The two soon became bitter rivals attacking each other in ways similar to the tabloid press today. ‘Y Gwron’ however could not compete with the professionalism of the new paper.
Because of the success of its rival the style of ‘Y Gwron’ was altered and a ‘lighter’ more popular version launched ‘Y Gweithiwr’ - ‘The Worker’. This however was not successful. J. T. Jones tried amalgamating both papers in an attempt to make a success of the venture but by the end of 1861 he had closed the paper down leaving the field clear for ‘Y Gwladgarwr’.
Despite the failure of his Welsh language papers J. T. Jones did not give up on his dream of the power of the press. In 1861 he launched ‘The Aberdare Times’ an English successor to ‘Y Gwron’ and aimed at a wider market throughout South Wales. In addition in 1870 he launched a fortnightly religious and family paper ‘Y Twr’ but in 1873 the year of Jones death it ceased to exist.
The fortunes of ‘The Aberdare Times’ suffered after Jones death. It lacked any committed leadership and gradually became more local in outlook. By 1902 it was taken over by a newly established local weekly, ‘The Aberdare Leader’.
‘Y Gwladgarwr’ despite being a hugely successful paper closed without reason in 1883. This followed the death of its then proprietor Walter Lloyd who had bought the paper from its founder Abraham Mason. The print shop however continued to work and bore the name ‘Gwladgarwr Office’ until it finally ceased business in the 1920's.
‘Y Gwron’, ‘Y Gweithiwr’ and ‘Y Gwladgarwr’ were all important in forming public opinion in the second half of the nineteenth century. However by the 1870’s the political climate in the country had begun to change. A more radical publication was needed to satisfy the demand of a more socially and politically aware workforce, particularly the miners.