Grace's Guide
British Industrial History
Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 146,714 pages of information and 232,164 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.
W. Gilbertson and Co
From Graces Guide
Comet Steels of Pontardawe, near Swansea, South Wales
William Gilbertson (1810-1882) of Cwmavon, Glamorgan, was a leading citizen in Pontardawe and the founder of Messrs. William Gilbertson and Company Limited.
1860 Company established.
1862 London Exhibition [1].
1860s Acquired Primrose Forge and Tinplate Works at Pontardawe.
1900 Faced with increased demand for tinplate and sheet steel, the Gilbertsons decided to increase capacity by building a new steelworks on a site adjacent to Port Talbot Dock, in conjunction with Miss Emily Talbot of Margam who provided a lease on the land. A private company was formed: Port Talbot Iron and Steel Co.
1904 Mr F. W. Gilbertson of F.(sic) W. Gilbertson and Co, steel, tinplate and galvanizing works at Pontardawe, gave evidence to the Tariff Commission[2].
1910 Galvanizing had taken the place of tinplate manufacture; W. Gilbertson and Co acquired tinplate from Bryanman; installed 6 new tinplate mills[3]
1914 Manufacturers of Siemens steel. Specialities: tinplates, terne plates, aluminium coated plates, galvanized sheets, high carbon and soft steel billets and bars, basic slag meal. Employees 1,600. [4]
1919 March. Advert for Comet Steels with 2,500 tons produced every week. [5]
1934 Acquired by Richard Thomas and Co[6]
1937 Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. Tinplate, Blackplate, Galvanizing and Sheet Mills. (Stand No. D.328) [7]
See [2] for map. The site is now occupied by housing.[8]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1862 London Exhibition: Catalogue: Class I.: W. Gilbertson and Co
- ↑ The Times, Apr 25, 1904
- ↑ The Times, Feb 23, 1910
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book
- ↑ The Autocar 1919/03/29 p24
- ↑ The Times, Mar 20, 1934
- ↑ 1937 British Industries Fair Page 368
- ↑ [1] GGAT 130: The Sinews of War: South East Wales Industry and The First World War, 2015, Report for CADW by Johnny Crawford. See pp.40-1
- [3] Archives Network Wales