Lloyd Street Chapel, Llanelli facts for kids

Lloyd Street Chapel in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, was a special place of worship for people who followed the Independent (or Congregationalist) faith. Services at this chapel were always held in the Welsh language.

A Place of Worship in Llanelli

Why Lloyd Street Chapel Started

The chapel was built in 1886. It came about because some members decided to leave a nearby church called Tabernacle. Tabernacle had some disagreements during the time of Rev J. Pandy Williams, especially about how a college was run. Because of these issues, a large group of members had already left to start Ebenezer chapel. When Rev Pandy Williams left Tabernacle, some of his supporters felt they couldn't stay there either.

So, on March 21, 1886, this group met at Lakefield School. Important people from the town, like Dr J. A. Jones and Joseph Williams, were part of this meeting. They officially formed their new church on April 9, 1886. In less than two years, they had built their brand new chapel on Lloyd Street. It was quite close to Tabernacle, which was interesting!

Building the Chapel

A special ceremony took place on July 12, 1887, when Sir Arthur Stepney laid a memorial stone. This was part of a service led by other church leaders, including Thomas Johns from Capel Als. The chapel then had its official opening over three days, from August 28 to August 30, 1887.

A Special Leader: J. Camwy Evans

In 1931, a minister named J. Camwy Evans came to lead the chapel. He was born in a Welsh settlement in Patagonia, a region in South America. His parents had moved there from Crug-y-bar, Carmarthenshire, in 1878. When Evans was a young man, he came to Wales to train as a minister, even though he knew very little English at first.

Before coming to Llanelli, he had spent sixteen years at Pen-ref Chapel in Caernarfon. While there, Evans was very involved in public life. But in Llanelli, he focused more on leading the church and helping its members. He later moved to a smaller church in 1947 before he retired to North Wales.

The Chapel's Final Years

Lloyd Street Chapel closed its doors in June 1991. Sadly, after it closed, the building was damaged. The organ inside was broken, and parts of the beautiful ceiling were destroyed. Eventually, the building had to be taken down in 1997.

Today, the site where the chapel once stood has new buildings. These are offices for the National Probation Service.

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