The Sketty Blacksmith


 In this article I will be looking at the blacksmith who worked and resided in Sketty.  The name Sketty in Welsh is Sgeti which itself comes from the Welsh Y Sgeti – “The Sketty”.  However, the name has been interpreted as a corruption of “Ynys Ceti” – “Ceti’s Island”

We begin this article at 65 Vivian Road, the site of Sketty Library. This year it celebrates its 99th birthday. The architect was Ernest Morgan, whose other work includes the original Swansea Police Station in Alexandra Road, Mayhill School, Swansea Technical College extension and the residential area of Townhill. The library will feature in a future article later in the year, so today we will turn 180 degrees to face Mike’s Autos, which is a garage today, but was previously the Sketty blacksmith’s forge.

The blacksmith in question was George Blundell.  So, who was George? We have to look at the article “Death of Sketty “Grand Old Man”” published in The Cambrian dated 4th January 1907, to establish who George was.

In April 1826, the year of George’s birth, his family home was situated on land that is now St Paul’s church. The church was built in 1850 for the Vivian family, after the death of Henry Hussey Vivian’s first wife, Jessie Dalrymple Goddard. The architect of the church was Henry Woodyer. There is of course no evidence of this house as the first map to have been published by Ordnance Survey was during 1897.

George was the son of Robert Blundell and Ann Sambrook. They had 11 children of which one was George. Robert was employed by John Henry Vivian as coachman, and George aged 13 accompanied his father from Singleton to London, to be present at the coronation of Queen Victoria on 28th June 1838.

 George had a variety of employment and apprenticeships, the last one working at Vivian’s Works at Tailbach. In 1843, George returned to Sketty where he opened the Smithy under his own account, and without any opposition, George became known as the “The Village Blacksmith”.

Despite his lack of education, George was a fluent public speaker and in 1844, whilst intoxicated, George dropped into the National School, it is here that he met the Reverend Charles Cook, vicar of Holy Trinity Church, delivering a temperance address. George was induced to sign the pledge.

Following the completion of St Paul’s church in 1850, Henry Woodyer built Stewart Hall in 1853, which became the local school.

Following signing the pledge, George became an ardent temperance advocate. He was associated with Rev. M. E. Welby and his wife and Mrs John Crow Richardson, in their fight against drink.

George was also a member of the Church of England Temperance Society, established during 1862, and also a member of the Forest Court Vivian, and also an honorary member of the Sketty Rechabite Tent.

    George married Mayzod Davies in 1853, and they went on to have 10 children. The family resided in one of the cottages located at Cae Banc – home to the HQ of Bay. Mayzod died in 1887, and twenty years later in January 1907, George died aged 80 at 15 Margaret Terrace (Vivian Road) Sketty, home of his daughter. His funeral was a public event, and his body was buried at Bethel Chapel burial ground.


Copyright - The Bay Magazine, June 2022

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