MEMBERS of the Town Council and the Heritage Group met on Friday to unveil a plaque to Sir Josiah Mason who, with George Elkington, financed the Copper Works in Burry Port and built the Copperworks School. The plaque was sponsored by the Town Council.
Josiah Mason was a self-made man who became very rich in Birmingham in the pen trade and teamed up with Elkington to form the Elkington and Mason electroplating company. His philanthropy included the Copperworks School in Burry Port and orphanages in Birmingham.
They used the Copper Works in Burry Port to smelt copper brought in from Cornwall among other places and sent it back to their company in Birmingham to act as the base metal for silver plated jewellery and cutlery.
Graham Davies, the Heritage Group’s Co-ordinator said: “This is the third plaque to be installed in our programme of 12 plaques to honour the people who were important in the industry and heritage of Pembrey and Burry Port”.
