two chinamen in flintshire - dai and ianto - early to mid 1800s

[ajcanada]

I'm looking for help in tracking information on my great great uncle Jones or Roberts (mum isn't sure of which family name he is). He was a sailing ship captain who in his travels on the Yangtze river "adopted" two chinamen who he called Dai and Ianto. Apparently Dai and Ianto lived in Flintshire and shopped in Porth Madog. From what my mother recalls a book was written about this relative.  Any information that could be found would be extremely useful! This would have been in the early to mid 1800's.
Another relative, my great grand uncle, was John Roberts who kept the Emporium in Porth Madog for years. He was married to Elenor. His one sister Kate died in childbirth, and the other two sisters Alice and Polly lived above the emporium and raised my grandfather Rhys Emrys Jones. This is just to help connect the dots with the sailing ship captain relative!
Any help anyone can give on my relatives, the possible book written by or about the ships captain, would be extremely appreciated.
Thanks

[wilcoxon]

http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/gwy_doc.asp?cat=5653&doc=19821&Language=1

You might get some help from contacting these people.

[maidmarion]

Hi ajcanada

The oldest record in BMD I could find of an Ianto was this one

Death reg Caernarvon   
Ianto O Roberts 77yrs 1932 11b 450

[ajcanada]

Thanks to both! Much appreciated...

[Jo Harding]

According to the British Museum site, there were 147 Chinese born residents in the 1861 census in England and Wales. This increased to 202 in 1871 and to 665 in 1881.

I have tried to find these two men on the census but it seems to be down today, maintenance so it says.

Has anyone else tried to find them on the census?

My mother went to school with Aled Eames who wrote the book on the Welsh Mariners. He lived in Llandudno the last I heard of him.

Jo

[ajcanada]

How interesting! What link do you use for the census?
Best,
Alison

[wilcoxon]

 Sadly Aled Eames died some years ago.

I tried searching for `no name` just China as POB, lots or entries came up for Canton, but this seems to have been Canton Cardifff

Many Chinese were sailors on `vessels` but they have thier Chinese names.

[Jo Harding]

The link is;

http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/Chinese%20diaspora%20in%20Britian%20201008.pdf

I cannot find them in the census either. The ones that come up are all mistranscriptions. One for Llandrillo, China!

Jo