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Kidwelly Tinplate Works was established in 1737 - the second in Britain. Charles Gwynn, the founder, encountered many problems as did others, but the basic necessities were there - water power, iron from nearby and a port to receive tin from Cornwall. |
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Over seven years in the 1860's water power was changed to steam power by Jacob Chivers using local coal. The works had many ups and downs in its history, naturally affecting the fortune of Kidwelly town itself. At its peak in 1908, it employed between 350-400 people; but during periodic closures there was great poverty and distress. |
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From 1737 - 1941 Kidwelly Tinplate Works was the major employer of the Kidwelly district. The works finally closed in 1941 when, because of the war, the supply of tin from Malaya dried up. After the closure the site was used for the storage of many things, but the machinery was left there. |
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A Brief History of Tinplate
Tin was known long before iron and was mixed with copper to make bronze, as early as 3500 B.C.
The oldest known object of pure tin was a bangle found at Lesbos, Greece, believed to have been made around 2650 - 2550 B.C. Tin was first used to decorate wood, metal, leather and pottery. Many Roman objects were tin coated. The Roman scholar, Pliny, wrote that tinning was invented at Bourges in Gaul (France), but equally ancient tinned bronze articles have been found in Germany and Russia.
It is not known when iron was first tinned, especially since tinned iron is far more perishable than tinned copper. In the 12th century, however, it must have been common because a monk wrote: "whatever you wish to tin over in iron, file first and before you touch it with the hand, throw it in the pot of molten tin with grease and stir with tongs until it becomes white. Early examples of tinned iron can be seen at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
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A 13th century tinned iron key was found at Port Talbot in 1951 when the steelworks was being constructed. Unfortunately its whereabouts is unknown.
These objects were made first and then tinned.
The first tinplates were made by tinning a hammered iron sheet. Objects could then be fashioned from this sheet.
It is believed that tinplate was first made at Wunseidel in Bavaria in the 14th century. In 1483 an English customs document shows that tinned iron was imported from Germany. The industry spread from Germany to many countries.
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The Thirty Years War, 1618 - 1648, caused production difficulties for Germany, and in 1623, in Britain, John Title and others started schemes to make tinplate in this country, but without lasting success. They tried 'industrial espionage' even in those days, visiting Germany to discover the process there, but it was not until the early 1700's that any success was reported. Tinplate was produced in Bisham-on Thames for a few years after 1700, and in 1703 an import tariff was imposed to encourage the trade in Britain.
It was the rolled iron plate for tinning which made all the difference to development. The rolling-mill had been in existence before 1500 in Italy, but for other metals, and used by Leonardo Da Vinci and Benvenuto Cellini to stamp out medals and coins from strips of silver and gold. In 1680 there was a rolling mill for iron nails in Staffordshire, but the important year was 1697 when a rolling mill was set up at Pontypool by Capel Hanbury and his son, John.
In the same year the antiquary, Edward Lhwyd, visited the works and was greatly impressed. There is no evidence that the 'blackplate' was being used for tinplate at this date. Indeed it is uncertain when tinplate manufacture started at Pontypool, but it was being marketed by 1730. However John Hanbury is regarded the founder of the modern tinplate industry. |
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