Bangor University DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Making Communities in Modern Wales Caernarfonshire in the Late Victorian and Early Edwardian Eras Rhydderch-Dart, Daniel Award date: 2020 Awarding institution: Bangor University Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 11. Oct. 2021 Making Communities in Modern Wales: Caernarfonshire in the Late Victorian and Edwardian Eras Daniel Rhydderch-Dart Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Bangor University April 2020 Abstract This study analyses local communities in Caernarfonshire in order to offer new perspectives on Welsh society in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras. This has been seen as a period of major change in Wales characterised by economic modernisation and national awakening. However, with some notable exceptions, previous research has mainly focused on the industrialised communities of the south Wales coalfield, and the diversity of experiences across Wales has been more often acknowledged than researched. After setting the subject in a wider historiographical context which highlights the limitations of established narratives and identifies key areas requiring investigation, the thesis devotes a series of chapters to case studies of Caernarfonshire’s urban, maritime and agricultural and industrial communities. The use of specific case studies aims to address the challenge posed by the complex and multilayered nature of communities. Caernarfonshire was geographically diverse and contained communities different in make-up and outlook. Agricultural areas were dominated by a few landowning families distanced by language, religion and politics from the majority of the county’s inhabitants. Fishing and maritime trade provided the economic basis for coastal communities such as Porthmadog, while the growth of the tourist trade in Llandudno gave rise to a different kind of community. The development of the slate industry, much of it by large landowners, transformed the county giving rise to population movement and industrial urbanisation. The urban communities studied are Caernarfon, Conwy and Pwllheli. The agricultural/maritime settlements analysed are Carnguwch, Tudweiliog, Pistyll and Betws-y-Coed and the industrial areas are upper Llanwnda and the lower part of Llanberis parish. The census returns for 1881 and 1901 form the basis of the analysis and profiling of the chosen communities. These sources, which are as inclusive as it is possible to be, help give a common analytical structure to the examination of the communities. This quantitative analysis is extended and enriched with qualitative evidence by using a wealth of other sources such as court records, council archives, school logbooks, contemporary reminiscences and newspapers which help to humanise the study. This combination of analytical methods facilitates the analysis of the selected communities in Caernarfonshire and how they developed and changed over the period. 2 3 Declaration Yr wyf drwy hyn yn datgan mai canlyniad fy ymchwil fy hun yw’r thesis hwn, ac eithrio lle nodir yn wahanol. Caiff ffynonellau eraill eu cydnabod gan droednodiadau yn rhoi cyfeiriadau eglur. Nid yw sylwedd y gwaith hwn wedi cael ei dderbyn o’r blaen ar gyfer unrhyw radd, ac nid yw’n cael ei gyflwyno ar yr un pryd mewn ymgeisiaeth am unrhyw radd oni bai ei fod, fel y cytunwyd gan y Brifysgol, am gymwysterau deuol cymeradwy. I hereby declare that this thesis is the results of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. All other sources are acknowledged by bibliographic references. This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree unless, as agreed by the University, for approved dual awards. 4 5 Acknowledgements I have again been fortunate to have Professor Huw Pryce as supervisor for my studies – as he was for my undergraduate dissertation and MRes degree. His rigour and insightful comments have been extremely valuable to my work. I also wish to thank him for his unfailing kindness. Dr. Neil Evans was appointed second supervisor. His expertise in the history of community development and in urban history enriched our discussions. He shared his knowledge and thoughts with generosity. I am most grateful to him. I also wish to thank Bangor University for granting me a fee waiver. This support was greatly appreciated. The members of staff in several libraries and archives have been most helpful. In particular the staff of the University of Bangor library have always been of great assistance. The Conwy Archive Service was helpful in pointing me in the right direction on several occasions. As always the Caernarfon Record Office of Gwynedd Archives Service has made me most welcome. In particular Mrs Lynn Francis and Miss Annwen Jones went far beyond the call of duty in providing information and guidance. Last but not least I wish to thank my parents for their support and for an upbringing which stressed the importance of history, the individual and our heritage. 6 7 Contents Declaration..................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 6 Illustrations .................................................................................................................... 9 Abbreviations used in footnotes .................................................................................. 12 Chapter 1: Setting the Scene: Ways and Means .......................................................... 13 Chapter 2: Three Boroughs: Communities in Transition ............................................ 37 Chapter 3: Rural Communities: Stagnation or Diversification? ................................ 116 Chapter 4: Two Communities in the Slate Quarrying Belt, ‘The Most Welsh of Welsh Industries’: Upper Llanwnda and Llanberis .............................................................. 192 Chapter 5: Conclusions: Making Communities......................................................... 249 Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 279 8 Illustrations Figure 1: Map of present-day Gwynedd........................................................................ 32 Figure 2: Llanberis Enumeration District 8 (1901). ..................................................... 35 Figure 3: Conwy population table................................................................................. 43 Figure 4: Pwllheli population table. ............................................................................. 43 Figure 5: Caernarfon population table. ........................................................................ 44 Figure 6: Population origins of Conwy in 1881............................................................ 46 Figure 7: Population origins of Conwy in 1901............................................................ 48 Figure 8: Population origins of Pwllheli in 1881. ........................................................ 49 Figure 9: Population origins of Pwllheli in 1901. ........................................................ 51 Figure 10: Population origins of Caernarfon in 1881. ................................................. 52 Figure 11: Population origins of Caernarfon in 1901. ................................................. 53 Figure 12: Conwy OS 25" IV.12 1913. The map shows the enumeration districts analysed and illustrates new housing outside the walls of the old town. ...................... 57 Figure 13: Pwllheli OS 25" XL8 1911. This map shows the majority of the area analysed including the old town and parts of the new development of Cardiff Road. The West End and promenade are not shown. ..................................................................... 60 Figure 14: CRO GAS XS/197/75 The new West End development in Pwllheli. ........... 62 Figure 15: Caernarfon OS 25" XV4 1890. This map shows the area analysed. The enumeration districts in this study are situated west of the Pavilion. ........................... 64 Figure 16: GAS CRO XS/1497/3/5 Castle Square, Caernarfon c.1900. ....................... 66 Figure 17: ©GAS CRO XS/2044/1. An example of dilapidated housing in Caernarfon c.1910. ........................................................................................................................... 67 Figure 18: ©GAS CRO XS/2044/1. An example of one of Caernarfon's courts with one privy c.1910. .................................................................................................................. 68 Figure 19: Postcard of Berry Street, Conwy c.1910.