William Thomas and Sons, Amlwch Port, Papers

Records relating to the Amlwch Port office and yard, comprising administrative records and deeds, 1870 - 1971, financial records, 1877 - 1957, notebooks, 1871 - 1934, correspondence, 1951, letter books, 1888 - 1915, plans, specifications and survey reports, 1874 - 1949, insurance records, 1878 - 1951, books on nautical subjects including naval architecture and engineering and Lloyd's calendars, 1857 - 1948; Wm Thomas and Sons stationery and artefacts such as stamps and flags, [1880s] - [1930s]; various papers relating to the ships Eilian, Dunleith, Ardri, Black Rock/Eleth, Cardigan Coast/Eilian Hill, Maralie, Cumberland Lassie, Lord Mostyn, Mary Ann, Countess of Lonsdale, Gelert, Albion, Yucca, British King, Meyric, Wave, Adolphe and Laura, Harvest Home, Balder, Kate, Empire Lethe, Mountain Maid, Baron Hill, Elizabeth Peers, Barbara, President Garfield, Zelinda, Lady Louisa, Lady Kate, County of Cork, Anne Walker, Elizabeth Ann, Lady Neave, Priscilla, Rock Channel, Pride of Anglesea, Hodbarrow Miner, Mary Annie, Elizabeth Roberts, Winifred, Eliza Bell and Briton, 1876 - 1955; records relating to Anglesey Steamship Co., W. S. Caine Co. Ltd, Queens Channel Steamship Co. and William Thomas and Co., Liverpool, 1921 - 1955; papers relating to Bryn Eilian, Ponc Taldrwst and rented properties, 1837 - 1972; title deeds, letters, sale catalogues and other papers relating to the family's property and financial interests, including Towyn Trewan Common, E. M. Hughes and Co., tobacco manufacturers, Mona and Parys Mines and Amlwch brewery, 1708 - 1954; miscellaneous personal and family papers and letters, 1832 - 1992; household, family and private accounts, 1882 - 1964; photographs and paintings, [c. 1880] - [post 1975]; papers relating to Capel Peniel Calvinist Methodist Chapel, Amlwch Port, [c. 1852] - 1998; papers relating to the development of Amlwch, 1907 - 1974; papers of Vera R. Thomas relating to the Council School, Amlwch, including school canteen menus, 1935 - 1940.

William Thomas and Sons, Amlwch Port, Anglesey, were shipbuilders, ship repairers and shipowners and managers. Captain William Thomas (1822-1893) was the son of Lewis Thomas, Cae Pant, Llaneilian. By 1858 he was involved with shipbuilding and by the mid 1860s was managing more than a dozen vessels. By 1870 he was living at Ponc Taldrwst, Llaneilian, and the owner of a warehouse and yards at Amlwch Port. By 1872 he had bought the Treweek yard and dry dock, and had a ship chandlery business and close connections with Duddon/Millom in Cumbria and William Thomas and Co. of Liverpool. He also became an Anglesey County Councillor. In the 1880s, the firm base established by Captain Thomas was expanded and developed by his sons William ([1862]-1930) (who trained as a naval engineer) and Lewis (died [c. 1915]). The family owned Bryn Eilian Estate, Llaneilian, and other properties and had business interests including E. M. Hughes and Co. of Amlwch, tobacco and snuff manufacturers, Towyn Trewan, the development of Amlwch, Rhydtalog Mineral Water works, the Welsh Explosives Co., Mona Cafe and Mona and Parys mines, 1905-1908. Vera R. Thomas of Bryn Eilian taught domestic science at Amlwch Council School. The collection also includes family papers including documents about Bryn Eilian and other family business interests. Some documents cover both the shipping business and household.

Arranged into the following: Amlwch Port, office and yard; shipping; William Thomas and Co., Liverpool; house and yard; household; property and financial interests; administration of estates; development of Amlwch and area including concerns re. unemployment; family and personal; photographs and paintings; additional deposit, 1997 (vol. 1); Amlwch Port yard; shipping; seamen; William Thomas and Co., Liverpool; financial interests; tobacco; family property; household and family/private accounts; family and personal; photographs; religion; Amlwch; miscellaneous (vol. 2); Amlwch Port yard; shipping; seamen; house and yard; family property; family and personal; Capel Peniel; miscellaneous; photographs (vol. 3).

Dim cyfyngiadau/ No Restrictions

Adnau preifat / Private deposit.

Os gwelwch yn dda archebwch y dogfenau gan ddefnyddio y rhif cyfeirnod amgen (lle ddarperidd) / Please order documents using the alternative reference number (where provided)

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Archifau Ynys Môn / Anglesey Archives the National Library of Wales and the National Register of Archives. It is the policy of Gwasanaeth Archifau Ynys Môn / Anglesey Archives to catalogue in the language of the document.

A significant number of documents were damaged by previous damp storage.

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used to compile this description: Archifdy Ynys Môn/Anglesey County Record Office, Papers of William Thomas and Sons, Amlwch Port (3 volumes).

Mae'r holl gofnodiadau sy'n cydymffurfio â pholisi casglu Swyddfa Gofnodi Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn wedi eu cadw /All records which meet the collection policy of the Anglesey Archives have been retained.

Disgwylir croniadau/Accruals are expected

Further papers are in Archifdy Ynys Môn/Anglesey County Record Office, WM 427, WDC (vol. 1).