1861-1880

Notable Events

1860s – West Wing Photographs
1867 – The Model of Singleton
Horticulture

West Wing Photographs

This is a good photo to start the 1860s with. It shows the main body of the house, with conservatory and rooms above. The block on the left was private space for John Henry Vivian, and this area would see the most change after the 1880s. This is the earliest view of the western wing from the western end. Only one other picture exists of it, taken some 20 years later. The children of John henry would refer to the window on the left as their school room in later years.

Singleton was still in possession of a General Game Certificate for shooting on the estate.  The newspapers of the day in 1860 record it as being some £4 plus ten percent.  This would be over £5,000 in today’s money.

1861, Singleton was the location of lunch, for some 150 members of the Cambrian Archaeological Association. H.H.Vivian Esq., MP being the President of the association.  “the entertainment provided was on a princely scale, and every member of the Association received a most hearty welcome.

1862, September: The Llanelly and South Wales Horticultural Society held their annual exhibition.  The judge for the amateur class was a Mr. Westicott, described as being gardener to Mrs. Vivian, and head-gardener to Mr. Hussey Vivian, Singleton Park, Swansea. Again, interesting to note that the son’s head-gardener was only one of the mother’s gardeners.

As some indication on the state of the estate and the animals held there on home farm – the Cardiff Times on the 23rd December 1864 reports that Mr H H Vivian MP carried of the first and second prizes for cattle £5 and £4 respectively.  For the “best breeding cow of any age or breed in calf or in milk” Mrs vivian of Singleton won £3.

The 1865 Tivy Side Horticultural Society exhibition, held in the Cardigan Market-house is notable in that one of the judges is given as Mr. Lee, head gardener to Mr. Vivian, Singleton. So it seems Mr. Westicott had moved on by this point. [I would dearly like to follow up on these specific mentions of staff to see if I can find what became of them]

24 November 1865            TERRIFIC GALES-TREE CAUSES DAMAGE TO DINING ROOM AT SINGLETON. P5.

The Model of Singleton

The Cambrian announced on the 16th June 1867 that Charles Morgan has completed his model of Singleton Abbey and that it was on display at the Assembly Rooms. This same model is still on display, but now is situated within Swansea Museum.

The model was most likely made just to capture the house as it was, rather than to capture it before changes were made as there is no documentary evidence of changes to the house at this time. As close as I can match it, the model footprint matches the house, as given in the 1851 estate plan. In the model we can see that the original west wing of Robinson has been enlarged for use as family bedrooms. These have been joined at the northern end by a further wing for house staff. 

We know from later plans and descriptions that the western wing on the 1st floor was purely for the family, with the boot-room and washing rooms below.  We know that there were bedrooms from one end to the other with an attached nursery and storage units for bedding. 

The model in Swansea Museum, picture taken in 2016
Singleton as it appears in the model of 1867, and how it appeared in the 1851 estate plan, judging from the footprint alone (as we don’t have anything else to go on). The model demonstrates that the house that John Henry Vivian finished in his life time survived unmodified in Sarah Vivians tenure as head of the house.

Singleton Abbey c.1880 by Steve Littlejohns on Sketchfab

11 September 1868           P8.THE HERBERT RENT-ROLL,1542 -G.G.FRANCIS RE PLACE HOUSE,SWANSEA,REBUILT AT SINGLETON FARM

On the 16th of February 1868, Singleton mourned another loss. ”At Singleton, Sarah Leves, ages 76, for 48 years the trully faithful and attached servant of Mr Vivian”. In her Will Sarah left £50 to the Swansea Orphans Home.

07 May 1869       SWANSEA POLOICE: ASHFORD -V- VIVIAN – DISCUSSION REGARDING VIVIAN’S WEIR NEAR SINGLETON. P8.

On the 16th September 1869 charges of poaching were brough against Isaac Davies.  John Truscott, under-gamekeeper on the estate, proved the charge, he having seen the defendant on land near Brynmill, with snares in his possession.  The head constable said that the defendant “was one of the worst characters in Swansea, and lived on the proceeds of crime and immorality”.  He was ordered to pay 40s and costs or be imprisoned for one month with hard labour.  In today’s money this would be around £1000.

On the 8th of July 1870 the Cambrian features a complaint of sorts entitled “Spoliation of the Common”. It seems many members of the public were carting away sand dug from the south end of Singleton Park for use in passages and ground floors of houses. The complaint finished with “Surely the custodians of the Common cannot be acquainted with the fact we have stated, or speedy termination would be put to the disgraceful practices”

05 August 1870  VOLUNTEER REVIEW AT SINGLETON PARK: OFFICERS PRESENT INCLUDE MAJOR STRICK,CAPTAIN CHARLES BATH AND COLONEL VIVIAN. WAR GAMES HELD WITH THE ENEMY BETWEEN THE ABBEY AND MUMBLES ROAD P5

23 September 1870  P6. SWANSEA POLICE: THEFT BY BRIDGET DOWNHAM, IRISHWOMAN FROM GRAHAM VIVIAN, ANN ROGERS, SINGLETON LODGE, WITNESS

04 August 1871  SWANSEA POLICE:EDWIN THORNE,BAKER,CHARGED WITH POACHING IN WOOD NEAR SKETTY ROAD BELONGING TO MRS.VIVIAN,SINGLETON. P6

In October of 1872, two local lads were arrested for poaching around the park gate of Singleton.  Rabbits apparently would run under the gate and the lads were seen there with a net by William Francourd a game keeper, gave evidence.

11 September 1874           DUKE AND DUCHESS OF BEAUFORT VISIT THE VIVIANS AT SINGLETON. P5

Sales from the Farm

On the 29th of October 1875 the Cambrian newspaper reports this large sale of cattle at Singleton:

FIRST ANNUAL SALE. Singleton Farm, Swansea.
JOHN M. leeder Has been favoured with instructions fron MRS. VIVIAN, TO SELL BY AUCTION At the above Farm, on TUESDAY, Nov. 2nd, 1875, A portion of that well-known HERD OF STEERS AND HEIFERS, (which are perfectly healthy), the sire’s of which have been selected with the greatest care and judgment, regardless of cost, from the celebrated herds of Harvey Coombe, Esq., Lord Faversham, Lord Exeter, Lord Cawdor, aud Lord Tredegar, viz.

1. White Heifer, 2.5 years old, dam “Miranda,” sire “Cock of the Walk.”
2. Grey Heifer, 1.75 years old, dam “Boxmoor,” sire Tredegar.”
3. Red and White Heifer, 2.75 years, dam Empress,’ sire” Tredegar.”
4. Red and White Heifer, 2.75 years  dam ” Margrave,” sire Tredegar.”
*5. White Heifer, 9 months old, dam Boxmoor,” sire Tredegar.”
6. Cross bred Heifer, 2 years, dam Guernsey,” by Ayrshire Bull.”
7. Red and White Heifer, 2.5 years old, dam Queen,” sire Cock of the Walk.”
8. Pure-bred Short-horn Cow “Gaiety.” Good beef.
9. Pure-bred Short-horn Bull, 3.5 years, from Lord Tredegar’s Stock.
10. Short-horn Steer, 2 years, from Cows of Lord Cawdor’s Stock.
11. Short-horn Steer, 2 years, from Cows of Lord Cawdor’s Stock.
12. Short-horn Steer, 2 years, from Cows of Lord Cawdor’s Stock.
13. Pure-bred Short-horn Bull, 9 months, from Cows of Lord Cawdor’s stock.
Also, 6 SHETLAND HEIFERS, 3 and 4 years old, 1 DITTO, in milk (first calf), CHESTNUT PONY, Dun Colour ditto, 2 DEVONSHIRE RAMS (Notts). Sale to commence at 2 o’clock in the Afternoon precisely. Four months’ credit will be given on approved security to purchasers of £5 and upwards. Auctioneers Offices, Oxford Chambers, Oxford-street, Swansea.

1876 saw more cattle sales from the farm and in late December an advert from Mr Andrew of Singleton Farm for the sale of “pure rich” milk, to be supplied to private families of Swansea at five pence a quart.  Which is around £8 for 2pints as a modern conversion.

Mrs Vivian was directly responsible for the refusal of a licence to serve alcohol to the Bryn Mill Hotel in 1878. The South Wales Daily News reads: “Mr G.B.Strick opposed on behalf of Mrs Vivian, Singleton and Mr Graham Vivian observing there were inhabitants for whose accommodation the premises were requires, and if the license were granted it would lead to disputed over bona fide traveller.” The license was not granted.

Locals were damaging the property of the Vivians, with a John Henry Johnson being charged in January of 1879 for damaging a holly tree. Presumably for Christmas decoration? The case was dropped when he agreed to pay £1 to Swansea Hospital – equivalent to some £130 in todays money.

Poaching was a still menace in the park into the late 1870s, a local publican George Purchase and a driver by the name of William Bailey were brought up on charges of trespassing and poaching. It was a point of note that this was not a first-time offence for George who was landlord of the St Helen’s Inn, on Burrows Road. This continued into 1880 with the newspaper headline of “An Audacious Poacher at Swansea”. In the article a man named Daniel James (an auctioneer of Sketty) was summoned for killing on land at Singleton. The defendant was found by a keeper in the park, about ¼ of a mile from Singleton Abbey. When found by a keeper the defendant had a pheasant in his hand and as the keeper approached he shot another. When asked for his gun he said “I can’t give it you yet; I want to pop off a rabbit or two”. As the article states, the keeper not knowing, as he explained if the defendant would know him from a rabbit or not, proceeded to “take the gun from the man, throwing him down in the process”. The defendant was escorted to the house and caused enough commotion that the police were called. A fine of 40s plus costs was issued.

1861 – 1881 notes

Without a male Vivian in charge the flavour of the two decades of Singleton is somewhat different to the other decades covered.

Sarah Vivian was responsible for overseeing much planting and tending of the lands and these effort have a lasting effort as the gardens we know in Singleton are very much as left. Through the years the gardens directly behind the house, featuring the Archery Lawn were stocked plentifully with Rhododendrons, and in my life time I knew them as the Rhododendron Gardens, but they are also known as the Ornamental Gardens. Many of the older trees in the gardens and the park are Vivian planted, including the trees planted to celebrate John Henry in the 1820s.