Did you know that farm animals used to arrive in the Goods Shed to be herded through Llanelli? Or that they had to strengthen the stage in the Astoria Theatre when the elephants came to town?
Local pupils are discovering stories like these and helping put materials together to tell the story of Llanelli’s industrial history.
This is part of an exciting heritage project, set up thanks to a grant secured by the Llanelli Railways Goods Shed Trust (LRGST).
The project, funded by a £9,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aims to engage young people with Llanelli’s industrial, maritime and transport heritage.
The LRGST heritage team are now working with historians, designers and local schools, including Ysgol Pen Rhos and Ysgol Gymraeg Brynsierfel, to produce educational resources for the project.
The group is meeting regularly to work on the production of the different sections of the materials, with those on coal, tinplate and the railway strike nearly finished.
Further sections covering the copper industry, iron and steel, the railways, the docks and the Goods Shed itself are planned. One of the features of the materials is the way in which children were involved in Llanelli’s heritage and what their experiences were.
The group is consulting local historians but welcomes reminiscences from older Llanelli residents in any of the areas mentioned.
To find out more or get involved with the project, please contact Richard Roper on richard876@btinternet.com or 07952 564342.
