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Morriston in the Parish of Llangyfelach
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"MORRISTON, a chapelry, in the parish and hundred of LLANGYVELACH, union of SWANSEA, county of GLAMORGAN, SOUTH WALES, 2 miles (N. by E.) from Swansea: the population, which is very considerable, is returned with that of the township of Lower Cliffs, wherein it is situated. This village, which is of recent origin, derives its name from its founder and late proprietor, Sir John Morris, who built it for the residence of the persons engaged in the various copper-works and collieries in this district. It is pleasantly situated on the western bank of the river Tawy, which is here navigable for sloops of small burthen, and which, falling into the harbour of Swansea, affords a facility for the conveyance of its mineral produce to that port, which is further aided by the Swansea canal, passing close to the village. The different ranges of building are formed with great regularity, after a plan by Mr. W. Edwards, designed about the year 1768, with a view to the formation of regular streets, in the probable event of its ultimately becoming a town, from the future extension of the works, and the advantages of its situation in the heart of an extensive district abounding with mineral wealth, and on the bank of a navigable river near the sea-port of Swansea. The living is a perpetual curacy; present net income, £85; patron and impropriator, Sir John Morris, Bart. The chapel is a neat structure, and is appropriately fitted up. There are places of worship for Independents and for Welsh Calvinistic Methodists. An infant school has been established in the village, and is partly supported by the proprietors of the different copper-works and collieries in the neighbourhood, for the instruction at a moderate charge of the children of the persons employed by them; and there are a National school, as well as Sunday schools in connexion with the church, and the various denominations of dissenters. The chapelry is now included within the new boundaries of the contributory borough of Swansea, under the Reform Act." [A Topographical Dictionary of Wales by Samuel Lewis 1833 © Mel Lockie 2016]
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An online index to the book Morriston's Pictorial Past by Andr'e D. Scoville [1988] has been provided by Les Parsons
- F.W.Berke & Company Limited, dealers in sulphuric acid
1919-1939: cash book
[West Glamorgan Archive Service, Swansea - Reference: D. 224]
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Morris Papers c1587-1987 "These papers relate to the Morris family of Swansea, industrialists. The Llangyfelach Copper Works operated by John Lane started production in 1717. In 1724 Robert Morris was brought in from Shropshire to supervise the business and when Lane was declared bankrupt in 1726, Robert Morris took control of the works. He formed the partnership Morris Lockwood and Company and they became a major force in copper smelting and coal mining in the Swansea area until the partnership was dissolved in 1800. The partnership operated the Llangyfelach Works 1726-1748; the Fforest works and Fforest (Battery) Works c1746-c1793 and the Landore Works from c1793. Robert Morris also operated the Cambrian Works 1735-1745. The family founded Morriston as an industrial township in which to house their workers in the late eighteenth century. The records in this archive include personal records of Robert Morris as well as records relating to the management of the Morris estates"
"'History of the Copper Concern' - historical notes and memorabilia extracted by Robert Morris junior from the letter-books of Robert Morris senior, relating to the latter's copper-smelting works in Swansea 1774; ...........................miscellaneous letters and papers relating to the Morris' copper concerns c1760-1815; ................................. Estate plans and surveys of the Morris estates in Sketty and Morriston 1776-c1884; .......................... " - Morriston Tinplate Company Limited 1875-1935 "The Morriston and Midland Tinplate Works were established in 1872. Two companies operated the works during this period until 1899: Messrs D. Glasbrook and Company Morriston Tinplate Works 1872-1899 and Messrs D. Glasbrook Company Midland Tinplate Works 1879-1899. From 1899 until 1953 the works were operated by Morriston Tinplate Company Limited."
- Upper Forest & Worcester Steel and Tinplate Works Ltd. Morriston "Situated under Morriston approximately 3 miles from Swansea to the left of Neath Road, the Upper Forest works was the first of its kind in Morriston having been commenced in 1845 by William Hallam, on the site of a gist mill. The tin works were worked by water power at its humble beginning when it consisted of one mill. The Worcester works were opened in 1868, a company formed by William Williams of Maes-y-gwernen Hall, Llangyfelach. The works later absorbed the Upper Forest works and the combined undertaking was responsible for a large proportion of the output of the Port. ................................... The works closed in 1958 and were completely demolished during 1960-61..............."
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Owen, David Edmondes (Rev)., papers "Cuttings and other memorabilia relating to the ministry at Morriston and Llanelwedd, 1897-1910; listing of people connected with the Anglican church at Morriston, arranged street by street, [c.1895]-1900;..........................."
For full and up-to-date details of their holdings see the sites of Glamorgan Record Office and/or West Glamorgan Archives
The churches are dedicated to St. David and St. John, are in the Benefice of Morriston, and the diocese of Swansea and Brecon. Details of the present incumbent of this benefice can be found at the Church in Wales website. These Morriston churches can be located at these grid references ; St John's, Woodfield St - SS6699766 ; St David's, Woodfield St - SS668980
| Anglican Parish Registers | ||||
| Baptisms | Marriages | Burials | Banns | Bishops Transcripts |
| No Registers have been deposited yet | ||||
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Morriston Ecclesiastical Parish Records " ........ Registers (including service and banns registers) 1891-1990; Churchwardens' accounts and minute books 1859-1971; PCC/Church Council and Easter Vestry minutes 1859-1971; parish magazines 1890-1984; miscellaneous including papers relating to church property 1924-1956"
| Non Conformist Registers Deposited | |||||
| Chapel | Baptisms | Marriages | Burials | OS Map Ref | Deposited/ Copies |
| Calfaria, Baptist | - | 1969-1980 | - | SS 66819757 | WGAS |
| Libanus, Congregational | 1809-1837 | - | - | SS 67359867 | PRO/ WGAS |
| English Wesleyan | - | 1940-1949 | - | SS 67019807 | WGAS |
PRO - Public Record Office, London
WGAS - West Glamorgan Archive Service
Morriston - on Wikipedia
Drawn phased plan of Morriston planned town, produced for RCAHMW publication "Copperopolis", - on the People's Collection Wales site
Dr Thomas Francis A pioneer in the development of vaccines against virus diseases, credited with developing the first effective vaccine against influenza and directed the Salk polio vaccine field trials in 1954. His parents emigrated from Morriston in 1900 the year he was born in Indiana, USA
The transcription of the section for Morriston from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.
- Ask for a calculation of the distance from Morriston in the Parish of Llangyfelach to another place.
Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site
- Woodfield Street in Morriston . Note the tramlines.
- Mr Daniel Edwards & Company, Morriston [Swansea]: plan for a 36” engine, 26 Jan 1834
- Old age pensioners at Morriston greeting David Lloyd George (1909/11?)
- View of the Copper works, with part of Morris town, upon the Tawe near Swansea
- Plan of circa 1793 showing the industrial landscape between Landore and Morriston centred on the mile-long Morris, Lockwood and Company Canal, produced by J. Johnston, 1998.
An example of the dialect of the Swansea valley in West Glamorgan. Cecil Lewis of Morriston was born in 1913 and recorded by St Fagans: National History Museum. - on the People's Collection Wales site
You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SS669978 (Lat/Lon: 51.663171, -3.92582), Morriston in the Parish of Llangyfelach which are provided by:
- OpenStreetMap
- Google Maps
- StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
- OpenStreetMap Cymru (Welsh counties only)
- Bing (was Multimap)
- Old Maps Online
- National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
- Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
- Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
- GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)
- All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
- Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
- Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.
A payslip issued to Bryn Powell (from Morriston) of the Welsh Regiment, 21 January 1918 - on the People's Collection Wales site
From Kelly's South Wales Directory 1923 (ArchiveCDBooks) - transcribed by Gareth Hicks
- There are several tinplate works, those of the Upper Forest and Worcester Co. and the Beaufort Works Limited being the most extensive.
Collieries are also worked here and a very large trade is carried on in the manufacture of chemicals, chiefly oil of vitriol, which is largely used by the neighbouring tinplate manufacturers.
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
- Graig School, Morriston, Records " ........ comprising log books (infants), 1881-1974; admission registers (infants), 1915-1979; album of photographs of staff and pupils, 1977"
- Morriston School Records " ......... comprising log books, 1868-1969; admission registers, 1899-1972."
Morriston Militaires, winners of a Jazz Band Competition at Aberafan Beach,1978 - on the People's Collection Wales site