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Harry Grindell-Matthews, inventor from Rhydypandy, Swansea

Harry Grindell-Matthews

Inventor, best known for his disputed 'Death Ray' claim

Harry Grindell-Matthews was an inventor, born on the 17th of March, 1880, in Winterbourne, Gloucestershire, England — not in Wales, and not in Clevedon as an earlier version of this page suggested. He is best remembered for his controversial and unproven claim, made in 1923, to have invented a "Death Ray" capable of stopping engines and incapacitating living beings from a distance. Although he staged demonstrations that attracted considerable public attention, he never produced a device that was accepted by independent scientific examination or by the British Air Ministry as a practical weapon.

Matthews' genuine connection with Wales was through residence rather than birth. In the later part of his life he lived at Tor Clawdd, a remote property on Mynydd y Gwair near Clydach in the Swansea Valley. Local residents remembered him travelling into nearby Morriston for supplies, while continuing his private experiments away from public attention.

In 1934, following years of financial difficulties and renewed efforts to secure backing for his inventions, Matthews moved to Tor Clawdd. There he established a private laboratory complex, combining a home and workshop, with its own power supply and a small airfield. From this remote location he continued working on a variety of ideas, including military technologies, aerial defence concepts and electrical inventions.

Tor Clawdd became his final home, and it was there that Harry Grindell-Matthews died on the 11th of September, 1941. The property, situated above Rhyd-y-pandy near Clydach and Craig Cefn Parc, remains closely associated with the later years of one of Britain's most enigmatic inventors.

An earlier claim on this site that Matthews left part of his estate to the Borough of Port Talbot could not be independently verified in the sources consulted and is therefore recorded as unconfirmed rather than fact.

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Self-styled inventor of a never-demonstrated 'Death Ray', plus burglar alarms, projectors and automatic street lighting.

1923's Darth Vader

In 1923 Grindell-Matthews attracted enormous press attention with his claim to have built a 'Death Ray' capable of stopping engines and incapacitating enemy troops from up to eight miles away, though he refused to demonstrate a working model to the British Air Ministry and the technology was never verified. Beyond the death ray, he is credited with the 'luminaphone', an early sky projector for displaying images on clouds, and various electrical devices including burglar alarms and automatic street lighting. He later moved to America, reportedly losing sight in one eye through his experiments, before returning to live out his final years at his remote property near Clydach, Swansea.

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Career Highlights

  • Born: 17 March 1880, Winterbourne, Gloucestershire, England
  • Welsh residence: Tor Clawdd, Rhydypandy, near Clydach, Swansea
  • Known for: The disputed 1923 'Death Ray' claim
ℹ️ Harry was born on the 17th of March, 1880, in Winterbourne, Gloucestershire, England.
ℹ️ Harry died on the 11th of September, 1941.

He lived for years at Tor Clawdd, Rhydypandy, near Clydach, Swansea,

From: EdWelsh
**NOTE** Probably a spoof, any confirmation please let us know. (Ed) Welsh Connection from Cardiff? Links
From: FireFoxOne
Grindell-Matthews said his destructive rays would operate over a distance of four miles and that the maximum distance for this type of weapon would be seven or eight miles. When asked if it would be possible to destroy an approaching enemy fleet, the inventor said it would not, because 'Ships, like land, are in continual contact with the earth, but what I can do is to put the ships out of action by the destruction of vital parts of the machinery, and also by putting the crews temporarily out of action through shock.'
From: FireFoxOne
He moved to America, claiming that experimentation with the ray gun had lost him his sight in one eye. He died in 1941 with many questions about his weapon left unanswered.
From: Whackaday
You can find all the info on this fascinating man and many more of his inventions in the book: Death Ray Man author: H.G. Barwell publisher: Hutchinson 1941.
From: RodsGirl
He did exist. Lived in a remote house on Mynydd y Gwair near Clydach. Book about him now out of print called The Death Ray Man. I can't remember the author, you may find it in Swansea library. Also said to have invented mobile telephony, u-boats and much more besides. Locals talk about how his 'death ray' machine could stop the engine of a motorcycle by him pointing the machine to it.
From: ericwyd
He wasn't Welsh. He was born in Clevedon, Somerset. === Ed reply: NOTE: This website is not just about people born in Wales, it's about people with a Welsh connection - Matthews does have a strong Welsh connection - check the county records for (if I remember correctly) Port Talbot and you'll see he even left part of his estate to the borough in his will - Ed
From: treforysboy
The buildings occupied by Matthews still exist on Mynydd y Gwair three miles from Morriston. A sign the ranch points to a track over the mountain. Many older Morriston residents can remember him coming into the town for supplies.
From: frenchayman
Matthews wasn't from Clevedon, he was born in Winterbourne, Gloucestershire. A few miles north east of Bristol. He was baptised in the parish church on 13th June 1880, the son of Daniel and Jane Matthews. The Matthews were a very long established farming family in Winterbourne and his father is shown in the register as a farmer. (He was baptised by Revd. Austen-Leigh, who was a great nephew of Jane Austen!
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