CMA: Bethany, Port Talbot, English Presbyterian Church Records,

Records of Bethany, Port Talbot, English Presbyterian Church, 1907-2009, including Church minute books, 1907-2009; baptism register, 1916-2005; marriage registers, 1909-1986; and building records, [c. 1988], 1998 and 2000.

The English cause in Port Talbot began in 1878 when Carmel Church began a Sunday School in English in the old vestry to cater for the growing need of English speakers moving into the area. Land was leased from C. R. M. Talbot, with work beginning in 1879 and Bethany church opened in 1880. The building cost £1,700 with Carmel loaning £900 and the remainder being raised by public subscription. Due to declining membership, a joint pastorate was formed in 1973 with Bethel Church, Briton Ferry. Due to the deterioration of the building, the cost of major repairs and falling membership, it was decided to close Bethany in October 2000 and hold services and meetings in Carmel. The building also became listed by CADW in 2000. At the annual general meeting held in March 2009 it was decided that Bethany would cease at the end of that year; the closing service was held on 27 December.

Arranged at NLW into four series: church minute books; baptism register; marriage registers; and building records.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions set out in information provided when applying for their Readers' Tickets, whereby the reader shall become responsible for compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to any processing by them of personal data obtained from modern records held at the Library.

Rev. John Paul Morgan; Swansea; Deposit; June 2010; 006016349.

The English cause in Port Talbot began in 1878 when Carmel Church began a Sunday School in English in the old vestry to cater for the growing need of English speakers moving into the area. Land was leased from C. R. M. Talbot, with work beginning in 1879 and Bethany church opened in 1880. The building cost £1,700 with Carmel loaning £900 and the remainder being raised by public subscription. Due to declining membership, a joint pastorate was formed in 1973 with Bethel Church, Briton Ferry. Due to the deterioration of the building, the cost of major repairs and falling membership, it was decided to close Bethany in October 2000 and hold services and meetings in Carmel. The building also became listed by CADW in 2000. At the annual general meeting held in March 2009 it was decided that Bethany would cease at the end of that year; the closing service was held on 27 December.

Title created from contents.

November 2011.

Description compiled by Amy Rogers and Wil Williams. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, CMA H10/1, Jubilee, 1928, and Diamond Jubilee, 1938; and the minute book 1/5 in this archive which also contains a short history attached to pp. 446-447;

Usual copyright laws apply.

Action: All records deposited at NLW have been retained..

Accruals are not expected.

Annual reports, 1936-1940, 1944, and 1961 [under Aberafan]; together with ‘Yr Hen Ddyffryn a Charmel a'u canghenau’ by John Nicholas, 1910, and pamphlets, are held in the NLW Printed Collection. Annual reports for 2004-2005 from this archive have also been transferred to the NLW Printed Collection. Records, [1880s]-1979, of Bethany Chapel, including list of births, 1934-1950, and photographs, [1880s]-1977, are also held at the West Glamorgan Archive Service.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales