Deciphering & Translating Welsh Postcards

[Jenfur]

Hi everyone

I hope this is the right place to post & that someone can help me.

I have a number of postcards from my Welsh great-grandmother's collection which I'm sure will hold a big key to my family history - only the handwriting is often difficult to read and not speaking Welsh myself makes it almost impossible.

Is anyone able to translate the attached postcard, written by my GG Grandmother to her daughter?

Thanks in advance!

Jen

[Sam Swift]

Starting with "Shop M N Jones y wraig ar ferch ar y drws..." on left hand edge :
MN Jones ‘s siop the wife and daughteron  the dress the dress & hosier

Home Saturday if fit and well in (in top  left corner above “This Space”)

Main text:
Dear children I’m sending you this from Pant Gwyn
Office today It’s hail stoning  heavily it’s splendid now
Your mother is collecting copper and lead in the old works
We were at Morris’s house yesterday
We are still on the march. towards Bwlch Tocyn this afternoon here are my sister An & children Gwen and family are asking about you

[Jenfur]

Thank you so so much!!

That's really interesting - I'm going to look through my other postcards later to see if that clears anything up. Do you think that the card was written by their father instead, as it mentions their mother? And am I right that it doesn't suggest how Gwen is related to them?

Thanks

Jen

[Gadget]

I got as far as 'Dear Children' and 'Home Saturday all being well' and then found that Sam had translated so..

Not sure if you have the family but they're on the 1901 and later at 8 Church Road

RG13/5034/86/34
8 Church Road, Aberdare
Griffith Williams, 34, coal hewer
Sarah, w, 37, b. do
Jane, d, 15
William, s, 12
Sarah A, d, 9

All born Caernarfon except Sarah A who was born Aberdare

Gadget

[Jenfur]

Hi Gadget

Thanks for your message.

I have the family in Aberdare, its going backwards that I've struggled with. I've found that Griffith was actually Griffith Jones and when he married Sarah Williams, he took her last name - but I have no idea why and have never come across this before.

I've traced Sarah back and she has a sister called Ann so I imagine its her family that she's talking about and visiting.  Griffith's residence at the time of their marriage was Vrondeg, Rhostryfan and in the 1881 census there is a Williams family there with a daughter called Gwen, who I've tracked later to Pant Gwyn Office - but I don't know how she's related (assuming she is). I was hoping she was from Griffith's family as I can't find anything about him prior to his marriage.

I have some postcards written to him from 'Bet' that start "Dear Cousin" so I will try to scan and post one of these later, if someone could help with translation in case they hold the key.

Ramble over! Thanks again

Jen

[Gadget]

Hi Jen

What was Griffith's father's name (e.g. was it William Jones or John William)? . It could be that it was patronymic and Griffith decided to go for Williams.  I had quite a few juggles with patronymics around Bala and Llangower.  Also, can you track Gwen via her marriage?

Busy today but I do like a puzzle in North Wales.


Gadget

[Jenfur]

I'm very grateful of any help - I'm fed up with this North Wales puzzle!

Griffith's father was - wait for it - Griffith Jones.

[Jenfur]

I can't find a marriage record for Gwen. She was living at Pant Gwyn Office as a servant to Cadwaladr Williams in 1911 - she was Gwen Ellen and I can't see any marriage that ties in.

[Gadget]

I see that Gwen Ellen was daughter of a Griffith Williams (widower, aged 36) on the 1881. Have you anything else on this family?