Daviies Family

[Hugo]

As a matter of interest Hugh what town did Richard Davies live in?       

At least you'll be a winner with the Rugby whichever side wins.     

[DownUnder]

I am still awaiting arrival of the Birth Certificate from GRO. I used Family Search, North Wales BMD, and Free BMD to identify all possible births of a Richard Davies in Caernarvonshire in 1907. I discovered a total of six possible matches. I approached Glenys Davies at the Conway Registration Office and she was kind enough to check a number of the possibilities, none of which matched with the birth date, or the mother and father's names. Glenys steered me to the Gwynedd Registry Office for the one possibility remaining, and after substantial delays and many follow-up emails, I was informed that yes, they had a match, but would not recognise my MasterCard as payment for a copy of the certificate. I subsequently gave up on them and have ordered the certificate through GRO.

The Aus v Wales match was one challenge, but now there is the Aus vs Scotland (where I was born) match.

[Hugo]

When you get the certificate and if it is your Uncle,would you post the details on here.    I was talking to someone in the Archives this week and they told me that parts  of the Register of electors are being earmarked for coming on line.
Now that would be great for you and you could solve the mystery of  Penygroes but don't forget that the women wouldn't appear on the Registry until after 1932.

[DownUnder]

AT LAST! 

The Birth Certificate has just arrived and is the correct one. 

When and Where Born:
28th July 1907, Penpelyn Llanllyfini

Informant:
Jane Jones, Grandmother (Present at birth)
Penpelyn Llanllyfini

Sub District: Llandwrog in the County of Carnarvon

So I now know that Catherine Jones' father is Richard Jones (from marriage certificate) and her mother was Jane Jones.

Time to give Findmypast another workout!

[Hugo]

Well done Hugh,  Llanllyfni is a small village on the Llyn Peninsular and in the heart of the slate industry and near the mountains.  Have a look at this web site which might help in your search
It mentions  " Pen Pelyn. In a house nearby dwelt 'Martha of Llanllyfni Mountain'"      Llanllyfni is also very near Penygroes where you already have an address where your relative lived.



http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDEQFjACahUKEwiIqcv-sdjIAhXCPxoKHWpXD1A&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nantlle.com%2Fhistory-nebo-nasareth-circular-walks.htm&usg=AFQjCNE9FQ1JxOcQaiy2fwdw47CQkk9N-Q

[Hugo]

Hugh,  a few years ago I was helping someone to find an address in Llandudno, they were looking for a relative that lived in Min Y Don Cottages but no one seemed to know where they were.  My Nain and Taid lived in Penmorfa Cottages but I remembered my Nain saying about when they Lived at Min Y Don so I had a look at the 1906 Llandudno Rates Book and found them there and had a photo copy made of the entry.
Anyway, I've just had a clear out and found the copy again and had a look at it.    You can see also an entry for W Davies at Vron Cottage, well that's your Grandfather who lived there.  Don't be put off by the spelling, there is no letter V in our Welsh alphabet and Fron has been spelt a number of ways and for different reasons.

[DownUnder]

Hugo,

What a great find (for me at least)! I am still trying to isolate my grandmother's lineage, but I'm having to fit things in between grandchild sitting, church air conditioning, quadcopter flying practice, and trying to identify who Australia still has a relationship with after the rugby results.

Of interest was an episode of "How Britain Worked" I saw here recently with Guy Martin, and set in Llandudno.  The narration was interesting but unfortunately Guy's utterances did not come with sub-titles, so I am unsure of what he actually said/contributed. I'm also unclear what year this happened. Very interesting none the less.

Will update you on my grandmother's lineage shortly.

[Hugo]

Thanks Hugh, I've patched up the other parts of the 1906 Rates Book so you can see it.     It just gives you an idea how times have changed over the years.
The rates for 2  Vron Cottages was  14 shillings and 6 and a half pence.     In modern day money this would be about 73 PENCE and I think that that is PER ANNUM.
William's house was half an old penny more than his adjoining neighbour William Jones paid.  Perhaps your Grandfather's house was slightly bigger?

[DownUnder]

Thank you Hugo.

I have been away on a short break and arrived home yesterday.  I checked my emails today and found one with the title "Penygroes Connection" which turned out to be from Gina who is married to the son of my father's sister and talked about some of the various family members.  It took ages for the tears to stop flowing and my hands were still shaking when I sent her a response leading to me accidently clicking the Send button after typing half a dozen word on my first attempt.

I never ever thought I would be able to track down any living members of my father's family, and it has been because of Three Towns Forum and this thread that the connection with Gina has come about.  THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU!!!!

Some of the earlier mysteries have already been solved. You may recall that dad had a sister Jinw which is not a name I could find anywhere.  It turns out her real name was Jane Davies (named, I assume after her mother's mother Jane Jones).  I also know where his mother passed away and hope to find out the date she died and where she is buried.  I also hope to solve the where and when of his father's death.  Most of all, I hope to learn more about by father's life as a youngster and his life prior to marriage.  And wouldn't it be great if I could get some old family photos (I have none of my father prior to his marriage to mum, and only one phot of his mother.)

My Christmas present has certainly come early. Once again, thanks to all who have helped to make this link possible, and Hugo in particular.

[hollins]

What a heart warming story, so pleased for you.

[Hugo]

That's fantastic news Hugh, I'm so pleased for you and you've now got the breakthrough that you've wanted.  I hope that you can get the answers to your questions and some photos of the family too.
It will be interesting to know what happened to William and Catherine after they left Llandudno.  We know that they were in Llandudno in 1911 and  World War I  was  only 3 years away.   William was of that age group that could have been conscripted into that war, so lots of info for you to find out.
It's been so hard for you being so far away but your efforts have been worth it and paid off.   Good luck and best wishes with everything for the future and it would be really interesting for us here on the forum to know how you get on.
I had a walk in the Dorothea Quarry in recent years and it is very near Penygroes, I wonder if it was that quarry where your father worked at?

[DownUnder]

Many thanks Hollins!

I'm having to calm myself so I don't overwhelm Gina (who sent me the contact) with questions and requests.  I received another response from her and coincidentally, found out that her brother lives here in Brisbane. But yes, it has very much been a heart warming journey for me.

Kind regards.

[Hugo]

Brisbane looks like a very nice place to live, my cousin has lived there for a very long time

[DownUnder]

Hi Hugo,

If you don't mind, I would like to keep posting information on the forum as I find out more about William and Catherine's lives. 

Gina said that most of my cousins know very little of their family history and had all assumed their forbearers must have lived around Penygroes.  Apparently Gina (who has an interest in genealogy), decided to start tracing her husband Clifford's (my cousin) ancestors and did a search using "Davies family Penygroes". Lo and behold, she stumbled across this forum, and was amazed at how much information has been unearthed about the Davies history.

The information contained in her initial email left me in absolutely no doubt that this was my missing Welsh family. One very sad event was that a large number of old photographs etc., were accidently thrown in the skip bin when Clifford moved from his mother's house after she had passed on.

Having lived in Brisbane most of my life (60 years) I can say with certainty that outside of the occasional floods, sever tropical thunderstorms, and extreme heat and humidity during the summer,  that it is a great place to live ;0)

[Hugo]

Looking forward very much to hear what updates you've got from Gina.