Mr Thomas Wilde Powell

Mr Thomas Wilde Powell.
Mr Thomas Wilde Powell (1818-1897) was the son of Mr James Powell a stockbroker of Charlton, Kent. Mr Thomas Wilde Powell was a solicitor, philanthropist, banker, broker and art collector. He later lived in Piccards Rough, Guildford Surrey, England.

The Death of Mr Thomas Wilde Powell.
Mr T. W. Powell died in 1897.

Miss Mary Elizabeth Marten.
On the 12th of March 1852, Mr Thomas Wilde Powell married Miss Mary Elizabeth Marten (1827-1871) the daughter of Charles and Hannah Marten of Clapton, East London. Mr Charles Marten was a stockbroker.

The Death of Mrs Mary Elizabeth Powell.
Mrs Mary Elizabeth Powell nee Marten sadly passed away in 1871.

Tillery Reading Rooms.
In 1882 Mr Thomas Wilde Powell took over the Penybont Tillery Colliery from Mr Basil Jayne & Co and formed the Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Co. Mr Powell’s first commitment was to give, as a gift, to the workmen, a hall with a library and reading room. Mr Powell arranged to have the Tillery Street Workmen’s Hall and Reading Room built and paid for at his own expense.

On Saturday 12th of January 1884, the Tillery Street Workmen’s Hall and Reading Room was officially opened. The Workmen’s Hall and Reading Room building was on Tillery St, (originally known as Wesleyan Road) Abertillery, it cost between £700-£800 to erect and was capable of holding 300 people. The hall was in use throughout the 1880’s and 1890’s though as the community grew and more workmen and their families came to the area this building became too small for its purpose and a much larger premises was required.

The New Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Co Institute Proposal.
In 1896 Mr Powell of the Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Co arranged to have a large institute built, one which would also house a gymnasium and swimming pool.

In 1897 the Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Co sold the old Workmen’s Hall and Reading Room on Tillery St. The company sold it to the Abertillery District Council for £800, it was intended to be used as a courthouse and the council arranged for the company to purchase land at the junction of Division Street and Powell Street to build the new institute. The money, the company paid for the land, off the council, was given back to them as a donation towards the new institute building fund. The building of the new institute went ahead and was finished in early 1898 though sadly Mr T. W. Powell died before its completion. The gymnasium and swimming pool projects were deferred until later dates. 

At the time of his death, Mr Thomas Wilde Powell was in the company of the stockbrokers, Heseltine, Powell & Co. Mr T. W. Powell had an estate in Western Australia and after his death it was reported that he had left a personal estate that was valued at £195,508. 5s. 9d. the equivalent to approximately £11,407.763.03 in today’s money.

The New Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Co Ltd Division Street, Powell Street.
On the Monday 4th of April 1898, the Powell’s Tillery Institute was officially opened. The opening ceremony was presided over by both Mr Thomas Edmund Powell (Chairman of Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Co) son of Mr T. W. Powell, the late owner, and his sister Lady Christiana Herringham nee Powell. Lady Herringham the daughter of the late Mr T. W. Powell was presented with a gold key for the ceremony with which she officially opened the institute. Many of the dignitaries of Abertillery were at the opening of the new institute and afterwards a luncheon was held at the National Schools, Abertillery, which were highly decorated for the function.

Following is a Link to – The Powell’s Tillery Workmen’s Institute Story.

The Powell Family.
Miss Christiana Jane Powell.
Miss Christiana Powell, born 1852, married Physician Sir Wilmot Parker Herringham K.C.M.G., C.B., (1855-1936) on the 1st of September 1880 at the Parish Church, Guildford, Surrey. Sir Wilmot Parker Herringham was awarded the (Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, a British order of chivalry that honours individuals for their service in foreign affairs or overseas territories) Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Christiana then became a Lady. 

Lady Christiana Herringham nee Powell was a prominent painter. She opened the Powell’s Tillery Institute, Abertillery, along with her brother Mr Thomas Edmund Powell in 1898, she was presented with a golden key by the architect with which to open the building. Lady Christiana Herringham died in 1929.

Miss Mary Elizabeth Powell.
Mrs Mary Elizabeth Powell, born 1854. Mary Elizabeth Powell married Mr Hugh Thackeray Turner (Architect, China Painter), son of Rev J. R. Turner M.A., Rector of Wroughton, Wiltshire, England on Thursday 19th of July 1888. Mary Elizabeth died 1907.

Elizabeth and Hugh Thackery Turner had a daughter Miss Christiana Ruth Turner. On Wednesday 29th of July 1914, Christiana Ruth Turner married George Leigh-Mallory at the Godalming Parish Church, Surrey, England. Mr George Leigh-Mallory (1886-1924), was a schoolmaster and later became a British explorer and mountaineer who was a leading member of early expeditions to Mount Everest. It was on the 8th of June 1924 he and Andrew Irvine made an attempt to reach the summit of Everest and the two climbers were never seen again. 

Mr Charles Marten Powell.
Mr Charles Marten Powell, M.A., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. (1856-1928). Master of Arts – Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons – Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (of England). Mr Charles Marten Powell died December 1928 at West Mount, Guildford, Surrey.

Mr Thomas Edmund Powell.
Mr Thomas Edmund Powell, born 1858, was a stockbroker. He later became the director of Powell’s Tillery Company from the time of his father death in 1897. Mr T. E. Powell opened the Powell’s Tillery Institute along with his sister Lady Christiana Herringham in 1898.

Mr Thomas Edmund Powell, the director of the Powell’s Tillery Co, married Miss Kate Millicent Overbury at the Parish Church, Hove, Sussex. Mr Thomas Edmund Powell died in 1901.

Miss Rosamond Emma Powell.
Miss Rosamond Emma Powell, born 1862, married Mr William Alfred Wills M.D., Doctor of Medicine and son of Justice Wills on the 6th of July 1894 at St Nicholas’, Guildford, Surrey, England.

Mr Herbert Andrews Powell.
Mr Herbert Andrews Powell, born 1864, was a doctor. Mr Herbert A. Powell took over the directorship of the company after the death of his brother Mr Thomas Edmund Powell 1901. Mr H. A. Powell opened the Tillery Institute Gymnasium, Abertillery in 1902, he was presented with a gold key by the architect with which to open the gymnasium.

Mr Herbert Andrews Powell, the director of the Powell’s Tillery Co, married Miss Elizabeth Beatrice Courtauld, daughter of Mr Louis Courtauld Esq, on July 12th 1887, at the Parish Church, Middlesex, England.

Miss Eleanor Grace Powell.

Miss Agnes Powell.
Agnes Powell, born 1866, married Mr Charles Wolryche Dixon, son of Mr George Dixon M.P., for the Dales and Edgbaston, on Tuesday 18th of June 1889 at St Nicholas Church, Guildford, Surrey, England.

Miss Theodora Powell.
Born 1871.

The photograph of Mr Thomas Wilde Powell (Copyright unknown).