St. Theodore's Church was built by Emily Charlotte Talbot in memory of her brother Theodore Mansel Talbot and her sister Olivia Talbot. As the Parish Church of the town of Port Talbot that also bears their name our history is finely woven. Emily's sister Bertha Isabella also made gifts to the Church and parish.

The faith and devotion of these four children was nurtured by their father Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (b.1803) and mother Lady Charlotte. Family history of the Rice Mansel Talbots can be traced by to the Norman Conquest of 1066 and their connections with Margam from the sixteenth century. It was CRM Talbot who built Margam Castle in 1830. In addition to being an extensive land owner he gathered a huge fortune largely through investments in railway stocks. CRM Talbot did much to further the building and restoration of churches in the locality and foster them in the Anglo Catholic faith as revived by the Oxford Movement. He served as Liberal Member of Parliament for Glamorgan from 1830 until his death in 1890 as Father of the House of Commons.

Theodore was tutored at home until he went up to Christ Church College, Oxford where he read and obtained a degree in Mathematics. He declined the opportunity to join his father in the House of Commons but persued many interests that his background could afford .Life changed for Theodore when in 1869 he entered St. Columba's Church Haggerston during the London Mission at which Fr. Arthur Stanton was preaching.Theodore approached Fr. Stanton after the service and reportedly said, 'Here I am. What can I do ?' to which Fr. Stanton responded, 'Come down to St. Alban's and help us there.'

At St. Alban's Church, Holborn Theodore found his true vocation working with the Vicar Fr. Mackonochie SSC and his Curate Fr. Arthur Stanton. Disappearing from society Theodore was to spend his time in the slums of Holborn where he would nurse sick children, carry the dead to burial, stand in as godfather at street children's baptisms and teach in Sunday Schools. Meanwhile when back on the family estates Theodore promoted the restoration of neglected churches and the appointment of Anglo-Catholic clergy to secure the improvement of Divine Worship.

It was upon a return visit home and resulting from a horse riding fall that Theodore became ill in 1875. He made a slow recovery and finally obtained his doctor's permission to join the hunt for one day. In jumping a small ditch it is thought that he suffered a concussion of the spine rendering him paralysed. In May he was moved to his father's house in Cavendish Square, London. During his final days he received the Blessed Sacrament with faith and fervour and made Fr. Stanton promise that no Catholic rite should be omitted in his last agony.

With St. Alban's Day approaching Theodore sent word,
Give my love to the dear Priests, and wish them all happiness and prosperity at St. Alban's.
On 17th June 1876 Fr. Stanton wrote to a friend," Dear Theodore Talbot is, I fear, dying. Pray for him as such. No words of mine can describe this heart breaking calamity. He is simply at peace with God." Theodore Mansel Talbot died that day.