SwanseaFamilyHistory

Remembrance 2019, will mark the 100 th anniversary, of the first Remembrance Sunday of 1919. The focus of the Remembrance in 1919, was to commemorate those soldiers who fell on Armistice Day, 11 th November 1918.   The events that unfolded during those early hours of 11 th November 1918,   on abroad the railway carriage situated in the Forest of Compiegne, north of Paris, where First Sea Lord Admiral Rosslyn Wemyss and Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch for the Allies, and Matthias Erzberger, civilian politician, Count Alfred von Oberndorff, Foreign Minister, Major General Detlof von Winterfeldt, army and Captain Ernst Vanselow, navy for Germany all key signatories on the Armistice of Compiegne . With the armistice signed, it wouldn’t be until 11.00 that morning that the guns would finally fall silent on the Western Front.   Figures from the Commonwealth War Grave Commission website show the number of dead who were either killed or died on the 11 th Novembe...

Swansea Market is today the largest indoor market in Wales. Situated on Oxford Street, it has been in this location for almost 200 years. Designed by Joseph Hall and built by John Thomas it was opened on 25th September 1830 by Thomas Thomas of Portreeve.  During the 1650s the market was located in the shadows of Swansea Castle. By 1774 the purpose-built market known as Market House was located at the top end of Wind Street. It was on one level and had a low roof which was sup-ported by pillars, but with no outer walls. With the population of Swansea growing, the land was needed for other purposes, so the market moved to the bigger location at Oxford Street. The original Market House was demolished during the 1870s. This new market had a wall and three entrances, at Oxford Street, Union Street and Orange Street. Still the market was open to the elements, but this was rectified during the 1890s by local architects J Buckley Wilson and Glendenning Moxham . The new market h...

THIS MONTH WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE DILLWYN FAMILY TO HAVE BLUE PLAQUES COMMEMORATING THEM. Sketty Hall Sketty Hall (below), situated in the north-west corner of Singleton Park, was built during the first half of the 18th century probably by Rawleigh Dawkin (later Mansel ). The original house was called New Hall. After Rawleigh’s death in 1749, the house was passed to his brother Mansel Dawkin (later Mansel ). They were the sons, of William Mansel Dawkin squire of Kilvrough Manor, Gower and Mary Mansel .  After Mansel’s death in 1767, Ralph Sheldon took a lease out on the property. Sheldon of Weston, Long Compton was the MP for Wilton, Wiltshire for a period of 18 years (1804-1822). During his tenancy at the Hall, Swansea architect William Jernegan , was employed to add a large block to the west end. During this new development New Hall was referred to for the first time as Sketty Hall. Sheldon died in 1822.  In 1823, Sketty Hall was sold to Char...