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People from the past

William Chambers

When Sir John Stepney, 8th Baronet died in 1811, he left his estate to a succession of named English friends and their male line. By the terms of his Will, Richard Henry Alexander Bennett and George James the Earl of Cholmondeley, became joint inheritors.

With the death of the Earl of Cholmondeley in April 1827, the estate passed to William Chambers of Bicknor in Kent, who moved to Llanelli and made Llanelly House his home.

For the first time in 55 years management of the estate was no longer in the hands of Agents, and the owner took full control.

William Chambers arrived at a time of great change for Llanelli. Industrialists, entrepreneurs and speculators had all poured into the town in an attempt to make their fortunes. Richard Janion Nevill, Manager of the Copperworks, took over the business interests of Alexander Raby and General Warde, and the Pembertons had decided to give up their coal mining interests following the failure of the Llwyncyfarthwch venture.

Sir John Stepney, 8th Baronet, unlike his predecessors, appears to have been more interested in foreign affairs than in the industrial development of the town, so when William Chambers took possession of the estate and Mansion House, both had suffered greatly from neglect. The once grand Llanelly House, had fallen into disrepair and was rented out as lodgings and offices.

After 1830 Chambers renovated Llanelly House, which became the family home, and he took an active part in the industrial, social and political development of the town. He encouraged his son William Chambers junior, in his business ventures, especially when the Glamorgan Pottery in Swansea closed.

On 20th July 1835 William Chambers junior married Joanna Trant Payne.

William Chambers junior purchased certain plant and machinery from the closed pottery and persuaded a number of key workers to move to his newly established pottery at Llanelli. On Friday 23rd January 1841, about 60 gentlemen and prominent business people were invited to attend a celebration at the Ship and Castle (now the Stepney Hotel), to mark the opening of the new Pottery. The chairman was David Morris, MP who expressed the appreciation of the town and wished the venture every success.

William Chambers junior 1809-1882

William Chambers appears to have taken his responsibilities to the town seriously, and it was noted on 29th July 1843, that both he and Richard Janion Nevill, manager of the Copperworks, were prepared to cover the expense of providing a Rural Police presence which spared their tenants the expense.

In 1851 a scandal rocked the Chambers’ household at Llanelly House when a servant committed suicide, causing much speculation at the time.

William Chambers senior died in 1855, aged 81 years, and it appears that because he married when he was abroad his marriage was not recognised because it had not taken place before a Minister of the Anglican Church. In effect this meant that he had not married the mother of his children, even though she was described on her memorial in Llanelli Parish Church as ‘My dear wife’.

The reason he did not take steps to remedy the situation is not known; Chambers must have realised that his son could not inherit his estate, especially the Stepney Llanelli estate. The Stepney family were already aware of the situation and took action to regain the estate.

William Chambers junior left town shortly after his father died but he still retained an interest in the Pottery. His father had created many long leases in his favour, and it took years of litigation with the Stepney family to resolve the situation. When William Chambers junior left Llanelli in 1855, he sub-let the Pottery to Messrs Coombes and Holland. However, by 1858, because of financial difficulties, the partnership was dissolved and the lease was surrendered to Chambers.