Swansea included land around Swansea Bay as far as the River Tawe, the manor of Kilvey beyond the Tawe, and the peninsula itself. Swansea was designated chief town of the lordship and received a borough charter at some point between 1158 and 1184 (and a more elaborate one in 1304). From the early 1700s to the late 1800s, Swansea was the world’s leading copper-smelting area. Numerous smelters along the River Tawe received copper and other metal ores shipped from Cornwall and Devon, as well as from North and South America, Africa, and Australia. The industry declined severely in the late 1800s,
Richard Martin (Mayor of Swansea) to the zinc works, which still operate today, until his death. He started up the Birch Grove iron works in 1881 and bought the Ynys-pen-llwch tin works in 1884. Martin served the town council 1884-1910 as member and alderman, becoming mayor 1898-9. He was also chairman of the education committee for six years. In this time, he strived to have the University College of South Wales situated in Swansea, however Cardiff was ultimately chosen as its site. He nevertheless succeeded in ensuring the establishment of a technical school, which later became the technical college, in Swansea. Martin then strove to