Born in Essex in 1851, at the age of 18 William Haggar ran away from home and
joined a troupe of travelling players. Splitting from this band after a short
time he remained on the road moving between companies of travelling actors.
It was in one such company that he met his future wife, Sarah Walton, the daughter
of the travelling company owner. They were married in 1870 and later formed
their own company. During their years as travelling company owners they spent
a great deal of time touring South and West Wales. It was during this period
that they first visited Aberdare, a town that was to become one of their favourite
venues.
In 1897 Haggar went to London where he visited an early
cinema. He was captivated by the show and purchased his
own projector in Exeter in September of that year. His
first public performance of his 'Bioscope' show was on
April 5th 1898 at Aberavon Fair. In 1901 he produced his
first film of a train at the station at Burry Port where
his show was playing at the time. It was the success of
the 15-minute melodrama 'Maid of Cefn Ydfa', probably the
first fictional film made in Britain, which launched him
into his career as a filmmaker. His career was to last
until 1909 during which time it is estimated that he
made between forty and sixty narrative films , many
of which featured members of his family, including his
son William Haggar Junior.
Left: William Haggar
The death of his wife Sarah in 1909 persuaded him to
give up film production and settle down as a cinema proprietor.
He chose to settle at Aberdare and in 1910 William Haggars
Coliseum (from 1912 it was renamed Haggar's Electric Palace)
was opened on a permanent pitch at Market Yard. In 1912
Haggar married Mary Davies, daughter of Jenkin Davies,
keeper of the 'Bird in Hand Inn' in Monk Street, Aberdare.
He and Mary had a house built in Abernant, which they called
'Kinema House'
Right: One of Haggars' early travelling cinemas c1908
The following years were busy ones in the life of William
Haggar. In 1913 he purchased the freehold of the drill
hall opposite his pitch at the market yard in order to
begin building his own cinema. The same year saw him elected
to the Merthyr Board of Governors and in 1914 he became
a councillor for the Aberdare Urban District Council.
Left: William Haggar
pictured outside "Kinema
House" in Abernant with his daughter and second wife.
The cinema, which Haggar named the 'Kosy Kinema' was
opened on the 23rd August 1915. This was a handsome building
with folding seats for 700 people and was considered luxurious
by the standards of the time. This cinema was later restyled
'The Cosy Cinema' and sold to Captain Willis of Pentre
in 1927. Sadly the cinema was extensively damaged by a
fire in June 1946 and was forced to close. The 'Kosy' was
just one of a number of cinemas owned by the Haggars throughout
South Wales and Southern England. The 'Palace' at Mountain
Ash , was acquired in 1910 and opened in 1912.
After a career in the film industry spanning more than 25 years William Haggar
died on February 4th 1925 at 'Maer-yr-haf' in Elm Grove, Aberdare, which was
the home of his son Walter. Possibly better remembered in Aberdare for his roles
as cinema owner and local councillor William Haggar has in recent years gained
the recognition he deserves as the greatest early film pioneer in Wales. He was
the subject of a Radio Wales broadcast entitled 'Haggar'sTravelling Picture Show'
in June 1984.
