The initial development in the 1840's took the form of a ribbon settlement that spread southwards from Aberdare along Cardiff Road. During the 1850's the settlement began to spread outwards from Cardiff Road as Curre Street, Holford Street, Gwawr Street and Lewis Street, amongst others were constructed. Settlements also tended to grow in the vicinity of the collieries: Incline Row and Bell Place around Aberaman Colliery; Blaengwawr Row and Blaengwawr Cottages to the North at Blaengwawr Colliery.
Two contemporary accounts give a vivid description of the conditions prevailing in Aberdare as the area struggled to cope with the population explosion.

The Vicar of Aberdare, Reverend John Griffith, writing to the inspectors compiling the Report on the State of Education in Wales in 1847 states that although the settlement had only been in existence 18 months its population was already 1200. The population was expected to rise to 4800 within a year. 80 masons and 50 carpenters were working at that time to provide housing.
Thomas Rammell in his 1853 Report to the General Board of Health describes the poor condition of the dwellings built in these years. He singles out Aberaman Road and Treaman in particular as being built in unsuitable locations with poor drainage leaving them liable to flooding and damp. In turn the inhabitants were more susceptible to disease. Aberaman also suffered because it did not have a local water source so it's inhabitants had to travel at least a quarter of a mile to the nearest water source at Blaengwawr. Consequently:

In the later Nineteenth century Aberaman continued to grow southwards until by the time Godreaman was developed in the early years of the Twentieth Century Aberaman and Cwmaman had become joined. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century Lewis Street had evolved into an important commercial centre and when the imposing Aberaman Hall and Institute was opened in 1910 it was clear evidence of the strong civic pride held by the inhabitants of Aberaman.

The movement to build a Public Hall and Institute in Aberaman began with a public meeting at Saron Chapel in 1892. However, following a number of setbacks, it was fully fifteen years later on 2nd October 1907 that the ceremony to lay the foundation stone took place. And it was not until 14th June 1909 that the hall was officially opened by Keir Hardie MP.

The architect of the hall was Thomas Roderick of Aberdare and the builders John Morgan and Son. The hall was built at 171 Cardiff Road, a site previously occupied by the Aberaman Reading Institute, because of its proximity to the commercial centre of Aberaman at Lewis Street. When opened the hall could boast of an impressive list of facilities, including: 2 Billiards Rooms, 2 Games Rooms, Baths and a Swimming Pool in the basement; a Committee Room, Lending Library, Reference Room and Lecture Hall on the Ground Floor; and a main auditorium with seating for 1,800 people plus gallery on the first floor.

During the 1880's and 1890's, following the invention of the chain driven safety bicycle, the sport of cycling became extremely popular with people from all walks of life. The sport was as popular in the Cynon Valley as elsewhere, in 1884 the Aberdare Bicycle Club was formed and by 1890 it had developed into a racing club. 
Extraordinarily, during this golden age of cycling Aberaman produced no less than four world class cyclists: the Linton Brothers Arthur, Tom and Samuel; and Jimmy Michael. Of these four Arthur Linton and Jimmy Michael became World Champions.

1895 was a less successful year for Arthur. He suffered a knee injury and split from his trainer 'Choppy' Warburton. However, it was during the 1896 season that Arthur won his greatest race, the Bordeaux to Paris Race in which he defeated Riviere. Tragically, it seems that this race took too much of a toll on his body and Arthur Linton died of Typhoid Fever in June 1896, only some six weeks after the race. He was just 24 years old when he died.

Shortly after Arthur's death, Jimmy split from 'Choppy' Warburton and then decided to chance his arm in America, where he enjoyed a successful career, breaking many records and amassing a sizeable fortune. Jimmy retired from cycling for a while and instead became a jockey and racing stable owner, though when this venture failed Jimmy returned to cycling in 1902. Unfortunately, he was not the same rider on his return and did not recapture his earlier record breaking form. He died, aged only 29, in November 1904 on the liner 'Savoie' whilst travelling back to New York. The cause of death was an attack of delirium tremens, probably brought on through heavy drinking.
Tom Linton continued to enjoy a successful racing career although he never enjoyed the same level of recognition as either Arthur or Jimmy. He died in 1914 of Typhoid Fever, the same disease that had killed his brother 18 years before.

Aberaman Ironworks were the last of the four ironworks in the Cynon Valley to be built. Founded by Crawshay Bailey in 1845 the first iron was puddled at Aberaman Colliery in May 1847. In 1848 the works had one working blast furnace, three engines, a forge, rolling and boring mills, brickworks and limekilns.

During the second half of the Nineteenth Century, the Aberaman area developed as one of the most important centres of the coal industry in the Cynon Valley. With the development of the Aberaman Ironworks by Crawshay Bailey acting as a catalyst, by 1850 four major collieries had developed in the vicinity. 
Aberaman Colliery was opened by Crawshay Bailey in 1845 and was taken over by the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company in 1866 when they bought the Aberaman Estate. The first Mines Rescue Station in South Wales was opened at this colliery in 1909, when over a thousand men were employed there. Powell Duffryn retained control of the colliery until nationalisation in 1947 when ownership was transferred to the National Coal Board. The colliery was closed in 1965.

Blaengwawr Colliery was opened in 1843 by David Davis. Following his death in 1866 control passed to his sons until the colliery was closed in 1885. The colliery did not reopen until the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company bought it in 1914. The colliery was closed for good in 1926.
Abergwawr Colliery (Plough Pit, Powell's Pit) was the shortest lived of these early collieries. Opened in 1849 by Powell and Protheroe it too was bought by the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company in 1864 although following a legal dispute the colliery was closed in 1875.

Treaman Colliery (Nici-Naci) was sunk by David Williams by 1850. By 1866 the colliery had come under the control of Crawshay Bailey so ownership passed to the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company following his death in 1866. The colliery was closed in 1912. The nickname Nici-Naci came from the noise the rope made travelling over the headgear that could be heard throughout the village.

By 1910 the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company was the predominant force in the coal industry of Aberaman. This was an era of growing industrial discontent in the industry as the increasingly radicalised miners came into conflict with the powerful colliery combines over a number of issues. At the end of 1910 events came to a head and two strikes erupted as miners attempted to defend their working rights and customs from the changes being wrought by the combines in a process of 'rationalisation'.
In the Rhondda Fawr the Cambrian Combine dispute would eventually lead to the Tonypandy Riots, whilst in the Cynon Valley the 'Block' strike led to civil unrest in Aberaman that had a significant impact on the community.

At a mass meeting held at Aberdare on 21st October a list of 18 grievances were drawn up, which put the issue of firewood and the use of machinery to the fore. Another important issue was the payment for abnormal places where a collier may encounter difficult working conditions.
The relationship between Charles Stanton, the Miner's Agent, and the Powell Duffryn Management became increasingly strained and by 30th October negotiations had broken down. On 31st October only four collieries were still working in the Aberdare Valley and as hardship began to bite tension inevitably increased.
On 2nd November the first violent incidents occurred at Aberaman when a train carrying labourers who were still working was attacked at Tonllwyd Crossing and the houses of colliery officials were stoned.

Violence continued to simmer in Aberaman throughout November. Windows of shops were smashed and colliery officials were targeted. One man was surrounded by a crowd of 1,500 on Aberaman Station and assaulted. A chapel service was interrupted by the congregation for a colliery official to be ejected from the building. In one incident a crowd composed mostly of women and children that had congregated outside Aberaman Hall was charged by mounted police. This incident caused a great deal of anger in the area and calls for an enquiry.

Ultimately, however, the hardship began to tell on the miners and they were forced back to work on 2nd January 1911. Initially only half of the men employed by Powell Duffryn were given jobs but after repairs had been carried out this number increased. By the end of 1911 some 1,000 miners were still out of work and on lock-out pay, as the Powell Duffryn management took the opportunity to close one colliery and a number of unproductive headings.