A Llanelli Chronology
The information in this section is an edited version taken from Llanelli - Birth of a Town a CdRom by William and Benita Rees
1800 to 1899
1800 Llanelli was exporting locally mined coal to the Carmarthen and Kidwelly tinplate industry.
The Civic Administration was the Court Leet who upheld and enforced local law and administration and consisted of a Portreeve, who was equivalent to a Mayor or Magistrate and a number of Burgesses nominated by the Lord of Kidwelly.
Prior to 1800 Milford Haven was the main port for exporting anthracite. Mining of anthracite coal was limited to scourings.
Llanelly House, the once elegant Mansion owned by the Stepneys had fallen into disrepair and as rented out to workmen and their families.
1802 James Buckley (son of James Buckley, 1770-1839) was born. James was the grandson of Henry Child, a local businessman and one time inn keeper of the Falcon Inn.
An Act of Parliament authorised Alexander Raby to build a railway from Llanelli Flats to Castell-y-Garreg near Llandybie which was designed to develop the mineral resources of the surrounding Carmarthenshire area.
Around this time Henry and Charles Smith, grandsons of Chauncey Townsend, assigned their interests to another new industrialist, General George Warde, a military man, who initially concentrated his efforts at Llandafen and Genwen, where he installed a new Boulton and Watt pumping engine. Townsend’s Pill was renamed ‘General Warde’s Canal’ and General Warde’s Shipping Place’
The grand old Mansion House known as Buwchllaethwen had finally become a ruin and John Symmons, the last tenant, moved out after 1802. A completely new residence was later built given the name Llangennech Park.
The Kidwelly Turnpike Road Trust applied to Parliament in 1802, 1825 and 1831 to fully develop the turnpike roads between, Carmarthen, Llanelli, Llangennech and Pontardulais together with the alternative road via Llwynhendy to the Loughor River crossing point.
Hugh Waddle from Spittal, Berwick-on-Tweed, established his foundry and engineering works in the area of the town that later became known as New Dock.
1803 Start of the Napoleonic Wars when Alexander Raby’s ironworks were working flat out, 24 hours a day, manufacturing iron goods, including mounted guns for use in the war.
Between 1803 and 1805 Llangennech Park House was built in a field east of the original Buwchllaethwen Mansion House, which had belonged to the Stepney family. The house, was the property of the Earl of Warwick and John Vancouver who had purchased the Llangennech Estate from John Symmons, an industrial speculator from London.
1804 The French were at war with most of Europe and previously, in 1797, a party of Frenchmen had tried to invade West Wales, landing at Fishguard. Although their invasion was not successful it caused shock waves along the coast, including the Burry Estuary. Due to the hostilities between Britain and France many ships belonging to both sides were frequently captured and sequestrated. The Mary Ann, on passage from Llanelli to London was captured by a French privateer.
Industrialists, trademen and businessmen were anxious to open up trading links with the surrounding areas. The Carmarthenshire Rail Road Company completed the Great Embankment and the Mynydd Mawr Railway. Communication lines were opened up between Llanelli Flats, Llandeilo Fawr, Llandovery and Brecon.
Charles Nevill (senior) and Richard Janion Nevill approached a number of Llanelli pit owners, the William Roderick, Thomas Bowen and Margaret Griffith’s partnership, Alexander Raby, John Vancouver and George Warde, in October and November, to secure a supply of coal for their proposed Copperworks.
By December Charles Nevill (senior) and his son Richard Janion Nevill decided to establish a Copperworks at Penrhos, Seaside, and provisionally agreed that the partnership of William Roderick, Thomas Bowen and his widowed daughter Margaret Griffith, should supply coal to the new works. Arrangements were also made for the Copperworks to use the Partnership’s dock to import copper ore and export smelted copper.
The Nevill family lived at Vauxhall, a property which formerly belonged to Lady Mansel. Charles and Martha Nevill were devout Wesleyans and he often preached at the local chapel.
Machynys Point was strategically important during the Napoleonic Wars.
Francis and James Morgan, who were in partnership with General Warde, assigned their interests to him. They had taken no part in the running of the business.
1804 Euphemia Jemima, daughter of General John Murray of Queens County and of Glenalla County Donegal, Ireland, was born. She later became the second wife of Sir John Cowell Stepney.
John Vaughan of Golden Grove died leaving his estates to his friend John Campbell of Stackpole, 1st Lord Cawdor of the Lordship of Kidwelly.
Margaret Griffith, widowed daughter and business partner of Thomas Bowen, married Henry Eaton, who later became one of the Trustees to the Burgesses and Collector of Customs.
1805 Construction of the Copperworks commenced. By March a formal Deed of Co-partnership was signed between Ralph Allen Daniell (MP for West Looe, Truro, merchant and banker), William Savill (a London merchant), John Guest (a Birmingham businessman) and Charles Nevill. The new company Messrs Daniell, Savill, Guest and Nevill, Coppersmelters, also known as The Llanelly Copperworks, came into being.
By August 1805 freights of copper ore from Cornwall were being received and by September smelting operations had begun and the Copperworks was open.
John Wedge of Goodig drew the first chart of the Burry Estuary.
John Rees (described as ‘butcher’ in 1785), is now described as ‘Gentleman’ of Cwmddyche and Maesarddafen. He purchased additional lands at Maesarddafen from E W R Mansel of Stradey.
1806 By the beginning of the year the Copperworks Dock, also known as Nevill’s Dock, became fully operational.
Alexander Raby’s empire was growing, and he leased coal under the Box, Bryngwyn and Llanlliedi areas. He also began to sink the original Box Colliery pits.
Edward William Richard Shewen, who had taken the name ‘Mansel’ in 1802, died and his first cousin Mary Martha Anne Margaret Mansel, who was also his wife, inherited the Stradey Estate, which included Trebeddrod.
1807 Llanelli had the least developed postal service of any of the other villages and towns in Carmarthenshire. The mail which cost 10d for a single sheet letter, travelled from Llanelli to the Red Lion, near Pontardulais Bridge, where it was sorted ready for the East and West bound Mail Coaches.
Carmarthenshire’s first Enclosure Act was passed giving the Burgesses of Llanelli the power to enclose ‘Y Morfa Mawr’, the Great Marsh.
William Hopkins of Trosserchfawr in the Parish of Llangennech was one of the two Commissioners appointed by the Act of Enclosure. The other Commissioner was Charles Hassall of Eastwood in the County of Pembroke.
An Act of Enclosure established a newly constituted statutory authority, which was similar to the modern-day Town Council. The new Civic Authority included 12 Burgesses called Trustees headed by a Portreeve who was similar to a modern-day Mayor. The Steward on behalf of the Lord of Kidwelly, Lord Cawdor, selected these Civic Officials, and only the privileged were elected to the position. In his capacity as Lord of the Lordship of Kidwelly, Lord Cawdor, had elected Henry Eaton as Portreeve for Llanelli for the year. Cawdor had inherited part of the Llanelli Estate from his friend John Vaughan, and had a vested interest in the town.
1807 Following the Acts of Enclosure of 1807-10 Henry Child and William Rees (the Elder) were elected as Trustees to the Burgesses. Child, one time innkeeper of the Falcon Inn, owned a brig called The Mary – the first vessel to be built and launched at Llanelli Flats in 1807.
The partnership of Roderick, Bowen and Griffith was forced to sell out to the Pembertons and Llanelly Copperworks.
Richard Janion Nevill was legally assigned a share in his father’s co-partnership of the Copperworks, which came into effect in January.
Charles Nevill and his son Richard Janion Nevill were recognised as two of the area’s leading industrialists. Charles became known as the Copper King.
John, son of William Rees (the Elder) was born. John Rees had a lifetime interest in Maesarddafen, which reverted to his brother William (the Younger) in 1871. John Rees built Forest Villa close to Maesarddafen. The Villa burnt to the ground in the 1980s.
1808 The Great Embankment from Penrhyngwyn Point to Maesarddafen was started in June when the River Dafen was diverted into a new channel flowing westwards into Machynys Pool.
William Roderick was declared bankrupt but continued to live at Bradbury Hall until he died on 10th May 1823.
Mary Martha Ann Margaret Mansel died childless and left her Stradey Estate, which included Trebeddrod, to her solicitor Thomas Lewis of Llandeilo, who later became known as the Squire of Stradey Estate.
Records show that Alexander Raby obtained a leasehold interest in Trebeddrod Farm, from Thomas Lewis.
1809 Alexander Raby (junior) married Jane, daughter of local Squire John Rees of Cilymaenllwyd. Alexander Raby was also a Trustee to the Burgesses and attended many of their meetings.
Richard Pemberton purchased all, or part of Dorothy Vaughan’s share of the Llanelli Estate which had come into the ownership of William and Lucinda Hayton. The Pembertons described as ‘Speculators’ had come to Llanelli advertising the fact that they had a large sum of money for investment. They settled at Pemberton House, situated where the public library stands today.
William Rees, later known as ‘Rees the Younger’, son of William Rees the Elder, and grandson of John Rees the ‘butcher’ from Cwmddyche, was born. Later this William Rees (the Younger) became known as ‘Squire Rees’ owner of the vast Gelli Farm Estate.
The Copperworks were flourishing and a new jetty was built to the dock. Another Copperworks was established in the Bynea area at Spitty.
John Stepney Cowell, son of Maria Justina and Colonel Andrew Cowell was an Ensign in the Coldstream Guards. Maria Justina was the younger sister of Sir John Stepney Cowell, 8th Baronet, who left his Llanelli Estate to named friends and not his family.
Thomas Bowen died on 7 May 1809 aged 94 years.
1810 The main Private Enclosure Act was passed which entitled the enclosure of about 600 acres of Common Land at ‘Y Morfa Mawr’, The Great Marsh.
The first meeting of the newly elected Trustees of the Burgesses appointed by the Acts of Incorporation of 1807 and 1810 was held at the Falcon Inn, Thomas Street on 25 October. The members present were: John Rees, Esq, of Kilymaenllwyd Appointed Chairman; Alexander Raby; Charles Nevill; William Child; William Roderick, Appointed Clerk; John Brown; John Hopkin; William Rees, Gentleman and Portreeve, of Maesarddafen; Messrs Morris, Bankers of Carmarthen, were appointed Treasurers.
Local canals constructed between 1766 and 1798 ceased to be used on a regular basis.
The Nevills were busy draining the Marshes and hired 200 men to build a great embankment from Machynys to Ty Morfa to protect the Common Lands reclaimed from the sea.
By this time Llanelli was controlled by a number of powerful industrialists and speculators, anxious to make good returns on their investments, and the once small agricultural town was changed to a ‘frontier’ type industrial town.
The Nevills gained control of Box Colliery using Agents to take charge of operations. William Hopkins, Agent to Sir John Stepney, 8th Baronet, from 1785, handled all matters concerning his coal interests and was appointed agent to the Box Colliery.
The Nevills assisted Alexander Raby and his son Arthur Raby, financially, to retain control of their industrial interests. This enabled the Nevills to obtain a foothold in the Stradey Estate.
General Warde extended his interests and started work on Erw Fawr Pit when it is recorded there were 51 vessels of Old Castle Coal.
1811 Sir John Stepney, 8th Baronet, died at the age of 68 on 3rd October at Tirgau near Temesvar (Timisoara) without issue. At this time Temesvar was in Hungary now it is a Romanian City about 40 miles from Hungary and Serbia. Sir John left his estate to a succession of named inheritors giving friends precedence over his family. His brother Thomas inherited the title to become 9th Baronet but did not inherit the estate.
By this time, three of the main local land-owning families, who had been prominent in the social, political and industrial life of Llanelli for years, descendants of the Vaughans of Golden Grove, had died. The Vaughans and the Mansels had now relinquished all their interests in the town and the surrounding areas.
From 1811 onwards industrialists, entrepreneurs and speculators dominated all aspects of the interest of the town. Unlike the Welsh gentry in the previous century most of them lived in or around Llanelli.
Henry Child is known to have leased a Wharf at Llanelly Dock.
General Warde’s railroad, which linked his pits to the Carmarthenshire Railway and to the Docks, was completed by 16 April and the ‘Llanelly Pit’ – renamed ‘Old Castle Pit’ – was opened on 20 April. Old Castle Colliery was made up of three pits.
Llanelli’s first Post Office was established as a sub-office, in a courtyard at the rear of Llanelly House.
1812 Although Llanelli was linked to Carmarthen by a turnpike road, there was no road between Llanelli and Pembrey which made communications difficult. In 1812 an Act of Parliament authorised the newly formed Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal and Tramroad Company to construct a canal from Pembrey to join the Carmarthenshire Railway near Old Castle House.
1813 William Rees the Elder, one of the Burgesses to the Trustees bought Gelli Farm although he did not live there until about 1856.
An Act of Parliament authorised navigational improvements to Burry Estuary, River Llwchwr and River Lliedi.
The Nevills financially assisted General Warde when they sold him the Box Colliery, retaining a holding interest.
An Act of Parliament was proposed for permission to construct a canal or railway from the Copperworks Dock to the Llanedi region.
Charles Nevill (senior), who lived at Vauxhall, one of the Trustees to the Burgesses, and owner of the Copperworks died and his son Richard Janion Nevill at the age of 28 years took over responsibility.
Richard Janion Nevill purchased collieries, built a dock, bought many ships and built even more. He converted a works from copper production to one capable of producing lead and silver. He lived first at Field House (also known as Glanmor House), then moved to Llangennech Park.
Arthur Turnour Raby (son of Alexander Raby), married Henrietta Smith, the daughter of a landowner in the West Indies, and they lived at Caemawr Cottage described as a thatched Chateau, which later burned down.
1814 The Post Office was transferred to Church Street next to the Mansel Arms. The Bear Inn was the next location followed by the Falcon Inn in Thomas Street sometime later.
The Copperworks Dock was improved and the company’s involvement with the coal industry became well established when it acquired the Wern Colliery, guaranteeing a permanent supply of coal to the Copperworks.
Hugh Waddle moved his engineering works (which was later known as Llanmor Works) into new premises in the Wern district of Llanelli. Waddle, founder of the first engineering works in the town, came from Spittal in Berwick on Tweed.
The Napoleonic War ended.
1815 A traveller called Machynys ‘an old seat of the Stepney family’
1816 The Mansion House at Penyfan had fallen into disrepair.
Alexander and Arthur Raby along with General Warde were in financial crisis because of the trade depression caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
Charles William Nevill, son of Richard Janion Nevill was born. He later married Jane Davies of Swansea. He eventually became an MP and Chairman and Managing Director of the Copperworks. Charles and his family who lived at Westfa, Felinfoel, established a Savings Bank with others and was involved in Shipping. He retired from Nevill Druce and Company and died in 1888 aged 72. A Sale of his freehold properties was advertised in 1889.
1817 Richard Nevill (son of Richard Janion Nevill) was born. He later managed the Wern Foundry and lived at Felinfoel House until he died in 1892.
1817 Smuggling continued to be a problem and Llanelli was considered sufficiently important to have a Harbour Trust with its own Custom’s Officer.
Henry Eaton was one of the Trustees to the Burgesses who had been appointed Collector of Customs. As one of the town’s Magistrates who held their monthly meeting at the Falcon Inn, he was a powerful and influential person of his time. Eaton was the second husband of Margaret Griffith, widowed daughter of Thomas Bowen, one of the partners of Roderick, Bowen and Griffith.
The Pembertons reported that a forgery of one of their Bank notes had been discovered. Some early industrialists and entrepreneurs had formed their own banks and printed their own notes. However, during the depression of the early 1800s many small Banks failed and businessmen called for the banking system to be reformed.
When work was carried out to widen and deepen the River Dafen workmen found a stag’s horn 13 feet below the surface supposed ‘to have laid there since the Deluge’ (Ice Age).
John Roberts Waddle, son of Hugh Waddle was born.
1818 The Constitution of Llanelly Copperworks was changed when Richard Janion Nevill was made a full partner and given legal powers to transact business on behalf of the other partners. The Copperworks were enlarged and the Docks improved.
The Copperworks School was originally established as a works charity school which provided free education for the children of parents who were employed at the Copperworks, the Caemaen and Box Collieries. The March and April Returns of the Copperworks Free School show there were 59 pupils with an average attendance of 28 children. At this time the school was housed in the Barracks, a storeroom in the Copperworks Yard.
Richard Janion Nevill now completely controlled the Copperworks Company’s local affairs and also took over management of General Warde’s Collieries.
1819 Richard Janion Nevill took over the management of the Stradey Estate Collieries but allowed the Rabys to retain an interest. With his acquisitions the Llanelly Copperworks controlled the whole of the Llanelli Coalfield.
The French Government authorised Richard Janion Nevill to grant passports for France and he was appointed French Consul.
Lewis Weston Dillwyn, owner of the Penllergaer Estate, is known to have owned property in Llanelli.
1820 The re-use of two locally constructed canals seems to have been considered around this period.
1821 Alexander Raby and his son Arthur Turnour Raby faced financial ruin and were forced to relinquish many of their interests in the town including Trebeddrod Farm. Richard Janion Nevill, under the auspices of the Copperworks, loaned them money and agreed to maintain Furnace House, supply coal for the fires, and provide the keep for one horse.
Arthur Raby’s effects at Caemawr Cottage were advertised for sale, but he must have changed his mind about moving away and continued in partnership with his father.
The town’s population had reached 2,621.
Mrs Martha Nevill, wife of Charles Nevill (senior) was killed when she was knocked down by a coal wagon whilst crossing one of the railroads.
1821 Thomas Lewis, Squire of Stradey, leased land to the Trustees to the Burgesses for a period of 500 years to enable them to build a Town Hall, in what became known as Hall Street.
Between 1821 and 1824 Symmons sold his Estate to another industrial speculator, Edward Rose Tunno of London. Shortly after Mr T J Margrave moved into Llangennech Mansion House and later moved to Plas Isaf Mansion.
1823 On 10 May William Roderick died aged 85.
Sometime after this the brewer and Wesleyan supporter James Buckley (1802-1883) purchased Bradbury Hall. Also known as ‘The Great James’ he married Elizabeth Wedge in 1834 and they settled at Penyfai.
1823 The Pembertons had to abandon their Llwyncyfarthwch pit when they failed to find the coal seam and Richard Pemberton assigned his interests to his three sons, Richard, Ralph Stephen and Thomas.
John Cowell Stepney (heir to the Stepney Estate), married for the second time to Euphemia Jemima Murray, the daughter of General John Murray of Ireland.
Alexander Raby (senior) had relinquished all his interests in Llanelli to his younger son Arthur Turnour Raby.
Charles Nevill (junior) married Catherine Caroline Ward at Llanelli and they lived at New Road.
1824 A new co-partnership was formed when Thomas Daniell, Joseph Savill, Richard Janion Nevill and Alexander Druce, operated the Llanelly Copperworks Company under the name ‘Daniell, Nevill & Co.’
Alexander Raby’s wife died aged 78 and was buried in Llanelli Parish Church. Alexander Raby (senior) assigned his business interests to his son Arthur who was living with his family at Caemawr Cottage.
A newspaper report of 29 May 1824 reported that a fire had destroyed Caemawr the thatched Chateau belonging to Arthur Raby Esquire of Llanelly.
Box Colliery was developed, Penygaer Pit was sunk to complement Box Colliery workings and a branch line was built from the Box Railroad to the Penygaer Pit, and probably to Penygaer Uchaf, where there was a quarry and a lime kiln.
John Powell, son of a Colliery Overman at Penygaer, was born. Powell later opened his own blacksmith’s shop in Copperworks Road around 1850.
Henry Child senior died.
1825 Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal Company and the Carmarthenshire Railway Company built a railway system from Sandy Bridge along the seashore ending at the Pwll Colliery, a distance of 1½ miles.
Alexander Raby was forced to move away from Llanelli because of his mounting financial difficulties.
1826 Arthur Raby had gone to live abroad to avoid creditors and his Stradey Estates were managed by two Agents, James Guthrie and Nevill Broom. Llanelly Copperworks took control of the extensive Stradey Estate Collieries.
1826 The Banking Co-partnership Act was passed that allowed Banks with unlimited liability to be formed outside a 65 mile radius of London. As a result of this Act and further legislation passed in 1833, The National Provincial, District Bank and Westminster Bank were all formed.
1827 The first Meeting of the Trustees held at the Town Hall in Hall Street on 19 October resolved that Mr Raby as Portreeve be accepted as Tenant for the Town Hall and Lock-up Houses and outlet, and yard for 1828 at a rent of £5 13s 4d.
Lord Cholmondeley, a friend of Sir John Stepney, 8th Baronet, and life tenant of the Llanelli Estate, died. William Chambers, of Bicknor in Kent, inherited Sir John Stepney’s Llanelli Estate.
There were only three Trustees to the Burgesses in attendance when they held one of their last meetings at the Falcon Inn on 20 July.
William Hopkin’s son, also named William Hopkins, who operated the Ferry crossing at Loughor, died. The next ferry operator was Griffith Jones who gave his rights to a person known as Cadwallader.
Charles Nevill (junior) had been appointed Clerk to the Llanelly Harbour Commissioners according to a Tide Table of 1832 printed by David Griffiths of Thomas Street.
1828 Llanelli became a regular Post Town and with John Morgan as Postmaster was no longer a sub-office to Swansea or Carmarthen.
Thomas Lewis, Squire of Stradey was Coroner and used the Falcon Inn for the inquest on Eleanor Longhurst, servant to James Guthrie (Agent to the absent Arthur Raby).
1829 A tramroad was constructed to link St David’s collieries with the newly constructed ‘New Dock’.
Charles Nevill (junior) under the auspices of the Copperworks bought Box Collieries.
With debts of more than £30,000, General Warde conveyed all his estates and collieries in Carmarthenshire to Richard Janion Nevill.
The Pembertons decided to leave the area having lost a fortune.
Thomas Lewis, Squire of Stradey, died and his estate, including Trebeddrod, passed to his son David Lewis, who was also known as Squire of Stradey.
1830 William Chambers renovated Llanelly House.
Henry Child (junior) was badly injured following an accident when he was thrown from his horse-drawn carriage when it crashed into a turnpike gate near Bryncaerau Castle (later known as Parc Howard Mansion).
Alexander Raby’s involvement with Llanelli officially ended on 30 November 1830 and when he left town he went to live at Burcott House, near Wells, in Somerset.
James Buckley and his wife Maria lived at Furnace House.
Richard Janion Nevill was the last of the 19th century industrialists who had come to Llanelli to make their fortunes. He had gained virtual control of the Llanelli Coalfield and the Copperworks Company was flourishing.
During the 1830s the western beach at Machynys was a sand dune system extending to the ‘nose’, which was known as the Sker. As Sker is a Viking name, it is reasonable to assume that this suggests there was Viking activity in the area in earlier times.
1830 The Parish of Llanelli had five hamlets, Berwic, Glyn, Hafod, Westfa and the Borough Hamlet which was the most populated with 4,173 inhabitants. The other four hamlets totalled 3,473 persons between them.
John Cowell Stepney (son of Maria Justina Stepney and Colonel Cowell), had progressed to become a Lieutenant Colonel and Commanding Officer in the Coldstream Guards.
1831 Maria Buckley, daughter of Henry Child (senior), and wife of James Buckley died.
Henry Child (junior) died, probably as a result of the injuries he sustained in the accident of the previous year, when he was thrown from his horse and carriage.
The Dock Records show that there were 816 vessels registered with a total capacity of 53,844 tons.
The Trustees to the Burgesses were being accused of being corrupt and the Town Hall was known as ‘The Town Hole’.
An avenue of trees, which started at the shrubbery of Llanelly House and ended at Machynys, was chopped down for the timbers. This led to a legal dispute between William Chambers senior (owner of the Llanelli Estate) and John Stepney Cowell (whose family hand been disinherited).
William Roderick was born. He later became manager of the West of England & South Wales District Bank which was taken over by London & Provincial Bank and became Barclays Bank.
The Cambrian of 12 February reported ‘For the accommodation of the public at Llanelly and its neighbourhood, the firm of Messrs Waters, Jones & Co., bankers of Carmarthen, have opened a branch of their concern in the former town.’
1832 On 19 January payments were suspended relating to the extensive Banking establishments of Messrs Waters, Jones & Co., of Carmarthen, Pembroke and Llanelly. The Bank’s London Agents had declined to accept their bills because advances were equivalent to the securities held, and four Gentlemen (Richard Janion Nevill, John Davies, John Bowen and Aaron Timmins of Carmarthen) were called to investigate the Bank’s accounts.
The Reform Act gave Carmarthenshire a second Member of Parliament and joined Llanelli to the Borough of Carmarthen.
James Buckley, the Wesleyan supporter and ‘itinerant’ preacher retired and lived at Furnace House. His wife Maria (one of Henry Child’s daughters) had died the previous year.
The Dairy at Machynys, on which Richard Janion Nevill had taken a lease, was broken into. Two cheeses were stolen from the presses, together with the cheesecloths. A five-guinea reward was offered for the discovery of the thief.
1833 A Bank was founded at Llanelli when Richard Janion Nevill formed a partnership with Morgan Williams on 6th April 1833, known as Messrs Nevill & Co.
Some time between September and December 1833, Richard Janion Nevill and his family moved to Llangennech Park.
1834 Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Thomas Wedge, younger brother of John Wedge, married James (‘The Great James’) Buckley (1802-83), and they settled at Penyfai which had been built by her father.
Sir Emile Algernon Arthur Keppel Cowell Stepney was born. He later became an MP for Carmarthen and Llanelli, married Lady Margaret Leicester and they had one daughter, Catharine Meriel Stepney.
New Dock, which was later owned by the Great Western Railway, was completed.
A wooden bridge built at Loughor was officially opened and effectively ended the export of coal from Spitty Bite.
Llanelli had become a prominent maritime base with Thomas Bowen’s Shipping Place, Carmarthenshire Dock, Pemberton’s Dock, Copperhouse Dock and New Dock.
As a result of the Reform Bill in 1832, Parliament found it necessary to pass The Poor Law Act of 1834, which stated that in future any able-bodied man who lost his job would no longer be eligible for outdoor relief. This meant that the unemployed would have to live in one of the new workhouses which the Government planned to establish and would have to work for their keep. Conditions in these workhouses were designed to be less attractive than work in the factories or mines. The result of this legislation resulted in the working classes feeling betrayed and the middle classes objected to having to contribute taxes for the upkeep of the workhouses. This discontent was to lead to the Chartist Movement and the rural unrest of 1838 to 1843.
1835 Parliament passed the Highways Act that superseded the Statute of Labour Act that had remained law for 280 years. Although both compulsory road labour and monetary payments were abolished by the Highways Act, local parishes were still responsible for the maintenance of the roads.
Proposals were discussed in the House of Commons for Llanelli to be included in the Act of Incorporation into a Borough.
Edward Jenkins, driver of the Gloucester to Carmarthen mail coach was fined £5 and dismissed from the service for drinking and driving when his vehicle overturned a couple of miles from Llandovery on its journey from Brecon.
A railway was constructed from Llanelli to Llandeilo managed by John Biddulph (junior) who married Emma Chambers in 1836.
Alexander Raby died aged 88 or 89 at Burcott House in Somerset and he was buried at St Cuthbert’s Church in Wells Somerset.
Catherine Caroline Nevill, wife of Charles Nevill (junior) died.
1836 Richard Janion Nevill of Llangennech Park became High Sheriff.
The Registration Act was passed which required Civil Authorities to be responsible for recording Births Marriages and Deaths. The Clergy were responsible for recording Births, Marriages and Deaths in their own particular church.
The Tithe Commutation Act was passed and the ancient custom of paying tithes in kind was replaced by monetary payments.
1837 The Municipal Corporations Act attempted to remove the main source of political corruption by replacing unrepresentative institutions by town councils elected by ratepayers.
A Charter of Incorporation under the Municipal Act was proposed but rejected by the Trustees
1837 Alexander Raby (junior) as Portreeve was sent to London to oppose the granting of a Charter on Incorporation to Llanelly under the Municipal Act, which was to come before the Privy Council on 26 February.
Marriages could be performed in Chapels, which meant that Churches no longer had the monopoly.
Baptismal records show the male occupation of the town had changed from mainly husbandmen, to colliers, coppermen, mariners, pilots and shipwrights.
Maria Buckley, daughter of Elizabeth (nee Wedge) and James Buckley (1802-1882), was born. Later Maria married William Roderick who became Manager of the West of England and South Wales Bank.
1838 General discontent led to the Rebecca Riots when men dressed up as women attacked the local tollgates and tithe impropriators.
1839 During this period farmers and tenant farmers suffered financially from the imposition of the tolls on the turnpike roads. As a result of the Poor Law of 1834 they were also the members of society who were expected to pay, by way of taxation, towards the upkeep of the workhouses. It was not only the ‘middle class’ farmers and tenant farmers who were suffering financially; the ‘working classes’ endured poverty and poor working conditions. It was not surprising therefore, that this was a period of great social unrest.
1840 An industrial area based on coal mining and metal smelting had built up between Port Talbot in the East and Llanelli in the West, with copper smelting being the main metal industry.
The Industrial Revolution accelerated with the introduction of new engineering technology.
Between 1840-1870 over 2,300 kilometres of railway were laid in Wales. The railways put an end to cattle droving and many ancient markets. New markets began to spring up along the railway lines.
A similar Act of Enclosure to those of 1807 and 1810 called ‘The Wedge Award’ was made.
Bryncaerau, once the home of the Roberts family, stood on the site of the present day Parc Howard Mansion. Bryncaerau was later owned by Richard Thomas Howell, a local entrepreneur, Chairman of the Local Board of Health and the Harbour Commissioner.
The population of the town was under 10,000, Stepney Street and Vaughan Street were open spaces with the main streets of the town being Market Street, Park Street, Water Street, Thomas Street, Oxen Street, Wind Street, Church Street and Hall Street.
The largest residence was Llanelly House, home of the Chambers family.
A Bill of Sale of 20 sixty-fourth shares of the steamship Harriet of Llanelly was agreed on 27 April 1840 between (1) Eleazer Williams of Llanelly, Draper and (2) Richard Janion Nevill of Llangennech Esq. (This shows the involvement of the Nevills in shipping.)
1,592 ships were loaded at the port and coal exports amounted to 115,712 tons.
A Pottery was established by William Chambers (junior) with an estimated investment of £10,000 and crates of pottery were shipped all over the world from the local docks.
Bethel Chapel and Siloah Chapel were built at Seaside.
1840 According to John Millington Morgan, a descendant of William and Emma Morgan who were living at the Rolling Mill, Salamanca Road in 1871, the name of the town was changed from Llanelli to Llanelly in 1840. He has a cup in his possession which belonged to William and Emma with the spelling ‘Llanelli’.
1841 The population of the Borough Hamlet was 7,123, Hengoed Hamlet was 1,261, and Westfa Hamlet was 882 making the total population 9,266.
Census records show that Charles Nevill (junior) was a Ship’s Agent living at Field House, Box Railway. James Buckley is described as Merchant living at Penyfai with his wife Elizabeth, son Joshua Wedge Buckley and daughter Maria. Elizabeth’s father, Joshua Thomas Wedge also lived at Penyfai and was described as ‘Gentleman’. The census also shows that Bradbury Hall, the former home of William Roderick, was occupied by an Attorney named John Davies aged 45, his wife Frances aged 40, and Miss Margaret Roderick aged 50. Frances Davies and Margaret Roderick were sisters and daughters of William and Sarah Roderick.
Richard Janion Nevill was a Magistrate and one of the Trustees to the Burgesses, of the town.
On Friday 23 January about 60 Gentlemen and prominent businessmen attended a celebration at the Ship and Castle (now the Stepney Hotel) to mark the opening of the Pottery.
Small quantities of anthracite coal were exported from Llanelli.
Machynys Farm was leased by Willyams, Nevill, Druce and Dewas, from William Chambers. A plan attached to the lease gives an insight into the landscape, which was altered almost beyond recognition within 40 years. Field names were given and there was a narrow coastal strip called ‘The Warren’. The ‘Island’ had been united to the mainland, and it began to provide an area for industrial use, playing an important part in the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century.
There was already evidence of some industry at Machynys, with one field being called Cae Bricks (Brickfield) and another area being named Pwll y Bricks (The Brick Pit).
1842 The Iron Foundry and Smithy established by William Yalden in 1784 was operated by the Partnership Nevill Bros., until they sold out to Richard Thomas & Co in 1922.
Edward Rose Tunno leased Llangennech Park House, described as 270 acres, to Richard Janion Nevill, Manager of Llanelly Copperworks.
1843 The general civil unrest that resulted from the Reform Act of 1832 and the Poor Law of 1834 reached Llanelli. Llanelli, like other Welsh towns was surrounded by tollgates, the opposition to which led to the Rebecca Riots reaching the town by August.
Francis McKeirnon, described as ‘Innkeeper’, who kept the Tŷ Melin Inn (Circles), was also the proprietor of the daily Mail Coach running between Llanelli and Carmarthen. Francis McKeirnon, George Long (another carrier) and John Phillips were all accused of destroying the tollgate at Sandy. The same night the tollgate at Furnace was also destroyed.
William Chambers and Richard Janion Nevill agreed to cover the cost of providing a rural Police presence.
The Copperworks was importing ore from Chile, Peru, Spain, the Cape of Good Hope and Newfoundland.
1844 The right to issue bank notes was gradually withdrawn and eventually only the Bank of England had the monopoly in England and Wales.
1845 Charles Nevill (junior) who was born in 1780 and lived at King Square, New Road, then Field House, Llanelli, died aged 65.
Richard Janion Nevill arranged for Westfa Mansion in the village of Felinfoel to be built for his son Charles William.
The Copperworks had 12 ships valued at £30,840.
1846 The first local tinplate works was established at Dafen and within two years sailing vessels carried tinplate cargoes to the main ports of Bristol, Liverpool and London, for onward shipment to foreign destinations including America.
A new wave of Industrialists were showing an interest in the area, including the Motleys of Margam and the Tregonings of Liverpool and Cornwall.
Richard Janion Nevill gave an account of the educational state of the town in his evidence before a Commissioner of Enquiry. Nevill urged that something should be done to improve and extend the system of education in the rapidly expanding parish for boys and girls. Land was leased from William Chambers of Llanelly House and Richard Janion Nevill constructed the present-day Copperworks school building. By the end of the year school buildings for boys and infants were started.
1847 William Rees the Younger built Glandafen House, which was situated on Morfa Mawr, the Great Marsh.
On 10 April the Llanelly Savings Bank was established by Charles William Nevill, William Chambers (senior), William Chambers (junior), Revd David Rees and others. The Treasurer was Richard Janion Nevill of the Copperworks and William Rees was the Actuary (Registrar or Clerk). The first day’s takings were said to be £32 9s. and the deposits for the first year were £1,000. The Savings Bank opened one day a week on a Thursday, when the minimum deposit was one shilling (1s) and the maximum deposit a customer could make, in one year, was £30. No deposits were accepted once the balance had reached £150 and no interest was paid after the deposit had increased to £200.
Llewellyn D Bevan, who died in 1918 (son of Hopkin Bevan, Actuary from 1849 to 1877), was one of the first investors in the Llanelly Savings Bank with a deposit of 5s.
Five local doctors prepared and submitted a Report to the Magistrates about the primitive conditions in the town.
The Copperworks School building was opened for children of the area, and was not just restricted to offspring of Copperworks employees. However, those who did attend were mainly the children of Copperworks employees. David Williams was appointed headmaster of the Copperworks School and was said to be ‘a ruthless disciplinarian of the benevolent kind’.
Before this time Llanelli did not have a National school and schools were either funded privately or supported by the Church.
1848 ‘Comfortable Teachers’ houses’ were added to the Copperworks School and built in Heol Fawr, in the vicinity of Glanmor House, where Gathan Terrace is today (2002).
Richard Janion Nevill, living at Llangennech House, was again High Sheriff.
William Bythway served his apprenticeship at the town’s brewery from 1848 to 1853.
1849 Richard Nevill (son of Richard Janion Nevill) held a celebration for his Llanelli Iron Foundry workers on the occasion of his marriage to Mary Sophia Wills.
Mr Maybery was the manager of the Wern Foundry.
Dock records show 2,052 vessels were registered with burthen of 145,777 tons.
An outbreak of Cholera devastated the town. An enquiry into the sanitary conditions of the town was held which led to the Trustees being forced to hand over responsibility to the newly established Local Board of Health. The ensuing Report was known as The Clark Report
Meetings were held on 7th, 8th and 9th November at the Town Hall when Mr Clark, Superintending Inspector, obtained information for his Report. He acknowledged the presence and assistance of Mr Nevill, Copperworks Proprietor; C W Nevill, Copperworks Proprietor; William Chambers; M G Harries, Surveyor to the Highway Board; B Thomas, Surgeon to the Union; D A Davies, Registrar of Burials; F L Brown; R Jones, Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce; R T Howell; B Jones, Clerk to the Harbour Commissioners.
At the meeting held on 9 November the Trustees were forced to hand over responsibility following the Board of Health Act when the Local Board of Health was established. The following were in attendance at the meeting: Alexander Raby (junior), Portreeve; William Rees, Maesarddafen; John Morgan; David Morgan; William Morgan; William Chambers (senior); William Chambers (junior); Henry Rees.
From 1849-77 Hopkin Bevan was Actuary of the Llanelly Savings Bank which was situated in Cambrian Square, at the junction of Market Street and Park Street. Llanelly Savings Bank was the forerunner of the South Wales Savings Bank and eventually the TSB.
1850 The town had 652 houses, Seaside 452, and the Wern 448, making a total of 1,552. There were 64 Ale Houses, and 25 Beer Houses, making a total of 89.
William Chambers junior was the first Chairman of Llanelly Board of Health and founder of the Llanelly Reform Society.
The Copperworks owned 12 ships and employed 450 people and the Dafen Tinplate Works had 240 workers who produced 800 boxes a week. Other works included a large Pottery, Lead and Silver works and three foundries. The local collieries employed 800 people, men, women and children.
There was 1 County Police Sergeant, and 2 County Policemen. One Policeman was employed by the Copperworks.
John Powell (born in Penygaer in 1824, son of a Colliery Overman), opened his own blacksmith’s shop at Copperworks Road, which was known as Brynrhodin Foundry or Powell’s Foundry and later Glanmor Foundry, Seaside.
The Parish of Llanelly had five Hamlets, namely, Berwick, Glyn, Hafod, Westfa and the Borough Hamlet, and covered and area of about 20,000 acres.
The town comprised 3 distinct areas of housing, the ‘Town Proper’, ‘Seaside’ and the ‘Wern’. As more houses were built the areas merged.
The first Inspector of Mines was strongly critical of the safety standards of local mines.
Numerous coalmines opened in and around the town had drained most of the springs and there was a great need for a proper water supply.
Jane Chalinder had married John Eynon in 1846 who then became the Postmaster, and Ambrose Taroni an Italian immigrant, formerly from Turin, was the town’s letter carrier.
A Railway had been built linking Chepstow to Swansea and crates from the local pottery were sent the 12 miles by road to Swansea for onward shipment by rail.
The first meeting of the new Board of Health was held on 30 September. During the early years there were 3 Committees: Estates - responsible for the upkeep of the town; Highways - responsible for road and street lighting; Sanitation - responsible for providing and maintaining the Water and Sewerage Supply, the Public Slaughter House, the Cattle Market, the Refuse Collection and the People’s Park.
1851 The census shows that James Buckley, Merchant, Miller, Maltster, and Brewer employed 21 men and lived at Penyfai with his wife Elizabeth and their seven children: Joshua Wedge; Henry Child; Maria; Mary Ann; James; John Wedge and Elizabeth. Joshua Thomas Wedge, Elizabeth’s father, was described as aged 74, a Landed Proprietor from St Ives in Cornwall.
An Englishman, Sir Henry Bessemer, invented and patented his famous process for making steel by forcing air through molten iron. This process burned away the excess carbon very quickly and revolutionised steel production, resulting in the annual output in Britain increasing threefold in a few years.
Cornishman John Simmons Tregoning from Liverpool and his partners established a tinplate works at Morfa which was originally called the Llanelly Tinworks.
The census of 1851 recorded the town’s population as 8,415.
The industrial development of Machynys, starting with a sawmill, can be traced by leases granted by the Stepney Estate.
Llanelli was beginning to be established as a major industrial town with its industry based on iron and tinplate production. Many buildings were constructed, especially after 1850 and several chapels and churches were built, rebuilt or enlarged around this period.
Sir Edward Stafford Howard was born at Greystoke Castle, Cumberland, on 28 November. He was the second son of Henry Howard and a great nephew of the 12th Duke of Norfolk.
General Practitioner Thomas Cook, his wife and their son John Kirkhouse Cook aged 30, were living at Llanelly House which had been converted into three separate residences. Mira Turner a servant girl from Reading, Berkshire, was working as a housemaid for the Chambers family. Her suicide was a great scandal for the Chambers family and the Doctors who ‘treated’ her.
1852 In January the Copperworks school building programme was completed when a girls’ department was added.
The Old Lodge Iron Works was built by William Henry Nevill and John Thomas.
Brunel built the South Wales Railway when the Gloucester to Carmarthen railway line was completed and Llanelli was linked by rail to Pembrey.
1853 The Board of Health decided to build a reservoir on land owned by David Lewis, Squire of Stradey. The land was in use as a brickworks which was demolished in October when construction commenced. A plantation was cut down and a fine fishery was also destroyed in the process. It was estimated that the new reservoir would hold 8,000,000 gallons of water and cost £15,000 including land purchase and pipelaying.
John Wedge, who drew a chart of the Burry Estuary, died. He was the son of John Wedge and Elizabeth (nee Thomas) of Goodig.
1854 There was a severe outbreak of Typhus before the reservoir was completed.
The Cambrian reported that the Glanmor Iron Works were completed by Thomas, Nevill and Company. (This was the Old Lodge Iron Works established by William Henry Nevill and John Thomas.)
James Charles Murray Stepney Cowell was killed in action at Inkerman during an attack on a Russian Battery on 5th January, and was buried with seven of his fellow officers on a hillside near Sebastopol. Inkerman Street, Llanelli was named in his memory. He was the elder son of Colonel John Stepney Cowell and a nephew of Sir John Stepney, 8th Baronet who had died in 1811.
The Stepney Estate granted a lease for a brickworks at Machynys.
By this time the town market had moved to a location outside the churchyard and the stalls were arranged along the churchyard wall.
1855 William Rees (the Younger) moved to Gelly Farm around this time. Gelly Farm had been purchased by his father William Rees (the Elder) in 1813. From this time on William Rees the Younger began to obtain land and properties in the Bynea, Llwynhendy, Bryn and surrounding areas. His acquisitions became known as the Gelli Estate, one of the largest in the Llanelli Area. Rees the Younger administered his vast Estate and became known as Squire Rees by the locals. The grandson of a ‘butcher’ he is said to have been elevated in society by possession of land and money rather than noble birth.
Richard Nevill provided a reading room at Llanelly Iron Foundry.
William Chambers (senior) died and his son William Chambers (junior) was unable to retain his father’s estate because it seems his mother’s and father’s marriage was not recognised. Although Chambers junior was forced to move away he retained his leasehold interest in the Pottery. After 1855, when the Pottery was operated by Coombs and Holland, new foreign markets were found in Brazil, Chile, the East Indies and the Mediterranean countries. Supplies of china stone and clay were imported from Cornwall, Devon and Dorset and Flint was obtained from Northern France.
1856 The Limited Liability Act was passed, which enabled professional men and traders to invest their small savings, without the risk of losing their whole investment.
Funds were raised by public subscription to build a Literary Scientific Institution to be called the Athenaeum, close to the Parish Church, where the Pembertons’ Mansion House had once stood on land owned by William Chambers, and where the Public Library stands today.
A new Methodist chapel was built in Hall Street for the English-speaking members. The Welsh-speakers moved their services to Jerusalem Chapel.
Richard Janion Nevill, who had moved from Glanmor House to Llangennech Park, died. His son Charles William Nevill who lived at Westfa continued to manage the Copperworks and was also involved in shipbuilding. His other son, Richard Nevill, who lived at Felinfoel House was Managing Director of the Wern Foundry. He later became a partner in the Marshfield Works and managed Old Lodge Iron Works.
The younger son, William Henry Nevill, lived at Llangennech Park House, managed the Lead and Silver Works, was a partner in Old Lodge Iron Works and was also involved in shipbuilding. During this period of great expansion the Nevill family continued to dominate the social, religious and business scene.
1857 The Stepney family had regained their interest in the town and Colonel John Stepney Cowell was welcomed as heir to the Stepney Estate. Following lengthy litigation the Estate had passed to Maria Justina’s son. Maria had married twice; firstly to Frances Head of Norwich and secondly to Colonel Andrew Cowell. By the time the Llanelli Estate had reverted to the Stepney family, most of the avenue of trees leading from Llanelly House to Machynys had been chopped down and the timber sold.
1858 A Ball in celebration of the opening of the Athenaeum was attended by: W H Nevill Esq., of Llangennech Park; C W Nevill Esq., of Westfa House; Richard Nevill of Felinfoel House; J Stanley Esq., of Pembrey House; J P Luckraft; R T Howell, Engineer; E Bagot; C W Coombs; J R Waddle; W Roderick and J W Buckley.
Housing developments were growing up in the Morfa and Bigyn areas and other developments at Heol Fawr, Prospect Place, Dolau, Marble Hall and Goring Road were extended.
A request was made to the Board of Health for the provision of a new water tap to be available near Bradbury Hall to accommodate the new buildings at Old Castle Road. The communal tap that was eventually provided became the only source of water for the inhabitants of the town centre.
In the first six months of the year 23 people had died of smallpox.
William Rees the Elder (‘Gentleman’ of Maesarddafen, son of John Rees ‘butcher’ of Cwmddyche), died. He had been one of the Trustees to the Burgesses in 1807.
1859 The reservoir at Trebeddrod was insufficient for the needs of the growing town and the Board of Health was repeatedly asked to find a solution to the problem of water shortages.
The town’s population continued to increase rapidly as workers flocked to seek work in the new industries. The road, later known as Salamanca Road, which led from Greenfields to the Iron Works, was widened.
Dr John Kirkhouse Cook, Medical Advisor to several local collieries, the Silver Works and the Copperworks, died at the age of 46. He was the son of Dr T B Cook and both Medical Practitioners lived and practised at Bradbury Hall. They were two of the five local doctors who felt it necessary to prepare and send a Report to the Magistrates in 1847.
On 12 1859 February William Roderick wrote to James Buckley requesting the hand in marriage of his daughter Maria Buckley.
On 12 April 1859 William Roderick married James Buckley’s daughter Maria and they lived at Goring Place.
1860 Members of the Board of Health were accused of dragging their feet, and were shocked into action when the rising death rate had reached epidemic proportions with 29 out of every 1,000 persons dying of disease.
When staying at Llanelli, Lieutenant Colonel Cowell lived with his wife Euphemia Jemima, at the Dell, formerly Furnace House, and took an active part in the political and social life of the town.
The Cambrian Works was established.
The Swansea Vale Railway opened.
Seaside had its first Pillar (Letter) Box.
The Dillwyn family of Penllergaer joined in the industrial development of the town.
1861 The census shows that James Buckley, aged 58, was a Common Brewer, Maltster, Miller, General Merchant and General Commissioner of Income and Assessed Loans, employing 95 men, who lived at Penyfai with his wife Elizabeth and seven of their children. The children were: Joshua Wedge, aged 26, Clerk at the Brewery; James, 22, Clerk at the Brewery; Elizabeth May, 19; Mary Ann, 15; John Wedge, 13; William Joseph, 9 and Ann Emily, 6. They had a Governess, Coachman, Cook, 2 Housemaids and 2 Female General Servants.
Edward Bagot, Civil Engineer and Mineral Surveyor, his wife Martha and their young son Edward Arthur, and Martha Lewis, their house servant, were the tenants of Bradbury Hall.
1862 Lt Col Cowell was elected High Sheriff and 12 uniformed Javelin Men, dressed in tall hats, belted tunics with large metal buttons and trousers tucked into their boots, formed his ceremonial bodyguard, during the celebrations.
1863 The South Wales Railway Company was absorbed by the Great Western Railway.
The Nevill family was heavily involved in local shipbuilding projects. William Henry Nevill established the Llanelly Iron Shipping Company and established the first local iron shipbuilding yard. Mrs William Henry Nevill launched the first iron ship called The Premier from Carmarthenshire Dock watched by 5,000 spectators. The Nevill family had interests including the Copperworks, Lead Works, Silver Works, Old Lodge Ironworks, Wern Foundry, a number of Collieries, the ‘Pilot’, Nevill Dock and Wharf Department, which included the shipbuilding yard.
The Stepney Estate granted a lease for a chemical works at Machynys.
The Marshfield Iron Works was established opposite the Old Lodge Iron Works.
In December Richard Ward Nevill, son of Charles Nevill (junior), died.
1864 William Henry Nevill was Chairman of the Board of Health.
A new Market was opened on 22 September and Colonel Cowell expressed his regret that due to the heavy rain Mrs Stepney could not be present.
It was proposed to open the National School and Lt Col Cowell Stepney donated £100.
1865 William John Rees (1865-1947) was born on 25 May at Gelli, Bryn, the eldest son of William Rees the Younger, who owned the Gelli Estate. William John Rees was later to become a partner in the Glanmor Foundry Company.
1866 The population had risen to 12,000.
Old Castle Works was the first locally financed Limited Liability Company to be established in the area.
A Report on the unsanitary conditions in the town was prepared by Dr Hunter and it was revealed that in one year alone Scarletina had killed 90 people, with most of the victims being children under the age of five.
The Board of Health was shocked into action after a cholera epidemic devastated the town, and they decided to build another reservoir at Quarry Mawr, Cwm Lliedi.
The expansion of the tinplate trade and coastal shipping trade between Llanelli and Liverpool encouraged ship owners to invest in tinplate production and vice versa, tinplate manufacturers invested in shipping.
John Roberts Waddle invented and patented a revolutionary ventilation fan at his Llanmor Works in the Wern district
1867 The town’s population had increased to 17,000.
Locally mined anthracite, known as Llangennech Coal, was particularly sought after for the new steam powered iron ships and the steam packet trading ships.
The Naiad was built for Charles William Nevill and launched by the Iron Shipbuilding Company at the Carmarthenshire Dock. The figurehead was reported to have been modelled on one of the Nevill’s daughters.
The Stepney Estate granted a lease for an arsenic works at Machynys.
Two cottages situated high up on Bigyn Hill were converted into a small hospital and a third cottage was used to accommodate the Matron. The first patient was admitted on 10 September to the hospital, which had accommodation for three patients. The first Matron was Isabella Letcher, the eldest of ten children born to a prominent local family living at Wellfield, Old Road. Isabella’s father, Josiah Letcher had been one of the original founder members of the Board of Health in 1850. Whilst Isabella was Matron she married Joseph Maybery, the manager of Old Castle Tinplate Works and also a member of the hospital committee.
1868 As the town developed, the Postal service became even more important and the Thomas Arms remained the Posting House with John Eynon as Innkeeper and Postmaster. To accommodate the demand for a ‘modern’ postal service a Post Office was opened in Vaughan Street which included a Post Office Savings Bank. The new Post Office opening times were from 7 am to 9 pm and collections were made from ‘Pillar’ letter boxes at New Dock Post Office, The Flats, The Wern, Greenfield, and Market Street.
A foundry and fitting shop were erected at Dafen, enabling the Works to make their own rolls and castings.
1869 The Board of Health, with William Rosser as Chairman, celebrated the opening of Quarry Mawr Waterworks, but locals suggested that it was a ‘palpable waste of money’.
The lead works, Copperworks and coal yard belonging to Messrs Sims, Willyams, Nevill & Company were beginning to fall into decline.
A Petition was given to Charles William Nevill, at the Copperworks office, by the workers asking the company to continue supplying free coal.
A public meeting was held at the Town Hall, chaired by William Rosser, Chairman of the Board of Health, to discuss plans for a new town railway which would start at St David’s Line. The railway would run between the Great Western Railway Crossing and Penyfan, passing over Tyisha Farm, crossing Wern Road and the adjacent Works. From Wern Road the railway would run to the upper part of the Bres Field, where a station would be built conveniently placed near the New Market.
Because of the decline in the coal and copper industries, 30 people from Llanelli and 400 from the surrounding area between Swansea and Neath emigrated to New York.
1870 As tinplate production expanded it was the beginning of major development for the town. New schools, domestic buildings, churches and chapels were being built to accommodate the exploding population.
Greenfield Works traded at the rear of Robinson Street.
William Henry Nevill moved from Llangennech Park in December and the children of Llangennech National School presented him with a gift.
For a short period around this time Edward J Sartoris MP lived at the Llangennech Park Mansion. Sartoris had married Miss Nellie Grant, one of the American President’s daughters.
The Stepney Estate granted a lease for a tinplate works at Machynys.
Lloyds Bank was established in Stepney Street at the start of a time of great expansion for the Welsh tinplate trade.
The course of the River Lliedi was altered when the river was straightened below Falcon Bridge, where it started to flow through the centre of the town, and then diverted at Mincing Lane. The Lliedi was shifted about 50 yards to the North, over a length of 300 yards, to link up with the old channel in the region of Town Hall Square.
This was the start of a period of great industrial expansion which was to last for about 18 years. However trade fluctuated between boom and depression.
1871 The Board of Health decided to carry out repairs to Stepney Street, which was a rough track that was privately owned. When the repairs were completed the Board of Health made it into a Public Highway.
Ironworks were forced to give way to tinplate production and many disused foundries were converted into tinplate works.
From 1871 to 1887 Edward J Sartoris leased Llangennech Park Mansion to Edmund Morewood, a metal merchant and Industrialist from Birmingham and his nephew John Henry Rogers. Morewood later established the South Wales Tinplate Company which had 5 mills and was the first to be established at Machynys.
The second Baronetcy was created and Lt Col Cowell became Sir John Stepney and his wife became Lady Euphemia Jemima Stepney. When they were staying in Llanelli they lived at The Dell, formerly known as Furnace House. Sir John Cowell Stepney continued to take an active part in the political, religious and social life of the town.
1871 As tinplate production escalated, epidemics of cholera, typhus, scarletina and smallpox were rampant.
James Buckley purchased Castell Gorfod but his son John Wedge Buckley continued to live at Penyfai.
1872 Dr Henry Child Buckley was appointed Medical Officer and owned Bradbury Hall.
The Stepney Estate granted a lease for ironworks, rolling mills, reservoirs and workers cottages at Machynys.
Tuesday May 21 saw half-day closing which was generally observed.
Following the smallpox epidemic of the previous year, an Act of Parliament was passed allowing the construction of a new Waterworks in the Lliedi Valley. Start of the project was delayed until Felinfoel Mill, Upper Town Mill, Lower Town Mill and other interests could be purchased.
1873 Work began on the new Reservoir which was completed in 1878.
Westfa, a grey stone Mansion, overlooking the church with the status of a squire’s domain, originally built for Charles William Nevill was described as commodious with three floors, containing 29 rooms, having 517 acres.
Mrs Thomas of Capel Newydd was Post Mistress and the Post Office was in Llanelly House, Vaughan Street. Mrs Thomas was responsible for meeting the early morning London train each day and with the help of boys she carried the mail from the railway station. She is reputed to have carried the letters and packages on her head. Later Mr Reed, an auxiliary postman was provided with a handcart to carry the daily mail from the station.
Llanelly Railway and Dock Company was operated by the Great Western Railway and the pace of industrialisation taking place in Llanelli increased.
The first contract was awarded for 180 yards of nine-foot tunnelling to divert the River Lliedi.
The Copperworks was known Nevill Druce & Co.
On 11 April (Good Friday), Lady Stepney, wife of Sir John Stepney of The Dell, Furnace, laid the foundation stone of Tabernacle Congregational Church.
John Powell, industrialist of Copperworks Road, acquired land west of the station and built a small foundry and machine shop. This new foundry was commissioned to make and install machinery for the recently established Burry Tinplate Works. Powell became a major investor in the Old Castle Works and the Western Tinplate Works.
Celebrations were held at the Britannia Inn, Bryn Terrace, Seaside, to mark the opening of the new Glanmor Foundry.
1874 There was a fireworks display at People’s Park to celebrate the election of Charles William Nevill Esq., who served a Member of Parliament for Carmarthenshire Boroughs.
Burry Tinplate Limited, was established near New Dock at Machynys and had a reservoir capable of holding 2 million gallons of water. The major shareholders were William Rosser (Land Agent), Henry Rees (Colliery Proprietor), and John Powell (Iron Founder). The majority of the shareholders lived in Llanelli and the surrounding area.
1874 Lady Euphemia Stepney died on 3 August, aged 70 at 5 St George’s Place, Hyde Park Corner, her London residence. The funeral took place shortly after in London and Sir John Cowell Stepney decided to retire from politics as Member of Parliament for the Carmarthenshire Boroughs. Sir John’s younger son, Emile Algernon Arthur Keppell Cowell Stepney, followed in his political footsteps, the older son James Charles Murray Cowell having been killed in action in 1854.
The second contract for the Cwm Lliedi Reservoir, capable of holding 160 million gallons of water was awarded.
Swansea Bank authorised the establishment of a new Llanelli Branch on 23 February and the doors opened on 30 March. Charles Price was Branch Manager with an annual salary of £300 and William Samuel was an apprentice with annual wages of £50.
William Rees the Younger opened Maesarddafen Colliery which was located just north of the farm. The early workings of the colliery were under the lower slopes of the hill where the houses of Cefncaeau were later built.
Local men Henry Thomas, ironworker of Salamanca Road (now part of Station Road), and John Clement, accountant, of Murray Street, drafted proposals to start a foundry which was to be known as Morfa Foundry on land at Machynys owned by Sir John Cowell Stepney. The factory opened on 22 October 1874 and 3K’s Engineering Company now occupies the site [2002].
1875 Sir Emile Algernon Arthur Keppel Cowell Stepney married Lady Margaret Leicester, daughter of Lord de Tabley of Oxford.
Metal manufacturing was expanding and thousands of workers were attracted to the town. Rows of terraced houses were built in all directions in a short space of time and works and foundries were sited close the residential areas.
Burry Tinplate Works opened and used machinery made and installed by John Powell’s Glanmor Foundry.
The Chemical Works was opened by Samuel Bevan.
William Bythway opened his new brewery in the Tyisha district of the town, where Cottage Garage stands today.
The Post Office moved from Vaughan Street to Stepney Street and the postal staff were, Mr J H Edwards, Mr G C Mynett and Mrs Ace of Murray Street. Later Mr Phillips, a local man with Seaside connections, joined the postal service.
1876 Discussions took place about the need for an isolation hospital but Dr Thomas E Francis, the town’s Medical Officer, did not think this was necessary.
Catharine Meriel Stepney, daughter of Emile Algernon Arthur Keppell and Margaret Leicester Cowell Stepney, was born at the family home 5 St George’s Place, Hyde Park, London. Following the birth of their daughter Emile Cowell Stepney left his wife and they never lived together again. He was a Justice of the Peace and Member of Parliament for Carmarthenshire and Llanelli from 1876 to 1878.
Sir Edward Stafford Howard married Lady Rachell, daughter of the Second Earl of Cawdor and entered Parliament as Liberal Member for East Cumberland.
A sailor, infected with smallpox stayed in the town and because there was a delay in notifying the authorities three other cases were reported almost simultaneously.
1877 The Pottery was re-opened by two cousins, David Guest and Richard Dewsbury.
Sir John Stepney Cowell Stepney (created Baronet in 1871), died and his son inherited his title and estates. Sir Emile Algernon Arthur Keppel Cowell Stepney became known as Sir Arthur and spent most of his time away from Llanelli.
James Rowland was the Coroner.
Dr Henry Child Buckley (who had been appointed Medical Officer in 1872) was described as ‘Surgeon’ and prepared a Report on the sanitary conditions of the town. Dr Buckley was very critical of the unhealthy conditions and stressed that tuberculosis had been responsible for 51 of the 355 deaths recorded in the town for that year, which was equivalent to 1 in 7 of the population. Measles continued to be a killer and 12 people died from typhus fever. Dr Henry Child Buckley was one of the children born to Elizabeth Wedge and James Buckley (1802-1883).
The population, now exceeding 18,000, lived in 3,484 dwellings of which only 1,161 were equipped with water closets.
T H Rogers followed Hopkin Bevan as the new Actuary of Llanelly Savings Bank.
Old Lodge Iron Works closed.
139 children under five, and 45 people aged 70 and over, died.
1878 By September the new lower Cwmlliedi Reservoir, designed to supersede Trebeddrod, opened. The project had taken five years to complete since construction began in 1873.
William Roderick was Manager of the West of England and South Wales District Bank situated in Falcon House, Bridge Street, when the Bank failed due to financial irregularities.
On 17 December The London & Provincial Bank Limited opened its new Branch at Llanelli and William Roderick was General Manager with an annual salary of £400. Frank Moon was cashier at the Bank with a salary of £150.
1879 The London & Provincial Bank moved from Falcon House, Bridge Street, to Vaughan Street where Barclays Bank is today [2002].
The redundant Marshfield Iron Works was purchased by the newly formed Western Tinplate Works.
1880 Old Lodge Iron Works, which had lain idle for more than three years, was converted into a tinplate works by David Morris & Company of Briton Ferry and Penclawdd. The newly formed Western and Old Lodge Limited Liability Companies were not financed locally and none of the original shareholders lived in the town.
Llanelli could boast 31 mills.
The town had its first steam fire engine.
The old Town Hall was condemned.
1881 The Central Police Headquarters was built in Market Street. It was replaced by new buildings at Waunlanyrafon in 1962.
1882 There was a petition to re-apportion the tithes due on Machynys, which shows the rapidly changing use of the land from farming to industrial: Arable and pasture 136 acres 66%; Brickyards 47 acres 22%; Tinplate Works 8 acres 4%; Iron and Steel 11 acres 5%; Coal Yards 2 acres 1%; Chemical Works 2 acres 1%.
When Richard Thomas Howell died in 1867, Bryncaerau passed to the Buckley family.
Between 1882 and 1884 James Buckley Wilson designed large scale additions and the Mansion House was transformed to its present-day Italianate Mansion with its Belvedere Tower.
William Roderick died in July and his son William Buckley Roderick, on behalf of his mother, thanked the Board of Directors of the Bank for their condolences.
The Old Lodge Works went into bankruptcy.
1883 A railway was built linking Llanelli and Tumble.
The local tinplate industry was dependent on the emerging American market.
1884 Sir Arthur Cowell Stepney was High Sheriff.
1885 Sir Edward Stafford Howard was elected as MP to the Thornbury Division of Gloucester.
William Rees the Younger extended his colliery workings further up the hill under land were Llwynhendy Clinic stands today [2002] west of the junction of the old Llanelli to Swansea Road and Maesarddafen Road.
1886 Sir Edward Stafford Howard was appointed Under Secretary of State for India in Mr Gladstone’s government.
Renovations continued at Bryncaerau Mansion.
A dangerous combination of a high incoming tide and strong gale caused the sea to breach the embankment at Machynys and led to widespread flooding. During the violent storm the offices of the Machynys Brickworks were blown down and the roof was said to be floating for hours.
1887 Edmund Morewood died and was buried in Llangennech Churchyard close to the grave of Richard Janion Nevill.
Morfa, Western, South Wales, and Old Castle Works were extended.
1888 Charles William Nevill MP, Chairman and Managing Director of the Copperworks, who lived at Westfa, Felinfoel, died aged 72.
Swansea Bank was restructured and changed its name to South Wales Union Bank.
Further extensions were carried out to Old Castle, Western and Burry Works.
Maesarddafen Colliery and Sidings were closed.
1889 The Board of South Wales Union Bank decided to move to larger premises designed by the architect James Buckley Wilson and situated at the junction of Stepney Street and Cowell Street opposite the Presbyterian Church. Wilson also designed Bryncaerau, later Parc Howard Mansion.
John Powell, of Brynrhodin House, Myrtle Hill, who founded Glanmor Foundry and opened a blacksmith’s shop in Copperworks Road around 1850, died leaving a widow and a brother but no children. John Powell’s only son William died on 24 August 1856 and is buried in St Paul’s cemetery with his parents.
Sale of Charles William Nevill’s Freehold Properties included Glanlliedi, Bryngwyn, Llandafen, Penceiliogi, Genwen, Llwyncelyn and Tirmel Farms.
Llanelly Railway and Dock Company were absorbed by GWR.
The Old Castle Pit, one of the largest pits in production in the town was abandoned.
On 26 September the late John Powell’s Glanmor Foundry was offered for public sale at the Athenaeum. The Sale was attended by a large audience. The foundry, described as ‘the very extensive and well known Iron Foundry and Mechanical Engineering Works, known as Glanmor Foundry’, did not reach the reserve price. However other properties were sold off.
Local businessmen decided to form a new company to take over the now redundant Glanmor Foundry following the death of its owner.
1890 The town’s population had grown to 20,000
On 1 March a new company known as the Glanmor Foundry Company Limited, Engineers, Steel, Iron and Brass Founders was formed. The company re-organised and re-built the old Glanmor Foundry established by John Powell.
Dr Henry Child Buckley, who became involved with the Gwendraeth Tinplate Company, along with Thomas Chivers, David Evans, J Beavan Phillips and David Paton, sold Bradbury Hall, when he left the district.
Major changes in manufacturing methods forced iron to give way to steel and companies either closed their forges or opened steel plants.
During the slump John Henry Rogers, nephew of Edmund Morewood, travelled to America where he established a successful tinplate works.
The Old Lodge Works were restarted and the original shareholders all lived at Llanelli. They included Henry Rees, Thomas Herbert, William Rosser and Aaron Stone, large shareholders in the Burry Company, and John Powell of Glanmor, who was a major shareholder in the Western Company. John Powell died in July 1889 so his shares must have been acquired before his death.
The Llangennech Park House Estate was purchased by David Evans Esq., who moved with his family from Llanelli and completely restored the crumbling Mansion House. David Evans was mainly interested in trade and commerce.
60,024 letters were delivered in one week by the Post Office.
1891 The Americans imposed a tax on imported tinplate to protect their emerging industry. Known as the McKinley Tariff it had a disastrous effect on the local tinplate industry. Local manufacturers were forced to diversify and several businessmen formed The Welsh Tinplate and Stamping Company, which traded from premises at Ann Street in the Wern district.
1892 Richard Nevill (born 1817), Manager of the Wern Foundry who lived at Felinfoel House, died aged 75.
South Wales Union Bank amalgamated with the Metropolitan Banking Company, a business based in the Midlands and which had branches in London. It is now called HSBC, The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation [2002].
John Smith Rees (son of William Rees the Younger), married Elizabeth Edwards of Cefn Farm, Bynea, at Dafen Church and they lived most of their life at Capel Isaf House, Capel.
1893 In February a Grand Ball, attended by most of the local gentry, was held at The Dell, and a large number of guests were invited by the new tenants, Mr & Mrs W J Wilson.
In March the last tree of the old Llanelly Park on the ‘Mound’ opposite Greenfield Chapel was felled to make room for the foundations of an ornate building comprising six lock-up shops, with chambers above, constructed of Bath Stone with Ruabon Tiles (Castle Buildings).
Mr Reece, a Government Port Sanitary Inspector visited the town. The Port Authority and the Pilots were given instructions to detain all vessels from infected ports for inspection by Dr Sidney J Roderick, Medical Officer. An infectious diseases hospital was established at Machynys to meet any emergency should it arise. Dr Roderick was Borough Medical Officer, Physician and Surgeon practising at Bradbury Hall. He was the son of Maria (nee Buckley, b 1837) and William Roderick (1831-1882).
1894 William Henry Nevill (grandson of Charles Nevill (senior), founder of the Copperworks) died. William Nevill had managed the silver and lead works and lived at Llangennech Park until 1870 when he moved to Glanmor House for a short time before moving to Ferryside.
Goodig between Burry Port and Llanelli was extensively altered.
In July the depression had begun to bite and rumour spread that Jospeh Maybery, the managing partner in the Old Castle Tinplate Works had called for a 25% reduction in the workers’ wages. There was a prolonged stoppage at the Old Castle Works and other tinplate works, which had a disastrous effect on workers and tradesmen alike.
The Llanelly Savings Bank closed following the death of the Actuary, Mr T H Rogers, and the deposits were recorded as £40,000. The South West Wales Savings Bank and the TSB were lineal descendants of the Llanelly Savings Bank.
The Local Government Act, sometimes called the Parish Councils Act, came into being and the Local Board of Health ceased to function being replaced by Llanelli Urban District Council on 17 December.
Sir Arthur Cowell Stepney was living in Vancouver but he still retained an interest in the town’s tinplate industry and suggested that new markets could be found in the Canadian fish canneries along the Frazer River.
William Rees the Younger died and Maesarddafen, as part of the Gelli Estate, was administered by his son, William John Rees.
1895 Llanelly Rural District Council was formed to administer the rural areas around the town and Parish Councils were established for every rural Parish with a population of 300 or more. Llanelly Rural District Council took over responsibility of the former Llanelly Union Rural Sanitation Authority and the Llanelly District Highways Board. The new Council had their prestigious offices in Castle Buildings, built on the site of the ancient Roman marching camp, Pen-y-Castell.
There is evidence of wrecking at Machynys in a story by James Lane Bowen who relates how a servant girl was sent to the cliff top with a lantern to draw ships onto the rocks below. The girl accidentally set some gorse bushes alight which alerted the vessel’s crew of the danger. Later it is said that the servant girl was found with her throat cut and according to myth, her ghost haunted the spot for many years.
1896 Sir Edward Stafford Howard was defeated in the election and never re-entered Parliament.
Royal Assent was given for the construction of North Dock although it was not completed until 1903.
South Wales Machynys Works started a new galvanising plant and Old Castle Works converted one of their tinplate mills to produce cheaper blackplate and sheet.
The first casualty of the depression was the Burry Works, which was forced to close.
During the summer temperatures reached 100 degF and 90 degF in the shade.
The new Town Hall was opened.
On 19 August William John Rees (son of William Rees the Younger), married Minnie Maude Smallman from West Bromwich and built a grand residence known as Uplands House, Bryn, for his new bride. Celebrations were held at the Cleveland Hotel, Station Road, by the workers of Glanmor Foundry to mark their marriage.
In October hurricane force winds whipped a high tide, which caused flooding chaos when the tides broke through the sea defences. The Machynys and New Dock areas were severely flooded to a depth of 10 feet.
1897 The Post Office, with Mr Baker as Head Postmaster had moved from Stepney Street to Cowell Street, in premises now partly occupied by a hairdressing business [2002]. There was no first-class or second-class mail and all letters were expected to be given top priority.
The Railway networks underwent a period of great expansion.
Glanmor Foundry Company Limited announced its intention to erect new buildings adjacent to the old-established foundry.
The Western, Old Castle and Briton Ferry Steel formed the ‘Llanelly Steel Company’ to ensure a relatively cheap supply of bar.
The South Wales Press published A Llanelly Directory and Local Guide which listed 119 hotels and public houses in the town. Marine Street was the main thoroughfare of the Seaside Docks area where there were seven public houses.
Westfa Mansion was purchased by Gwilym Evans, a local chemist who invented the formula for ‘quinine bitters’ – a once famous nationally sold tonic. Gwilym was the younger brother of David Evans who bought the Llangennech Park Estate and Mansion from J C Sartoris in 1892.
1898 In February the Mansel Arms, licensed to sell alcohol, which had been in the hands of the same family for 150 years was put up for sale by public auction at the Thomas Arms Hotel.
The town still had many of its old buildings, including the British Tar, the Salutation, the Old Red Cow, the Saddlers Arms and the Ship Inn in Church Street where John Wesley had preached on his visits to the town between 1768 and 1788.
Mr P J Thomas, an architect, submitted plans for the London & Provincial Bank in Vaughan Street, to be improved at a cost of £675.
Richard Thomas & Company took advantage of the depressed tinplate trade and purchased many local works, including the South Wales and Burry, which they later re-opened.
The Welsh Tinplate & Stamping Company of Ann Street (also called the Llanelly Tinplate & Stamping Company) relocated to Cambrian Street at Seaside.
1899 Old Castle Colliery was finally closed.
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Page updated Tuesday August 07, 2007