YMCA

The information in this section is an edited version taken from Llanelli - Birth of a Town a CdRom by William and Benita Rees

Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)

1844 The Association was established on 6 June 1844 for young men in London business houses, and was specifically aimed at drapery establishments.

Membership accelerated at the time of the London Exhibition, when the city attracted visitors from all over the world.

1852 The YMCA reached Wales in 1852, when its first home was a small upstairs room at 100 St Mary Street, Cardiff. Within a year, an adjacent site was purchased and a new building erected at a cost of £2,500.

1855 Eleven years after the formation of the YMCA in London, 15 British delegates, together with representatives from Europe, America, and various Eastern countries, attended the first international conference of the Association, held in Paris during 1855.

1868 The Swansea Association was founded during 1868 in St Helen’s Hall, opposite the present building.

1882-1895 The growth of the movement in Wales between 1882 and 1895 was remarkable and to a considerable extent due to the dedication and untiring service of the three Travelling Secretaries and the influence of the Liverpool YMCA Committee in North Wales.

1897 The Association was established in Llanelli and the Llanelly Gaurdian reported that the YMCA rooms had moved to the Old Town Hall, Hall Street.

1900 By the beginning of the 20th century the days of rented rooms were over and committees planned ornate building structures. Several substantial schemes were undertaken, including Llanelli YMCA, which was such a building, costing £5,500. Local people subscribed towards the cost at the rate of a halfpenny per head over a period of two years.

1910 In 1910 the first salaried Secretary at Llanelli was J Roberts Powell, who was delegated to assist in the general organisational work of the development. Hopes were high at the time that the YMCA would have its own swimming pool by the summer of 1911.

1914 Mr Roberts Powell had to withdraw his services as organiser at the outbreak of War in 1914, and the YMCA continued to function throughout the period, entirely as a layman’s movement.

1938 A full size gymnasium hall, together with additional accommodation for the Boy’s Section, was built at a cost in excess of £5,000. These sections completed the building extensions of the YMCA and the Fitness Council made a grant of £3,750 towards the cost.

1939 In the first month of the Second World War, it became obvious that day and night canteen services would be required at the principal railway stations in Wales and at strategic centres it would be necessary to provide hostel accommodation.

Of all the voluntary bodies involved in the war effort, the YMCA met the entire need, giving practical advice and assistance in the large camps and railway centres.

Hostels were opened at Cardiff, Swansea, Llanelli, Neath, Carmarthen, Rhyl, Bangor, Holyhead, Caernarfon and Pwllheli. During the war years the total bed accommodation in YMCA hostels was 410 and it has been estimated that sleeping was provided for 559,195 men.