Working Lives Along the Water's Edge by Carol Powell
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor . . .
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The Victorian Village, c1885
The shoreline came up as far as The Methodist Church, when the bustling village went about its daily life . . .
In my article 'Making a Living From the Sea,' the names of some of those Victorian sea-faring folk who lived and worked out of the Horsepool Harbour were highlighted. This article, will focus on the names and occupations of some of the other villagers who lived and worked on shore.
The bustling village went about its daily life amidst noise, smoke, mud, aromas, pungent smells, the clip-clop of horses' hooves and gossip. It was a thriving community, very much a self-sufficient village, which in those days possessed a great variety of occupations, some of which no longer exist today.
Blacksmiths, such as George Clement or James Sanders, forged farming implements like scythes, hoes, ploughs and horseshoes. Jonathan Davies was a wheelwright; Mrs. Frances Jones, a sail-maker, Thomas Bennett, a boat-builder and Llewelyn Morgan, a ship's chandler. Benjamin Llewelyn was a stone mason, John Strick, a lime burner and David Callen, a coal dealer. William Collier was a postman and William Phillips, a draper. Ellen Prickett was a dressmaker; Catherine Llewellyn, a bonnetmaker, Edith Williams, a milliner and Jemima Delve, a glover. Ann Evans was a brush-maker, Charles Cottle sold laverbread and Mary Ace, seaweed. The earlier Hullins were weavers; Noah Davies was a cordwainer / shoemaker; there was a chandler (candlemaker) in the village and John Williams was a miller at Blackpill. There were charwomen such as Sarah Howells; Ann Tucker was a laundress and Jane Jones sold Pop.
John Jones was a sawyer; John John, a forester; Emily Morgan, a Bathing Machine operator; George Curtis, a threshing machine operator and Robert White lit the street gas lamps in the evening. David Kitto was a driver on the Mumbles Train and for horse-drawn transport, Alfred Pressdee, Edwin Peachey and Abel Vivian offered their services.
John Jones, Baker
Thought to be John and his Son, William David Eley, who worked in the shop prior to going to the War in 1914
There were butchers such as John Eley in The Dunns and John Morris in Gloucester Place; bakers like John Jones on Newton Road; grocers, Mary Jones and Daniel Morgan; and green-grocers such as Harry Davies; dairymen, John Beynon on Westbourne Place; Jenkins, the ironmonger in The Dunns; Constantine Kleiser, a watchmaker > and numerous publicans such as those at The Albion, Butcher's Arms and the Rhondda. Henry Harries was the Cemetery Keeper and Thomas Grimshaw, a Monumental Mason.
The Rhondda Hotel, Oystermouth
Youngsters Robert Michael and Mabel Higgs were donkey drivers; William Slade worked as a stableboy, George Gordon as an errand boy and George Hoppe was a Page at the Yacht Club.
Many others worked in domestic service in the 'Big' houses. Edward Malt was a coachman; Edna Attwell, a housemaid; Bruno Warmaty. a Butler and Edwin Pond, a Footman; among the Governesses was Frances Fowler and William Davies was a domestic gardener.
In 1891, James Morgan, a 'travelling tinman' or Tinker whose job was repairing pots and pans, was living with his wife and three step-children in tents on Clyne Common! There were Tailors a-plenty, among them, John Kingdon. James Capon was one of the Soldiers stationed in the Fort on the lighthouse island and there were many Sailors.
Soldiers stationed at the Fort
Typical donkey drivers and their charges
Sources:
1841-1891 Oystermouth censuses Pearse and Brown's Directory, 1869, Butcher's Directory, 1873-4, Kelly's Directory, 1884
I have also written a companion article, entitled Making a Living From the Sea
Carol Powell is a regular contributor to Mumbles Times and Oystermouth Radio