Emily Charlotte Talbot
Emily Charlotte Talbot (1840-1918).
1840 Born in London. One of 4 children of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot and his wife Lady Charlotte Butler (1809–1846), daughter of the first earl of Glengall.
Educated at home, and lived in her father's household until his death. Heir to the Margam and Penrice estates.
Intervened in disputes between her industrial and agricultural tenants, notably in 1893 when pollution from the copper works run by the Rio Tinto Company at Cwmafan damaged crops on her tenants' lands.
Sometimes seems to have been inclined to place workers' welfare ahead of profit margins, notably in the case of Bryndu colliery, which she reputedly kept running for ten years at a loss of £90,000 in order to keep its 500 employees in work.
She made land available for further dock extensions at Port Talbot, which in turn helped to attract the new steelworks in 1901 and secure the town's future as an industrial centre.
Did much to channel the family wealth back into the community including funding new waterworks at Margam, several educational benefactions, and the conversion of Penrice Castle into an officers' hospital during the First World War.
1918 Died at 3 Cavendish Square, London, on 21 September.