Sketty history
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Sketty history
by Admin Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:59 pm
From about 1832 a small Wesleyan society met in Sketty to worship in English, first at cottages on Gower Road, later on Vivian Road and then from 1858 leased ‘The old chapel on the hill’ on Gower Road towards Sketty Top Cross. A minister came for weeknight meetings once a fortnight, and once a month on Sundays.
The leaders of the first chapel were John Jones, a blacksmith born in Llangyfelach, James Matthews, a gardener born in Wiltshire, who led the singing, and later John Rogers a market gardener born in Pembrokeshire, who set up the Sunday School.They were joined by Charles Blewitt Jenkins, a Pembrokeshire tailor.
Henry Thomas, a market gardener from Gower, converted the old chapel in 1870, took over leadership from John Jones. George Blundell, a blacksmith, was Sunday School Superintendent and a leading temperance campaigner.
The members all lived locally and many had moved into the village from away.
In the 1860’s two widows of Wesleyan Ministers, Mrs Rees and Mrs Rawlings, settled in Swansea with their children. Mrs Rees lived at Bryn-y-Groes, Sketty and took a prominent role supporting the chapel. Two of the Rawlings sons became Ministers. A third, John Adams Rawlings married a daughter of Mrs Rees, and stayed in Swansea as a doctor, Local Preacher, J.P., Councillor, member of the Board of Guardians and a tireless temperance campaigner.
. Mrs Rees was a strong supporter of this church until her death in 1909. The 1897 Place-names of Wales 1897 defines Bryn y Groes, as meaning the "hill of the cross". The following map shows Wesbourne Grove, Bryn yr Groes and the proximity to the Weslyan chapel on Gower road.
Westbourne Grove/Avenue in 1878 was a lane which led to a large field before the current grave yard and gave additional access to Bryn Y Groes
In 1875 the foundation stone of the current Weslyan chapel was laid by Henry Hussey Vivian, M.P. of the copper works family, who had built St Paul’s Church. On 11th December 1876 the chapel was opened, with a procession down from the old chapel on the hill in Gower Road at a cost of £2,500.
Little changed at 1896
It is very plausable that the churches would have held fairs and money raising events on the field next to Westbourne Grove, newspaper reports suggest the Bethel chapel was often holding fund raising events for an extension they were trying to obtain in the 1900’s.
1896
South wales daily post 1910:
The first occupiers to Wesbourne Grove 1921
House Name Status Age Occupation Notes
no.
1 Sidney John Joslyn Head 46 Solicitors Clerk
Alice Joslyn Wife 47 Additional Child died
Clifford Sydney Joslyn Son 16 Railway Clerk
Murial Joslyn Daughter 11 School
Vivian Joslyn Son 8
Bernard Joslyn Son 9
2 Thomas Coyswell Widower 65 Merchants Clerk
Alice Coyswell Daughter 34
George coyswell Son 23 Shipping Agents Clerk
3 Evan Rees Widower 45 Traveller
Mary Jane Rees single 46 Home keeper
4 Ernest Jones Head 30 Drappery Commercial Traveller
Blodwen Jones Wife 28
Ernald ray Jones Son 3 mnths
Gwen Hill Servent 18 Domestic Servent
5 Evan Thomas Head 36 Shop assistant - Clothing
Margaret thomas Wife 33
Griffith Davies Single 26 Shop assistant - Clothing
7 John Dimond Head 30 Mechanical Engineer Colliery Tin Plate Mills
Jane Elizabeth Dimond Wife 30
Vera Diond Daughter 1
9 John Boxall Head 38 Commercial Traveller Cattle Food & Seeds
Rosina boxall Wife 28 One Child Died
10 Fred Kimberley Head 46 Engineer draughtsman
Eleanor Kimberley Wife 47 Additional One Child died
Dorethy Kimberley daughter 9
11 Margaret Gardner Head 31 Shop Assistant drapper
Florence James Daughter 36
Gladys James Niece 6
12 John Knapman Head 38 Sorting Clerk Post Office
Florance Knapman Wife 38
William Knapman Son 14 Office Boy colliery Office
Douglas Knapman Son 12 Son
13 Mary Lloyd Widower 53 No Occupation
Arthur Lloyd Son 19 No Occupation
Stanley Lloyd Son 14 School
14 Walter Page Head 41 Retired Engineer Royal Navy
Cecilia Page Wife 25
John Page Son 5
William Page Son 3
Katherine page Daughter 1
15 Rachel Jones Head 50 No Occupation
Maud Johns Niece 38 No Occupation
16 C.M.Walters Head 40 Architect
R.S.Walters Brother 34 Auctineer Clerk
Aubrey Rogers Nephew 14 Schoolboy
Tracey Thompson House Keeper 33 houseKeeper
17 Percival Tramlett Head 31 Engineer Railway Company
Florence Tramlett Wife 24
19 John Harris Head 57 Drappery Buyer
Jamie Harris Wife 55
20 Alfred Hopkins Head 38 Commercial Traveller - Chemical
Maggie Hopkins Wife 37
Kenneth Hopkins Son 8
Margaret Hopkins Daughter 10
21 Benjamin Rees Head 38 Grocer
Rachel Rees Wife 36
Blodwen Rees Daughter 11
Brinley Rees Son 7
Mabel Morgan Sister in Law 25 Milliner
Mary Lloyd Servant 21 Single
22 William Thomas Head 32 Tailor
Gertrude Thomas Wife 28
23 Joseph Bradley Head 47 Drapery Cutter
Annie Bradley Wife 45
Gladys Bradley Daughter 22
The following images in the Westbourne Grove gives an idea of how the area looked at the turn of the century:
The leaders of the first chapel were John Jones, a blacksmith born in Llangyfelach, James Matthews, a gardener born in Wiltshire, who led the singing, and later John Rogers a market gardener born in Pembrokeshire, who set up the Sunday School.They were joined by Charles Blewitt Jenkins, a Pembrokeshire tailor.
Henry Thomas, a market gardener from Gower, converted the old chapel in 1870, took over leadership from John Jones. George Blundell, a blacksmith, was Sunday School Superintendent and a leading temperance campaigner.
The members all lived locally and many had moved into the village from away.
In the 1860’s two widows of Wesleyan Ministers, Mrs Rees and Mrs Rawlings, settled in Swansea with their children. Mrs Rees lived at Bryn-y-Groes, Sketty and took a prominent role supporting the chapel. Two of the Rawlings sons became Ministers. A third, John Adams Rawlings married a daughter of Mrs Rees, and stayed in Swansea as a doctor, Local Preacher, J.P., Councillor, member of the Board of Guardians and a tireless temperance campaigner.
. Mrs Rees was a strong supporter of this church until her death in 1909. The 1897 Place-names of Wales 1897 defines Bryn y Groes, as meaning the "hill of the cross". The following map shows Wesbourne Grove, Bryn yr Groes and the proximity to the Weslyan chapel on Gower road.
Westbourne Grove/Avenue in 1878 was a lane which led to a large field before the current grave yard and gave additional access to Bryn Y Groes
In 1875 the foundation stone of the current Weslyan chapel was laid by Henry Hussey Vivian, M.P. of the copper works family, who had built St Paul’s Church. On 11th December 1876 the chapel was opened, with a procession down from the old chapel on the hill in Gower Road at a cost of £2,500.
Little changed at 1896
It is very plausable that the churches would have held fairs and money raising events on the field next to Westbourne Grove, newspaper reports suggest the Bethel chapel was often holding fund raising events for an extension they were trying to obtain in the 1900’s.
1896
South wales daily post 1910:
The first occupiers to Wesbourne Grove 1921
House Name Status Age Occupation Notes
no.
1 Sidney John Joslyn Head 46 Solicitors Clerk
Alice Joslyn Wife 47 Additional Child died
Clifford Sydney Joslyn Son 16 Railway Clerk
Murial Joslyn Daughter 11 School
Vivian Joslyn Son 8
Bernard Joslyn Son 9
2 Thomas Coyswell Widower 65 Merchants Clerk
Alice Coyswell Daughter 34
George coyswell Son 23 Shipping Agents Clerk
3 Evan Rees Widower 45 Traveller
Mary Jane Rees single 46 Home keeper
4 Ernest Jones Head 30 Drappery Commercial Traveller
Blodwen Jones Wife 28
Ernald ray Jones Son 3 mnths
Gwen Hill Servent 18 Domestic Servent
5 Evan Thomas Head 36 Shop assistant - Clothing
Margaret thomas Wife 33
Griffith Davies Single 26 Shop assistant - Clothing
7 John Dimond Head 30 Mechanical Engineer Colliery Tin Plate Mills
Jane Elizabeth Dimond Wife 30
Vera Diond Daughter 1
9 John Boxall Head 38 Commercial Traveller Cattle Food & Seeds
Rosina boxall Wife 28 One Child Died
10 Fred Kimberley Head 46 Engineer draughtsman
Eleanor Kimberley Wife 47 Additional One Child died
Dorethy Kimberley daughter 9
11 Margaret Gardner Head 31 Shop Assistant drapper
Florence James Daughter 36
Gladys James Niece 6
12 John Knapman Head 38 Sorting Clerk Post Office
Florance Knapman Wife 38
William Knapman Son 14 Office Boy colliery Office
Douglas Knapman Son 12 Son
13 Mary Lloyd Widower 53 No Occupation
Arthur Lloyd Son 19 No Occupation
Stanley Lloyd Son 14 School
14 Walter Page Head 41 Retired Engineer Royal Navy
Cecilia Page Wife 25
John Page Son 5
William Page Son 3
Katherine page Daughter 1
15 Rachel Jones Head 50 No Occupation
Maud Johns Niece 38 No Occupation
16 C.M.Walters Head 40 Architect
R.S.Walters Brother 34 Auctineer Clerk
Aubrey Rogers Nephew 14 Schoolboy
Tracey Thompson House Keeper 33 houseKeeper
17 Percival Tramlett Head 31 Engineer Railway Company
Florence Tramlett Wife 24
19 John Harris Head 57 Drappery Buyer
Jamie Harris Wife 55
20 Alfred Hopkins Head 38 Commercial Traveller - Chemical
Maggie Hopkins Wife 37
Kenneth Hopkins Son 8
Margaret Hopkins Daughter 10
21 Benjamin Rees Head 38 Grocer
Rachel Rees Wife 36
Blodwen Rees Daughter 11
Brinley Rees Son 7
Mabel Morgan Sister in Law 25 Milliner
Mary Lloyd Servant 21 Single
22 William Thomas Head 32 Tailor
Gertrude Thomas Wife 28
23 Joseph Bradley Head 47 Drapery Cutter
Annie Bradley Wife 45
Gladys Bradley Daughter 22
The following images in the Westbourne Grove gives an idea of how the area looked at the turn of the century:
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