John Morgan-Tredegar

[Dannemois]

Hi
I have to admit that second family looks more like it; Here's the family on the 1881
1881@ 16 Wingfield Row, Gelligaer, Glamorgan, Wales
John Morgan  H  W  32    Platelayer in coal mine   Bedwellty, Monmouth
William Son      09    Scholar   Bedwellty
Emrys     Son     05    Scholar   Bedwellty
Thomas Morgan  Brother W 37  coal miner   Bedwellty
David Morgan     Nephew    10   scholar   Aberdare, Glam
Catherine Morgan Niece   08  scholar   Gelligaer, Glam
William Morgan  Nephew  05  scholar       Gelligaer
Esther Jones  Visitor U  23 Farm servant    Llanwrtyd, Brecknock
Margaret Jones  Servant U   26  Gen/Domestic   Llanwrtyd, Brecknock

John Morgan, wid, married Margaret Jones

John Morgan left for Australia 1886; Margaret followed with family 1887

24 MAR 1887 ABYSSINIA LONDON via CAPETOWN SYDNEY
MORGAN   MARGT   JOINING HUSBAND   32   PASSENGER   MARRIED
MORGAN   EMRYS      11   PASSENGER   MALE
MORGAN   JOHN      6   PASSENGER   MALE
MORGAN   CATHE      4   PASSENGER   FEMALE
MORGAN   GWEN      2   PASSENGER   FEMALE
MORGAN   ROSINA         PASSENGER   FEMALE INFANT
MORGAN   WILLIAM   WITH MOTHER   14   PASSENGER   SINGLE MALE

both died in Australia: Margaret died 1916; John Morgan died 1926

Regards, Roy

[Drosybont]

Aha, the Welsh Bard, hadn't realised this was about him again!   Pleased to have another go, his obituary on Trove is impressive.

Yes, I think the family at Colliers Row/10 Church Sq are a red herring, and the family at Islawrcoed, Trylin in 1871 are a good possibility.  The daughter, Margaret Jane, helps confirm it for me.  The children for whom John Morgan paid an Immigration Deposit in 1886 included Margaret J 17, and amongst the family names in his death notice were Mrs & Mr J Hurle - Margaret J Morgan married James W Hurle in Newcastle in 1909.  I can't see her travelling to Australia, but I think I can see her in the 1881 census in Bedwelty, Trelyn:

William Phillips Head 70                 Coal Miner      Breconshire Llanelly
Catherine Do. Wife  69                                      Glamorganshire Llangatwg
Margaret J Morgan Grand-daur 11  Scholar          Monmouthshire Bedwelty
Gwen Morgan         Do.     Do.   2                      Do.                  Do.

With John Morgan widowed in Gelligaer with William and Emrys, Margaret Jane was presumably elsewhere, so this could be her.  Not the same Gwen as the daughter who went to Australia, though, wrong age. 

I'll have another look at it tomorrow.

Drosybont

[Drosybont]

My theory about Margaret J looks wrong because at her wedding she's said to be John's youngest daughter.  However, something better to report is that I've found his parents names - David and Catherine - from a record of his death.  This evening I'll see if I can do anything with that!

Drosybont

[Dannemois]

Gosh you are working hard on this one; your efforts are greatly appreciated.

[Drosybont]

Happy to keep going and see if I can find anything for you if it helps.  Some of my Davies's require similar hunts and one of them vanished supposedly to Australia, so I need all the practice I can get!  And I enjoy the excuse to spend time looking more closely at the Valleys and find out about Welsh communities in Australia, all interesting stuff.

Anyway, I've been trawling through references to the family in Australian newspapers to see if there are any clues back to John Morgan's years in Wales.  Not sure whether you've looked at his nephew already - if you have please let me know whether I'm on the right track and if not, just ask and I'll pass on details of where I found the information.   

In John Morgan's 1926 death notice a nephew Mr T B Rees of Sydney was mentioned, in 1915 John Morgan visited his nephew Mr T B Rees in Brisbane, and when Mr T B Rees dies in 1933 the obituary said he's Thomas Bevan Rees, b Ystalyfera 1877, son of Mr Ebenezer Rees, and confirmed that he moved from Brisbane to Sydney about 7 years before his death.  This Ebenezer Rees appears to be the well-known printer and publisher, born in Tredegar, some biographies say illegitimate, son of Margaret Rees, some say orphaned when very young.  No big clue to John Morgan's orgins from it yet, still working on it, will let you know if I find out more.

Drosybont

[Dannemois]

Hello
Many thanks for the work you are putting into this topic, all your efforts are very much appreciated.  I have no objection to you carrying on; you are free to do as you wish.  I came interested in John Morgan by accident after doing some research on Brithdir Boys' school.  Brithdir in the Rhymney Valley, Glamorgan is where I grew up and I have been researching the village for the past several years  (since I retired).  I've been working with the school log books of late taking interest in the Boys' Department during WW1 and the effect the war had on the school.   Several teachers left for war service so I began researching them individually.  A log book entry caught my eye; the headmaster wrote  on April 16, 1918 " the school was visited this morning by Private Emrys Morgan of Newcastle N.S.W. prior to leaving for Australia".  I wanted to learn more; who was he, why did he visit Brithdir etc.  Having located his army records I learnt Emrys was born in the next village, namely Bargoed and his father was John Morgan.   Finding he was 'Welsh Bard' only fuelled my interest and I began trawling the Australian newspapers for information.  I'm still working with the newspapers and up to the minute I have concentrated on Emrys and his father John Morgan.  The nephew is new, I have done nothing on him and would be happy to receive any details you have.   
I also began looking for details of their time in Wales to add to their story and that's where you came in.  I hope you are enjoying the chase as much as I am and welcome any help you can offer.  Cheers Roy   

[Drosybont]

The nephew.  Queensland Times Friday 7 May 1915:  John Morgan, a "very old resident of Wales" is "staying with his nephew Mr T B Rees, Arosfa, Rockbourne Terrace, W Paddington, Brisbane".  Obituary Brisbane Courier Saturday 19 August 1933:  Mr Thomas Bevan Rees, b Ystalyfera 1877, son of Mr and Mrs Ebenezer Rees, came to Queensland about 27 years ago, 7 years ago went to live in Sydney to take up important position on the "Medical Journal", 2 years ago revisited native land, on eve of returning when died.  All on Trove.   Died in London.  Occupation linotype printer.

T B Rees's father Ebenezer Rees 1848 - 1908 is in Welsh Biography Online.  Says born Sirhowy, orphaned, brought up by relatives of mother, David Clee and wife.  Persecuted because of his trade unionist convictions, fled to Pennsylvania 1869, came back 1872.  Printer, publisher, established Llais Llafur as a weekly newspaper. 

In 1851 census Ebenezer "Beavan" was with David Clee and first wife Ruth (Bevan) in Tredegar.  In 1861 census he's boarding with Daniel and Mary Rees and family in Llanguick.  The connection to John Morgan could be Bevan, Rees or Clee, or even via Ebenezer's wife Jane (James). 

Drosybont

[Dannemois]

Hi
Thanks for the details. What began as a one line entry in the school log of the visit of Pte Emrys Morgan as opened up into a fascinating story.  I have located a photograph of John Morgan in his later years which again enhances the story. 
Regards, Roy

[Drosybont]

I guess the John Morgan photo you've found is the one on Trove, striking, isn't it.  Well Emrys Morgan was born 21 May 1875 in Trelyn, son of John Morgan and Mary Ann, formerly Phillips.  So it looks as though the 1871 family I found in Trelyn was correct.  There's a Margaret Jane Morgan death aged 17 registered in Bedwellty 1st quarter 1887 which would account for the disappearance of the eldest daughter between John Morgan paying the Immigration Deposit and the rest of the family going to Australia. 

Haven't found anything else definite.  Common names, early death of one or both parents and movement from place to place make for tricky researching.  So I'll leave this one for now, it's been fun, happy to have a go at any more puzzles like this in the future!

Drosybont