As a retired one time worker at the former Felindre Tinplate Works (Llangyfelach) and later at Trostre Works (Llanelli) where tinplate was and is still manufactured by continuous cold rolling strip mills and electrolytic tinning lines, I was always interested and fascinated by the stories and tales of fellow workers older than myself who had toiled in the old hand mills and hot dip system. It was interesting to visit the old mothballed tinplate works at Kidwelly / Cydweli. It was a top example of an industrial museum. Sadly this has museum has been closed for some years. It should be a small tourist gem for this corner of Carmarthenshire and Wales generally. I’m told it became a non public area due to stability concerns of its tall chimney stack. Others (not me) say that was just an excuse to shut it and that the stack is in fact stable. Can someone from appropriate Authority explain what the issues are? It is a unique bit of world industrial archaeology that needs preservation and re-opening. At its peak the Welsh Tinplate industry employed tens of thousands, including women, in gruelling work conditions. Carmarthenshire County Council now has its finger in this pie. Plaid Council Leader Darren Price should be banging on the doors of funders like Heritage Lottery and Mark Drakeford’s Senedd Office. The Senedd recently forked out about £4million to buy a farm for “Green” Festivals. Money was no problem for that, despite budget cuts, so why not Cydweli Tinplate works? Whilst at it, what about on site Jac Wardell’s barber’s shed and the few old tinplate relics in the Trostre cottage ?
I.Richard, Swansea
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Mr. Ioan Richard, 23, Mountain Rd., Craigcefnparc, Swansea SA6 5RH. 17-8-23
01792 843861 aptrefor@yahoo.co.uk
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Hansard 23-3-1927 at a time of industrial depression 96 yrs ago :-
The estimated number of insured workpeople in the tinplate industry of South Wales and Monmouthshire at July, 1925, was 24,680 as compared with 28,630 at July, 1926.
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Yes re-open it,it’s a shame that this is left to decay.
Thanks for the post,something needs to be done SOON it is a huge asset to Cydweli.
Good question it’s been closed for too long
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