Thomas Morgan Llewellyn – Royal Engineers

Second Lieutenant Thomas Morgan Llewellyn – Royal Engineers

Early Life and Family Roots

Thomas Morgan Llewellyn

Born in Swansea in 1897, Thomas Morgan Llewellyn entered life amid the tight terraces and industrious rhythm of Landore. He was the son of Griffith Llewellyn and Anne Rees, married in 1893, who began their family at Mysydd Road.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the Llewellyns were living at 53 Mysydd Road, where Griffith, a 35‑year‑old book traveller born in Alltwen, worked to support Ann, then 33, and their children Thomas, aged four, and Mary, aged two. Their stability was short‑lived: in September 1901, Griffith died suddenly at the age of 35, leaving Ann widowed with two young children.

Youth, Schooling, and Apprenticeship

1911 Census

A decade later, the 1911 Census records the family at 55 Mysydd Road, Landore, living with Ann’s sister, Elizabeth Rees, a 55‑year‑old grocer. Thomas, then fourteen, is described as a Pupil (Engineer & Surveyor), already showing the technical promise that would shape his future. Mary, aged twelve, remained in school, while Ann, now 43, continued to rely on the support of her extended family as she navigated widowhood and the responsibilities of raising her children.

Marriage and Domestic Life

Thomas Morgan Llewellyn and Muriel Gwendoline Mary Davies marriage certificate St. Mary's Church, Swansea

In September 1921, Thomas married Muriel Gwendoline Mary Davies at St. Mary’s Church, Swansea.

1939 Register

By the time of the 1939 Register, the couple were living at 24 Pinewood Road, where Thomas worked as a Colliery Mining Engineer Manager, a role demanding technical mastery and steady leadership. Muriel undertook household duties, reflecting the domestic expectations of the era.

Military Service and Wartime Duties

Thomas’s engineering expertise carried naturally into military service. He served with the Royal Engineers, holding the rank of Second Lieutenant, and was invalided from the Army in June 1941. His duties included work as a tunnelling officer, one of the most hazardous and technically demanding roles in the Corps. During the aftermath of the Blitz, he undertook the arduous task of Tube repair in London, requiring both courage and precision. His earlier military experience included service with the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry, continuing a long record of disciplined national duty.

Industrial Career and Professional Standing

A trained mining engineer, Thomas built a career across the South Wales coalfield before entering the commercial side of the industry. His appointments placed him at the centre of regional industrial operations, where his knowledge of mining practice and colliery organisation was widely valued. He later became a partner in Morgan, Williams and Llewellyn, Wind Street, Swansea, and subsequently served as South Wales agent for Blandford, Gee & Co., colliery contractors of national standing. His professional life was marked by reliability, quiet competence, and a deep understanding of the coalfield’s needs.

Thomas Morgan Llewellyn 
Oystermouth Cemetery, Mumbles
credit - findagrave

Final Illness, Passing, and Legacy

Thomas died at Morriston Emergency Hospital on 12 September 1943, aged 48, following a long illness after being invalided from the Army. His death was announced in the South Wales Daily Post, which noted that his passing “brought to a close a career marked by technical skill, military service, and steadfast devotion to the industrial life of South Wales.” He was survived by his wife Muriel, daughter of Mr. G. L. Davis, formerly G.W.R. goods manager at Swansea Docks, and Mrs. Davis of Bishopston, and by one daughter, completing a family whose connections spanned the industrial, military, and civic life of the district. Thomas was laid to rest at Oystermouth Cemetery, closing the final chapter of a life deeply interwoven with Swansea’s heritage and the coalfield communities he served.