Siloah Chapel, Llanelli facts for kids

Siloah was a special kind of church called an Independent (or Congregationalist) chapel. It was located on Copperworks Road in Seaside, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales. Services at Siloah were always held in the Welsh language.

The chapel was started in 1841. This was a time when the Llanelli Docks were growing very quickly. New industries were also developing fast, thanks to families like the Nevills. A person named David Rees from another church, Capel Als, was the main person who helped get Siloah started. Siloah officially opened on January 14, 1841. About 116 people left Capel Als to become the first members of the new Siloah church. David Rees was the minister for the first year.

Early Leaders at Siloah Chapel

Thomas Rees: First Full-Time Minister (1842–1849)

Siloah's first full-time minister was Thomas Rees. He came to Llanelli after working briefly at another church in Aberdare. Rees officially started his ministry on March 15, 1842. Special services were held on July 26 and 27, 1842, to welcome him. Thomas Rees was born in Llanfynydd, a countryside area in Carmarthenshire. Before becoming a minister, he had worked as a miner. Later in his life, he became a very important leader in his church group. He was even president of the Union of Welsh Independents twice. He also wrote important history about the Congregationalist churches in Wales.

In 1849, Thomas Rees moved to Beaufort. After him, a student named David Davies from Brecon Theological College became the minister. He was officially welcomed on October 3, 1849. However, his time as minister at Siloah lasted only three years.

Thomas Davies: A Long Ministry (1854–1898)

Thomas Davies was born in Carmarthenshire and began preaching at a church in Dowlais. He came to Siloah in 1854. At that time, the church had 194 members. By 1872, the number of members grew to 409. It reached 490 members by 1891.

The chapel building itself was made bigger in 1855. This was designed by an architect named Thomas Thomas from Landore.

During his many years at Siloah, Thomas Davies became very popular. People spoke highly of him after he passed away. He was known for having strong beliefs and was not afraid to speak his mind. For example, he campaigned against alcohol. He also spoke out against Sunday burials.

Thomas Davies was also active in politics. He played a big part in the 1868 General Election. Like many other nonconformist ministers, he often spoke in favor of Liberal candidates. These were candidates running for election in both the Carmarthen county and town areas. In Llanelli, Davies openly challenged the Conservative candidate, Henry Puxley, at a meeting. After Puxley left, Davies and other ministers spoke to the crowd. They then passed a motion to support the Liberal candidate.

Like many ministers from the Victorian era, Davies received a special university degree called a doctorate in theology. He received his from Iowa College in the United States. This was likely an honorary degree. However, it might also have been given for some academic research. This is because Davies was interested in science. When he became president of the Union of Welsh Independents in 1880, he gave a speech about new ideas in theology and science. Some people liked his speech, but others thought it was not suitable for a presidential address.

A big moment in Davies's ministry was in May 1891. This was when the church celebrated its 50th anniversary. Many people came to these meetings. The celebrations also helped the chapel pay off some of its debts.

Siloah in the Twentieth Century

The next minister after Thomas Davies was Elias Davies. Sadly, he died in an accident in 1908. More than two thousand people attended his funeral. Later ministers included D. Huws Jones (1917–1952), Wilfred Price (1954–1969), Gwyn Rhys (1972–1977), and D. Luther Owen (1978–1983). After many years of fewer and fewer members, Siloah chapel finally closed its doors in 2005.