James Harvey Insole | |
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| Born | 30 April 1821 Worcester, Worcestershire, England |
| Died | 20 January 1901 (aged 79) Llandaff, Glamorgan, Wales |
| Burial place | Llandaff Cathedral, Llandaff, Glamorgan, Wales |
| Occupation | Colliery proprietor |
| Known for | Consolidation and development of the family's extensive South Wales coal business; development of Cardiff, Wales, as a coal shipping port; Insole Court |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Ann Jones (m. 1843–1882); Marian Louisa Carey née Eagle (m. 1890–1901) |
| Parent | George Insole |
James Harvey Insole JP (30 April 1821 – 20 January 1901) was an English businessman who consolidated and developed the extensive South Wales coal mining and shipping business begun by his father George Insole.
Insole became a partner in his father's business in 1842. They leased and revived the Cymmer (lower Rhondda Valley) bituminous coal pits in 1844 and developed their coastal and international markets together. When his father died in 1851, Insole took sole control of the company. Disaster struck in 1856 when an underground explosion of gas at the Cymmer mine resulted in a "sacrifice of human life to an extent unparalleled in the history of coal mining of this country".[1]: 141 In 1862 Insole purchased the Abergorki mine in the upper Rhondda Valley. His company continued to develop the rich steam coal seams of the Rhondda and by the end of that century was one of the main exporters of South Wales steam coal. The company operated until 1940.
Insole also played a significant role in the development of Cardiff, Wales, as a coal shipping port, especially in connection with improving the means of loading coal ships and the construction of the new dock at Penarth which opened in 1865.
Among other civic roles, as a justice of the peace Insole served as magistrate for both Cardiff and Glamorgan. He was also the inaugural president of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce and he and his company made significant contributions to public causes including education and health.
Insole's modern legacy survives in his Victorian mansion Ely Court in Llandaff, Wales, now a community resource known as Insole Court which is used for a wide range of activities and events.
- ^ Evans, Thomas (1857). "Report of the Working of the Coal Mines Inspection Act (18 & 19 Vict. c. 108.) in the South Wales District". House of Commons Papers (Reports of the Inspectors of Coal Mines, to Her Majesty's Secretary of State to December 1856). 16: 132–144.