National Oil Refinery

A Memory of Llandarcy.

I started work at the laboratory in the Llandarcy Oil Refinery in 1942 for the great weekly wage of one pound, one shilling and ninepence, when I was 16.
Mostly women worked in the lab but once the war was over the company only employed men. They did keep the women already employed there.

The village of Llandarcy was just up the road from the refinery and there was a building known as the Institute where dances were held two nights a week. I really enjoyed those!

I often cycled from Pantycelyn Road, Townhill to Llandarcy going along the canal path just past St Thomas, coming out where there is a restaurant now - there used to be a tower with a telescope on the top.

I worked at the refinery until 1949. The company allowed us time off to attend courses at the Neath Technical College where I obtained my National Certificate in Chemistry, and City and Guilds in Petroleum Technology. They didn't increase my pay though! I met my husband while working there - he was one of the students training to work in Abadan. I have a friend in Neath who has sent me pictures of the now defunct refinery.

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