The painting below is of Wind street in 1650s. This is the first reference to a Fish Market we can find. If anyone can supply further information please Email us.
 

The painting on the left is a view of Swansea Castle in the 1840s The one on the right is the Prince of Wales Dock shortly after it opened

The Ice Factory

 Built around 1880, the Ice Factory would have supplied ice to trawlers berthed at the nearby fish wharf on the east bank of the River Tawe, and also to the adjacent fish market where the trawlers’ catches were sorted and sold. Apparently, the original freezing floor of the ice factory is still in place, as is the tall chimney of the engine house where a large coal-powered steam engine would have provided the compression needed to manufacture the ice.

 In 1901 the trawlers moved into the South Dock Basin where a new ice factory and other facilities were established for the deep-sea fishing industry and so the original ice factory became redundant. In 1926 it was taken over by ships’ chandlers McSymon & Potter, who traded from the premises for almost half a century, whilst adding several extensions to the original building. In more recent years it was occupied by local flag-makers Mott & Jones.

 The old ice factory is a Grade II listed building, and is currently undergoing extensive renovation for future use as a restaurant. In addition to the photos below, several more views of the ice house in varying stages of refurbishment can be seen in our section on New Development. 
 

From Steam to Ice

 Whilst we have no record of the actual equipment used in the ice factory, it would undoubtedly have followed Davey, Paxman & Co.’s method of using a large steam engine to drive vertical or horizontal ammonia compressors. James Paxman’s expertise in the design and manufacture of high quality reciprocating machinery had proved an ideal basis for the building of compressors, and an agreement between Paxman, Thomas Bell Lightfoot, and the Linde British Refrigeration Company led to the large-scale manufacture of this type of refrigeration equipment. The business developed quickly and, by the end of the 19th century, a wide range of steam-driven compressor units was being designed and supplied to ice factories and cold stores both in the UK and overseas, as well as for installation aboard refrigerated cargo ships.

Fishing Industry at Swansea
 

The deep-sea fishing industry was firmly established at Swansea in 1901 with the provision of a new fish-market on the south side of the South Dock Basin, a new ice-making plant on the south-west side of the Basin, and a direct railway connection to the LMS Railway main line. These new facilities replaced the original fish wharf and fish-market which, since around 1880, had been located on the east side of the River Tawe, where the old Ice Factory with its landmark chimney stack can still be seen today.
 

The port’s fishing activities received a further boost in 1919 when Consolidated Fisheries Ltd. of Grimsby established a base at Swansea, complete with dry dock facilities, engineering & repair shops and ships’ stores, all located within the South Dock Basin area. The company operated a fleet of around 40 trawlers from the South Dock until 1957, when it eventually closed down its Swansea operation.
 

The decline of the fishing industry in Swansea can be seen from the following figures for fish landings at the port:-
 

1930 – 15.000 tons

1952  –  3.669 tons

1970   –   279  tons
 

Boatman William Gwilliam ( known as Billy Gullam) unloading fish in the South Dock.The boatmen,
if not busy with their own work, would work on the trawlers unloading fish or any other duties they were
asked to do. They were self employed and this work provided extra income
We thank Jamie Gwilliam for sending us this photo.
 

To see a film clip of Consolidated Fisheries trawler ‘Green Howard’ entering the South Dock Basin, and of fish being discharged onto the wharf and packed in ice, click on the button below. The tug at the beginning of the clip is the ‘Majestic’, owned and operated by Britannia Steam Towing Co.
 

We would like to thank Worms Head Productions for permission to use this clip
which is taken from their DVD ‘The Changing Face of Swansea’.  
 

Consolidated Fisheries Football Team.

The team played in Loughor to raise funds in aid of the loss of the Mumbles Lifeboat and the sinking of the Samtampa in 1947. ( The team lost having missed 3 penalties).

Back Row :- Jack ???, Charlie Ridd, ??? ???, Peter Hemp, Hughie Edwards, Mel Lewis (Goal Keeper), Les Brown, Arthur Tanner, Billy Wilkins, Will Edwards, Gwyn Davies.
Front Row sitting :- Referee, Bill Lewis, Jack ???, Billy Abrahmson, Mayor of Swansea, Ivor ???.
 

Consolidated Fisheries Party.

Centre in the back :- Bill Lewis ( Apprentice Ship Wright),  Walter Bateman ( Shipwright).
Centre of photo :- Major Ronald (bow tie), to the right Dai Rees (Manager), next right Mr. Leadbetter.
Also including :- Bill Davies, Bill Yeomans, Fred Yeomans, Mr. Minors, Charlie Griffin and Albert Hopkins.

We thank Mr. Bill Lewis for supplying the two photos above.