John Jones Jenkins
John Jones Jenkins, 1st Baron Glantawe (1835-1915) of the Beaufort Works and Upper Forest Works was a Welsh tin-plate manufacturer and Liberal politician. Of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway
1835 May 10th. Born the son of Jenkin Jenkins of Morriston, Glamorgan and his wife Sarah Jones.
Jenkins was co-founder and manager of the Beaufort Tinplate Works at Morriston in 1859. He was also with the Upper Forest Tinplate Works.
Lord Glantawe married, firstly, Margaret Rees, daughter of Josiah Rees, on 20 January 1854 at Swansea with whom he had two sons. He married, secondly, Catherine Prudence Daniel, daughter of Edward Daniel, on 10 May 1864 at Llansamlet, Glamorgan.
Jenkins had two daughters by his second wife - Olga Violet Jenkins (b. 1878) and Alina Kate Elaine Jenkins (b. 1880) but had no male heir.
1915 July 27th. Died aged 80 at The Grange, West Cross in Swansea, now the site of the Territorial Army base, and was buried at Oystermouth Cemetery. The peerage died with him.
1915 Obituary [1]
LORD GLANTAWE of Swansea died after a long illness on July 27, at his residence, The Grange, near Swansea. John Jones Jenkins, first Baron Glantawe, was born on May 10, 1835, his father being Mr. Jenkin Jenkins of Morriston, Glamorganshire.
In his early life he worked as tinplate boy at the Upper Forest Tin Works, then owned by Messrs. Hallam and Co. At the age of twenty-three he had become the outdoor manager of the works, which were then the largest in the trade. In 1859 he established, in conjunction with others, the Beaufort Tinplate Works at Morriston; and until 1868 he was the chief partner and manager of the undertaking. He took a great interest in local public affairs.
In 1865 he was elected on the Town Council of Swansea, and in 1868 he was unanimously elected mayor of the borough. In 1880, when the British Association visited Swansea, he was regarded as the most suitable man to take the position of host, and he was, therefore, elected mayor a second time. In 1882 he received the honour of knighthood, and was created a baron in 1906.
He was returned a Member of Parliament for the Carmarthen Boroughs in 1881 and again in 1885. A Liberal in politics, he signified his adhesion to Unionist principles in 1886, and lost his seat at the following General Election; but was successful in winning it back in 1895. He was chairman and principal proprietor of the Swansea and Mumbles Railway, a director of the Metropolitan Bank of England and Wales, a member of the Board of Trade Arbitration Court, chairman for eight years of the Swansea Harbour Trust, and President of the Swansea Royal Metal Exchange since its formation in 1887.
Lord Glantawe was an original member of the Iron and Steel Institute, having joined it on its establishment in 1869. He was a frequent attendant at the meetings, and took considerable interest in the proceedings.