Volume Thirteen - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - even more aspects - Slavery - echoes of the past . . . .

Importation of copper ore was mostly attributable to the Swansea area, or 'Copperopolis,' and when the local ores were exhausted and the Cornish ores became uneconomical due to the abundant supply of cheap ores from Parys Mountain (Mynydd Parys) on Anglesey, slaves were relocated from the sugar and cotton plantations etc., to mine much higher-grade copper ore from the 1830's onwards in El Cobre, Cuba, located close to Guantanamo Bay, thus perpetuating slavery until the 1880's and beyond.

A Maker's Mark found on copper sheathing removed from the hull of H.M.S. Victory. John Vivian was born near Truro in Cornwall and set up the copper-works Vivian & Sons, in Haford, Cwm Tawe Isaf, near Swansea during 1810. He became a prosperous copper baron and eventually bought a controlling interest in the Parys Mountain mining operation on Anglesey. [1354]

By 1800, over 40% of the global output of copper originated in Wales and by 1819, 'Copperopolis' produced nearly 50,000 tons per annum. [1359]

'Copper Bottomed' - Copper plates were applied by the Navy Board to ships of the British fleet in the 1760's which meant that molluscs and marine vegetation was far less inclined to adhere to the metallic surfaces below the waterline, thus ships of the fleet had less resistance through the water, with resultant greater speed and manoeuvrability than the French, Spanish and Portuguese : 'Rule Britannia, Britannia, rule the waves. Britons never, never, never, shall be slaves!' (Perhaps the words of James Thomson were pertinent in 1740 when they were written, but are they acceptable today???!! My position is to simply record our heritage and history as accurately as possible.)

The entire British fleet was fitted-out with Swansea copper but also much was made into bangles and necklaces, known as 'Manillas,' which could be made of pure copper or alloyed with zinc, to make brass. Also, pots, pans and other items of domestic or decorative use were produced, these nonferrous metal objects being the major currency used to barter for West African slaves and goods.