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
1900 to 2007
1900 An Ordnance Survey map shows that kilns were sited on the northern side of Machynys and a series of tramways led southwards towards clay reserves.
Sir Edward Stafford Howard was created CB.
Glanmor Foundry was the first works in Wales to install electricity for lighting purposes.
1901 The death of Queen Victoria and accession of Edward VII saw a change in social attitudes.
1902 C W Mansell Lewis, JP, Squire of Stradey, had allowed Stradey Park to be used for sports purposes and it was not unusual to see 10,000 spectators on a Saturday afternoon. As the Park was not public land, the Squire wanted the Borough Council to come to some arrangement regarding purchase of the land.
There was a general improvement in the tinplate trade during the first two years of the new century.
1902 Glanmor House, once home to Charles Nevill (junior), Richard Janion Nevill and then his son William Henry Nevill, was demolished.
Richard Thomas & Company continued to expand and to buy up smaller companies.
1903 Sir Arthur Cowell Stepney, who spent most of his life abroad working for the Foreign Office, decided to renounce his title and become an American citizen.
North Dock officially opened amid great celebrations. Cheap imports of steel bar were handled at the Dock, which threatened the local industry.
1904 The Davies brothers invented the Stepney Spare Wheel.
1906 There was a period of depression following the previous boom years.
Lady Rachell Stafford Howard, daughter of the Second Earl of Cawdor, and first wife of Sir Edward Stafford Howard, died.
The Pottery established by William Chambers was operating under the sole ownership of Richard Guest.
The Parish Church underwent a major renovation.
Westfa Mansion House had changed hands again when Evan Thomas and his son, who were farmers and butchers, purchased the property.
1907 On 1 January the Post Office in Cowell Street opened from 9 am to 8 pm and paid the town’s senior citizens their State Old Age Pension for the first time.
There was an expansion in the petroleum and canned food industries which led to an upsurge in the tinplate trade from 1907 to 1912, when 27 additional mills were built. It was during this period that the Pemberton works was established.
To combat the threat from cheap imports eight independent tinplate works invested capital in the Llanelly Steel Company, which was known as ‘The Klondyke’.
The Bynea Steel Company was formed.
1909 David Evans, JP, DL, of Llangennech Park House died in February and was succeeded by his son Henry Morton Glyn Evans, JP, OBE.
Sir Arthur Cowell Stepney had become Mr A C Stepney, American citizen. In July the former heir to the Stepney Estate was found dead at Yuma railway station in Arizona. Miss Catharine Meriel Stepney inherited her father’s estates. Her Mother, Lady Margaret Leicester Cowell Stepney, had spent many years at the family seat at Woodend, Ascot, but when her husband died she is said to have taken a great interest in Llanelli.
Sir Edward Stafford Howard was created KCB.
1911 In March the YMCA Headquarters in Stepney Street were officially opened.
Bradbury Hall was demolished to make way for a new Post Office. The Cowell Street Office was moved in September to the new purpose-built premises and William Phillips was the Head Postmaster. 145,405 letters were delivered by the Post Office in one week.
A strike at the town’s railway led to the reading of the Riot Act, soldiers being called in, and two young men being shot dead. Another man was killed when a railway truck exploded and three more died from their injuries.
In September Miss Catharine Meriel Cowell Stepney (only daughter of Sir Arthur and Lady Cowell Stepney), married Sir Edward Stafford Howard at St Elli Parish Church. The Reception was held at Llanelly House, with a luncheon for the tenant farmers of the Stepney Estate at the Drill Hall. After their marriage Sir Edward and Lady Howard lived at Cilymenllwyd and were actively involved in the town’s Civic and social life. Lady Stepney (Lady Howard’s mother) often stayed with her daughter at Cilymaenllwyd, Pwll.
Bryncaerau Castle was sold to Sir Edward and Lady Stafford Howard and the name was changed to Parc Howard.
1912 On 25 March the National Provincial Bank of England Limited opened a branch, under the charge of Mr G M Evans, accountant of Bridgend, at Cowell Street in the premises recently vacated by the Post Office. The bank later became the National Westminster.
To celebrate their first wedding anniversary Sir Edward and Lady Stafford Howard presented Parc Howard to the town to be used for the people’s benefit.
1912 The Carmarthenshire Insurance Committee was formed and Lady Catharine Stafford Howard was a member. Lady Howard held many public offices, including President of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), President of the Women’s Local Government Society. She was also elected to the Magistrate’s Bench and was awarded an MBE for her work for the Red Cross during the First World War.
New markets for tinplate products were found as the petroleum and canned foods industries continued to expand.
On 23 October, Capel Issa Farm in the Hamlet of Westfa, said to be the site of Capel Gunlet, the Chapel of Saint Gwynllyw, was visited by the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and Field Club. A piece of whitewashed wall, part of a cow house belonging to the farm and said to be part of the ruined chapel, was identified. Saint Gwynllyw, after whom the Chapel is traditionally supposed to have been dedicated, was the father of Saint Cadoc, Abbot of Llancarfan, whose favourite disciple was believed to be Saint Elli. Chapel Gunlet, dedicated to Saint Gwynllyw is shown on a map of the Lordship of Kidwelly, which included the Commotes of Cydweli and Carnwyllion in the 14th century.
Marged (Margaret) was born the first child of Sir Edward and Lady Catharine Stafford Howard. ‘Marged Fach’ as she was affectionately known, was presented with a silver cradle (this can be seen at Parc Howard Museum) funded by 1,000 subscriptions. Marged Fach was christened ‘Marged Stepney’ and later became known as Marged Stepney Howard Stepney. Their second child, Stafford Vaughan Stepney Howard was born 3 September 1915.
1913 In anticipation of the town being granted Borough status, Lady Howard presented the Urban District Council with a new Coat of Arms, a Badge, and a Common Seal.
Llanelli was granted a Charter of Incorporation as a Borough amid great celebration and the first meeting was held on 10 November.
Sir Edward Stafford Howard was appointed the first Charter Mayor and was re-elected in 1914 and 1915.
1914 The start of the Great War. Local mills were forced to close or reduce production because supplies of raw materials, shipping and transport were restricted.
The Metropolitan Banking Company amalgamated with Midland Bank and the Llanelli Branch became part of the Midland Network.
A great recruiting rally was held in Town Hall Square with the Town Band, the Engineers, Territorials, VTC, Red Cross, St John Ambulance, Boy Scouts and the wives and children of soldiers fighting at the Front taking part.
Richard Thomas & Company carried out further extensions to the South Wales Steel Works.
A new works called the Wellfield Galvanising Company was established on a site near Nevill’s Dock.
1914 Parc Howard was being used as a hospital for wounded soldiers.
1915 During the First World War, Westfa Mansion was used as accommodation for Belgian refugees.
1916 Sir Edward Stafford Howard, KCB, first Chartered Mayor of Llanelli, died unexpectedly after a short illness at 11 Lowndes Square, his London residence. On his death his widow, Lady Howard, was asked to serve as Mayor for the remainder of the term. On 9 March 1922 Lady Howard changed her name to perpetuate the family name ‘Stepney’ and was known as Lady Catharine Meriel Howard Stepney.
Many local industries were forced to close because there were not enough men to carry out the operations. Women had to take employment in the industries.
The failing anthracite industry had a change of fortunes.
1917 The London & Provincial Bank was involved with the local tinplate and coalmining industries and clients included the Managing Director of the Tinplate & Metal Stamping Company who wished to take up a War Loan. Another client, a colliery proprietor, applied to have his overdraft limit extended from £25,000 to £40,000 for six months.
Always a staunch Liberal, Lady Stepney Howard lived at Cilymaenllwyd, apart from a period before her father died and later when her two children were growing up. During these times she lived at the family home Woodend, Ascot.
1918 The London & Provincial Bank Limited merged with Barclays Bank Limited.
The National Provincial Bank of England merged with the Union of London and Smiths Bank to become the National Provincial and Union Bank of England. By the end of the War amalgamations in the banking industry culminated in the formation of the ‘Big Five’ Banks, including, the National Provincial and Westminster Bank which were to dominate the banking scene for the next 50 years.
Many local independent shipping companies were being absorbed by the large conglomerates and the port of Liverpool began to control the local shipping trade. As the new high-powered companies and conglomerates took over the industrial interests of the town, links with the old order disappeared. Many of the mansions that had been built by the old-styled gentry were being taken over by a new wave of company managers, or had fallen into decay.
Nevill’s Dock saw a new lease of life when it was taken over by Edgar George Rees as a shipbreaking yard. A scrapyard for breaking munitions was established near New Dock (The Great Western Dock).
Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Minister of Munitions, War Secretary and Prime Minister was given the Freedom of the Borough in September and he was the First Honorary Freeman of the Borough.
1920 After London & Provincial Bank Limited merged with Barclays Bank Limited, the premises in Vaughan Street were substantially altered at a cost of £1,328.
The 1920s saw the start of another depression for the tinplate industry.
Penyfai, part of the Buckley estate, was sold around this time.
1921 Further extensive alterations were carried out to Barclays Bank Limited in Vaughan Street amounting to over £7,000.
Parc Howard Mansion continued to serve as a hospital run by the War Pensions Committee from 1921 to 1924.
The majority of factories were idle for long periods and if they did reopen it was only for a short time.
Lady Margaret Stepney, aged 73 (wife of Sir Arthur) died suddenly at her daughter’s home at Cilymaenllwyd, having been a widow for 12 years.
Miss Raby, Llanelli’s oldest resident and the daughter of Arthur Raby, celebrated her 102nd birthday.
Joseph Holmes, Managing Director of the Welsh Metal & Tinstamping Company acquired Penyfai, the historic home that had been built by Joshua Thomas Wedge (1776-1856). Penyfai was extensively modernised and an elegant mansion house built.
1922 Additional alterations were carried out to Barclays Bank amounting to £6,000.
Nevill Bros, owners of the Wern Iron Foundry, sold out to Richard Thomas & Company.
Maesarddafen Farm was bought by David Richards of Cefnbychan Farm, Penclawdd, for £6,200 and later acquired by businessman David Harry who married Mary Bonville, housekeeper to her aunt Mary Rees at Forest Villa.
1923 Richard Austin Nevill, known as Lieutenant Colonel Nevill, was made a Freeman of the town.
The Pottery, established in 1840, was forced to close.
1924 Trade began to improve and all of the works were in production.
The title "National Provincial and Union Bank of England" was shortened to National Provincial Bank Limited, a name it retained for over 40 years.
Penyfai Mansion House was totally destroyed with only the charred shell remaining when Joseph Holmes was visiting Egypt.
1925 The Copperworks was in serious decline and Notices were given to 400 employees.
Tinplate production was in decline once more and more than 5,000 workers were laid off.
1926 The general industrial unrest and high unemployment led to the General Strike and the South Wales Works owned by Richard Thomas closed, temporarily affecting 500 men.
1928 Henry Morton Glyn Evans of Llangennech Park died and was succeeded by his son Kenneth Morton Evans who had married in Paris, later returning to Llangennech.
The Duke of Kent invested Lady Catharine Howard Stepney as Sister of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. Lady Catharine also became a member of the Catholic Church around this time.
1929 There was a slight improvement in the tinplate trade but it did not last.
1930 Lady Howard Stepney agreed to the Borough Council’s plan to arch the River Lliedi and open out Town Hall Square using land originally earmarked by her and Sir Edward as a site for a Public Hall.
1930 Lady Marged Stepney was ‘presented’ by her mother at the Court ‘Coming Out’ celebrations when she was 17 years old. Marged married twice, the first time to Patrick Wyndham Murray-Threipland, only son of Colonel & Mrs M T Murray Threipland of Dryburgh Abbey, St Boswell’s, Dale House, Falkirk, Scotland and Llanishen near Cardiff. The second marriage was to Alan Francis Welch, a London stockbroker. Both marriages were dissolved.
1931 Llanelli Borough Council recommended the construction of 150 workmen’s houses on the Penyfan site at an estimated cost of £100,000. The Penyfan mansion house was originally the seat of Evan Price. (Price had married Anne, the only daughter of David Roger ab Owen of Goodig. Evan Price died in 1727 and his only son John inherited the estate.)
Works fell idle as the depression continued and over 7,000 workers were unemployed.
1932 Local tinplate was produced for the home market rather than for export.
From 1932 to 1939 Richard Thomas & Company continued to buy up mills, so increasing their monopoly in the tinplate industry.
The success of the American strip mill heralded the end of the pack mill.
1934 To celebrate the 21st anniversary of Llanelli’s Incorporation as a Borough, the Freedom of the Borough was conferred on Lady Catharine Meriel Howard Stepney.
1935 Parc Howard Mansion lands were enlarged when additional ground was purchased by Llanelli Borough Council, including some from Ty’r Fran Farm. Lady Catharine Meriel Howard Stepney presented a flag staff which was erected at the entrance to the Mansion House.
1936 The Housing Act passed by Parliament started a programme of slum clearance. The first demolition orders were served on the owners of Custom House Bank
Lady Catharine Howard Stepney began to withdraw from public life and her agricultural estates were divided between her two children, Marged and Stafford, with the balance of the estates being transferred to Marged.
1937 Parc Howard celebrated its Silver Jubilee when Lady Howard Stepney opened new shelters and a rose garden.
1939 There was a complete decline of the Copperworks.
Llanelly Associated Tinplate Companies Limited was formed which finally saw the end of the independent tinplate manufacturers in Llanelli.
In July provisional agreement was given for Glanmor Foundry Company Limited to merge with Thomas & Clement Limited (Morfa Foundry) to become Glanmorfa Foundry & Engineering Company Limited. Glanmor Foundry had made most of the sheet and tinplate mills in the country whereas Thomas & Clement were specialists in tinning and cleaning machines for the finished product. For the time being they continued to trade separately.
The only tinplate works that did not belong to Richard Thomas & Company or Llanelly Associated Tinplate Companies Limited, were the small Pemberton and Old Lodge Works. Llanelli remained an important tinplate centre but Ebbw Vale with its new strip mill was emerging as a rival.
At 11 am on 3 September 1939 a state of War was declared between Great Britain and Germany.
Kenneth Morton Evans who had married in Paris, returned to Llangennech with his new bride and Llangennech Park was taken over by the Ministry of Defence for the duration of the War.
Westfa Mansion was used as a safe haven for evacuees.
Lease-lend arrangements during the conflict resulted in American companies supplying tinplate to UK markets and a sharp decline in the export trade.
Negotiations were underway between C W Mansell Lewis, Squire of Stradey, and Llanelli Borough Council for the purchase of Stradey Park for a sum in the region of £20,000.
1941 The Ashburnam, Kidwelly and Western (Marshfield) Works closed.
1942 Morfa, Old Lodge and South Wales Works closed permanently.
1944 Westfa Mansion was used from 1944 to 1954 by a local motor manufacturer who held executive meetings in the grand accommodation.
1945 This year saw the end of Second World War but Llanelli’s pre-war trade did not revive.
Richard Thomas merged with Baldwins of Port Talbot to form Richard Thomas & Baldwins Limited.
The Labour Party, with Clement Attlee as Prime Minister swept to power in a landslide General Election victory.
1946 Lady Catharine Meriel Howard Stepney who had served on the County Council from 1917 to 1946 was forced to retire due to ill health and decided, for financial reasons, to dispose of Llanelly House, the family mansion.
1947 By this time the Labour Government had nationalised many industries. The coal mines were operated by the National Coal Board.
After long drawn out negotiations with the Government, proposals to establish steel production plants at Trostre and Velindre were underway.
An amalgamation took place between Richard Thomas & Baldwin’s tinplate division, Llanelly Associated Companies, Lysaghts and Guest, Keen & Baldwins to form The Steel Company of Wales at Margam.
North Dock was busy again.
1950 During the 1950s the death knell had sounded for the town’s Industrial Revolution which had started 200 years earlier when Sir Thomas Stepney, 7th Baronet, negotiated with the New Industrialists, from the already heavily industrialised Swansea and Neath Valleys.
1951 Records show that the coal mining industry was the largest customer of Barclays Bank Limited.
February saw North Dock close and Llanelli’s shipping industry became a memory of the past.
Plans were already underway to fill in Nevill’s Dock.
Old Castle Mills closed.
Trostre’s five stand mill was commissioned.
The Burry closed leaving the Tinhouse open to produce hot dip plate from Trostre blackplate.
1952 Proposals were announced to open a new foundry and engineering works at Machynys on land near the South Wales Steelworks and Trostre Cold Reduction Plant. The Plant, established to replace Nevill’s Foundry at the Wern, was designed to undertake breakdown and maintenance work required in any of the associated works of Richard Thomas & Baldwin, or the Steel Company of Wales.
In June Lady Catharine Meriel Howard Stepney, MBE, JP, whose ancestry could be traced back to Rhodri Mawr, died at her home at Cilymaenllwyd. The town’s links with Welsh nobility were finally coming to an end. A High Mass of Requiem was held by the Very Revd Canon Moran at Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church as the town mourned her death. To mark the passing of ‘Lady Bountiful’ a monument was erected at Old Road Cemetery, where the names of her mother and father also appear.
George VI died and his elder daughter acceded to the throne as Elizabeth II.
Llanelli Borough Council purchased the derelict Old Lodge Works.
1952 In October Trostre, the most modern tinplate plant in the world at the time, was officially opened. Duncan Sandys, Minister of Supply and about 1,200 other guests representing all walks of life, attended a luncheon at the works. The new factory was built on land covered by Maesarddafen Fawr and Ynys Farm. Maesarddafen Fach Farm, which was due for demolition was spared and turned into a museum. The building was extensively transformed inside and out when the slate roof was replaced with a thatched roof. Maesarddafen Fach Farm House was renamed ‘The Cottage’.
Stradey Park had been placed on the market for sale for housing development and Llanelly Rugby Football Club decided to buy 16 acres of the 64 available. Negotiations were still on going between C R Mansell Lewis and Llanelly Borough Council. The future of rugby in the town was secured for the time being.
Llanelli Athletic Association was formed to save Stradey Park from being sold for housing development. The Association promoted cricket, athletics and tennis.
1953 The Western Works, Old Castle extension and the Richard Thomas Mills, closed.
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place.
Marged (daughter of Sir Edward and Lady Catherine Meriel Howard Stepney) died and the Stepney Estate was managed by an Agent, Mr Boots, on behalf of Mark Murray-Threipland (grandson of Sir Edward and Lady Howard), the last member of the family to own the Stepney interests. Marged was found dead at her Compton Avenue, Highgate, London, home. Her body was taken to her home at Cilymaenllwyd and a service was held at the Parish Church before interment at Old Road Cemetery.
Llanelli Borough Council purchased the derelict Llanelli Associated Tinplate works.
It was decided that Glanmor Foundry Company Limited and Thomas Clement would no longer trade separately and would operate under the name Glanmorfa Foundry and Engineering Company Limited.
1954 Westfa Mansion was unoccupied from 1954 until 1960.
Llanelli Borough Council purchased the Stepney, Pemberton and Robinson industrial estates.
1955 Llanelli Borough Council acquired Western Works (Marshfield), Station Road from the Stepney Estates.
1957 The Pemberton and the Old Castle Works closed.
The Borough Council acquired Wern Engineering (Nevill’s foundry) by Deed of Gift from Richard Thomas & Baldwins.
A sign that residents of Llanelli were no longer prepared to accept noise and pollution was shown by a deputation of local Glanmor residents who sought a meeting with the company to discuss the problems. Glanmor Works operated 24 hours a day and the officials pointed out that the works had been established long before the houses had been built. A comment was made to the effect that ‘A quiet Llanelly in present circumstances would be a very hungry Llanelly’.
1960 Llanelli was designated a development area and great efforts were made to attract new industries. From the early 1950s the Borough Council had bought up derelict industrial sites and tried to revitalise the town.
The Llanelly Steel Company, formed in 1897 and re-organised in 1907, transferred to Duport Steel.
Harry Flowers rented Westfa mansion from Fisher & Ludlow for use as a guest house and meeting place for business executives. Later the gardeners’ cottage fell into ruin and the stables and coach house were converted into a workshop. Eventually the once grand home of the wealthy and powerful Nevill Family was converted into flats and finally demolished to make way for a housing estate.
1961 The Burry finally closed.
1963 Celebrations were held to mark the town’s Jubilee Year. It was 50 years since the granting of a Charter of Incorporation as a Borough.
From 1963 to 1965 Dr (later Lord), Beeching, Chairman of British Rail Board, ‘modernised’ the railways, resulting in the decimation of the railway system in many parts of the UK.
1965 In September Llanelli Borough Council purchased the Stepney Estate for £350,000 and the final link with the town’s noble families was severed. At an Extraordinary Meeting of the Borough Council, Mark Stepney Murray Threipland, grandson of the first Mayor and Mayoress of the town, was one of the signatories to the Deed of Conveyance.
1966 The anglicised spelling of the town’s name was used until Llanelly Borough Council passed a resolution on 3 January 1966 to change the spelling from Llanelly to the correct Welsh form of Llanelli.
Llanelli Borough Council acquired 89 acres which included, Richard Thomas & Baldwins’ wharf, South Wales Steel Works, and 90 houses in Bwlchgwynt, Machynys.
Chapels and churches were no longer the powerful influences they once were, and many faced dwindling congregations. Jerusalem Welsh Methodist Church held its last service and police advised clergy and ministers to close their chapels and churches, unless services were being held, to avoid vandalism and thefts.
1967 Llanelli Borough Council acquired Morfa Tinplate Works, then owned by Silver Roadways. Other acquisitions were Pemberton Tinplate Works from the Welsh Tinplate & Metal Stamping Works and 86 acres of land from British Railways, which included engine sheds, sidings, embankments and the GWR Dock (New Dock), which was filled in.
1968 Westminster Bank and National Provincial Bank along with National Provincial’s subsidiary District Bank announced their intention to merge, and the operations of all three banks were combined over the following 18 months.
The Market that had been built in 1890 was forced to make way for a new multi-storey car park.
1969 National Provincial Bank Limited opened their branch at 16 Stepney Street on 15 May and minutes record that this was the new Llanelli Branch Office.
1970 From 1 January the Westminster, National Provincial and District Banks merged to become National Westminster, and the name was changed to Llanelli, Cowell Street Branch.
Machynys Farm, once a grand mansion house and home to the powerful Vaughan and Stepney families, was finally demolished.
The Town Hall that had replaced the ‘Town Hole’, was itself considered too small to cope with modern day administration and yet another new Town Hall was designed, officially opened in1982 and named ‘Tŷ Elwyn’.
1974 Llanelly Borough Council and Llanelly Rural District Council ceased to exist as units of Local Government and were amalgamated to form the new Llanelli Borough Council.
A deep mineshaft was exposed when part of a road collapsed and revealed the workings of the Old Castle Colliery. The 550ft deep mine shaft still contained ladders used by the miners as they descended into the depths of the mine to dig out the ‘black gold’.
1978 The removal of the dock gates in October resulted in the silting up of the dock.
1979 Glanmorfa Foundry finally closed after nearly 130 years of production.
1981 Duport Steel closed with the loss of 1,000 jobs and Llanelli’s part in the Industrial Revolution had finally ended.
1984 On 11 June National Westminster Bank Ltd moved from Cowell Street to new premises at 33 Stepney Street.
The year-long miners’ strike proved a time of great hardship for mining families and communities, and the industry never recovered.
1988 During the 1980s the Borough Council acquired Glanmor Foundry (Glanmorfa), Waddles Foundry, and the Burry and Burry Extension which had closed in 1961. They also acquired Richard Thomas (RT) Works and Duport Steel, formerly Llanelli Steel and known as the Klondyke.
1989 January. The last local coal mine – Cynheidre – closed, bringing to an end an industry that had made the town famous. Shipping and metal production, other industries that had put the town on the map, had also disappeared.
1992 On 29 September the entire Harbour Trust land holding was sold to Llanelli Borough Council for redevelopment.
1995 The Millennium Commission announced its support for ambitious plans to regenerate the derelict coast into an attractive resort. The money to pay for the plans would be provided by National Heritage, the Welsh Development Agency and Carmarthenshire Council, along with other funding.
1996 Llanelli Borough Council ceased to exist and became part of Carmarthenshire County Council.
1997 On 25 March a Harbour Revision Order transferred the remainder of the Harbour Trust’s land holding and the Harbour Undertaking from Llanelli Town Council to Carmarthenshire County Council.
2000 The only reminder of the once thriving metal industries remaining at the beginning of the New Millennium was the Trostre Plant which opened in 1952 after long drawn out Government negotiations. The future of the plant was by no means certain, with Velindre having closed and the site near Llangyfelach showing no sign that there ever was a steel works there.
Llanelli hosted the National Eisteddfod.
2001 Many of the Banks that had been established in the town at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century have been restructured to reflect the modern 21st century ‘global’ interests. Lloyds Bank has merged with TSB, Midland is now HSBC. NatWest is part of The Royal Bank of Scotland.
On 9 January the Post Office (Post Office Counters) was renamed ‘Consignia’ .
The former British Steel Plant at Trostre was sold to the Dutch Company Corus.
2007 North Dock, once a thriving import and export centre is now a tourist attraction and forms part of the award-winning Millennium Coastal Park. The area has been cleaned up over the past few years and little of its industrial past remains to be seen.
In future years, Llanelli, the once great maritime, coalmining and tinplate manufacturing centre, will probably derive a large proportion of its wealth from the tourist, retail and service industries.
© W & B Rees & ARTdesigns 2004/2006
Page updated Tuesday August 07, 2007