• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

"Glynn Vivian" logo typed in black text

Swansea’s City Gallery - A vibrant and inspiring art space for everyone

Header Left

Header Right

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Header Left

Header Right

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • What’s on
    • Glynn Vivian at Home
    • Exhibitions
    • Collections
    • Learning
    • Events
  • Exhibitions
    • Past
    • Current
    • Future
  • Collections
    • Collection displays
    • Conversations with the Collection
    • Richard Glynn Vivian
    • Conservation
    • Collection highlights
    • Photographic services
    • Swansea’s Three Night Blitz
  • Learning
    • Creative Resources
    • Families
    • Schools + colleges
    • Young people
    • Adults
    • Community
    • Artist in residence
  • Hire
  • Visit
    • Plan your visit
    • Take a virtual tour
    • Getting here
    • Café
    • Shop
    • Access
    • Visit Swansea Bay
  • About
    • History of the Gallery
    • Black Lives Matter
    • Coronavirus
    • Glynn Vivian News
    • Contact Us
    • Email sign-up
    • FAQs
  • Support us
    • Join the Friends of the Glynn Vivian
    • Ways to make a donation
    • Our supporters and networks
  • English
    • Cymraeg
  • Home
  • What’s on
    • Glynn Vivian at Home
    • Exhibitions
    • Collections
    • Learning
    • Events
  • Exhibitions
    • Past
    • Current
    • Future
  • Collections
    • Collection displays
    • Conversations with the Collection
    • Richard Glynn Vivian
    • Conservation
    • Collection highlights
    • Photographic services
    • Swansea’s Three Night Blitz
  • Learning
    • Creative Resources
    • Families
    • Schools + colleges
    • Young people
    • Adults
    • Community
    • Artist in residence
  • Hire
  • Visit
    • Plan your visit
    • Take a virtual tour
    • Getting here
    • Café
    • Shop
    • Access
    • Visit Swansea Bay
  • About
    • History of the Gallery
    • Black Lives Matter
    • Coronavirus
    • Glynn Vivian News
    • Contact Us
    • Email sign-up
    • FAQs
  • Support us
    • Join the Friends of the Glynn Vivian
    • Ways to make a donation
    • Our supporters and networks
  • English
    • Cymraeg
You are here: Home / Collections / Collection highlights / James Harris Snr. (1810-1887)

James Harris Snr. (1810-1887)

Hafod Copper Works River Tawy, c.1840s
Oil on canvas
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery Collection

Hafod Copper Works River Tawy, c.1840s

This oil on canvas painted by James Harris Snr. (1810 – 1887) depicts a stretch of the River Tawe during the Industrial Revolution, which impacted so dramatically on the environment of the Lower Swansea Valley. In the background, shrouded in smoke is the Hafod Copperworks, founded by John Vivian, the first Cornish coppermaster to settle in the valley (1808-9). This copper-smelting works was to continue for 115 years, until 1924. In the foreground , men go about their work on land and water, observed by a gentleman in frock coat and tall hat, who has perched himself on one of the rowing boats pulled up onshore.

In Stephen Hughes’ book, Copperopolis, this painting is captioned, ‘Painting of Smith’s Canal Tipping Staithes [OED: a waterside coal depot equipped for loading vessels] on the east bank of the River Tawe at Foxhole’.

Foxhole was a popular workers’ settlement, the rows of two-storey houses can be seen at the base of Kilvey Hill. John Smith’s canal (1784) was a short, private canal for carrying coal and water to the White Rock Copperworks, the first copper smelting works to be built on the east side of the river.

Footer

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
Alexandra Road
Swansea, SA1 5DZ

+44 (0)1792 516900
glynn.vivian.gallery@swansea.gov.uk

Sign up to our email

Oriel Gelf Glynn Vivian
Heol Alexandra
Abertawe, SA1 5DZ

+44 (0)1792 516900
glynn.vivian.gallery@swansea.gov.uk

Gwasanaeth ebost

Opening times
Tuesday – Sunday
10.00am – 5.00pm
Last entry 4.30pm

Free admission

Oriau agored
Dydd Mawrth – ddydd Sul
10.00am – 5.00pm
Mynediad olaf 4.30pm

Am ddim

Arts Council of Wales logo
Sponsored by Welsh Government logo
Tate Plus logo
Heritage lottery funded logo
Friends of the Glynn Vivian logo
Sponsored by Accredited Museum logo

Return to top of page

Copyright © · Glynn Vivian | Privacy and cookies| Website accessibility

Cookie notice
This website uses cookies to improve your experience but you can opt-out if you wish. Find out how we use cookies here Cookie settingsAccept
Cookies

Cookies overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.

Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser, as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies, but opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT