Plundered woods

‘Our Woods have been latterly so extensively plundered, that I have found it necessary to engage an Under Woodward which since Mr. Llewelyns decease I have tried to do without - Agreed also that next year he shall be partially employed as Game Keeper for our Woods are now poached in every direction.’ This is from the diaries of Lewis Weston Dillwyn, a British porcelain manufacturer, naturalist and Whig Member of Parliament, who died 170 years ago today. His diaries, recently transcribed and made available online by Swansea University, are said to illuminate both his scientific pursuits and his social life.

Dillwyn was born in 1778, most likely at St Thomas’s Square, Hackney, London, though some accounts say Ipswich. He was the eldest son of William Dillwyn, a returned Pennsylvania Quaker and abolitionist, and Sarah Weston. Educated at a Friends’ school in Tottenham, Dillwyn began to study botany during a stay in Dover in 1798, later presenting his observations to the Linnean Society in 1801.

In 1802, Dillwyn’s father purchased the Cambrian Pottery in Swansea and installed Lewis as head; by 1803 he had moved there. He steered the factory toward higher-quality products, including porcelain, and published important early scientific works: Natural History of British Confervae (1802-09), the Botanist’s Guide through England and Wales (1805, with Dawson Turner), and A Descriptive Catalogue of British Shells (1817).

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1804, and married Mary Adams, heiress of John Llewelyn of Penlle’rgaer, in 1807; and they had six children. Dillwyn’s scientific reputation grew alongside his civic duties: he served as High Sheriff of Glamorgan in 1818, MP for Glamorganshire from 1832 to 1841, and Mayor of Swansea in 1839. He was also a founder and first President of the Royal Institution of South Wales, and he authored a short history of Swansea in 1840. He died at Sketty Hall near Swansea on 31 August 1855. More information is available at Wikipedia. 

Dillwyn maintained diaries from 1817 to 1852 - voluminous records covering his personal, scientific, business, and public life, as well as travels such as a continental tour in 1836. The original manuscripts reside at the National Library of Wales, with transcripts by Richard Morris accessible online at the Swansea University website. Extracts have appeared in the South Wales and Monmouth Record Society publications. His diaries offer meticulously dated entries, shedding light on his scientific observations, estate concerns, social interactions, and official duties. A notably personal diary recounts travels in Ireland (1809), with a pocket-book–sized journal covering Killarney, Cork, and surrounding locations, preserved in Trinity College Dublin.

Here are some (fairly random) samples from the diaries as transcribed by Richard Morrises 

25 November 1822

‘Mr. Charles Tennant arrived & spent most of the morning in making fresh proposals on his Fathers & Lord Jerseys behalf, respecting a Consent to carry his new Canal through our strip of land at Cadoxton - Sir C.Cole, Sir Jo. Morris, Mr.Hill & Mr.Crawshay arrived to dine & sleep here’

11 December 1822

‘Engaged all Day at home, except that I walked with my Boys to look at the Nydfwch Woods - Our Woods have been latterly so extensively plundered, that I have found it necessary to engage an Under Woodward which since Mr.Llewelyns decease I have tried to do without - Agreed also that next year he shall be partially employed as Game Keeper for our Woods are now poached in every direction.’

17 June 1823

‘Went in the morning to the Philosophical Institution where I met the Dean of Bristol & Revd D Cooke with whom I spent an hour very pleasantly. In the Evening took a warm Bath’

21 December 1829

‘Drove in the Phaeton to Swansea & was persuaded by Capt Hickey & Geo Jones to drop all proceedings against Capt Gifford in receiving their Guarranty [sic] that he should not again trespass on our Manor or otherwise annoy me.’

12 February 1830

‘Reached Town at ½ past 8 [?] as the Mail was 2 hours later than usual through the excessive badness of the Roads. Took up Quarters at Hatchetts Hotel, & went as soon as I had breakfasted to see my Sister Mrs Sims of whom I had received very alarming accounts & who I found sinking fast from a decline. Being much tired I lounged the day away between Cavendish Square & our new Athenaeum which was opened last Monday. About 9 went to Bed’

3 February 1831

‘I walked to the Petty Sessions at Llangafelach & R Mansell accompanied me on his way to Swansea. Mary & Fanny went in the Phaeton & the former remained with Mrs Llewelyn. John & Mr Strickland went to pay a Visit at Penrice, & were immovably stuck in the Snow on Park Hill for ½ an hour till they were relieved by getting the assistance of 2 Cart horses. Lewis was to have accompanied them, but was too unwell from a Cold’

12 January 1844

‘My dear John has this day compleated his 34th year & a violent Rain which lasted till Evening prevented us from driving to Penllergare, & stopped his promised visit to us. Disappointed in not seeing the Nicholls for which we had prepared. Miss D went to the Grand Ball at Singleton & did not come home till about 7 in the morning. John Traherne had come over from the Gnoll to attend it & dined & slept at Parkwern’