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Gorseinon in the Parish of Llandeilo Talybont

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"GORSEINON, a rising village in this parish, about 4 miles south, has a station on the London, Midland and Scottish railway. It was formed into an ecclesiastical parish by Order in Council dated Oct. I4th, 1913. The church of St, Catherine, erected in 1912-13 at a cost of £15,500, is a building of stone in the Gothic style, ...: in the chancel there is a stained glass window in memory of William Lewis esq. (d. 1902): there are 750 sittings. The register dates from the year 1913. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £400, in the gift of the Bishop of St, David's and the Board of Patronage, ...The church of the Holy Trinity, erected in 1883 as a chapel of ease to St. Teilo's, at a cost of £1,821, and now attached to St. Catherine, is a cruciform building in the Early English style, ... has sittings for 250 persons. St. Catherine's (English) Mission Room here, built by Willian Lewis esq. was opened in 1899. There are also English and Welsh Baptist, Calvinistic Methodist and Congregational chapels here; the English Congregational chapel, erected in 1894, at a cost of £900, seats 400 persons. A Celtic cross with ropework ornamentation was erected in 1922, as a memorial to the men of the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18. Princes Park, which was opened to the public in 1923, extends over 7 acres. There are tinplate, steel, vitriol and galvanizing works and collieries." [From Kelly's South Wales Directory 1923 (ArchiveCDBooks) - transcribed by Gareth Hicks]

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Bibliography

Williams, John Ceri and D. Tom Davies. The History of Brynteg, Gorseinon [Independent chapel].Translated by Ivor Griffiths 2000. Index by Gareth Hicks

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Church History

See Welsh Chapels and Churches for a photograph of St Catherine's Church

Rees, Thomas & Thomas, John. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru. (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes 1871+.
Here is the ( Welsh) extract from this book for Brynteg, Gorseinon , contributed by Darris G Williams - with translation by Maureen Saycell

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Church Records

For full and up-to-date details of their holdings see the sites of Glamorgan Record Office and/or West Glamorgan Archives

The church is dedicated to St. Catherine, is in the Benefice of Gorseinon and the diocese of Swansea and Brecon. Details of the present incumbent of this benefice can be found at the Church in Wales website. The church can be located at grid reference SS586987.

Modern Parishes & Chapels of Ease :-

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

  • Gorseinon ecclesiastical parish records "Registers (including service and banns registers) 1883-1999; Churchwardens' accounts and records relating to church fabric 1881-1993; PCC minutes 1963-1993; church history 1983; parish magazines 1898-2001; photographs of the church and its members, c. 1900-1990s; orders of service and other records, n.d., early 20th cent.-1997."

Non Conformist Registers Deposited at the West Glamorgan Archive Service (WGAS)
ChapelBaptismsMarriagesBurialsOS Map Ref
English Wesleyan1955-1964--SS 59539847
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Gorseinon in the Parish of Llandeilo Talybont which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Land & Property

Lewis family of Gorseinon
1852-1981: deeds and estate papers
[West Glamorgan Archive Service, Swansea - Reference: D/D CV 4]

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SS586987 (Lat/Lon: 51.66923, -4.04611), Gorseinon in the Parish of Llandeilo Talybont which are provided by:

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Military History

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • This postcard was sent to Private Tom Wibberley from his family in Kingsbridge, Gorseinon. He was a soldier with the 252 Siege Battery Ammunition Column of the British Expeditionary Force.
  • Certificate presented to Private Frank Wibberley from the inhabitants of Loughor after the First World War
  • Postcard from Private Tom Wibberley to his sister Vera from Cologne in Germany, 8 May 1919
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Occupations

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

  • Garngoch No. 3 Colliery "Employment Registers 1923-1954"
    "The Garngoch Collieries were sunk at Gorseinon near Swansea. In 1870, Glassbrook Bros. Ltd. sank the first two pits at the site and named them Garngoch No. 1 and No. 2. Garngoch No. 3 was a much later sinking during the 1920s. ............................... Garngoch No. 1 Pit was closed in April 1952 and the No. 2 Pit shortly afterwards........................Garngoch was finally closed in February 1966." (Source: Ray Lawrence, The South Wales Coalfield Directory, Vol. 2 (1998 edn), p. 228)

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Banner of the Mountain Lodge of the National Union of Mineworkers, Gorseinon, c. 1960
  • William Wibberley's sons Frank (also known as Tom) and Arthur both served during the First World War and returned to the family business after the end of the war. Pictured here [in photograph] is William Wibberley, their father. They first owned a bakery in Brynmelyn, Swansea, before moving to Kingsbridge in Gorseinon.
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Schools

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

  • Gorseinon School records " ....... including log books, 1893-1967; admission registers, 1881-1953; attendance registers, 1932-1991; summary registers, 1907-1944; teacher's attendance registers, 1962-1970; miscellaneous, 1949-1958."
    "The board school was opened in 1893 for 255 children with Mrs. Margaret Rees as mistress of the infants school and Mr Jones as head of the mixed school."
  • Kingsbridge School log book 1908-1952 "Kingsbridge School in Gorseinon, Swansea, was opened in 1908. The primary school moved premises in 1977 and is now known as Pontybrenin School."
  • Penyrheol School Log Books 1880-1945.

Penyrheol (nr Gorseinon) council school 1922 - on the People's Collection Wales site

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Social Life & Customs

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • 1886/7 Mothers' Meeting at Penllergaer, Gorseinon
  • Photograph: Children of Seion Chapel, Gorseinon performing 'Magic Ruby' 1959
  • Team photo of Kingsbridge RFC 1954-55 season. Featured in the picture are Norman Gale (back row & 4th from the left) who played for Llanelli & Wales at hooker. Alan Jones (seated in the front on the right) who went on to play for Swansea & Llanelli at scrum half before coming back to Gorseinon. The picture was taken outside the Kingsbridge Inn, the landlord Tom Tyler is also featured in the picture...