Marriage licence, Llanfrynach, 1834 - Thomas DAVIES to Mary DAVIES

[Deirdre784]

If anyone is going to Powys archives any time, would it be possible to see if there are marriage licences available for Llanfrynach there please?

I'm looking for Thomas Davies to Mary Davies - married by licence on 24 October 1834 in Llanfrynach.

Many thanks,

Deirdre

[MarMnkly]

Hi Deirdre
there is a copy of the licence on FindMyPast
"Thomas Davies of Llanfrynach in the county of Brecon, Innkeeper and Mary Davies of the parish aforesaid in the county of Brecon, spinster was married in this church by licence on (the date you list)
Thomas signs his name and Mary marks with a cross.
Witnesses - Elizabeth Lewis and Walter Davies

Mar

[Deirdre784]

Hi Mar, sorry I assumed that was the marriage entry - that's where I got the details from - and that there was a separate licence!!

Not seen many marriages by licence before....

Deirdre

[MarMnkly]

Ooh, I don't know Deirdre  - will have to investigate 
Mar

Edit - good link here Deirdre https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Marriage_Allegations,_Bonds_and_Licences_in_England_and_Wales

[Deirdre784]

Great link, thanks Mar.

I have to admit that I did wonder about the licence not banns, and interesting to see one of the reasons for a licence was difference in age. Mary married again in 1844 and the only Thomas Davies burial in llanfrynach is aged 60 something (can't remember exactly) so I was wondering if that was him, though he would be a lot older than Mary. If there is a licence it could prove interesting.

Deirdre

Edited to add - there is a Thomas Davies with Mary in 1841 but was assumed to be her father or father in law not her husband. But a child born in 1842 also suggests that the Thomas may be an older husband!!

[MarMnkly]

I'm not sure if you've seen this entry of a marriage in the Cambrian Index online - names the pub at which a Thomas Davies was the innkeeper as the White Swan Inn.
If this is the same Mary, I'm thinking Llachvane is Llechfaen ?
http://www2.swansea.gov.uk/_info/cambrian/default.asp?Indexlist=X00&stext=thomas+thomas&sWord=All&..=&x=1&JournalList=AL&offset=5160

I can see the baptism on 1 October 1837 of Thomas, to Thomas (victualler) and Mary of Llanfrynach Village, and the burial of a 69 year old Thomas on September 5th 1837

In FindMyPast (newspapers) a Thomas Davies, White Swan Inn, comes up in 1864 and 1867

[Deirdre784]

Hi Mar, thanks for these (hadn't seen them before).

It's very confusing as there are lots of Thomas Davieses!!! But what I have so far is:

Marriage of Thomas Davies and Mary Davies at Llanfrynach on 24 Oct 1834
Baptisms of:
Mary on 27 Sep 1835, Thomas a parish clerk (and burial on 3 Dec 1838)
Thomas on 1 Oct 1837, Thomas a victualler
Mary on 29 Dec 1839, Thomas a clerk and
David on 20 Mar 1842, Thomas a parish clerk.

In 1841 at the White Swan is Thomas Davies aged 65, Marry Davies aged 35 and children Thomas 3 and Marry 1, which suggests the baptisms are right, despite Thomas being listed as a clerk on Mary's.

Mary marries again on 12 July 1844 - to another Thomas Davies. Both fathers are Thomas Davies, labourers.

Looking for a death of a Thomas Davies at Llanfrynach between 1841 and 1844 brings up a burial on 5 Sep 1843 aged 69. No other details. Apart from his age, this all seems to fit perfectly and matches the age of the Thomas on the 1841.

In 1851 still at the White Swan are Thomas and Marry, Thomas 13, Marry 11 and David 9, plus 3 more children and mother in law Marry aged 90. This again confirms the baptisms of the children so I assume Thomas was a clerk / parish clerk as well as a victualler    It might also confirm that Thomas was still alive at the time of David's baptism as if parish clerk was an important role it would surely (hopefully) say 'former' or something if he was no longer around.

By 1861 Thomas is married to Margaret and there is a burial of Mary on 27 Aug 1851.

Thomas and Margaret are still at the White Swan in 1871. I've lost them at the moment in 1881 but both Thomas's son William and stepson Thomas are in Llanfrynach in 1891 (pub not listed by name) and in 1901 stepson Thomas is the innkeeper and blacksmith suggesting a family connection for over 60 years.

Amazing to think that the White Swan is still a pub today; hope to visit it soon.

Thanks again for your interest Mar.

Deirdre

PS as Mary is listed as Marry in the censuses - as is her daughter - maybe they were really Marie not Mary 

[MarMnkly]

I had a lovely meal recently in the White Swan, and it is well worth a visit !
There is a book (available to read online) called, 'Where we belong: life in the Beacons then and now' published by Llanfrynach and Cantref Women's Institute, that is really about more recent life, but worth a scan through. I purchased the hard copy for an aunt who loved reminiscing about some of the people and places. One paragraph says:
The White Swan was the home of more than one generation of blacksmiths of the Davies family, and it seems likely that the pub was a sideline to the smithy, probably run by the women of the household. As it was the smith to whom people turned when they needed a tooth pulled, the neighbouring pub would surely have been a blessing!
http://www.llanfrynach-community.org.uk/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/WWBII-PDF.pdf

A couple of other links
Thomas Davies was tenant by the curtesy in right of his deceased wife, Mary Davies, of the White Swan Inn at Llanfrynach, and on the 28th of October, 1885, granted, in exercise of the power conferred upon him by the Settled Estates Act, 1877 ...
https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#tbm=bks&q=White+Swan+Inn%2BLlanfrynach%2BDavies

This one shows a Thomas Davies as landlord of the Swan Inn in 1820, if your man would have been in his 40s
http://brecon-leisurecentre.powys.gov.uk/uploads/media/B_D_BM_S_bi_01.pdf
item 54 (1820) under friendly societies

It seems odd that there is no local newspaper acknowledgment of his death, given his role in the community?

[Deirdre784]

Hi Mar, amazing to hear you've had a meal there!!

Thanks for the links; just seen them on my phone (computer already shut down for the night) so will have a proper look after work tomorrow.

I've found a few more bits on the family today (thomas and margaret, thomas' son william and family) but nothing more on the 1841 Thomas or the one born in 1837 (my husband's direct ancestors) so plenty more for me to do yet!

Deirdre