Slaters Commercial Directory, 1871

Ystalyfera in the Swansea Valley

Transcribed by Phil Mustoe

Ystalyfera, is a populous village in the parish of Llanguick, distant 12 miles from Swansea. The Church of the Holy Trinity is a chapel of ease to the parish church and is unconsecrated. The Rev. Thomas Thomas is English curate and the Rev. - Williams is Welsh curate. There are very large and well attended National schools connected with the iron and tin plate works and a British school, besides, also, chapels for Baptists, Independents, Weslyans and Calvinistic Methodists. The newly erected English Congregational chapel is in the Gothic style, and is capable of seating 450 persons: it is one of the greatest architectural features in the neighbourhood. The Ystalyfera Iron and Tin Plate Company's works consist of 11 blast furnaces, 7 of which are in blast, with puddling furnaces for converting pig iron into every description of merchant iron, including boiler plates, terne or black plates, tin plates and cut nails, giving employment, with its connected collieries, to about 4,000 hands. The managing partner is J. Palmer Budd, esq., D. L. At Ynismudw are situated the extensive fire brick and drain pipe works of Messrs. Lewis and Morgan. Ynis-y-daren, the seat of J. Palmer Budd, esq., D. L. is plesantly situated in the valley of Swansea, commanding views both up and down the valley, with the hills of Breconshire. The Varteg mountain is in close proximity and here presents a grand appearance. Daren-gwynddon, or the Rock of Signs, or Weather Rock, and Daren-y-Castell, and the Fairy Rocks, with the Weeping Well, are immediately opposite the front. The Cribath may be distinctly seen from here, which is one limit of the limestone rock, the other being at the Mumbles, near Swansea; this forms the coal basin, lime being underneath all the way. Glan-Twrch, the seat of W. Price, esq., J. P., M.D., is a very pretty residence, between the rivers Twrch and Tawe, with extensive grounds and romantic walks, one of which is half-a-mile in extent, alongside the stream running through these grounds, which divides the counties of Brecon and Glamorgan : from these grounds may be obtained beautiful views of the valley, the hills of Breconshire, with some magnificent woodland scenery; the great feature of interest, being the Varteg mountain, immediately opposite the house. Tyr-waun, the residence of David Thomas, esq. M. D., is situated on a hill, from whence delightful views of the valley and some parts of Breconshire, with it's hills; the Varteg may also be seen. Many other residences in this neighbourhood, including Yniscedwyn House, the seat of R. D. Gough, esq., J. P. , are of the same character. There is also a celebrated well, containing a mineral spring, called the Cwm Twrch Well. The chief landowners in this village are R. D. Gough, esq., J. P. , J. Palmer Budd, esq., J. P., and W. Price, esq. , J. P. The population here was in 1861, 5,220.

Post & Money Order Office , & Post Office Savings Bank & Telegraph Office. - John Reynolds, postmaster.
Letters arrive from Swansea at 7.30 a.m.; dispatched thereto at 4.40 p.m.

Schools :-

National, Robert Lloyd, master
British, David Williams, master

Public Officers :-

Registrar of Births & Deaths, Richard Lewis
Collector of Rates, John Jones
Collector of Taxes, John Morgan
Police Sergeant, Joseph Poyntz

Swansea Vale Railway Station, Joseph Barrett, station master

Places of Worship

Churches
Holy Trinity (Chapel of Ease to Parish Church), Ystalyfera, Rev. Thomas Thomas, English curate; Rev. - Williams, Welsh curate

Chapels
Cashalam (Welsh Baptist), Ystalyfera, Rev. John Evans, minister
Zoar (English Baptist), Ystalyfera, Rev. Chas. Williams, minister
Ystalyfera (Welsh Calvinistic Methodist), Rev. - Phillips, minister
Gurnos (Welsh Independent), Ystalyfera, Rev. Benj. Thomas, minister
(English Independent), ystalyfera, Rev. Joseph Johns, minister
(Welsh Independent), Ystalyfera, ministers various
Panteg (Welsh Independent), Ystalyfera, ministers various
Zion (Weslyan), Ystalyfera, Rev. Henry Pritchard

Private Residents

Ace Thomas, LLynyderw
Budd James Palmer, D. L., Ynis-y-daren
Butler J., The Poplars
Fisher Robert Clarke, Wern-coed
Gough Richard Douglas, J. P., Yniscedwyn house
Hodgson Robert Scoley, Yniscedwyn
Hore Thomas Candy, Wern house
Jones Edwin Tate, Rosier house
Morgan John
Newton John Titus
Parish Henry, The Limes
Pearse Joseph Ede
Price William, J. P., M. D., Glan Twrch
Thomas Rev. Thomas [curate]
Thomas David, M. D., Tyr-waun
Williams Rev. - [curate]

Commercial

Beirnstein Abraham, outfitter
Bevan David, grocer
Bowen Mary (Mrs.), grocer
Clatworthy Evan, beer retailer
Clatworthy Thomas, beer retailer & watch maker
Clee John, beer retailer
Davies David, bookseller
Davies David, grocer
Davies David, shopkeeper
Davies Evan, beer retailer
Davies Griffith, beer retailer
Davies John, shopkeeper
Davies S., Ystalyfera Arms
Davies William, tailor & draper
Delany Edward, ironmonger & seedsman
Evan Evans, beer retailer
Evans David, grocer & draper
Evans Edward, grocer
Evans George, butcher
Evans Isaac, tailor
Evans Morgan, grocer & draper
Evans Susan (Miss), milliner
Fisher Robert Clarke, mining engineer
Fox John, tailor
Griffith Edwin, confectioner
Griffiths Frederick, ironmonger
Griffiths George, draper
Griffiths Thomas, grocer & draper
Griffiths William, tailor & draper
Harris William, grocer
Hodgon Richard Scoley, agent to R. D. Gough, J. P., Yniscedwyn
Isaac John, shopkeeper
Jenkins Evan, earthenware dealer
Jenkins Jonathon Price, draper
Jones Sarah (Mrs.), earthenware dealer
Jones William, Swan
Lewis D. J., boot & shoe maker
Lewis John, boot & shoe maker
Lewis John, tailor & draper
Longdon David, grocer & draper
Marsden Jno. Edmund, Ystalyfera hotel
Michell Paul, grocer
Morgan Evan, beer retailer
Morgan Morgan, New Swan
Morgan Rees, grocer & draper
Morgan William, tanner & currier
Nicholas John, beer retailer
Parry Michael, painter
Pearson Thomas, clog maker
Poyntz John, sergeant of police
Price Maurice, linen & woollen draper
Price Morgan, upholsterer
Price William, surgeon, Glan Twrch
Reed William, greengrocer
Rees William & Co., grocers
Rees David, Vine Inn
Reynolds John, grocer, & postmaster
Reynolds Thomas, sub-postmaster
Richar Thomas, grocer
Roberts Thomas, Royal Oak
Roderick David, shopkeeper
Rowlands James Hughes, bookseller
Smith William, boot & shoe maker
Tarr Nicholas, Corner House
Tarr Nicholas, greengrocer
Thomas Alfred, draper
Thomas Ann (Mrs.), Railway Hotel
Thomas Caleb Jones, chemist & druggist
Thomas David, M. D., surgeon, Tyr-waun
Thomas David, G.grocer
Thomas Evan, grocer
Thomas William, stone merchant
Timothy William, boot & shoe maker
Tucker Peter, boot & shoe maker
Walter Evan, shop keeper
Walters John, grocer & draper
Watkins David, beer retailer
Williams Charles, paper hanger
Williams John, boiler manufacturer, Gurnos forge
Williams John, grocer
Williams Thomas, grocer & draper
Williams Thomas, painter
Ystalyfera Iron Company (J. Palmer Budd, managing partner), manufacturers of anthracite pig iron, bar iron, rails, boiler plates, canada plates, nails &c. & colliery proprietors; & 13 Austin friars, London e.c.

[Last Updated : 19 Sept 2002 - Gareth Hicks]