The Fish Cave in Meliden
Memories of the Fish Cave in Meliden came back to me recently. Do you remember the house martins that used to live inthe roof of the lych gate at St. Melyd’s during the summer months? I had a look the other day but could not see a nest. Then I turned around to look at the hillside and noticed something else was missing—the Fish Cave! It has vanished from sight. Once popular with postcard manufacturers, it was always the background to the motor train as it crossed the golf course.
It was not a cave at all but the East Talargoch Lead Mine which was reached by a track following the same route as the present-day footpath over the golf course up to Bishop’s Wood, then a steep climb to the entrance. There was once a large water tank and various structures next to the entrance We are told that the spoil cascading down the hillside looked like like the tail of a fish! Apart from that, it was always something of a mystery and hardly ever aroused much interest when in operation. As children, we were told that it had been a tunnel used by the miners who lived in Gwaenysgor to get to Talargoch! We imagined a sinister band of coal miners wearing helmets with lamps attached, tramping relentlessly towards Meliden—just like Kipling’s smugglers. ‘Watch the wall my darling while the gentlemen go by.’
Mining at the Fish Cave in Meliden
Mining at the Fish started during the 1850s on a small scale and there were many other such family-run mines in this area which were worked sporadically, in conjunction with other occupations such as farming. In 1874 it attracted the attention of a company calling itself the East Talargoch Silver-Lead Mining Company, Limited, which already operated a mine in Llanasa. Shares were advertised and extravagant claims made about the wealth of lead and silver lay waiting to be taken. Potential investors realised how odd it was that such an attractive mine should be on the market and odder still that the Talargoch Mining Company had not taken control of something on its own doorstep. The share issue failed to raise enough capital.
The mine does not appear in the government inspectors’ mining returns but a small private group of individuals—possibly just a partnership assisted by casual labour did work the mine for about 20 years—then it was sold.
The Rhyl Record and Advertiser, September 7, 1907:
FISH LEAD MINE SOLD.
The Fish Lead Mine on the Fish mountain was last week purchased by a Liverpool syndicate, who intend working the mine shortly. The price has not transpired but everything has been settled. It is asserted that the prospectus for the Meliden mines has been issued, the capital has been fixed at £80,000. Naturally the neighbour-hood is anxiously awaiting developments.
An then silence until—Rhyl Journal, September 3, 1910:
Meliden.
New Company.
“The East Talargoch Mine, Ltd,” With a capital of £2,000 in £1 shares, to carry on the business of mines, mineral, metal and general merchants, founders and smelters, the subscribers being William Drummond, 26 Onslow-road, Liverpool; Joseph Cunningham, East Talargoch, Meliden, 1 share each. The registered office is the East Talargoch Mine, Meliden. File No. 711,411 at Somerset House.
It was a two-man company which ended in the Bangor bankruptcy court just six months later. Mr. Drummond quarrelled with Mr. Cunningham and a winding up order had to be granted.
