Llanelly.
South Wales Pottery.—These works, belonging to Messrs. Holland & Guest, are now the only blue and white earthenware manufactory in the principality. They were established in 1839 by William Chambers Jun., Esq., of Llanelly House, Llanelly, who carried on the manufacture of earthenware for home and foreign markets, with different managers, up to the end of 1854. The general classes of goods manufactured were for the home trade, and included white or cream colour, edged, dipt, painted, and printed wares. Other descriptions of goods, viz., coloured bodies, figured, enamelled, and parian, were tried and worked for a time, but soon discontinued. It was also intended, a few years after starting the pottery, to commence the making of china, and a kiln was built specially for that purpose, but the idea was then abandoned, and porcelain has never been made at these works. For some two or three years, about 1850, a large quantity of white granite, printed, and flown printed ware, was made for the United States market, the crates being sent per vessel from Llanelly to Liverpool for transshipment. During the first few years after the commencement of these works the principal trade was by coasting vessels carrying coals to ports in England and Ireland, and by carts and waggons inland. When the South Wales Railway (now Great Western, South Wales section) was opened to Swansea, crates of earthenware for forwarding were frequently sent there by road, twelve miles, till the continuation of the railway past Llanelly was opened.
At the end of 1854 the business of the South Wales Pottery was transferred to Messrs. Coombs and Holland, who were then connected in the management, and they carried on the works till May, 1858, when there was a dissolution of partnership, and Mr. W. T. Holland continued the business alone till November, 1869, when he was joined in partnership by Mr. D. Guest, under the firm of Holland & Guest. The trade after 1854 was chiefly local or South Wales, with the West of England districts and South of Ireland for seven or eight years, when there was a partial discontinuance of travelling, and introduction of orders for foreign markets, as for South America, Brazil, Chili, East Indies, France, and the Mediterranean, so that the working became about half for foreign markets. The goods produced consist of a variety of table, tea, and toilet services, and other ordinary articles in printed and flown printed earthenware of average quality, and the usual classes of white, cream-coloured, sponged and painted wares.
It is interesting to add that the copper-plates formerly in use at the other earthenware potteries in South Wales—now discontinued working, viz., the Landore, the Ynisymudw, and the Cambrian Pottery, Swansea—were purchased for the South Wales Pottery, and selections of patterns made from these (as well as more modern styles) have been introduced in patterns and shapes. Mr. Holland was an exhibitor at the International Exhibition of 1862.