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Benjamin Howell & Sons Ltd

Timber Importers, Builders Merchants

Joinery Manufacturers & Building Contractors

Benjamin Howell is said to have come to Llanelli from Pembrokeshire and was a schoolmaster until he joined a timber merchants known as Lynch & Winch at New Dock.

The 1841 census for New Road shows that Thomas Howell Head, age 40, a Surveyor was living there with his wife Eliza, also 40, three daughters: Harriet (13); Maryetta (7) and Mary Howell (3), and son William (12 months).

The 1851 census for Water Street shows that Benjamin Howell (44), a Timber & Slate Merchant from Pembrokeshire was living there with his wife Mary (52) from Spittal, and his children: Henry John (19), a Timber Merchant’s Clerk born in Haverfordwest; Catherine (16) born Haverfordwest and William (9), a  Scholar born in Llanelly. They had a house servant named Judith Morris (23) who was born in Llandysul.

The 1861 census for 26 Thomas Street shows that Benjamin Howell, now 54, a Timber Merchant & Saw Mills owner employed 17 men and 2 boys. He was living with his wife Mary and son  William (19), a Commercial Clerk. The family had two domestic servants: Mary Morris (20) and Margaret Phillips (22).

The census also shows that Henry John Howell (29), a Timber Merchant and the son of Benjamin Howell, was living next door at 27 Thomas Street with his wife Elizabeth (23), son John C Howell (2) and daughter Francis H Howell (8 months). They were wealthy enough to be able to afford to employ Margaret Howell (21) as a housemaid and Elizabeth Williams (17) as Nurse for their young children.

At the time of the census Thomas N Humphrey (21) was at the house and he is listed as a Visitor & Warehouseman in Haberdashery.

Henry John Howell inherited his father’s business, presumably when his father died.

1880 John Charles Howell became an electrical engineer.

1882 John Howell was involved in the installation of the first electric lighting in Llanelli followed by further installations throughout South Wales.

1884 John Charles Howell invented an electric accumulator and formed the Crompton Howell Electric Storage Co., and his Llanelli works supplied accumulators all over the world. He was a prominent businessman in the town.

1887 A fire broke out at the New Dock timber yard on a Sunday morning, which almost destroyed the works. Damage was estimated at £10,000. John Howell was informed by means of the telephone at his home, Caeffair (opposite the Thomas Arms, and must have been devastated when he realised that most of his electrical appliances had been destroyed.

1894 A Limited Liability Company was formed called Benjamin Howell & Sons Limited and John Charles Howell was consultant electrical engineer to Llanelly Urban District Council.

Benjamin Howell & Sons Limited erected most of the principal shops, banks, and chapels in and around Llanelli together with large work extensions and many first-class residences. The Public Library, and Exchange Buildings are two contracts they successfully carried out.

1936 The mills were equipped with modern woodworking machinery for carpentry and joinery and one department was dedicated solely to the manufacture of tinplate boxes.