Machynlleth
Victorian trade directories
  Worrall's Directory, 1874 - flannel makers  
 

The Machynlleth district entry in Worrall's Directory for North Wales, 1874 still includes chemists, coopers (who made wooden barrels), and curriers (who prepared leather skins).
But carriers and coaches have now gone from the 'C' listings, having been put out of business by the new railway.

 
The surnames
come first in
these lists !
 Coal merchants are in the list though, and notice that most of those shown here were located at railway stations, because the railway made moving heavy and bulky goods like coal much easier. But the coal still had to be brought some distance from the coalfields of south Wales and elsewhere.
In earlier years the horse-drawn tramroads and canals were used.		 Coal merchants,1874
  The flannel industry, like many other occupations, was also to be changed by the coming of the railway to the district.
The new transport links meant that cheaper mass-produced and ready-made clothing could be brought in from factories in the north of England and sold in local shops.
The Yorkshire factories had local coalfields and could use steam-powered machinery in the woollen mills.
The industry around Machynlleth could not compete on price and the local flannel mills were on the way out.		 Flannel manufacturers,1874
 

The 1874 list of flannel manufacturers above has 14 names, but the list printed in 1858 had 21 names. There were 5 fullers in 1858 but only 2 by 1874.

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