MAERDY COFFEE TAVERN WITH A LIBRARY AND READING ROOM, CERIDWEN STREET, MAERDY

In 1881, a coffee tavern with a library and reading room attached was opened. Mr Thomas Bryn Awel, Aberdare and others presented a great number of books for the reading room and whenever he came to Maerdy, Mr Thomas made it a point to visit the reading room and was highly pleased to find the books were read by so many people. He was a great believer in giving the workmen every possible advantage to acquire knowledge and was prime mover and father of the noble institution, which had over 2,000 volumes on its shelves and took in about 20 daily papers, together with a great number of weekly, monthly and quarterly magazines. Undoubtedly Mr Thomas was one of the greatest benefactors to Maerdy.