Saturday, June 14, 2025
A remarkable woman and a park
As Swansea Council's website explains, Amy Dillwyn was born in 1845, the daughter of industrialist Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn. On her father's death in 1892 she inherited the Llansamlet Spelter Works, along with considerable debts. They say that in the male-dominated world of commerce and industry, she made the courageous decision to run the company herself, saving the jobs of 300 employees in the process. Despite everything, by 1899 she had paid off all the debts and Dillwyn and Co. was turning a profit:
Amy supported many local causes, including the seamstresses' strike at the Ben Evans Store and the building of the Ragged School in Swansea. She was also a staunch advocate for women's suffrage. Between 1880 and 1892 she published six novels. Feminist themes recur throughout them, as do social justice, unrequited love and criticism of the upper classes.
Amy Dillwyn Park was named in her honour on International Women's Day 2024 and the purple plaque was unveiled on 7 March 2025.
This plaque does not form part of Swansea Council's blue plaques scheme. It was nominated by Women's Archive Wales and commissioned by Swansea Council. The Purple Plaques campaign has been created to improve the recognition of remarkable women in Wales and award them with a Plaque to commemorate their achievements and cement their legacy in Welsh history.
Two further plaques to Amy Dillwyn were placed at West Cross by the Amy Dillwyn Society. One is on the wall at the entrance to Mumbles Nursing Home (formerly Ty Glyn, Amy Dillwyn's home) and the other is nearby on the verge beside the cycle track.
It is only fitting that she should be remembwered in this way.
