Slaters Commercial Directory, 1858-1859

Port Talbot, Aberavon, Cwm Avon, Taibach and Neighbourhoods

Transcribed by Phil Mustoe

PORT TALBOT, is a harbour in Swansea Bay, in the parish of Margam, and in the borough of, and 1 mile from, Aberavon, which latter place formerly was the port; but by an act obtained in 1834 and in 1836 to alter, amend, and further improve the said harbour, and to change its name. Also in 1840 it was further enacted by an act passed to enable the 'Port Talbot Company' to raise further monies, and to amend the acts relating to the same port, and thenceforth to be called bu its present name, and that the company incorporated by the first mentioned act should thenceforth be a body corporate by the style of the 'Port Talbot Company'. The channel of entrance is formed by the river Avon, which now runs into the sea 1 1/4 mile N.W. to the old entrance to Aberavon harbour, which is now disused. There is a large floating dock, distant 3/4 mile from the sea, upwards of a mile in length, with a depth of 16 to 20 feet of water at all times, which is entered by a lock 44 feet wide and 140 feet long. From this port vessels are employed in carrying copper, iron, tin-plate, coal, &c. to various parts of the world, the produce of the works, & c., in the neighbourhood, and which has tended very much to the prosperity of the port. There is also a railway station on the South Wales line, which passes through the town. The population, which is returned with the parish, is about 800.

ABERAVON, or Aberafon, is a parish, and borough parliamentary and corporate, and is governed by a port reve and other officers, and is of great antiquity, situated 1 mile N.W., from Port Talbot, between 6 and 7 miles s. from Neath and from 11 to 12 N.W. from Bridgend. The river Avon forms one side of the borough and ives it the name of Aber-avon. Abermouth situated near the shore of the Bristol Channel, and which was formerly the port, but has given precedence to Port Talbot, of which further mention is made in the particulars of that port. The trade of the town is mainly depedent on the neighbouring copper, iron and tin-plate works, which are of great magnitude. Between 2 and 3 miles hence is Margam Abbey, the princely residence of C. R. M. Talbot, Esq., M.P., and Lord-Lieutenant of the county, justly considered one of the finest seats in the principality. Aberavon shares with Swansea and other places (named under the head of the latter town), in the elective franchise. A new parish church is now being erected, designed by Messrs. Prichard and Seddon, of Llandaff, the diocesan architects. There are also places of worship for Baptists, Independents, Wesleyans, Primitives and Bible Christians. A list of which is given at the end. Also a national school adjoining the church for the young of both sexes. The parish contained in 1841 1, 290, and in 1851 2,380 inhabitants

CWM AVON, a populous hamlet, situated in the lower hamlet of the parish of Michaelstone, Super-Avon, distant about one mile and a half from Aberavon, and two miles from Port-Talbot, and is connected therewith by a railway, the property of the Governors and Co. of Copper Mines in England - nearly the whole of the hamlet is occupied by the copper, iron, tin-plate and other works and collieries belonging to the above Company. The chimney stack of these works is well worthy of notice from its novelty, it being carried along the side of a high mountain some distance from the works to its summit, at which point it terminates by a high stack, 1,200 feet above the level of the furnaces of the copper works, and 1,400 feet above the level of the sea, and which is easily to be seen for a number of miles in various directions, its object being to carry away from the lands under cultivation the noxious vapours arising from the smelting of the copper ore. There are two churches of the establishment, the parish church and All Saint's church: the service in the parish church being performed in Welch, and All Saint's in English. There are also two licensed rooms at Oakwood for the use of the upper hamlet of Michaelstone and part of Margam parish: Rev. M. Williams is curate. The living, in the gift of the Governors and Company, with a list of their ministers will be found attached to their respective churches, at the end of the directory. There are also places of worship for Baptists, Independents and Methodists. Also schools, which are connected with the works, are very extensive, and stand high in point of efficiency - daily attendance from 700 to 800 of both sexes. The population of the lower hamlet is about 7,000, the whole of which, within a few hundreds, are supported by the above works. The upper hamlet is chiefly agricultural.

TAIBACH, a village in the parish of Margam, distant about 1 1/2 mile from Aberavon, and something less from Port Talbot. The principal feature here is the extensive copper works of Messrs. Vivian & Sons, which employ a great number of hands, through which the inhabitants are almost entirely dependend. There is a chapel of ease under Margam parish church, and a chapel for the Calvinistic Methodists, likewise a school supported by the above works.

POST OFFICE, Taibach,Lewis Thomas, Post Master ARRIVALS - Letters from London and other parts every morning at half-past five. From the North at fifty minutes past ten. From South Wales including Waterford, via Pembroke Dock, if specially directed, at half-past four and ten minutes past eight, p.m.
DESPATCHES. - For South Wales, including Waterford, via Pembroke Dock, if specially directed, at half-past four, a.m. - For South Wales alone at ten a.m. - For the North at twenty-five minutes past three. For London and all parts at ten minutes past seven, p.m.
Sunday - Arrivals from all parts at thirty minutes past five a.m., and are despatched at ten minutes past seven p.m.
Money Order Office open from 9 a.m. till 6 p. m.

POST OFFICE, Aberavon, Alfred Miles, Post Master - Letters arrive (from Taibach, every morning at half past seven, and in the afternoon at half-past three, and evening at seven.
Money Order OfficeTaibach

POST OFFICE, Cwm Avon, William Button, Post Master - Letters arrive (from Taibach), every morning at eight, and in the afternoon at half-past four, and in the evening at half-past seven, and are despatched thereto at a qurter past two, half-past five and six, p.m.
Money Order OfficeTaibach

Where the streets are given the Town is Aberavon

Gentry and Clergy

Curtis Mrs. May, Sea View Villas
Davies Mr. Benjamin M., Wellfield Villas
Evans Rev. David, Vicarage
Evans Rev. Lewis, Sea View Villas
Evans Rev. Richard, Margam
Gilbertson William, Esq. J.P., Coed Park, Cwm Avon
Griffiths Rev. Cornelius, Warycaua
Higman Rev. William, Richard st
Jones Miss Elizabth., Wellfield Villas
Jones Mr. William, Craig Avon, Margam
Lamphice Mr. James, Cwm Avon
Llewellyn Rev. John C., Cwm Avon
Roberts Rev. Edward, Aberavon
Roberts Rev. John, Cwm Avon
Rowlands Rev. John, Cwm Avon
Talbot Christopher Rice Mansell, Esq. M.P. & L.L., Margam Abbey
Vivian Arthur P. Esq. J.P. & D.L. Glen-afon, Taibach
Williams Rev. Maurice, Oakwood, near Cwm Avon

Schools

Cwm Avon Works Schools - William Davies, master; Sarah Whalley, mistress; Infants', Isabella Hobson, mistress
Cwm Avon Works Schools (boys and girls) Oakwood. - William Roberts, master
Cwm Avon Works Schools (boys and girls), Bryn. - Jenkins, mistress
Cwm Avon Works Infant School, Tymaen, Cwm Avon - Gwenny Davies, mistress
Day Schools - (James Vivian), Taibach - George Griffith, master; Ann Bolee, mistress
Infant School - Sarah Connel, mistress
Margam Tin Works School - Edward Owen Jones, master; Elizabeth Jenkins, mistress
National Schools, Aberavon

Booksellers & Stationers

Davies John, Cwm Avon
Davis David (printer & bookbinder), High street
Evans Evan, High st
Jones Thomas, Taibach
Rees John, High st

Chemists and Druggists

Davies John, Cwm Avon
Evans Evan (pharmaceutical, and seedsman), High st
Rees John, High st

Coal Proprietors

Cwm Avon, Oakwood, and Bryn Collieries, the Governor & Co. - William Gilbertson, resident director
Vivian & Sons (bituminous), Morfa Colliery, Taibach - Wm. Grey, agent

Commission Agents

Jenkins David, (and ship broker), Port Talbot
Jenkins William H. (and general carrier), Aberavon

Copper Smelters and Manufacturers

The Governor & Co. of Copper Miners in England, Cwm Avon Wm. Gilbertson, resident director
Vivian & Sons (and yellow metal), Margam Copper Works, Taibach - Arthur P. Vivian, resident partner

Fire &c. Office Agents

Alliance, Lewis Thomas, Taibach
Norwich Union, Evan Evans, High street
Sun, Edward Jones, Cwm Avon rd

Inn and Public Houses

Angel, Ann J. David, Westgate
Bear, Thomas Jones, High st
Boar's Head, Jane Gibbs, Pontryddefen
British Lion, Catherine Jones, Pwllygwlaw
Castle, Thomas Jones, Water st
Castle (spirit vaults), Lewis P. Sutton, High st
Colliers' Arms, David Griffiths, Pwllygwlaw
Copper House Inn, George Newman, Cwm Avon
Crown, Catherine Longdon, Aberavon
Glan-y-wern, Margaret Hughes, Duck st
Globe, Robert Savours, High st
Griffin, Hannah Morley, Aberavon
Heart of Oak, John Thomas, Pontryddefen
Ivorites Hall, Thomas Shaw, Duck st
Jersey Arms, Richard Hopkins, Cwm Avon
Miners' Arms, May Thomas, Taibach
Miners' Arms, William Jones, Pontryddefen
New Inn, Joan Davies, Cwm Avon
Packet House, John Bamford, Water st
Port Talbot Inn, Thomas Ace, Port Talbot
Prince of Wales, William Williams, Church st
Railway Tavern, James W. Rogers, Water st
Ship, Jenkin Thomas, Old tram rd
Somersetshire House, Jenkin E. Sutton, Taibach
Star, Mary Jenkins, Aberavon
Victoria, William Jenkins, High st
Walnut Tree Inn, (commercial), John Jones, Aberavon
White Horse, Jane Elkington, Pwllydwlaw

Retailers of Beer

Bartle John, Picton st
Daniels Richard, Pwllygwlaw
Davies Levi, Westgate
Davies Leyshon, Cwm Avon road
Donavon Michael, Charlotte st
Evans John, Cwm Avon road
Fisher Thomas, Cwm Avon road
Gething William, Cwm Avon road
Hopkins William, Green park
Howell John, Cwm Avon road
Hyde Patrick, Charlotte st
John John, Savour st
Jones Alice, Cwm Avon road
Jones Elizabeth, Cwm Avon road
Jones John, High st
Jones Margaret, Duck st
Jones Thomas, Water st
Jones William, Duck st
Jones William, Charlotte st
Jones William, Duck st
Marandez David, Richard st
Michael Thomas, Cwm Avon road
Morgan Joseph, Savours st
Morgan Samuel, Water st
Morley Hannah, High st
Rees Elizabeth, Cwm Avon road
Rees Thomas, Cwm Avon road
Roberts David, Cwm Avon road
Samuels Noah, Cwm Avon road
Sexton John, Cwm Avon road
Sullivan John, Cwm Avon road
Thomas John, Westgate
Thomas Theophilus, Pwllygwlaw
Thomas Thomas, Water st
Williams Philemon, Westgate

Iron and Tin-plate Manufacturers

Margam Tin-plate Co., Taibach - R. V. Leach and W. Jones, managing partners
The Governor & Co. of Copper Miners in England, Cwm Avon - William Gilbertson, resident director

Iron Masters

The Governor and Company of Copper Miners in England, Cwm Avon - William Gilbertson, resident director

Iron Mongers

Davies John, Cwm Avon
Smith Daniel (and iron merchant, and Birmingham and Sheffield warehouse), High st
Williams Evan, Taibach

Linen & Woollen Drapers (See also Grocers & Drapers under the head Shopkeepers)

Davies James, Cwm Avon road
Jones Richard, High st
Jones William D., High st & Cwm Avon
Rees Thomas, High st
Sloan William & James (and silk mercers), Cwm Avon

Ship Builder

Mansfield Josiah, Port Talbot

Ship Chandlers

Courtis Richard H., Westgate
Smith Daniel, High st

Shopkeepers, Traders &c.

Arnold John, shopkeeper, Cwm Avon
Bansford & David, grocers, Cwm Avon road
Bassett Caroline eating house, Water street
Bowen Wharod, butcher, Cwm Avon
Brown James, tailor, Water st
Charles Margaret E., Straw bonnet maker, Westgate
Courtis Richard, grocer & draper, Westgate
Davey Thomas, tailor, Aberavon
Davies Benjamin, spirit dealer, Wellfield
Davies David, grocer & draper, Pontryddefen
Davies William J., grocer, Duck st
Drew John, plumber and glazier, Richard st
Edmunds John, shoe maker, Cwm Avon
Edwards Thomas, shoe maker, High street
Evans Daniel, grocer, Tymaen
Evans David, butcher, Cwm Avon
Evans Evan, smith, Margam
Evans Jane, grocer & draper, Cwm Avon road
Evans Jemima, grocer and stationer, Cwm Avon
Evans John, smith, Port Talbot
Evans John, grocer & draper, Pwllygwlaw
Fielding Thomas, glass, china, &c. dealer, Cwm Avon
Foley Joseph, ship owner, Church st
Griffiths Thomas, joiner, &c. Water st
Harris William, butcher, Taibach
Hesketh Thomas, confectioner, Cwm Avon
Heycock Bethuel, shopkeeper, Taibach
Heycock Wm., shoe maker, Taibach
Hibbert Thomas, grocer and draper, Taibach
Hughes Thomas, tailor, Savours st
James William & David, furniture brokers, High st
Jeffreys Robert, grocer, Margam
Jenkins David, boot & shoe maker, Westgate
Jenkins Jenkin, grocer, Pontryddefen
Jenkins Thomas, grocer, Taibach
Jenkins William, smith, Taibach
Jenkins William, grocer, Taibach
John Richard, grocer, Cwm Avon
Jones Elizabeth, earthenware dealer, Taibach
Jones David, grocer and draper, Pwllygawlaw
Jones Edward, grocer, Cwm Avon rd
Jones George, registrar of births & deaths, Wen st
Jones Griffith, hair dresser, Water st
Jones Henry, tailor, Cwm Avon rd
Jones John, smith, Duck st
Jones Morgan, grocer, Pontryddefen
Jones Richard, grocer, High st
Jones Samuel, butcher, Water st
Jones Thomas, joiner, &c, Taibach
Jones Thos. E., grocer, Cwm Avon rd
Jones William, tailor and outfitter, Cwm Avon road
Key James, butcher and grocer, High st
Lewis Evan, earthenware dealer, Water st
Llewellyn Llewellyn, grocer & draper, War-y-cana
Longden Catherine, tallow chandler, Cwm Avon road
Longden Robert, grocer and draper, High st
Longdon David, brewer & maltster
Mansell David, butcher, Taibach
Matthews John, wheelwright
Merchant Jonah, tailor, Taibach
Michael David, nail maker and town crier, Cwm Avon road
Miles Alfred, china, glass, and boot and shoe dealer, High st
Morgan David, tailor, Taibach
Morgan Evan, shoe maker, Cwm Avon road
Morgan Jenkin, shoe maker, Cwm Avon road
Morgan Samuel, butcher, Water st
Morgan Thos., shopkeeper, Richard st
Morgan Wm., shopkeeper, Tymaen
Morrish James, shoe maker, High st
Newman George, grocer, Cwm Avon
Powell William L. timber and slate merchant, and agent for Lloyd's, Taibach
Prichard Hopkin L., surgeon, Tircaradoc, Taibach
Quick John, shopkeeper, Westgate
Rees Jno., stone mason, Cwm Avon rd
Rees Jno., architect, Cross Wen cottage
Richards Daniel, tailor, &c., Cwm Avon road
Richards Thomas, grocer, Pontryddefen
Roberts Edward, grocer and draper, Church street
Roderick David, grocer, Water st
Roderick Nicholas, grocer and draper, Brownbill
Roderick Rees, stone mason, Port Talbot and Margam
Rogers James W., builder and tallow chandler, Water st
Rosser Benjamin, grocer, High st
Russell James, grocer, Cwm Avon
Shaw Elizabeth, furniture broker, Water street
Smith Daniel, grocer & ironmonger, High street
Stubbs John, boot and shoe maker, Taibach
Sullivan John, tailor, Cwm Avon rd
Thomas Evan, boot and shoe maker, Cwm Avon road
Thomas Jane, shopkeeper, Aberavon
Thomas Jenkin, butcher, High st
Thomas John, grocer, Cwm Avon
Thomas Thomas, boot and shoe maker, Taibach
Turpin Mary, grocer, Water st
Vinon William, painter, Water st
Vintin John, grocer and draper, Taibach
Whitelaw William, baker and confectioner, High st
Wild David, boot and shoe maker, Richard street
Williams Ann, Straw bonnet maker, Cwm Avon road
Williams Evan, grocer and draper, Taibach
Williams Margaret, woollen weaver, Water st
Williams Wm., butcher, Cwm Avon

Watch and Clock Maker

James William & David (and jewellers), High st
Thomas Samuel, High st

Places of Worship
And their Ministers

All Saints' Church, Cwm Avon, Rev. John C. Llewellin, incumbent
Parish Church Aberavon . . Rev. David Evans, vicar; Rev. Lewis Evans, curate
Parish Church Margam and chapel of Ease, Taibach . . Rev. Richard Evans, incumbent
Parish Church (Welsh), Michaelstone near Cwm Avon . . Rev. J. C. Llewellyn, incumbent; Rev. John Roberts, curate
Baptist Chapel, Aberavon . . Rev. Cornelius Griffiths
Baptist Chapel, Cwm Avon . . . Rev. John Rowlands
Baptist Chapel, Pontryddefen, near Cwm Avon
Bible Christian's Chapel (English), Richard st . . Rev. William Higman
Independent Chapel, Cwm Avon, Rev. Edward Roberts
Independent Chapel, Cwm Avon, Rev. William Thomas
Independent Chapel, Cwm Avon rd, Aberavon . . Rev. John Steadman
Independent Chapel (Welsh), Pwllygwlaw and Wern st
Methodist Chapel (Welsh Calvanistic), Aberavon, Pontryddefen and Taibach
Methodist Chapel (Welsh Primitive), Wern st
Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan), Aberavon . . no regular minister
Catholic Chapel, Westgate

Aberavon Building Society (First), Castle Hotel . . Wm. Davies, secretary
Aberavon Building Society (Second), Victoria Hotel . . Wm. Jones, secretary
Central Glamorgan Building Society, Ivorites Hall . . William Davies, secretary
Custom House, Port Talbot . . William Loveluck, principal coast officer and collector of light dues; George Bydder, tide waiter
Gas Works, Water st. . . William Jones, secretary
Harbour Trust Co.'s Office, Port Talbot . . Thos. Lewis, harbour master, Henry John Lewis, receiver of tolls
Ivorites' Hall, Duck st - John Evans, secretary
Library and News Room, Cwm Avon Works . . William Button, librarian
Market Hall, Taibach . . Benjamin Jones, keeper
Market Hall, Church st. . Vacant
Police Station (County), Aberavon . . James Cecil, sergeant
Stamp Office, High st . . Evan Evans
Town Hall, Cae-green . . John Thomas, keeper

Conveyance by Railway

On the South Wales Line at Port Talbot . . William E. Challender, superintendent and station master

Conveyance by Water Traders

To Bristol, the Gem or Victory, from Port Talbot, weekly . . Jenkins and Thomas, proprietors, Westgate, Aberavon and at Bristol

[Last Updated : 19 Sept 2002 - Gareth Hicks]