Llanaber/Barmouth

[Dolgellau]

The first stone reads:

Willie Grey
The dear child of Owen and Cath Evans 6 Park Lane
Who died September 26 1917
Aged 5 years
Let little children come unto me
Also Owen Griffith Evans
The dear spouse of Catherine Evans
Who fel asleep May 8th 1938
Aged 44
Also the above Catherine Evans
Who fell asleep April 12 1968
At 78 years old
We shall meet Again

The second stone says:

In loving memory of
John Evans
5 Park Lane
Who died November 5 1925
Aged 69 years
Also his wife
Margaret Grey Evans
Who died March 17 1948
At 90 years old
Also John Hugh their son
Who was killed at the Battle of Gaza
March 26 1917

[englandphil]

Nann, it was the mention of Gwilym Grey Evans that brought me to this thread, however, as I live in 'Widnes' if you need any help, I will see what I can do

Phil

[Nann]

hello Dollgelau,
Once again my thanks for you helping me out. You seem to have a wealth of historical knowledge which is so good of you to share. Will you let me know where the memorial stones are please so that if I can get to the area I could go and pay my respects.
The Griffith Grey Evens family are a side shoot to my immediate ancestors, Elizabeth Owen and her parents Owen and Ann Griffith Of Llanaber, through Margaret Griffith Grey Evans, I haven't quite worked out the relationship. A second cousin tells me he has been told  that Elizabeth, Owen and Ann are all buried together in a churchyard at Llanaber. Can you tell me is Llanaber and Barmouth the same place and would I have lots of churchyards to search in order to find it?
Another thing that puzzles me is the Welsh naming system. It seems that Elizabeth took her fathers first name as her last. Would that have been the norm in 1800-1820? as I thought that it had stopped before then. Last but not least do you know of any large property in the area that would have been used in the early 19th century by the earl of Salisbury and his family as a Holiday home as the same second cousin says he has been told that Elizabeth was recruited into the earls service when they needed staff for the holiday period!! but no evidence for this.
Thanks again. kind regards
Nan

[Nann]

hello Englandphill,
Thanks for the offer of help. What a wonderfull lot you are! I don't have anything specific for you at the moment other than to ask you about your interest in Gwilym Grey Evans. Is he a relative? If so we may be related.
Kind regards
Nan

[Dolgellau]

The three stones are in what was originally the Dolgellau nonconformist and Roman Catholic Cemetery,  now the town's municipal cemetery. The slate MI's are at the bottom of the first right hand section, as you enter from the main road gate. The military MI is at the top of the same section.

Llanaber is the parish which includes Barmouth. It only has one (very large) grave yard which is by the old parish church (not the new one on the hill), which is about two miles away from the town centre in the direction of Harlech.

The tradition of taking one's fathers' first name continued in Merioneth until the end of the 19th C. My own family name of Humphreys has only been used by 5 generations and since the 1870's!

There are a number of large country houses in the area any one of which may have been used by visiting gentry, I haven't heard of any specific reference to the Earl of Salisbury visiting the area, but during the early 19th C, when travel to Europe was difficult due to wars, the landed families did tend to do a lot of "house swapping", so the Salisburys may well have holidayed in the area.

[ceri992]

Gwilym Gray Evans was my uncle and his parents were my grandparents. His sister Shirley is my mother. Bob (Robert) Gray Evans was also my uncle. The other brother being Jackie. Gwilym was in the first battalion parachute regiment and didn't die at home: he was killed by a grenade after serving for 4 years in front line action of the 2WW (having signed up immediately on leaving grammer school at the age of 15). His uncle John was killed at in 1WW. I have photographs of a lot of the Evans/Gray gravestones if you havent already sourced them. Elizabeth was the aunt of Margaret Gray Evans (through their mother's side). Her parents died quite young (in their 30s of illness) and she was bought up with her sister Dorothy at the Anchor Inn in Llanaber.

Some additional info:

Hugh Grey (B. M. 1854 D. ) -  father of Margaret Griffiths Grey mother of Griffin Griffiths Gray

Hugh is described on the 1861 census as residing at the Anchor Inn, Llanaber. He is married, the head of the family and aged 31 years (His occupation is Carpenter and Inn holder. His place of birth is described as Llandegfan, Anglesea.

There is a record reporting a Hugh Grey christened on  in Llandegfan, Anglesey. Father: Richard Grey, Mother Grace

Hugh Grey married Mary Griffiths March quarter, 1854 in St Mary’s, Llanaber. Vol 11B, P.566. His fathers name is listed as Richard Grey (Toll gate Keeper).

Hugh Gray (note a) died 25th July 1864 aged 33. He is buried in Llanaber churchyard. Picture obtained.

Relative 5B
Mary Griffiths (B. approx, M. D.)

Mary Griffiths was born in 1832 and baptized on 30th August 1832. Entry states: Mary, daughter of Griffiths Griffiths and Margaret. Abode: Barmouth. Fathers occupation is listed as Blacksmith. Abode is Barmouth.

Mary married Hugh on March 31st 1854. She is described as being a 21 year old spinster (so born approximately 1833) .Her father is Griffith Griffiths (Blacksmith). The wedding was witnessed by Richard Grey (Hugh’s father) and Elizabeth Griffiths (who was ). She is listed on the 1861 census as being a 28 year old carpenters wife. Her place of birth is Llanaber. Also listed are Dorothy Grey (daughter) aged 5 years born in Llanaber and Margaret Griffiths Grey (aged 8 months). There is also a 17 year old servant called Margaret Pugh.

She died on 20th March 1866 aged 33 years. She is buried with Hugh in Llanaber graveyard (picture obtained).

Possible death reference: Dolgelly aged 34, March 1866. Vol 11B, P.334.

[Dolgellau]

Thanks for the message Ceri

The claim that Gwilym died at home came from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, but the information doesn't seem to be there any more, it might have been corrected since my post last December.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=2965005

I knew your Uncle Bob well, he use to be a regular in the Cross Keys where I worked as a barman during collage holidays. By coincidence I was scanning some old family photographs into my computer earlier, including this one of the Cross Keys float in Dolgellau carnival about 1982 (just before the district went "wet" after a Sunday licensing referendum)


I am on the left of the picture holding a gun and Bob is next to me wearing a beret and glasses.

[ceri992]

Oh, how fantastic: thank you for the picture. my mum will love that . Unfortunately when Bob died the house was cleared of all the family pictures and what happened to them is a big mystery. There are therefore no pictures of anybody. I do remember Bob, and his brothers (Derek and Jackie)  from being a child and visiting my grandmother (Elizabeth's) house. Obviously Gwilym was gone long before I was born. I found this link because I was trying to find out some additional information on Gwilym. Thank you for the picture. it is much appreciated. regards, Ceri Ransome.

[Humphpaul]

Dear Nann. Re stones in Llanaber parish church about 2 miles N of Barmouth:- in Dolgelly RO they have film or microfiche records of the stones with alphabetical indexes and also section plans of the whole area so you might be able to find your graves from these. The staff are very helpful of course.
A lot of the stones are readable from the main road with good eyes or binoculars.
The oldest part is quite steep and awkward to walk around but most of the inscriptions are readable especially the slate ones.
 I have some from early 1800s which are as sharp as when newly chiselled.
Humphpaul