The Diplomat Hotel in Llanelli has a rich history, and it is still privately owned to this day.
The story of the property begins with Allt-Y-Gof, which was later renamed Ael-Y-Bryn, signifying its location atop a hill. It underwent a change in ownership when Edward Nunes Phillips acquired it from Thomas James Motley of Felinfoel. Edward Nunes Phillips, in collaboration with John Winkworth, a dentist from Bath, played a pivotal role in Llanelli’s industrial development. Together, they established the first tinplating works in the town, located in Dafen, back in 1856.
What makes this historical account even more fascinating is the fact that Phillips and another partner named Smith had secured the license to manufacture tinplate from none other than Sir Henry Bessemer.
Sir Henry Bessemer was renowned for his groundbreaking method for producing steel bars, which had revolutionized the steel industry. However, despite this promising start, the venture encountered technical challenges along the way. Regrettably, these obstacles proved insurmountable, leading to the cessation of operations in September 1897.
The connection between the Diplomat Hotel’s previous owner, Edward Nunes Phillips, and the industrial developments in Llanelli is a testament to the region’s dynamic history and its role in the evolution of manufacturing processes during the 19th century. The hotel’s continued existence as a privately owned property adds another layer to its historical significance, making it a unique and enduring part of Llanelli’s heritage.
Before this, in 1872, Phillips from Ael-Y-Bryn had discontinued his involvement and decided to immigrate to the United States of America, where he took the lead in advancing tinplating in Pennsylvania.
The turn of the century did not mark the end of English entrepreneurial interest in the local industrial landscape. As coal production declined, metalworking took center stage once again, with an English family establishing itself in Ael-Y-Bryn.
Ernest Trubshaw, born in Stafford in 1845, and his brother-in-law Joseph T. Smith ventured into the metal manufacturing business in Llanelli, specifically in steel and tinplating. Their initial endeavor seems to have been the ‘Western Tinplate Company’ on Station Road, a site that has since been demolished and replaced by a municipal residential estate. Subsequently, Ernest became the chairman of the ‘Llanelly Steel Company Ltd’ in 1907. His influence on the Welsh steel and tinplating industry was profound, as he also chaired the ‘Manufacturers Association’ from 1899 to 1910. He passed the torch to his son, Harold, in these endeavors.
Beyond his industrial contributions, Ernest Trubshaw held positions of importance in the County of Carmarthen, serving as a magistrate and High Sheriff in 1900. His wife, whom he married in 1882, was the eldest daughter of J.G. Smith of Rhine Hill in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Smith, a prominent industrialist in the Midlands, joined his brother-in-law Ernest in the Llanelli area, reflecting the social structure of the Victorian era. The Trubshaw family, including Ernest, his wife, and their three children—Harold, Gwendoline, and Kit—resided in Ael-Y-Bryn in grand style.
During the Second World War, Ael-Y-Bryn served as a hostel for children and evacuees. In more recent times, Ael-Y-Bryn has been transformed into The Diplomat Hotel, owned and operated by the Jenkins family. Significant development efforts have been undertaken over the years, resulting in a hotel boasting 50 luxurious bedrooms, three restaurants, and five function suites. It has undergone recent restoration and refurbishment, earning a reputation as one of West Wales’ premier hotels.
To conclude the tale of this illustrious house, intimately connected to Felinfoel for over two centuries, it is worth mentioning a notable member of the last Trubshaw family to reside there. Brian Trubshaw, the first Concorde Test Pilot, made invaluable contributions to the success of the Anglo-French airliner. This remarkable connection is commemorated in a photograph of his visit to The Diplomat Hotel, once the family home and now a luxury hotel of international significance, making substantial contributions not only to the local community but also to tourism on a global scale.
