, Trawsfynydd, Hafod Uchaf gold mine, Llanaber and Ffridd Goch gold mine, Llanfachreth
1900–1902agent at Berthllwyd gold mine, Llanelltyd for Godfrey C Isaacs
1903agent at Nant Gwrtheyrn granite quarry, Pistyll, Caernarfonshire for Rival Granite Quarries
1905–1909owner or operator Tyddyn Meirion manganese mine, Rhiw, Caernarfonshire
1906 agent at Borth Valley gold mine, Llanelltyd for Borth Valley Gold Mining Co. Ltd
1906–1909owner or operator Ty Canol manganese mine, Rhiw, Caernarfonshire
1908owner (with C C Holland and F Holland) Ty Canol and Tyddyn Merion manganese mines, Rhiw, Caernarfonshire
1910–1918owner or operator Carreg y Llam granite quarry, Pistyll, Carenarfonshire
1916 agent at Rhiw manganese mine, Rhiw, Caernarfonshire for Rhiw Manganese Mines Ltd
1916–1917owner or operator Egryn and Rhinog
1917 operator Cwm Mawr No 1, Hendre and Votty & Diphwys
1918owner Rhiw, Ty Canol and Tyddyn Meirion manganese mines, Rhiw, Caernarfonshire
1922 agent at Carreg y Llam granite quarry, Pistyll, Carenarfonshire for Carreg y Llam Quarries Ltd
1924Crown licensee, Egryn
1929 owner or operator Nantcyffe sandstone mine, Mallwyd
1933–1938agent at Nantcyffe sandstone mine, Mallwyd for Nantcyffe Silica Mines
1934 agent at Llechfraith gold mine for Hillside Mining Co Ltd
1930sowner Clogau and Gwynfynydd gold mines [Hall 1986: 43, 45, 59]
1934–1938agent at Gwynfynydd gold mine Ganllwyd, Dolgellau for Hillside Mining Co. Ltd [Hall 1986: 59]
1935–1938agent at St David’s gold mine, Llanaber, for Hillside Mining Co. Ltd.

Some of the apperent complexity of the above activities may be due to variations in the way returns were made rather than reflecting actual changes of mine ownership and managment.

Wright was one of the directors of the Merionethshire Manganese Co. Ltd and a major shareholder in Dyffryn Mining Co Ltd.

Wright was also a director of and major shareholder in the Welsh Gold Prospecting and Development Syndicate Ltd which was formed 4 October 1895 to acquire “the mineral property known as Rhinog in the parish of Llaneddwyn”. There was an agreement dated 25 October 1895 in which Wright sold 246 acres of land in Llanenddwyn to the company. [PRO BT31/6458/4506]

Wright had interests as director and/or major shareholder in Borth Valley Gold Mining Co Ltd, Carreg y Llam Quarries Ltd, Hillside Mining Co Ltd, Llanfair Slate Quarries Ltd and Rhiw Manganese Mines Ltd.

Between 1891 and 1896 Wright held a Crown grant of lease, with Samuel Pope, for minerals in Llanaber and, also with Pope, grants of lease for gold in Llanenddwyn, Llanddwywe and Llanelltyd. [PRO LRRO16/ 93, 100, 102]

Wright was a JP in Merioneth. He was interested in mining from an early age and on leaving school at seventeen he reopened an abandoned heamatite mine in Denbighshire. In 1890 he married the niece and adopted daughter of Samuel Pope. [QMJ 1925 Vol. VII pp. 388–9]

Wright's son (b. 1996, also named Harry Johnson Wright), who in January 1918 was serving at Cranwell, was approved placing on the military service deferred list for four months “that he may help his Father with the work of Manganese Mine at Llanbedr Merrion” [PRO ADM188/931/32398].

The “abandoned heamatite mine in Denbighshire” was possibly the Nant Uchaf haematite mine, Abergele, operated 1880–1804 by Abergele Hoematite Co. Ltd, which would have brought Wright into contact with Joshua Lancaster.