Tariffs? Nothing new!

It’s only February, but it’s likely that one of the “words” of 2025 will be tariffs. President Donald Trump has made clear that this is something which will feature prominently in his administration.

But this is nothing new! The industrial heritage of Wales is something I love exploring when doing driving tours of Wales. Last summer I took an American couple on a day guided tour from their Llanelli hotel – specifically to trace some of their forebears. His grandfather had emigrated, but as he was only 10 at the time I concentrated on the great grandfather. With the aid of genealogy software, and the key information of a date of birth and full name (it helped his name was NOT Evans, Jones, Davies or Williams!), I was able to trace a slew of addresses throughout South Wales where various births and marriages had taken place.

And a common thread to these all was the profession of tinplate worker. At every significant address, I was able to show my guests where the local tinplate works stood, and how close it was to key places in his family’s history.

In the mid to late 19C, South West Wales was the tinplate centre of the world. Llanelli was known as Tinopolis! Most of the tinplate was exported, and by far the largest market was the United States. The 1890 Tariff Act brought in by then representative McKinley established a wide range of tariffs, but the grand-daddy of them all was a whopping 70% tariff on imported tinplate. The reasoning was to protect and expand the (then) infant American tinplate industry, which was struggling to compete with larger, better established Welsh companies. Part of the success of the Welsh industry was their experienced workforces.

And that, I believe, was the logic. The resulting turndown in the tinplate industry led to extensive job losses. Many of the skilled workers figured they could find work across in America with the new Tinplate works opening there, and so they became part of the wave of European emigration that transformed America in the late 19C/ early 20C. And it helped explain to my guests on the guided tour exactly WHY their forefathers had upped sticks and made that journey. And, a huge bonus, we even managed to find his great, great Grandfather’s gravestone in Margam Abbey!

If you’re looking to research where your ancestors came from in Wales contact me for a bespoke driver guided tour around Wales. I can’t guarantee to find your great, great Grandfather’s gravestone, but I’d hope to shed some light on your family’s past.