Kenneth Morris was born on 31 July 1879, at Wernoleu, near Ammanford, in Carmarthenshire, Wales. His father was Arthur Vennor Morris (1849-1885) and his mother Rosa, née Leach (1845-1883). Kenneth's father was one of the sons of William Morris (c. 1812-1885) and his wife Ann, née Chivers (c. 1808-1902).
The marriage of William Morris and Ann Chivers in the early 1830s brought together two prosperous Ammanford area families. From the 1820s and 1830s, the Morris and Chivers families were associated with the Amman Bridge Chemical Works, later known as the Pontamman Chemical Works. There is a quite extensive Town of Ammanford website, located here, from which I have extracted relevant quotations below and a few photographs.
Kenneth's life in Ammanford lasted only from his birth in 1879 through around 1885 or 1886, following the deaths of his mother in September 1883, his grandfather in early 1885, and his father in August 1885. The deaths came at the same time as new tariffs took effect which crippled the family business. Kenneth and his siblings were sent to his mother's family in Wiltshire, though he did occasionally return to visit relatives.
Morris's family had owned three manor houses, Wernoleu (where Kenneth was born), Pontamman, and Brynhyfred. Pontamman was the northernmost and largest of the three, with Wernoleu only a few hundred feet to the south. Bryhyfryd, the smaller of the three, was about a half mile away, to the south and a bit to the west. When Morris visited in the summer of 1886, when he was almost seven, only Brynhyfred remained in the family, owned by his cousin Ivor Morris.
In later years Kenneth would write some poems reminiscing about these houses and their gardens. (I will post these as blog entries in the near future.)
Meanwhile, here is a photo of Wernoleu from a 1903 auction listing, along with the auction description:
And some extracts from the Town of Ammanford website as they pertain to Kenneth's family.
The Amman Bridge Chemical Works is believed to have been the first major industrial venture (other than coal mining) in the area. It contained two factories, one processing timber (felled from forests in the locality) into charcoal, along with white and brown vitriol/vinegar, and the other producing paint. Initially there were three ovens and four machine shops, increased later to twenty-one ovens and twenty-four machine shops. The workforce in 1871 was recorded as 62 males, 13 women and 26 boys, working a twelve hour shift at a wage of eighteen shillings for a six day week.
A group of chemical workers at Pontamman circa 1900. With no extraction or ventilation equipment the grinding machines preparing the paint pigments were hazardous, to say the least: workmen at the end of the shift were literally covered in powder dust and it wasn't unusual to see red- or green-faced men in the hamlet. Depending on their colouring, management were able to judge how hard they had performed on the shift. The smart lads, however, avoided strenuous efforts by adorning their faces with colour dye in an attempt to confuse their masters. Irrespective of these little tricks, working conditions were deplorable and washing bowls or any other washing facilities were unknown.
In other matters concerning welfare of workers they were a little more far-sighted (mainly due to the influence of Anne Morris, the wife of William Morris, the proprietor), and around 1840 a school was set up for children of the employees, what today would be described as a creche. The school was located in a separate building on the opposite side of the road – official reports record it as the Pontamman Chemical Works School. In 1877 there were 38 pupils on the register; in 1880, 34; and in 1882, 50 children.
These premises were also utilised for religious purposes, being entered in the Religious Census in 1851 as a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, having seating capacity for 72, with attendance at morning and evening services being then registered as 35. Mr William Morris was named as steward.
Some records of this school have come down to us and offer a glimpse into a school system barely recognizable to us now after a century of state-funded education. Until a Parliamentary Act in 1902 transferred responsibility for elementary education to local County Councils just about anyone could open and run a school. In practice schools were run either by private individuals or voluntary bodies and the two main voluntary bodies of the nineteenth century were governed by religious interests.
On the technical side, management at Pontamman Chemical Works were advanced for their day, installing a generator for production of electricity, the first plant to operate in the district. Sons Edward Sumner Morris and Herbert L. Morris followed into the business. Financial difficulties appeared in 1887 which split the identity of the company, forming a partnership with the Callard brothers (who until this period had been employees at the works). . . .
Pontamman House
Pontamman House was one of the gentry manor houses of the area, dating back to the early 1800s, and known also by other names – Maes-y-Felin (Mill Field) or Plas-y-Felin (Mill Mansion). It was the residence of William Morris, who not only became involved in the Amman Bridge Chemical Works, but was known as the peacemaker of the valley, an industrial arbitrator respected by all parties, gaining recognition for his diplomacy in settling arguments and disputes that arose from time to time in the town's workplaces.
In the 1890s, Pontamman House became the residence of Samuel Callard, who by this time was a partner in the Pontamman Chemical Works. . . .
Brynhyfryd
Brynhyfryd (translated – 'bryn' is a 'hill' and 'hyfryd', is 'pleasant' – a pleasant hill).
The house is believed to have been built by a Mr Samuel Chivers, around about the mid 1800s.
The Chivers' family were connected with the chemical manufacturing industry in Pontamman, creating a very successful vinegar and pickling business and achieved national repute for over 120 years. In the 1920s, the property was acquired by the Amalgamated Anthracite Company Ltd. who converted the premises into offices. At one time it was occupied by the financial section of the company where, every Friday, colliers would queue at the pay hatch to collect their hard earned wage packet.
The National Coal Board placed Brynhyfryd on the market in 1965 and the new owner re-instated the premises to its original use as a private residence.
Wernoleu
Wernoleu is situated on land which was originally part of an old farmstead. On the Ordnance Survey map of 1831 it is shown as 'Gelli Grafod'– 'gelli' is a wood or copse and 'grafod' means 'gravely' so the word translated means, roughly, 'a gravely wood'. On the 1875 Ordnance Survey map the farmstead has disappeared and in its place is a property called Wernoleu, meaning 'the location of the alder trees'.
Wernoleu, originally designed as a gentleman's residence, was built about 1872 by the Morris family who became involved in the nearby Amman Bridge Chemical Works; the grounds were laid out as park land with an imposing selection of trees, an ornamental lake, and a large walled garden.
After the Second World War, Pontamman House was converted into three smaller residences, but it still stands, according to this listing (with photos).
Brynhyfryd House still stands too, according to this listing (also with photos)
Wernoleu eventually became a residential hotel, confusingly called the Ammanford Hotel, but it is now permanently closed. See here.
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