west glamorgan archive service: annual report of the county archivist 2012 2013

Adroddiad Blynyddol Archifydd y Sir

2012-2013

Annual Report of the County Archivist

A joint service for the Councils ofthe City and County of Swansea

and Neath Port Talbot County Borough

Gwasanaeth ar y cyd ar gyfer CynghorauDinas a Sir Abertawe

Bwrdeistref Sirol Castell-nedd Port Talbot

West Glamorgan Archive ServiceCivic CentreOystermouth RoadSwanseaSA1 3SN

% 01792 [email protected]

www.swansea.gov.uk/westglamorganarchives

Front cover:A Royal Navy warship from the Victorian era visiting

Swansea, postcard dated 1909 (Accession 4550)

West Glamorgan Archive ServiceWest Glamorgan Archive Service collects documents, maps, photographs, film and soundrecordings relating to all aspects of the history of West Glamorgan. It is a joint service for theCouncils of the City and County of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot County Borough.

Our mission is the preservation and development of our archive collections, to safeguard ourdocumentary heritage and to enable research in order to further our collective knowledge. We arecommitted to providing information and the opportunity to engage with archives to everybody.

follow us on twitter@westglamarchive

Annual Report of the County Archivist 2012-2013 3

Connecting people and history

As West Glamorgan Archive Service enters itsthird decade in challenging times, it is salutary toconsider the longer view of how much theservice has expanded and developed over thelast twenty one years from its inception, in theextent of its holdings, the quality of its facilitiesand the range of its outreach work. Thispublication looks at some of our achievementsover the last year and outlines our plans fortaking these forward. Hopefully, it also illustratesour willingness to embrace change andinnovation while maintaining our core values asexpressed in our mission statement on the insidefront cover of this report.

Over the last few years, there has been a gradualshift in the focus of our work to increase our levelof active engagement with the local community,a lot of this taking the form of participation in

larger projects and much of it funded throughchallenge grants from Welsh Government. Otherdevelopments are from ideas that are home-grown and funded from our core budget.

Our schools service started in 2010 and this hasgradually expanded to include a number of topics,which are offered to all primary schools inSwansea and Neath Port Talbot. During the yearwe have introduced three new topics for use atKey Stage 2, created a teaching resource for useat the Foundation Phase and worked with theSouth Wales Miners Museum to create a resourcebased on the life of a South Wales miner. We havepurchased five iPads for use in class with grant-funding from Welsh Government through CyMAL.We have also engaged more directly with schoolsthrough the use of Twitter and with teachersthrough new online resources on their intranet.

On 12 November 2012 Welsh Government Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage HuwLewis (centre picture) paid a brief informal visit to West Glamorgan Archives in the company ofJulie James AM for Swansea West.

4 Annual Report of the County Archivist 2012-2013

Publicly-funded archives in Wales meet together under the umbrella of Archives and Records CouncilWales (ARCW). ARCW acts as a focus for collaborative projects which will benefit archive users acrossWales, seeking external funding from a variety of sources. West Glamorgan Archive Service continuesto play an active role in the organisation, which is currently chaired by Gwent Archives.

Over the past few years, ARCW has been developing a major project to digitise the tithe maps ofWales, entitled Cynefin: Mapping Wales’ Sense of Place. The Round 2 application (which had a round1 pass in 2011) was submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund in March, with the result expected in lateJune. As part of the overall project, six small local projects are envisaged across Wales. One of these,Exploring Gower’s Ancient Woodland, is a collaboration between West Glamorgan Archive Service, theCity and County of Swansea, Swansea Metropolitan University, two Gower schools and several Gowerenvironmental groups including the Gower Society. If successful, project volunteers will use the tithemaps of Gower as a basis for ecological surveys to assess the health of its ancient woodland.

www.archifaucymru.org.ukwww.archiveswales.org.uk

A significant step will take place in 2013/14 whenwe extend the service to secondary schools atKey Stage 3 and we have been working withCefn Hengoed School in Swansea to pilot this.We will in the first instance offer modules on theIndustrial Revolution and the First World War,with the option of upgrading our module onSwansea in the Tudor period to Key Stage 3.Our work with the First World War module willlink to a touring exhibition we are planning for2014, the centenary of the outbreak of the GreatWar.

We have increased the variety of work ourvolunteers undertake. Volunteers have beenworking on indexing oral history recordings,sorting and listing various small collections ofphotographs and of building development plans.Others have been collecting references in schoollog books to the First World War and to Victorianchildhood diseases, in order to help develop ourresources for schools. We are continuing todevelop our volunteer programme in order toenhance both our workplan and our volunteers’job satisfaction.

Archives are all too often thought of asitems of cultural interest of value only to thehistorian. However, they can often be ofassistance to local authorities and otherorganisations in a variety of practical ways.The recent cladding of the SwanseaGuildhall clock tower in scaffolding duringrenovation work was made possible onlyby reference to a set of original buildingplans dating from the 1930s which hadbeen deposited in the Archives.


As well as working with our volunteers, we have continued to provide training sessions and workexperience to school pupils and university students in order to enhance their knowledge and skills.We are currently supporting Swansea University on a number of initiatives to increase students’employability, including participation in their Key Heritage Skills programme.

We have continued to work on upgrading the archive facility in Neath, working with Neath Port TalbotCouncil and the Neath Antiquarian Society. The archive searchroom there has been re-designed andpartly refurbished, and a replacement central heating boiler installed. External works to thestonework have taken place and more are planned, as are further measures to stabilise thestrongroom environment. 2013 sees the centenary of the death of Alfred Russel Wallace, the notedBritish naturalist who, together with Darwin, developed the theory of evolution. He designed theNeath Mechanics Institute, where we and the NAS collections are situated, during the time he livedin the town in the 1840s. An open day is planned for this summer by the NAS to publicise thebuilding and its Wallace connection.

On behalf of the City and County of Swansea, the Archive Service manages the enrolment ofapplicants to be placed on the register of hereditary freemen. In 2011 the Council admitted its firstfemale hereditary freeman and it is pleasing to report that all eleven successful applicants for thehereditary freedom of Swansea in 2012/13 were women. Eight of them were presented with theircertificates by the Deputy Lord Mayor in Swansea Civic Centre in October 2012.

The work placement helped me develop my skills, learn about the world of work and about thehistory of Swansea. (Akshet Khanna, pupil at Olchfa School Swansea)

Deputy Lord Mayor of Swansea Cllr June Stanton presenting certificates of hereditary freedom toeight recent applicants in the Civic Centre on 1 October 2012


Engaging new audiences

The Service has created a new touring exhibition featuring Neath Abbey, part of which is seen hereon display in the ruins of the abbey at an Open Day organised by Cadw on 29 July 2012.

The Archive Service is committed, through an energetic outreach programme, to engage as manypeople as possible with archives and with our shared history, whether or not those people chooseto use the service on-site afterwards. We create touring exhibitions on local history, publish and sellbooks, provide a service to schools, give talks to societies and take part in community eventsthroughout the year. Some of our outreach work is as a project partner in larger projects and worthyof mention here is our supporting role in the Connected Communities project sponsored by SwanseaUniversity where, alongside other project partners, we have been assisting local heritage groups indeveloping ideas for funding bids which would involve the archives either as a project resource orelse as a suitable repository for the project output.

Below are two of the more interesting and unusual ways in which we have communicated with awider audience during the year.

When asked to contribute to Swansea’s Be Part of It! campaign to celebrate the 2012 LondonOlympics, the Service decided to create a short YouTube film on the theme of the torch relay whichwas passing through South Wales on 26 and 27 May. Before the 1908 London Olympics there wasno such torch relay but, if there had been, what would the route through Swansea have looked like?Using photographs held in the archives, Assistant County Archivist Andrew Dulley compiled amontage of views from along the torch relay route, the final result mimicking a silent film from theEdwardian era with musical accompaniment.


Last year we created an exhibition with Welsh Government funding entitled Jewish Refugees in SouthWales 1933-1945 and launched it in Swansea as part of the Holocaust Memorial Day commemorationfor 2012. This year the exhibition was displayed in the National Assembly for Wales, the Senedd,during the run-up to Holocaust Memorial Day 2013. In the year’s interval, a teacher’s pack based onthe exhibition was created with further funding from Welsh Government and this has been offered freeto secondary schools across South Wales. Around forty schools in the local authority areas ofBridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, RhonddaCynon Taff, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan have now received the teaching resource, whichincludes a recorded interview with Holocaust survivor Ellen Davies, a resident of Swansea.

Innovative. Cost effective. Attracted pressand PR and lots of views! A really excellentmarketing execution here – so good that I willuse it as an example of how do marketing ona budget in my lecture series. (Judge’s comment, Welsh LibrariesMarketing Innovation Awards 2013)

The exhibition ‘Jewish Refugees in South Wales 1933-1945’ was displayed in the Senedd inJanuary 2013 to coincide with UK Holocaust Memorial Day. At a reception hosted by AM JulieMorgan on 24 January 2013, archivist David Morris is seen here talking about our work withschools. Amongst the guests were many members of the south Wales Jewish community.

The film soon attracted a good deal of onlineinterest and, by the time the games were underway, it had been viewed on YouTube over 2,300times in 43 countries, from Albania to NewZealand. In early 2013, it won first prize in thearchives category of the Welsh LibrariesMarketing Innovation Awards.


Creating Resources for the Foundation Phase

Pupils show awareness of thedistinction between presentand past in their own andother people’s lives. Theyshow their emerging sense ofchronology by using everydayterms about the passing oftime and by sequencing a fewevents and objects. Theyknow and recount episodesform stories about the past.They are beginning torecognise representations ofthe past, and to ask and findanswers to simple questionsfrom sources. They recogniseand group items ofinformation to communicatetheir awareness of the past.(Level 1 attainment target,from ‘History in the NationalCurriculum for Wales’)

During the year, West Glamorgan Archive Service has carried out an exciting WelshGovernment-funded project to develop resources for the Foundation Phase in schools, forpupils aged 3-7. Archivist Katie Millien created a CD-ROM containing an image bank of localhistoric photographs to be downloaded and used by teachers in the classroom

The resource is based on the following four topics: Houses and Homes; Transport andJourneys; Jobs and Places of Work; Holidays, Pastimes and Celebrations

Each themed resource includes teachers’ notes, timelines and suggested activities, along witha description of the image. To test her work, Katie visited seven schools in Swansea and NeathPort Talbot, working with 10 classes and engaging with 265 children aged between 5 and 7.

The CDs were sent to all infant and primary schools in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot andplaced on the online learning gateways for teachers and education staff of both authorities. Aspart of the project, she also created a CD which could be used in other schools across Wales,using images sent in by other Welsh local authority record offices. All other local authorityarchive services in Wales have received a copy of this.

It was an absolute pleasure to work with you, the children involved have looked at the timelineand discussed the past. Using the timeline with photos worked well, it helped them to placeobjects and people into different time periods. The resources are well thought out, and a greatbenefit to teachers and learners. (Crynallt Infants School)


Senior Archivist Rosemary Davies givingbeginner sessions in family history at a ‘SilverSurfers’ event for older people held in theDVLA Morriston on 4 May 2012

The graph to the left shows thedistribution by postcode of ourregistered readers (those withan Archives Wales reader’sticket obtained from us) as at31 March 2013.

Many researchers visit on acasual basis without needing aticket because they don’t useoriginal documents. Thisparticularly applies in our Neathand Port Talbot service pointswhich are used mostly byresidents from the Neath PortTalbot local authority area.

Who is using the service?

Where our users come from

Swansea 55.47%

Neath Port Talbot 11.72%

Rest of Wales 17.29%

England, Scotland

& Northern Ireland 13.82%

Republic of Ireland 0.09%

Rest of the World 1.39%

Further information about public use of the Service comes from analysis of an anonymous diversitymonitoring form which is issued whenever a researcher applies for a reader’s ticket.

56.5% of our readers who registered in 2012/13 were male and 43.5% were female.

The largest age group who registered for a reader’s ticket in 2012/13 was aged 55-64 (29%), the nexthighest being in order: 65-74 (18%), 45-54 (16%), 35-44 (15%), 22-34 (13%), 75+ (7%) and 14-21(2%). In comparison to last year’s figure, there has been a sizeable reduction in the percentagefigure of the youngest age group, 14-21 year olds, from 9% to 2%.

In a question about national identity which allowed more than one box to be ticked, 52% classedthemselves as Welsh, 26% classed themselves as British, 19% as English, 0% Scottish and 3% asother, which included Irish and overseas nationalities.

Apart from English, 4% put Welsh as their main language and less than 1% another language. 53%said they could not understand any Welsh, 34% could understand some, with 13% able to

understand the language. Just 1% was from a non-White background.

8% of our readers registering in 2012/13considered themselves to have some form ofdisability.


Building and preserving our collections

The primary role of the Archive Service is to preserve our documentary heritage for the benefit offuture generations, receiving additional gifts and deposits of archive material while maintaining anddeveloping the greatest degree of access to the collections in its care.

The archives are kept in environmentally-controlled strongrooms in Swansea Civic Centre and duringthe year we have renewed the strongroom air conditioning plant, which was around fifteen years oldand beginning to occasionally malfunction due to some key parts reaching the end of their life. Thenew equipment has been set to recycle a greater proportion of the air within the system than theprevious plant did, since our maritime position and moist climate provides a continuous challenge.

We are improving the preservation of all loose volumes on the strongroom shelves by a programmeto box each in custom-made acid-free packaging. In doing this, we are working with theconservation unit at Glamorgan Archives, which possesses the necessary equipment and experience.This work will not only protect against damage to the bindings through their being kept upright onshelves but will also prevent dust building up.

Staff member Rebecca Shields retrieving a newly-boxed volume from the strongroom shelves

Conservation work carried out in 2012-2013

� 36 volumes� 325 volumes boxed

We are working together with Archives andRecords Council Wales to find an all-Walessolution to the problem of how to best preservedigital material at risk of technologicalobsolescence and deterioration.


How we performed in 2012/13

The number of visits to West Glamorgan Archives during 2012/13 was 9,526. This figure representsa 3% decrease from the 2011/12 figure and is accounted for by a 10% reduction in individual visitorsto the archives in Swansea. In contrast, visitor figures in Neath show a healthy 12% increase, as dothe other categories of use.

Figures for usage of the service are submittedannually to CIPFA, the Chartered Institute ofPublic Finance and Accountancy. The figureswhich are published annually by CIPFA relate touse of local authority archives in the previous year,in this case 2011/12.

Analysis of the most recent CIPFA statisticsavailable shows that, based on the number ofindividual visits to use the archives, WestGlamorgan Archive Service was the 19th busiestlocal authority archive service in the UK in thatyear (down from 17th last year).

Within Wales, West Glamorgan once again had byfar the highest number of individual reader visits in2011/12, with figures 59% higher than GwyneddArchives, the next busiest service. With 9,262visits in 2011/12, West Glamorgan accounted for25% of the 36,946 individual visits to localauthority archives in Wales in that year.

Total members of the public visiting theArchive Service during 2012-2013: 9,526

Including:

Swansea 5,937Neath 2,441Port Talbot 472Group visits 676

During October and November 2012, the Archive Service once again took part in the Public ServicesQuality Group National Survey of Users to British Archives. Archives across the UK have beenseeking feedback from their users since 1996 and these surveys are carried out approximately everyeighteen months. Levels of customer satisfaction have increased from the already high levelachieved at the last survey in June 2011, with a 100% score for both Swansea and Neath on thecustomer’s overall perception of his or her visit.

2012/13IN NUMBERS

177 family history starter sessions

313 reader’s ticketsissued

1,281 letters and emailsanswered

1,471 people attending off-site learningevents

1,531 school pupilsattending oursessions

2,147 adults and childrenattending learningevents

2,948 phone callsanswered

10,447 documents issued in our searchrooms

10,997 using archives onand off-site

26,976 hits on our website


In May 2012, Lorna Crook joined the staff as a part-time Family History Centre Supervisor. Lorna isa keen family historian herself and has previous work experience with Swansea Council. She haswritten an article for this report, which can be found below.

Lorna has been job-sharing the post with Elizabeth Belcham, who will retire in 2013. Elizabeth hasprovided invaluable assistance to family historians in Swansea for over twenty years, in both WestGlamorgan Archives and Swansea Register Office, and is known to many of our regular researchers.We all join in wishing her a long and happy retirement.

The Archive Trainee for 2012/13 is Catrin James. Catrin is a BA graduate in Fine Art from theUniversity of Wales Institute Cardiff (now Cardiff Metropolitan University).

During July, August and September 2012, the Service hosted Mike Richards during part of histraineeship on the HLF-funded Conserving Local Communities Heritage (CLOCH) Project, which isled by Glamorgan Archives and is aimed at recruiting local unemployed men under the age of 30 intothe heritage sector. Mike has now secured a permanent post with Swansea Libraries.

Volunteers during the year have included Stephanie Basford-Morris, Howard Batey, Sarah Chapman,John Curtis, Steffan Dennis, Christine Febbraro, Ashley Jenkins, Vivien Lake, Kirsty Matthews, SusanMcGuire and Heledd Williams.

Pre-visit information (telephone)

Pre-visit information (printed materials)

Website

Opening hours

Physical access to and in the building

Visitor facilities

Catalogues and guides (including online guides)

Document delivery

Microfilm and fiche viewing facilities

Copy services

On site computer facilities

Quality and appropriateness of the staff’s advice

Helpfulness and friendliness of the staff

The archive’s service overall

Swanseascore

Percentage of correspondents who rated theService as ‘good’ or ‘very good’

Neathscore

100%

95%

91%

89%

100%

100%

100%

98%

88%

98%

98%

98%

100%

100%

96%

96%

96%

80%

78%

91%

93%

92%

90%

100%

97%

100%

97%

100%

Staff changes


One of our most long-standing partnerships is with the Neath Antiquarian Society. As usual, I wouldlike to thank the Society’s rota of volunteers, without whom we would be unable to provide a servicein Neath: Christine Davies, Robert Davies, Clive Evans, Martin Griffiths, Philip Havard, JosieHenrywood, Annette Jones, John Marston, Olive Newton, Hywel Rogers, Gloria Rowles and JanetWatkins.

In this, as in preceding years, the Ethel and Gwynne Morgan Trust has made a generous donationto the work of the Service, for which we are very grateful.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the chair and members of the West GlamorganArchives Committee for their interest and support of the work of the Service during the past year.

Kim Collis

West Glamorgan County Archivist

May 2013

This report has been printed on 100% recycled paper and is distributed to a selected mailing list.It is published online in English and Welsh at www.swansea.gov.uk/westglamorganarchives

Acknowledgements


West Glamorgan Archives Committee

As at 31 March 2013

ChairmanHM Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan

D. Byron Lewis Esq. CStJ, FCA

Vice-ChairmenCity and County of Swansea

Councillor R. V. Smith

County Borough of Neath Port TalbotCouncillor D. W. Davies

Representing the City and County of SwanseaCouncillor J. A. RaynorCouncillor K. E. Marsh

Councillor C. Thomas JPCouncillor P. Meara BA, MSc, DPhil, FRSA

Representing the County Borough of Neath Port TalbotCouncillor J. Dudley

Councillor M. L. JamesCouncillor D. Lewis BSc, Dip Ed

Councillor A. Wingrave

Representing the Diocese of Swansea and BreconThe Venerable R. J. Williams MA, BEd, BD, Archdeacon of Gower

Representing the Diocese of LlandaffThe Reverend Canon S. J. Ryan SBStJ, MA, FRGS, Rector of Neath

Representing Swansea UniversityDr L. Miskell FRHistS

Representing the Neath Antiquarian SocietyMrs J. L. Watkins

City and County of SwanseaHead of Culture and Tourism

I. Davies MSc

Neath Port Talbot County BoroughDirector of Finance and Corporate Services

H. Jenkins IPFA


West Glamorgan Archive Service

STAFF

As at 31 March 2013

West Glamorgan ArchivesCivic Centre, Oystermouth Road, Swansea

Tel. (01792) 636589 Fax (01792) 637130

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.swansea.gov.uk/westglamorganarchives

County Archivist................................................................................Kim Collis MA, DASAssistant County Archivist ............................................Andrew Dulley MA, MSc (Econ)Senior Archivist....................................................................Rosemary Davies BA, DPAAArchivist ............................................................................David Morris PhD, MSc (Econ)Archivist ...............................................................................Katie Millien BA, MSc (Econ)Archive Trainee ......................................................................................Catrin James BAProduction Assistant .......................................................................Anne-Marie Gay MAFamily History Centre Supervisor ...............................................Elizabeth Belcham MAFamily History Centre Supervisor ...............................................................Lorna CrookArchives Reception Assistant.........................................................Rebecca Shields BAOffice Manager......................................................................................Don Rodgers MA

Neath Antiquarian Society ArchivesNeath Mechanics Institute, 4 Church Place, Neath

Tel. (01639) 620139

Archivist .....................................................................................Michael Phelps BA, DAASupervisor ....................................................................................................Liza Osborne

Records Management Service (City and County of Swansea)

Records Officer......................................................................Andrew Brown MSc (Econ)Records Assistant .........................................................................................Linda Jones


The Chidzoys: a Swansea-West Country connection

Among the photographs acquired by the Archive Service during the last year is one which showsmembers of the Chidzoy family standing outside their business premises at 22 Waterloo Street,Swansea around 1910. Presumably circulated by the Chidzoys as an advertisement for theirbusiness, the photograph shows several generations of a confident and successful family. Theirsurname is such a distinctive and unusual one that we decided to find out where the family originatedand how they came to live in South Wales.

Although the surname sounds on first acquaintance as though it may have originated overseas, initialweb-based research showed that the major concentration of people with this surname and itsspelling variations is in north Somerset, and suggested the name derives from a village nearBridgwater which is nowadays spelled Chedzoy.

The Chidzoy family which migrated to Swansea can be traced back to the Somerset villages ofEnmore, North Curry and North Petherton. On the 1851 census, Anthony Chedzoy, aged 18, wasrecorded as a lodger and agricultural labourer in the village of North Petherton. He went on to marryJane Vile in the July quarter of 1857 in Bridgwater registration district, where the surname wasrecorded as Chedgey. The 1861 census shows the couple (there spelt Chidgey) with three children,Alfred, Joseph and William. Alfred ‘Chedgey’ was the first child born to the couple on 23 December1857. By the time of the 1871 census, the 13 year-old Alfred had five siblings, all of whom lived withtheir mother, who was a widow.

The young Alfred Chedgey moved from Somerset to Swansea at some stage between 1871 and1878, where he married Kate Elizabeth Exall, who was born in llfracombe in Devon. The weddingannouncement printed in the Cambrian on 2 August 1878 reads, ”July 28, At parish Church, Swansea,


Alfred Chidzoy to Kate Elizabeth, daughter of Mr Henry Excell, Swansea.” In the 1881 census returnfor 1 Florence Street, Neath, Alfred Chidzoy (sic) is described as an insurance agent and the entryshows their first child Alf[red] H is one year old.

We do not know how Alfred made the move from insurance agent to greengrocer but various tradedirectories between 1889 and 1895 show Alfred Chidzoy as a greengrocer at 1405 Neath Road inHafod, Swansea. By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved into the town centre to 7Wassail Place, where they employed a general domestic servant and had eight children. Alfred’sthree eldest children are shown helping out with the business: Alfred junior’s and Priscilla’soccupations are given as ‘greengrocer’s assistant’ and Frederick’s is ‘driver of a horse andwagon/cart’. The five youngest children are of school age: William is 13; Edith, 9; Lilly 6; Ernest, 3and Alice, 1. Living with the family is Kate’s mother, Elizabeth Exall.

By the 1911 census some of the Chidzoy children were married and were setting up their own fruitand vegetable businesses. Alfred junior remained at Wassail Square with his wife Ruth and fourchildren (Alfred Henry, 6; Elsie May, 4; Hargrave, 2 and Ernest Graham, 4 months). Frederick hadmoved to Llanelli and is shown living at Tyfran Gwendraeth with his wife Susannah and daughterMildred. Trade directories of 1914 show several Swansea branches of Chidzoy & Sons and alsoFrederick’s stall at Llanelli Market. The businesses proudly advertise their phone numbers:embracing modern technology must have given them an edge over their competitors, enabling themto make deliveries at short notice to larger houses able to afford a phone of their own.

Although the 1911 census is the most recent available to us, there is a wealth of other records thatshow the family as the twentieth century unfolds. If the trade directories imply that the family wasdoing well, probate records prove it. Alfred Chidzoy senior died on 9 April 1929: his religious leaningsare shown in a brief obituary in the Berean Christadelphian News of 1929 (available online). Baptisedabout 50 years previously, Brother A. H. Chidzoy of St Helens Ecclesia Swansea was said to havetaken an active part in the work of the Truth in South Wales. The probate index shows that he left agrand total of £12,924, which was at the time a substantial sum. Coincidentally, on the same pageof the probate index is an Anthony John Chidzoy, who died on 8 April 1929 at Castle Green, Taunton,only a few miles from Enmore where Alfred was born. His estate of £2,619 19s 3d was left to AlfredHenry Chidzoy, suggesting he was another family member, possibly a brother of Alfred senior.

Historic telephone directories available online are a further source of information: 1941 listings showhow the family had further expanded their business: A. Chidzoy and Sons Ltd, Fruit Merchants areregistered not only at Waterloo Street, Swansea and in Llanelli Market, but also in Station Road, PortTalbot. On 24 December 1946, Kate Beatrice Chidzoy, widow, John Warlow Exall Chidzoy, wholesalefruit and potato merchant, and Beatrice Mary Gittins renewed their lease of premises in Station Road,Aberavon, from the Great Western Railway Company. Residential numbers are given for Alfred HenryChidzoy at Winchester House, Sketty Road, while J. W. Chidzoy junior is living at Quantock, BaglanRoad, Port Talbot and William J Chidzoy is at Kinfauns, Pen-y-Cae, Port Talbot. 4 November 1943saw the death of Ruth Chidzoy, the wife of Alfred Henry Chidzoy of 60 Sketty Road, Swansea. Ruthleft £296 12s 11d to her widower Alfred Henry.

By 1956 the business had spread to Neath: W. J. Chidzoy is listed in the telephone directory as a fruitmerchant of Bethany Square Port Talbot, 3 Queen Street Neath and 46 High Street Swansea. It alsolists a D. Chidzoy at 60 College House, Llanelli: This is believed to be Douglas Frederick Chidzoy, thegrandson of Alfred Chidzoy by his son Frederick, who is still listed as a fruit merchant in LlanelliMarket. Hargrave Chidzoy (Alfred Henry's third child) was living at 14 Maple Crescent, Uplands,

Swansea. Other family members listed include John Warlow Exall Chidzoy (known as Wally, whocarried his grandmother’s maiden name Exall) living at Penscynor Court, Cilfrew, Neath, and MrsKate Beatrice Chidzoy; née Merriman, wife of the William J Chidzoy referred to above. Various familymembers can be found in the 1975 telephone directory: however, by this date there are no Chidzoyfruit and vegetable businesses listed.

So starting from a single photograph it is possible, through searching records available in the FamilyHistory Centre, archive searchroom and online, to find out a good deal about the people in the imageand how they came to be in Swansea. Devon and Somerset have had a long association with SouthWales and, like people before and after him, Alfred Chidzoy made the journey across the Bristol Channelto discover the opportunities for improving his life which industrial South Wales had to offer. Here hemade his fortune and fathered a family who became an integral part of the local business community.

Lorna CrookFamily History Centre Supervisor West Glamorgan Archive Service

ArchivesRecords held at West Glamorgan Archives, Swansea:Photograph of Chidzoy Fruit Stores, Swansea, c.1910 (accession 4537) and Chidzoy bananadelivery van in Swansea, 1925 (P/PR/10/4/2).Lease of premises in Station Road Port Talbot to K. B. and J. W. E. Chidzoy and B. M. Gittins,1946 (RISW/GWR 21)



Briton Ferry: a lost artist’s viewpoint rediscovered

“Britonferry Ferry”

The scene is observed from an elevated and walled viewpoint, looking south over the ferry and theestuary of the River Neath. Despite the vast changes which have taken place, the view seawardsfrom this location is still recognisable as that in Delamotte’s sketch. He shows the river curvingseawards through the low-lying dunes and marshes which fringed the coast from Ogmore toOystermouth. In mid-stream is the ferry-boat, with its human and animal passengers neatlydepicted. On the shore to its left is the distinctive rock outcrop forming the tidal islet shown in othersketches in the album, with Rock House adjacent to it. On the opposite, west, bank is a small steep-sided and well-wooded hill, shown before quarrying cut deeply into its sides. Archaeologicalexcavations in 1991 prior to the construction of the M4 bridge revealed traces of occupation of thesummit during the ‘Dark Ages’, around 500 A.D. Elsewhere such steep and prominent features areassociated with local centres of power during that obscure period and this site – known as ‘Hen

“Britonferry Ferry”: a pencil sketch from the Delamotte sketch book held in the archives

2012 saw the death of a much respected local historian, Bernard Morris. Over a period of fifteenyears, the Archive Service published three books by this author and also several articles in theAnnual Reports of the County Archivist. As a small tribute to him, we are reproducing here anexcerpt from the last of those three books to be published, ‘George Orleans Delamotte: A SouthWales Sketch Book’. The paragraphs below are typical of Bernard Morris’ later writings, a carefullyconsidered analysis of a topographical drawing which draws almost effortlessly upon theknowledge built up from a lifetime’s study of the local area.


Gastell’ – may well have been amongst them. It is fortunate that Delamotte recorded it so clearly inits undamaged state. Now the M4 bridge rests on its truncated top.

The viewpoint is intriguing. Thomas Baxter’s 1818 watercolour of the same scene appears to havebeen drawn from the terrace in front of Vernon house (until 1754 known as Briton Ferry House), whichalso had a stone parapet wall. However, Delamotte’s viewpoint is much higher than Baxter’s and alsorather further from the ferry. The stone parapet wall, and the smartly-dressed figures, suggest adeliberately-contrived lookout point on a walk high above the mansion, in the area known now asShelone Wood. In Delamotte’s time this was thickly wooded, and footpaths still lead around its topthrough ancient oakwoods.

From only one location can the view south be matched to this sketch, at the north end of SheloneWood hill where a three-sided spur projects to form a small promontory. Curving around its edge canbe found still the lowest courses of a wall of native sandstone laid in white lime mortar, likely to bethe remains of that same wall drawn by Delamotte nearly two centuries ago. The high woodlandpaths with the contrived viewpoint overlooking the river echo on a modest scale other, more famous,romantic walks, such as that at Piercefield above the Wye, in an area certainly known to both ourartist and his patrons.

The artist produced an oil painting from this sketch.


Near Briton Ferry

With no title or other written information on it and no particular features depicted, this is the sort ofpleasant rural scene which seemed likely to defy attempts to identify its location. The foregroundtrees are skilfully drawn, and their general inclination towards the left suggests a prevailing wind fromthe right. In the valley below them are level fields, divided by post and rail fences rather than hedgesor stone walls. Two groups of buildings are shown, one almost hidden near the centre of the valley,and the other on rising ground on its further edge. One of these is a neatly-drawn thatched cottage,with two floors and a frontage formed symmetrically round the main doorway. It has two chimneys,one on each end wall. It is a typical small house of a type likely to have been built in the later part ofthe eighteenth century or early in the next. Beside it is another building, perhaps an outbuilding,though its central chimney, and the absence of visible evidence for an upper floor, suggests that it isanother house or cottage, older than its neighbour and maybe its predecessor. Behind these buildingswell-wooded slopes rise steeply.

So much for the detail, but where is the subject of the view? The internal evidence of the sketch alonedoes not help very much.

The answer comes from George Delamotte’s series of fine watercolour ‘character’ portraits of men andwomen from the ‘lower orders’, prepared for his patron, John Rolls of Vernon House, Briton Ferry,mostly in the years just before 1820.

One of these is entitled “Rees – the cowman at Briton Ferry”. Rees is shown with a cow and holdinghis milking bucket, standing in open countryside. If the background looks familiar it is because it hasbeen taken from the untitled pencil sketch shown here, or more precisely, from the left hand half of it.There is no mistaking the main elements: the valley between the hills, the slender tree leaning to theleft, the level fields in the valley divided by post and rail fences, and the two groups of buildings. Thethatched one has lost its neighbour, but the other features match too well for doubt.

Rees was “cowman at Briton Ferry”, so this narrows the search for the location of the scene. The hillimmediately north of the site of Vernon House still has some open fields on its top today, as well asthe extensive ancient woodland of Shelone Wood. Houses old and new now cover its eastern slopeas well as the flat land between it and the hills across the valley. Through that valley runs the road toNeath (the A474) and the Swansea to Paddington railway line. Despite these man-made changes,some work with maps combined with on-site exploration, leaves little room to doubt that Delamotte’ssketch was made looking south-east from near the top of Shelone Hill, and that the rural valley hedepicts is the now built-up heart of Briton Ferry.

‘George Orleans Delamotte: A South Wales Sketch Book c.1816-1835’ remains in print and isavailable for sale in the Archive Service bookshop price £28 or by post through our website.

Later this year on October 19th, a memorial volume of Bernard Morris’ writings featuring a selectionof his articles written over a period of more than fifty years will be launched at SwanseaMuseum. ‘The Pleasure of Unravelling Secrets: Contributions to Swansea and Gower History’ isavailable at a special price of £15 for pre-launch orders and at the launch itself. The Archive Serviceis contributing and helping to fund the preparation of this publication and will be taking orders forthe book. See our website or contact us for more information about this from 1st August onwards.


Cwmgelli House, Treboeth and its families

Cwmgelli House (SS654969) occupied a prominent position in Treboeth between the present-dayPineway and Cwmgelli Drive and close to Heol Gerrig and Llangyfelach Road. The site representedone of the oldest inhabited in this part of Clase Lower, one of the eight administrative districts of theparish of Llangyfelach created during Tudor times.

Early History

The property also fell within the fee or manor of Trewyddfa abutting, in part, its north-westernboundary which ran along what became Llangyfelach Road. The fee comprised customary orcopyhold lands which came under the ultimate ownership of the lord of Gower, all copyholders andtenants holding their lands at the will of the lord according to the custom of the manor. In the 1650survey of Gower, instigated by Oliver Cromwell, Thomas Williams was named as copyholder ‘in iurevxoris for a tenemt called Cwm y Gelly’ and paying an annual customary rent of 4s 6d. Williams alsoheld in the right of his wife ‘Tir y doynau’, paying 9d. customary rent. In the 1764 survey, when theDuke of Beaufort was lord of Gower, members of the ‘prolific and important’ Franklen family were inpossession of Cwmgelli with Mary Franklen, an infant, named as the copyholder and John Franklenas tenant, paying an annual rent of 5s. 3d. It should be noted however that, although representationsof properties appear on Lewis Thomas’s 1761 map of the fee of Trewyddfa, not one is situated in theprecise location of Cwmgelli House.

Cwmgelli House c.1950 (reproduced courtesy of Mrs Brianna Moore)


Farming and Coal

In 1773 Cwmgelli was acquired by Thomas Lott of Lower Forest in the parish of Llansamlet,becoming the main residence of that significant Swansea family. Lott had acquired the

property as well as ‘Tyr Dynau’ in December that year from John Plant, a gentleman of Swansea. Lottwas subsequently admitted to both these ‘customary farms’ on 30 December

1773. Although Lott was the copyhold owner of Cwmgelli, the tenants of the land in the 1770s and1780s (as named in the 1774, 1776 and 1788 land tax assessments for Clase Lower) comprisedrepresentatives of two of the most powerful families in the district, namely Gryffydd Price ofPenllergare (1774 and 1776) and John Morris I of Clasemont (1788). These tenancies were reflectiveof the farm’s rich mineral resources which are further underlined by the tithe apportionment of 1838,giving the farm’s area as 88 acres 3 roods 11 perches and showing its occupation by the SwanseaCoal Company. There are also subsequent multiple references to ‘Cwmgelly’ in the various censusesfrom 1841, which denote individual cottages headed and occupied by working non-agriculturalhouseholds, mainly coal miners. The 1841 and 1861 censuses however name the main property as‘Cwmgelly Farm’ and ‘Cwmgelly Farmhouse’, respectively headed by a farmer in 1841 and a farmer’slabourer in 1861. It is not surprising that the land was strongly associated with coal, as Treboeth andits common represented one of the oldest coal-mining sites in the Swansea district, with a map of1736 and plan of 1768 showing coal pits there (the latter stating that they were sunk in 1758). Single-storey cottages and workers’ settlements also emerged in the area from the early eighteenth century.

Cwmgelli House c.1880 (reproduced courtesy of the Ordnance Survey)


The Lott Family

The Lott family had been long established in the Swansea district and was one which, over time, rose insocial and economic status. Thomas Lott (1735-1808) of Cwmgelli was previously of Lower Fforest andhad acquired Ynystawe House in 1792/93 from Michael Southcote (?1746-93) of Llangynog,Carmarthenshire. Along with Fforest, Ynystawe in earlier times had been the ancestral home of the Popkinfamily, Southcote himself being the son-in-law to Thomas Popkin of Brincoch and Elizabeth his wife.

Thomas Lott seems to have been the son of Rowland Lott (d. 1748) and Jane (d. 1752) and thebrother of Ann (d. 1810) and Samuel (d. before 1752). On 3 January 1763 Thomas married MarthaWilliams with whom he had at least four children - Thomas (d. 1803); Martha (1763-1843); Joan?and William (1771-1806). Martha, his wife, died before 1779, Thomas subsequently marryingMargaret (1722-1809). Lott seems to have been the person mentioned as a beneficiary of the will ofthe industrialist Robert Morris (d. 1768) who owned a house on the Strand wherein his servant‘Thomas Lott now dwells’. Lott was also a trustee of the Swansea Harbour Trust, established in1791, a shareholder of the Mumbles Railway and proprietor of Thomas Lott & Deal Trade Companywhich was a local firm of timber merchants in The Strand, Swansea.

The Martin Family

Thomas and Martha’s eldest daughter, Martha (1763-1844), married Edward Martin (1762/63-1818)on 23 January 1788. Martin was a colliery engineer and mining surveyor from Cumberland who interalia had been the Duke of Beaufort’s chief mining agent in Wales. The couple made Ynystawe Housetheir primary residence. On Thomas Lott’s death in February 1808, Martha inherited Cwmgelli and‘all several messuages, tenements, farms and lands in the parishes of Llangyfelach, Llansamlet andIlston’. Although not named in Lott’s will of 6 February 1808, the lands in Llangyfelach parish wouldhave included Tir Deunaw which was in close proximity to Cwmgelli. On the 1838 tithe apportionmentEdward and Martha Martin’s second son, William (1801-79), was named as owner of Cwmgelli as wellas one of two Tir Deunaw holdings, Tir yr Heol Ddu and Cwmrhydyceirw.

Edward Rice Daniel

Cwmgelli became the home of Edward Rice Daniel (1829-1905) and his family in the 1860s. Analderman and JP, Daniel, who was born in the parish of Aberavon, was to become one of the majorindustrialists in the Swansea district. Along with his illustrious brother-in-law, Sir John Jones Jenkins(1835-1915), who was raised to the peerage as Baron Glantawe in 1906, he owned the CwmfelinTinplate Company and Cefn Gyfelach Colliery Company. Daniel, who was High Sheriff of Glamorganin 1891, was to become synonymous with the socio-economic as well as the cultural and urbandevelopment of Treboeth and occupies a prominent burial place close to the mortuary chapel inCwmgelli Cemetery, which opened in 1895. His wife Elizabeth (née Joseph) (1828-1922) is buried inthe same grave. In 1892 Cwmgelli House was described in a newspaper report as being ‘pleasantlysituated in its own grounds’.

Later Years

After Elizabeth Daniel’s death the house was occupied by different families - in 1923/24 (Thomas) and1924/25 (Edwards). By the early 1930s, the house and farmland came into the ownership of David


John Martin Williams. He and his family lived in part of the house, converting the remainder of theproperty into separate apartments with the land containing an orchard, lawn, coach house, cowshedand other outbuildings. Among those resident in the house in 1935 were the Lewis and Richardsfamilies later followed by the Bancrofts from 1938 to the 1950s. David Williams and his wife remainedresident in the property until c.1961, when it was sold. A small garden nursery operated on the sitefor a few years with the house continuing to be in multiple occupation. Four families lived there in1963 and 1965 and two in 1971 and 1987/88, the last occasion the house was shown as beinginhabited in the electoral registers. After a short period of non-occupation, the house was demolishedin c.1989, the land having previously been sold for prospective housing development. The latterhowever has not materialised and the site remains undeveloped.

Sources

This very brief account of Cwmgelli House has drawn upon a number of primary and secondarysources. The main primary material are the lordship of Gower surveys of 1650 and 1764, the land taxassessments for Clase Lower (1774, 1776 and 1788), the Ynystawe estate MSS (D/D SB) held at theWest Glamorgan Archive Service, the Llangyfelach tithe map and apportionment (1838), censusenumerators’ returns (1841-1911) and electoral registers (1922-89). The main secondary works are:Jeff Childs, ‘Landownership Changes in a Glamorganshire Parish, 1750-1850. The Case ofLlangyfelach’ in Morgannwg XXXVIII, 1994, pp. 42-87; Gerald Gabb, Jubilee Swansea II: the town andits people in the 1890s (Swansea, 1999); Stephen Hughes, Copperopolis: Landscapes of the EarlyIndustrial Period in Swansea (Aberystwyth, 2000) and W. H. Jones, History of the Port of Swansea(Carmarthen, 1922; facsimile edition, Swansea 1995).

Acknowledgements

I am most grateful to the following people for providing information on Cwmgelli House: Mr NeilMcGregor; Mrs Myra McGregor, Mrs Brianna Moore; Mr Joe Stephens (of Tasmania) and hiscorrespondents and Dr Peter Williams of the Treboeth History Society.

Jeff ChildsSouth West Wales Industrial Archaeology Society

The above article is reprinted from the Bulletin of the South West Wales Industrial ArchaeologySociety, no.115 (October 2012) with their kind permission. The author is currently preparing avolume for publication by the Archive Service entitled ‘Farms and Families of Llangyfelach’.

For more information on the Society’s activities and to read selected extracts from past Bulletins,see their website http://www.pete-hutch.co.uk/swwias.html


Appendix 1: Depositors and Donors

The Archive Service is grateful to the following individuals and organisations who have placedlocal and historical records in its care during the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013.

R Aston; R Austin; Mrs A Bastian; Mrs H Brayley; Revd P Brooks; J Burge; S Button; Mrs B Cardy;Ms S Caws; D Cobley; Ms C Daniel; Mrs G Davies; J Davies; M Davies; Ms S Davies; S Dennis; DDow; Ms F Edwards; K Edwards; A Evans; Mrs E Ewens; Miss M Falck; K Fifield; Mrs G Garmey; DGeorge; P Goodall; Ms J Griffiths; Mrs K Griffiths; Mrs P Grove; D Harris; M Hill; Ms M Hopkin; MissE Howell; Ms M Howells; S Howells; Y Parch. B Hughes; N Hughes; O Hughes; W Hyett; Mrs GJames; Miss E Jeffreys; H Jenkins; Ms S Jenkins; J Jewell; W Johns; Ms A Jones; Ms D Jones; MrsE Jones; J Jones; P Jones; Revd A Knight; R Lanchbury; J Lawrence; R Leonard; Revd B Lodwick;J Mainwaring; A Mason; G Mead; A Melville; D Michael; J Mitchell; B Morgan; Dr P Morgan; VMorgan; Mr L Morris; M Norman; Ms A Norton; Mrs S Parrish; R Porch; C Reed; N Rees; Ms SRewbridge; Mrs L Ribton; Mrs R Ridge; A Robins; Ms C Rogers; Mrs J Sabine; P Sillick; J Skidmore;J Skinner; R Smith; B Sterio; Mrs M Stray; D Taylor; Mrs D Thomas; Ms M Thomas; R Thomas; L Toft;R Tomos; Mrs A Tribe; Mrs M Walker; R Walters; Ms D Wan Heddon; E Williams; J Williams; Dr P Williams; Ms T Williams; Revd T Williams

Abertawe Bro-Morgannwg Local Health Board; Bishopston Community Council; CharityCommission; Cilybebyll Community Council; Communities First; Côr Meibion Aberafan; CwmbwrlaPrimary School; Dinas Noddfa Welsh Baptist Church; Ebeneser Welsh Independent Church,Gorseinon; Forestry Commission; Gorseinon Parish; Gower Society; Gowerton Parish; Isle of WightLibrary Service; Killay Parish; Loughor Parish; Penllergare Trust; Rectorial Benefice of CentralSwansea; Sketty Parish; Skewen and District Historical Society; Soroptimist International Swansea;Strick and Bellingham, Solicitors; Swansea Canal Society; Swansea Drugs Project Ltd; SwanseaRugby Club; Tonner, Johns, Ratti solicitors; Treboeth History Society; Women’s Archive of Wales;Ystalyfera Heritage Society


Appendix 2: Accessions of Archives, 2012-2013

The archives listed below have been received by gift, deposit, transfer or purchase during theperiod 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. Not all items are available for consultation immediatelyand certain items are held on restricted access.

PUBLIC RECORDS

SHRIEVALTY

Warrant and declaration of appointment of William T Hopkins as High Sheriff of West Glamorgan, and order of ceremony, 3 April 2012 (HS/W 39/1-2)

HOSPITALS AND HEALTH

Cefn Coed Hospital, Swansea: deeds, 1696-1959 (D/D H/CC 45/1-91)

Hill House Hospital, Swansea: registers including admission and discharge registers, hospitalopening programme, and register of staff, 1929-1990s (D/D H/HH 1/1-4/3)

OTHER PUBLIC RECORDS

Swansea Prison: nominal register, calendars of prisoners, procedural manuals, minutes, staffregisters, plans, and other records relating to Swansea Prison, 1906-1987 (D/D PRO/HMP)

RECORDS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND PREDECESSOR AUTHORITIES

UNITARY AUTHORITIES

Neath Port Talbot County Borough

Register of electors, 2013 (CB/NPT RE)

City and County of Swansea

Electoral Register, 2012 (CC/S RE 32-33)

Register of electors, 2013 (C/C S RE )

Consultant's report on the Hafod, Morfa and White Rock copper works sites (15 reports scanned toCD), 2003-2004 (CC/S E Dev 9/1-2)

Council tax valuation lists, 1993-1998 (TR 8)

COUNTY COUNCILS

Glamorgan County Council: West Glamorgan Valuation Court minute book, 1950-1956 (GCC/LV 1)

West Glamorgan County Council: statement of accounts, 1986-1994 (WGCC/FIN)


COUNTY BOROUGH/DISTRICT COUNCILS

Swansea County Borough/City Council: register of completion certificates for houses built inSwansea, 1936-1940 (BE 37/1/4); rating valuation lists, c.1934-1990 (TR 4); public footpaths andrights of way in the County Borough of Swansea, 1924 (B/S 237)

Gower Rural District Council: rating valuation lists, 1956-1982 (TR 5)

Llwchwr Urban District Council: rating valuation lists, c.1935-1985 (TR 6)

Pontardawe Rural District Council: rating valuation lists, 1955-1991 (TR 7)

CIVIL PARISH/COMMUNITY COUNCILS

Bishopston Community Council: minutes, 2011-2012 (P/103/5/20)

Cilybebyll Community Council: minutes and accounts, 1999-2007 (P/73/3/11-12 and P/73/4/7)

Nicholaston Civil Parish: minute book, 1900-1982 (P/113/2)

EDUCATION RECORDS

Banwen School: school log books, admission registers, attendance registers, photographs,miscellaneous, 1896-2007 (E/W 2/1/3-5; E/W 2/2/1-7; E/W 2/3/1-7; E/W 2/4/1-7)

Bishop Gore School magazines, c.1930s-1970s (E/BG Sec 22/1-49)

Ysgol Gymraeg Castell-nedd: photographs, correspondence and other papers relating to the settingup of the school, 1948-1994 (E/N 31/1/1-5/2)

Cwmbwrla Primary School: log books; admission registers; pupil transfer forms; visitors book;Medical Inspector records; photographs; other records, 1875-2012 (E/S 5/1-9)

Gowerton Girls' Grammar School: photograph of pupils, July 1955 (E/Gow G Sec 19)

Photograph of Gowerton Intermediate School, 1940s-1970s (E/Gow Sec 53/1)

Hafod School Old Boys Association Menu, 1936; Hafod School Laundry Class exercise book, 1920,belonging to Daisey James (D/D Z 887/1-2)

Manselton Primary School: Infants’ School log books, 1902-1992 (E/S 12/1/2-3)

Pontardulais Secondary Modern School: log books and photographs, c.1940s-1972 (E/Pont S Sec1/2-7, 3/1-9)

Records relating to Swansea Girls' High School (Llwyn-y-Bryn) (E/Ll B Sec 12/15 and 29)

Swansea University student year photographs, c.1930s (D/D UCS 13-14)

Copy photographs of Port Eynon School, 1920; Bishopston School, 1917; group of children (namedon reverse of photograph) opposite Will Jones Farm at Bishopston, Gower, 1963, 1917-1964 (E/W3/2/1; E/W 34/2/1


ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH RECORDS

Gorseinon: parish magazines, 2009-2011 (P/305/CW/238-241)

Gowerton: photographs of the church building, windows, architectural features, furniture, fixturesand fittings, and plate, taken for the church inventory, 1980s (P/306/CW/74)

Killay: photographs of former vicar of Killay the Rev. Chancellor Hywel Hughes, 1939-1987(P/307/CW/30); Parish magazines, 1985-1993 (P/307/CW/31-36)

Loughor: annual reports and PCC minutes, 2010-2011 (P/112/CW/151-153)

Penmaen: church accounts, service registers, altered tithe apportionment, deeds, receipts andcorrespondence, registers; accounts; records relating to church properties; annual accounts andPenmaen School, 1809-1990 (P/116/CW/33-44)

Pennard: PCC minutes, visitors' book, Gower parish magazine and other administrative records,20th-21st centuries (P/117/CW/113-131); churchwardens' records, Finance Committee minutes andaccounts and papers relating to the Millennium Window in Pennard Church, late 20th century(P/117/CW/132-138)

Sketty: parish magazines, records relating to the Mission to Seamen, and parish boundary map,c.1900-2000s (P/316/CW/)

Skewen: service registers for St Mary's Church and Llandarcy Mission Church, 1959-1974

Rectorial Benefice of Central Swansea: marriage registers from Swansea St Mary and Christ Church,1994-2012 (P/123/CW/1344 and P/317/CW/66)

Swansea, Christ Church: parish magazines and parish log book recording happenings in the parish,1919-1996 (P/317/CW/67-78)

Swansea, St Mary: accounts, administrative papers, parish magazines, annual reports and orders ofservice, 1925-2011 (P/123/CW)

NONCONFORMIST RECORDS

BaptistDinas Noddfa Welsh Baptist Church, Landore: membership records, church registers, deacons'minutes, burials, accounts and photographs, 1855-2012 (D/D W/Bap 35/1-9)

Calvinistic MethodistLibanus, Gorseinon: group photograph, c.1950s (D/D CM 25/2)

Welsh IndependentNew Siloh, Landore: building lease, 1885 (D/D Ind 21/3)

Ebeneser, Gorseinon: annual reports, 2010-2011 (D/D Ind 25/116-117)

Soar, Blaendulais: annual report, 2011 (D/D Ind 25/190/7)


SOCIETIES, ASSOCIATIONS AND THE ARTS

Côr Meibion Aberafan (Aberavon Male Voice Choir): records, including programmes, photographsand newspaper cuttings, 1967-2011 (D/D CMA 1/1-3/43)

Gower Society: photographs, newsletters, programmes, financial statements; AGM minutes andagendas, newspaper cuttings, slides; committee minutes, policy statments., 2000-2012 (D 56)

Records relating to the King George VI Memorial Club, Taibach

Old Gorian Society (Oxford University): minute book, 1936-1949 (D/D Z 900/1)

Penllergare Trust: Minutes and reports relating to the management of the Penllergare site, 2000-2007(D/D PT)

Skewen and District Historical Society: minutes, 2008-2012 (D/D SHS 1/11-12)

Swansea Drugs Project Ltd.: annual reports, petty cash ledgers, accounts, some publicationspublished by the project., 1990s-2010s (D/D SDP 1/1-4/3)

Swansea Rugby Club: copies of photographs belonging to the club, 1879-2001 (D/D RC/S 16-17);records relating to Swansea Rugby Club, 1920s-1960s (D/D Z 610/3-5)

West Glamorgan Youth Theatre: photographs and programmes 1970s-1990s (CC/S Ed 2/40)

Soroptimist International, Swansea: minute books, 1980s-2000s (D/D SIS 1/1-3/1)

Elim Chapel, Craigcefnparc, Dramatic Society minutes, 20th cent. (D/D Z 903/1)

Craig Cefn Parc Co-operative Society: minutes, mid 20th century (D/D Z 903/2)

Women's Gas Federation magazines, 1965-1967 (D/D WGF 7-8)

Programme for Neath Opera Group in The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Adelina Patti Theatre,Craig-y-Nos, 1968; Rhaglen Cymanfa Ganu Genedlaethol: Yr Urdd Eisteddfod at Gwaun-cae-gurwen, 1937, 1937-1968 (D/D Z 906/1-2)

Gower Pageant brochure, 1924; The Eisteddfod Valse composed by C. Tamlin-Ruthin, 1891, 1891-1924 (D/D An 13/1-2)

WOMEN’S ARCHIVE OF WALES

MEWN Swansea: minutes, reports and publications, 1996-2000 (WAW 37)

Scrap book and typescript relating to the Skewen War Comforts Fund, 1940-1952 (WAW 38)

ESTATE AND LEGAL PAPERS

Sales catalogues, 1858-1914 (D/D Z 883/1-19)

Legal documents relating to a plot of land in Brynaeron, Dunvant, Swansea, 1914-1921 (D/D Z 889/1-3)


Epitome of title to part of the former Calvert Richard Jones estate, 1885 (D/D Z 888/1)

Pre-registration title deeds of property in Knoll Avenue, Uplands, Swansea, 1908-2000 (D/D Z 890/1)

Grant regarding supply of electricity for premises known as Caederwen, 1932 (D/D Z 893/1)

Strick and Bellingham, solicitors: miscellaneous papers including sale catalogues, probate, deeds,20th century; records from the Richardson (Pantygwydr) estate, Swansea, 19th century; deeds andprobate records, 20th century; pre-registration title deeds of 194 Oxford Street, Swansea, 19th and20th centuries (D/D SB)

BUSINESS, MARITIME AND RAILWAY RECORDS

Account book for the reconstruction of the Loughor Railway Viaduct, 1908 (D/D Z 884/1)

William Jones, Grocer, Ynysmeudwy: receipts, c.1900 (D/D Z 565/12)

Official Opening of the King's Dock, Swansea: programme, 23 November 1909 (D/D Z 901/1)

Family and business papers of D. Llewellyn Williams, shoemaker, Crythan Road, Neath, 20th century(D/D Z 899/1)

PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED WORKS ON LOCAL HISTORY

William Gammon: the man, the boat, the legend, 1980s (D/D Z 879/1)

Casualties of World War One: Former Employees of the Mond, Clydach, Swansea by W.H. Hyett,September 2012 (D/D Z 628/6)

Llysenwau Cwmtawe, a poem about Swansea Valley nicknames, 20th century (D/D Z 892/1)

Brief history of Llangyfelach and sale particulars 1899 for properties in Oystermouth and Cadoxton-juxta-Neath, n.d. (D/D An 17/1-4)

A History of Waunarlwydd by William Johns, n.d. (D/D Z 904/1)

Ynyspenllwch Forge and Iron Works; and The Clydach Nickel Refinery, 2009-2012 (D/D Z 602/11/1-2)

History of William Dillwyn Llewelyn of Penllergare by Malcolm J. Hill c.2012 (searchroom library)

PERSONAL PAPERS

Programme for the Queen's visit to Margam Country Park (with autograph signature of SamWarburton, captain of Wales Rugby Team), 26 April 2012 (D/D Z 168/8)

Photographs, notes and studies relating to Trebanos, 1900-1960s; photographs, booklets and otherrecords relating to Pontardawe, 1890-1949, 1890-1960s; newsletters, publications, photographs,press-cuttings and notes relating to Pontardawe and district, 1887-1996; folders, compiled by thedepositor, of historical information, ephemera, photographs and newspaper cuttings relating to thePontardawe area, 19th-20th cent. (D/D Z 80)


Newspaper cuttings relating to local fairs, 1920s-1930s (D/D Z 878/1)

Davies family papers, n.d. (D/D Z 576/144)

Photographs and letters of Daisy M Ackerman of Swansea, 1915-1950s (D/D Z 881/1-11)

Midwife training case book of Mair Eluned Rees; midwife’s register of cases of Mair Eluned Rees; 2nurses’ registration cards; 4 nursing certificates; 5 mining engineering certificates; Clydach BuildingSociety subscription book; 7 photographs; 2 family trees for the Rees and George families, 1930s-2000s (D/D Z 885/1-3)

Family history notes on the Gwynn(e) family of Gower, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, 1750-1837, 2010 (D/D Z 709/16)

Bundle of personal papers, including photographs of Gorseinon, pamphlets relating to David RhysGrenfell, Welcome Home Fund, Gorseinon and District Distress Fund and Llwchwr Urban DistrictCouncil year book, 1910-1953 (D/D Z 886/1-16)

Photographs of Belgrave Gardens and the Mumbles Train, c.1950; rugby programmes, 1930s-1970s(D/D Z 744/4-10)

Photograph of procession in Castle Street, Swansea; ephemera relating to local businesses, c.1900(D/D Z 727/16-20)

David Rees Collection: photograph albums, loose photographs, slides and watercolour paintings oflocal views in the Port Talbot area; printed books and local historical journals relating to the PortTalbot area; files of notes and unpublished monographs relating to the Port Talbot area originally byLeslie Evans; ephemera (orders of service, programmes etc.) relating to events in the Port Talbotarea., 20th century

A guide to physical exercises used by the military, 1916 (D/D Z 727/15)

Enlistment notice and passport photograph of Arthur Evans, Gorseinon, 1944-1960 (D/D Z 894/1-3)

Records relating to Cyril Archibald Aston, his service in the Second World War and his experiencesas a POW (captured at Dunkirk), 1940s (D/D Z 891/1-3)

Printed card of thanks to tinplate works employees of Mr Richard Baldwin Thomas given incelebration of the golden wedding anniversary of Mr and Mrs Richard Baldwin Thomas on 18 July1909. Lists all tinplate works owned by Richard Baldwin Thomas, 1909 (D/D Z 895/1)

Commemorative programmes and brochures, 1913-1973, (D/D Z 368/43-49)

Taylor Family Collection: photographs and other records, 19th-20th centuries (D/D TAY)

Family records of the Button family of Dryslyn Road, West Cross, Swansea, including Second WorldWar service records, 19th-20th cent. (D/D Z 907)

Collection of documents relating to the Swansea Valley including chapel ephemera and schoolphotographs, 1904-c.1960s (D/D Z 885)


REMINISCENCE AND ORAL HISTORY

Interviews regarding Swansea City Football Club recorded by Mal Pope for BBC Radio Wales, 16April 2012 (T 28/14)

Oral history recordings of interviews conducted by Mrs Elizabeth Jones of Rhydyfro with Pontardaweresidents, 1979-1981 (T 30/1-3)

Tales of Kilvey Hill: discovering my Welsh heritage by D. Wan Heddon, 2012 (D/D Z 896/1-2)

Swansea Canal Society: oral history recordings of Swansea Valley residents' memories of thePontardawe, Clydach and Ystalyfera areas, 1980s-1990s (D/D Z 80)

DVDs containing interview regarding Twin Radio (Gorseinon's Legend); interview with warrant officerHowell Evans, Pontarddulais regarding Second World War Lancaster bomber raids; and the RoyalWelsh Regiment parade at Swansea, 2012 (D/D Z 756/6-8)

PICTORIAL AND FILM

Video of the ceremony to confer the honorary freedom of Swansea on Alan Williams MP, 5 December1989 (P/VID 4/1-3)

Postcards of St. Paul's Church, Sketty, c.1910 (P/PR)

Photographs of Pontardawe industry and of John Emlyn Francis of Pontardawe, 20th century (D/D Z 80)

Aerial views of Paxton Street, Swansea, c.1976 (P/PR)

Copy photograph showing the level crossing, Skewen, c.1920s (P/PR)

Mumbles railway calendar created by John Lawrence using photographs taken by him in 1959, 1992(D/D Z 880/1)

National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales: recording of ‘Hiawatha’ performed by pupils ofSwansea schools, 1964

Drawing of Mumbles lighthouse by E. Duncan, n.d. (D/D Z 882/1)

Forestry Commission: aerial photographs, 1970s-1990s

Photograph of Singleton Park showing Mr Graham Vivian, the Prince and Princess of Wales, JamesHarries (head gardener to Lord Swansea), Mr Hussey Vivian (Lord Swansea) and Lady Vivian and agardener, n.d.

Photographs showing the Mumbles Railway, passengers and people along the promenade,Swansea, c. 1910 (P/PR)

Photograph of excavation work for building West Glamorgan County Hall, c.1980

Photographs - life at work and home of a steelworker; interior of the Dyffryn Steelworks (Richard


Thomas and Baldwin), Morriston; a bowls match, and other items relating to the steel industry, mid20th century (D/D THS 1/1-4/3)

Photographs showing Nelson Terrace, and Mr A Melville as a boy, c.1940

Postcards of Swansea Harbour Trust building, Pennard Castle and Pantteg Chapel,Ystalyfera c.1910;photograph of Aberavon Town Station after closure in 1962

Postcard showing Swansea Hospital, and St Helen's Road with trams, c.1904 (P/PR)

Postcard views of Swansea and Gower, n.d.

Copy of photograph of staff garden party at Penllergare House, 1911 (P/PR)

Photographs of Brynsyfi House, Swansea, 1908-1913 (D/D Z 902/1)

Photograph of Chidzoy's Fruit Stores, Park Street, Swansea, c.1910 (P/PR)

Postcards showing general view of Swansea, Swansea Library, and a soldier in First World Waruniform, early 20th century

Photographs showing Mulberry Harbour, 1944 (including metal roadway designed by Rees & Kirby,civil engineers of Morriston); Swansea University section of Home Guard, 1940s; Blitz damage inSwansea, 1940s; VJ Day celebrations, Brynmill, 1945; Anne Tribe as a child in gas masks and in asiren suit, 1940s; ration book and identity card, 1940s (D/D Z 905)

Postcard of an unidentified ironclad warship visitng Swansea Docks, 1909

Postcard of Swansea from Townhill, early 20th century; postcard of Wind Street, Swansea, c.1900

CD-ROMs containing scanned copies of the Will Hughes collection of photographic glass negatives(views of Ystalyfera) and of the ‘Tick Tock’ watch factory (D/D YHS 1/1-2)

MAPS, PLANS AND SURVEYS

Plan of Tirdonkin Merthyr Collieries Six Foot Seam, early 20th century (D/D PT 39)

Swansea Harbour: plans of dock buildings, 20th cent.

Plan and section of Ilston Church and brief history by L.A, Toft, 1990s (D/D Z 602/10/3-4)

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