Whats in a Name?

The Tennant family, specifically the Coombe-Tennant branch, developed the Skewen area and named several streets after family members and associates. The family still owns a significant amount of land in the area.

The following streets in Skewen are named for the Tennant family:

Charles Street: Named after Charles Coombe-Tennant (1852–1928), the grandson of George Tennant.

Christopher Road: Named for Christopher Coombe-Tennant (1897–1918), the eldest son of Charles and Winifred Coombe-Tennant, who was killed during World War I.

Coombes Road: Named after Charles Tennant’s prefixed surname, “Coombe,” which he adopted as a gesture of respect to his godfather.

Coombe-Tennant Avenue: Also named for the Coombe-Tennant family.

Evelyn Road: Named for Eveleen, the sister of Charles Coombe-Tennant.

Serocold Avenue: Named after Winifred Serocold Coombe-Tennant (1874–1956), Charles’s wife, whose maiden name was Serocold.

Stanley Road: Named for Henry Morton Stanley, the explorer famous for the “Dr. Livingstone, I presume” remark. He married Dorothy, Charles Coombe-Tennant’s sister.

Tennant Grove: Another street named in honor of the family.

Winifred Road: Named for Winifred Serocold Coombe-Tennant.

Other local names also have connections to the family:

Tennant Park: The land for this park was donated by Mrs. Winifred Coombe-Tennant in 1935.

The Tennant family’s most significant influence on development and street naming in Wales, outside of Skewen, was in the nearby area of Port Tennant, a district in the city of Swansea.

The Port: He also developed the docks in the area, which came to be known as Port Tennant.