Written by Carol Powell MA, History Project Co-ordinator at Ty Hanes Local History Centre, Mumbles.
Mumbles is situated on the western edge of Swansea Bay, some five miles from Swansea in South Wales.
Mumbles... the very word sets you wondering what sort of a place is known by such a fascinating name. The area is in fact named after the two islands, which stand sentinel at the end of the promontory. It's believed they were so called perhaps by the Romans, because of their visual similarity to 'breasts'; 'mamma' in Latin and 'mammelles' in French.
Historically, Mumbles Village occupied the area approximately from the Prince's fountain out along to Southend. Oystermouth was the name of the parish, which encompassed the hamlets of Newton, Norton, West Cross, Blackpill and the Mumbles village itself. Today, the names Oystermouth and Mumbles seem to be used interchangeably and the three new parishes of Newton, Llwynderw and Oystermouth minister to the much expanded population of this same area.
2004 marked the bicentenary of the initial plans for a canal or railway to facilitate the transport of local limestone. However, Mumbles' main claim-to-fame is that from 1807 the line began to carry fare-paying passengers and thus became the very first passenger railway in the world. The line wound its way slowly around the wide sweep of Swansea Bay to its destination at the tiny fishing village.
One of its more enthusiastic passengers, Elizabeth Isabella Spence, an authoress, wrote in 1808 that:
'I never spent an afternoon with more delight . . . in exploring the romantic scenery of Oystermouth. I was conveyed there in a carriage of a singular construction . . . its four wheels run on an iron railway by the aid of one horse.'
At that time, the locality was home to some 715 people who spoke with a distinct South-Gower dialect and made their living largely from oyster-dredging, quarrying and farming.
As time went by, these industries began to decline and another tourism took their place. By the end of the Victorian era, The Mumbles, as it was now known, had become a bustling holiday magnet for many visitors, with its attractions such as the skating rinks, fairground, pier, concerts, regattas, multitude of family-owned shops and its delightful scenery.
Today, the oyster-dredgers, quarrymen and trains have gone and the dialect has all but disappeared and Mumbles has now become a suburb of Swansea, Wales' second city. Yet a pronounced village atmosphere prevails, which sets it apart from the main City.
Mumbles has a thriving local history society, known as The Oystermouth Historical Association, which has collected a valuable photographic and information archive since its creation in 1984. It presents eight talks a year and since August 2002, in partnership with Mumbles Development Trust, is presenting continuous photographic displays featuring different aspects of Mumbles history. These can be found at 4 Dunns Lane, Mumbles.
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