Blue Plaques - Family Connections

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 Charles Baring, a family member of Baring Bank, the oldest British merchant bank founded in 1762 until its collapse in 1995. Baring seems to be a man of mystery, as I can’t find any information in regards to who he was. The only thing I have found is an application for a Gamekeeper for Sketty Hall during 1823, when he purchased the property, and the final entry is in the trade directory during 1830, the year before he left. During his tenancy, Baring made extensive changes to Sketty Hall, which included an additional extra floor, to the original house. The architect is unknown.
The next owner of Sketty Hall in 1831, was the proprietor of the Cambrian Pottery and keen naturalist, Quaker Lewis Weston Dillwyn (left), who bought the property for £3,800 (£426,600 today). A blue plaque placed on Sketty Hall commemorates Dillwyn. Architect Edward Haycock was employed; he changed the main entrance from the south side to north, as it is today. Dillwyn’s only connection with Swansea was a family connection to George Haynes. Haynes was the managing partner of Cambrian Pottery in 1786, becoming sole proprietor trading under the name of Haynes & Co. In 1802, William Dillwyn, father of Lewis invested a large amount of capital into the business, with his son Lewis, taking an active role in the business also taking instruction from his father. By 1810, Haynes terminated his arrangement and left the business, thus making Dillwyn the sole manager. After the purchase of Sketty Hall in 1831, Lewis, was one the founders of the Royal Institution of Wales. Lewis died at Sketty Hall in 1855, and is buried at the Quakers Burial Ground, Tottenham. The Hall remained empty for 17 years until 1872 when Frank Ash Yeo, took the leasehold. Yeo was a colliery owner, and director of Swansea Bank and Swansea Blast Furnace Company, and in 1874 was Mayor of Swansea and in 1878 Chairman of Swansea Harbour Trust. During his tenancy of Sketty Hall, he added a dining hall at the east side of the north side. Yeo died in 1888.
Sketty Hall again lay empty till 1898, when the freehold was bought by the then 63-year old Richard Glynn Vivian. All of the works that were carried out by Vivian were done before 1902, when he went blind. He added the Italianate detail and balconies; the parapets were extended with continuous balustrades and urns. Vivian died in 1910, and Sketty Hall was left to his sister-in-law, Averil Vivian. Her daughter and son-in-law, Violet Averil and George Tryon lived here. Sketty Hall and 35 acres of land were sold in 1936 to the County Borough of Swansea.
During the Second World War, Sketty Hall was requisitioned and used by the Air Raid Precautions Area Headquarters. After the war, British Iron and Steel Research Association used Sketty Hall as a research centre for the Steel Industry. In 1993, Sketty Hall was completely renovated and used by Swansea College.
Today Sketty Hall is Grade II listed, owned by Gower College and used for hosting social functions, business functions and conferences.
Amy Dillwyn
Situated on a wall at the entrance of a Nursing Home on Mumbles Road, is a blue plaque commemorating Amy Dillwyn. Amy was born Elizabeth Amy Dillwyn, at Hendrefoilan House, Sketty in 1845. She was the daughter of Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn and Elizabeth De la Beche. De la Beche Road in Sketty is named after Elizabeth’s father Henry De la Beche, a geologist. Amy’s grandfather was Lewis Weston Dillwyn.
Amy is notably remembered for being a novelist. Author of six successful books including The Rebecca Rioter (1880); Chloe Arguelle (1881); A Burglary or Unconscious Influence (1883); Jill (1884); Nant Olchfa (1886-7); Jill and Jack (1887) and Maggie Steele’s Diary (1892). Amy is also thought to have discovered the literary talents of Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island (1883).
Amy (left) the business-woman, is remembered for securing 300 jobs at her father’s zinc-smelting works. At the time of Lewis Llewelyn’s death in 1892, the works situated at Llansamlet, was in financial difficulties with a deficit of £100,000 (£10,680,000 today). The works were established in 1858. Lewis Llewelyn’s creditors were compensated in 1896 when the works were under the administration of Amy and James Cortfield, manager. By 1902, the works were known as Dillwyn & Co. It made a huge turn-around making it one of the largest producers of zinc in the country, with annual profits of £10,000.
Amy the social benefactor is remembered for being a supporter of social justice, including better education and votes for women, and supporting workplace improvements. During 1911, she called for a boycott of Ben Evans, where striking seamstresses were protesting against their working conditions.  Also, during 1911 Amy along with Roger Beck each laid a commemorative stone at the Swansea Ragged School in Pleasant Street. Amy was also one of the earliest members the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies.
Amy lived at Ty Glyn, Mumbles Road, now Plas Newydd Care, Nursing Home (right) from 1906 until her death in 1935.
Amy never married after her fiancé, Llewelyn Thomas’ death in 1864, but she had a close friendship with Olive Talbot, one of the wealthiest women of Wales. In her will, Amy left an estate valued at £114,513 7s 9d (£7 million today). Her ashes are buried in her parent’s grave, at St. Paul’s church, Sketty.
The blue plaque was unveiled by The Amy Dillwyn Society
Copyright - The Bay Magazine, July 2019





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