Charles William Nevill 1816-1888

The Nevill family

1868

Charles William was Deputy Lieutenant of the County and High Sheriff.

1869

A newspaper report of September noted:

‘The Workmen’s Petition – The workmen in the employ of Messrs. Sims, Willyams, Nevill and Company, at the Copper Works, Lead Works and the Copper Works Coal Yard, having been in the habit of having their coals allowed them free of charge, have received notices of the discontinuance of the supply of the same after the 14th instant.

Upon a general consideration of the matter, the workmen have come to the conclusion to humbly petition their employers, with a view to remedying the forthcoming evil, and some six of the oldest workmen from the several works have waited upon Mr C W Nevill, at the Copper Works Office, and tendered in the petition, duly signed by the workmen in the several works, and from the cheerful manner with which they were received by Mr Nevill, hopes are entertained of the continuance of this great boon.’

The following is a copy of the petition:

‘To Messrs. Sims, Willyams, Nevill and Co. Gentlemen,

'We the undersigned workmen in your employ at the Copper Works, Lead Works and the Copper Works Coal Yard, Llanelly, do hereby petition you under the following circumstances, sincerely hoping that the prayer of our petition will receive your favourable consideration.

‘It has been intimated to use by the managers of the works that the usual supply of coals, which you have so kindly granted us since the starting of the works in 1805 and 1847 respectively, is to be stopped after the 14th instant. ‘Now, we need not point out to you the severe hardships such a course will entail upon us as a body generally, and especially on the large number of old men, some of whom have been in your employ over fifty years, and others who are invalids, as well as a large number of poor widows and orphans of men who have spent their lives in your employment.

‘We are well aware of the present depression of trade, and the consequent diminution of your profits, but we beg to submit to you that trade has been quite as depressed before, yet you continued to us our usual supply of coal without any reduction in our wages.

‘And we would also remind you that when trade was brisk we have never agitated for increased wages; that there has never been any strike amongst us such as frequently take place in various parts of the country, as we have always considered a resort to such means to be injurious both to employers and employed.

'We therefore, trust you will permit us to have our coals as hitherto.

Fervently hoping that our prayer will be granted, we are, gentlemen, your obedient servants.’ – Llanelly, September 6, 1869.

On 16th September 1869 the following appeared:

‘The heavy loss the deduction of coal would entail upon a great number of the workmen renders the matter a serious one, and it is to be seriously hoped that the generous employers will give a favourable consideration to the fervent desires of the workmen in due course of time. Should this threatened determination on the part of the employers be adhered to, winter with its scourging ravages will unavoidably inflict a misery upon many who are wholly unable to protect themselves against it’.

1873

The Copperworks was managed by Nevill Druce & Company.

Charles William Nevill was a Trustee of the Llanelly Benefit Building Society with Sir John Stepney and William Roderick Manager of South Wales & West of England Bank.

1874

Charles William Nevill was the first Member of Parliament for the United Carmarthen and Llanelly Boroughs elected under the new Ballot System.

1875

On 22 October the marriage took place between Caroline, third daughter of Charles William Nevill, MP and R W Peel, at Felinfoel.

1876

Charles William Nevill was President of the Llanelly & Mynydd Mawr Railway and helped to establish the Sailors’ Homes in Seaside.

Resigned as MP for the Tory Party.

1880

Charles William Nevill retired from the Chairmanship of the Board of Guardians.

1881

Hugh Nevill (son of Charles William) was appointed a Magistrate.

1886

Hugh Nevill, the fourth son of Charles William Nevill, married Maud, daughter of Frederick Elkington of Sion Hill, Wolverly, Worcestershire.

1888

Charles William Nevill, JP and Deputy Lieutenant, son of Richard Janion Nevill and grandson of Charles Nevill senior died. For a long time before his death he suffered ill health, being paralysed and blind.

1889

The Will of Charles William Nevill was proved in February.

Sale of Charles William Nevill’s estates and freehold properties described as a ‘Great Sale of Freehold Properties.’

The sale details said:

‘This sale affords an unusual opportunity to capitalists, merchants, tradesmen, and others to become their own landowners, an opportunity seldom vouchsafed in this district. The whole of the freehold property is eligibly situate within easy distance of the town and railway station. To those desirous of obtaining land on which to erect freehold suburban residences, or anxious of becoming their own freeholders, no better opportunity could present itself, for Glanlliedi, Bryngwyn, Llandafen, Penceiliogi, Genwen, Llwyncelyn and Tirmel farms are properties on most eligible sites, and which in the near future, with extension of the trade of the town must considerably increase in value.’

1908

Charles William Nevill’s three daughters, Catherine, Emily and Blanche left Llanelli and went to live in Malvern, Worcestershire.

1924

Hugh Nevill’s Will was proved.

1937

Blanche Nevill died in January.

Obituaries to Charles William Nevill

Note This Obituary states that Charles Nevill was born in 1753, but records clearly indicate that he was born in 1754.

The Cambrian, Friday 15th June 1888

The Late Mr C W Nevill

Llanelly has received a heavy blow and South Wales generally has undergone a serious loss by the death of Charles William Nevill, Esq., of Westfa, Llanelly at the age of 73.

The Nevills, whose name is a household word in this part of the country, are of Warwickshire descent. The first of the family who came into Wales was Mr Charles Nevill who was born in 1753.

He came to Swansea and founded a copper works here in the last quarter of the 18th century. Early in the present century a move was made to the westward, where Mr Nevill, in company with some other gentlemen, started copper and other works, which have been successfully carried on from that day to the present time. Mr Charles Nevill died in 1813 and was succeeded by his son Mr R J Nevill.

The next son Mr C W Nevill, who has now been removed by death was born in 1816 and educated at Swansea Grammar School where he was a contemporary of Mr Justice Grove and Lord Aberdare.

He afterwards proceeded to Rugby and came under the good influence of the great Dr Arnold. In 1841 he married the daughter of the late David Davies of Swansea and then settled down to the management of business at Llanelly, where he fulfilled throughout a long life all the duties of a good master, a good citizen and a benefactor to his poorer neighbours.

Mr Nevill sat in Parliament having won his seat under the then new Ballot Act and held many important offices of honour and responsibility in the local community. The whole district is cast into mourning at his death and the greatest sympathy is expressed for his bereaved widow and family. His remains were followed to their last resting place by a large concourse of people of all classes.

Amongst the mourners being the respected widow of deceased Mrs C W Nevill, who leaned on the arm of her son Mr Hugh Nevill, Mrs R W Peel, Miss Nevill, the Misses Emily, Blanche and Gertrude Nevill, Mr Richard Nevill, Miss Lina Nevill, Messrs Frank and W Y Nevill, Mr W H Nevill, Messrs Ernest and Richard Nevill, Ferryside, the Venerable Archdeacon Nevill, Rev Canon Williams and Mrs Williams, Mrs Hugh Nevill, Messrs Rees Goring Thomas, Howell Jeffreys and R W Peel. Amongst the assembly were Messrs Thomas Jones (Clerk of the Peace for Carmarthenshire), Mansel Rees, G B Elkington, William Thomas, Henry Thomas, W J Buckley, R MacLaran, J H Rogers, William Howell, D C Edwards, Ernest Trubshaw, R Margrave, Major Bythway, Meyler Daniel, J Mead, Innes, Benjamin Thomas, J B Risley, H J Howell, R Rees, J B Phillips, David Euans – Hennet, Joseph Maybery, W R Rogers, Aaron Stone, William Evans, David Thomas, James Thomas, E Letcher, John G Thomas, Thomas Johnson, Arthur Mee, J A Williams, F G Gough, D W Rees, W Bowen, W H Cox, W Griffiths, A W Swindell, T H Rogers, T Jones, J E Jones, W D Smith, J Gower, Bevan Phillips, James Daw, S N Powell, John George, C Jenkins, Daniel Williams, David Rees, Kammerer.

Death and Funeral of C W Nevill

15.6.1888

Mr C W Nevill JP of Westfa and Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Carmarthen died on Thursday. Deceased was the eldest son of the late Richard J Nevill Llangennech Park.

The funeral took place on Monday morning. The place of interment was Felinfoel Churchyard near Llanelly.

The officiating clergy were the Revs. Canon Williams, J W Roberts and Anthony Britten and the surpliced choir took part in the service.

The coffin was polished oak with brass mountings: it was covered with a profusion of wreaths, and a large number of these memorials were also placed around the grave.

The attendance was very large comprising besides the widow and relatives of deceased, a number of local public men and many of the employees of the deceased gentleman.

Throughout the town there were numerous signs of mourning and the sympathy felt with the Westfa family who are greatly beloved is widespread and sincere.