Pontardawe Tinplate Works

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Pontardawe Tinplate Works was a tinplate works in Pontardawe, Wales. The factory was founded in 1843 by William Parsons, [1] as the Primrose Forge and Tinplate Works. In 1861, it was leased from him by William Gilbertson, by which time it comprised nine mills. [2] The workforce was largely recruited from amongst mainly Welsh-speaking [3] former coal miners after local seams had been exhausted. [4]

The site of the works is now occupied by Cwmtawe Community School, Pontardawe Leisure Centre with the associated Ynysderw Playing Fields, and several stores.

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References

  1. Hughes, Stephen; P. R. Reynolds (1988). A guide to the industrial archaeology of the Swansea region. Association for Industrial Archaeology in association with the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and the South West Wales Industrial Archaeology Society. p. 21. ISBN   978-0-9508448-2-4.
  2. Jackson, P. W. (2001). The letter-books of W. Gilbertson & Co. Ltd., Pontardawe 1890-1929. South Wales Record Society. p. 8. ISBN   978-0-9521783-8-5.
  3. Parry, Gwenfair; Mari A. Williams (1999). The Welsh language and the 1891 census. University of Wales Press. p. 469. ISBN   978-0-7083-1536-1.
  4. Minchinton, Walter E. (1957). The British tinplate industry, a history. Clarendon Press. p. 109. OCLC   1815254.

Coordinates: 51°42′54″N3°51′19″W / 51.71500°N 3.85528°W / 51.71500; -3.85528