RootsChat.Com
Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Montgomeryshire => Topic started by: wendypa on Wednesday 22 July 09 17:14 BST (UK)
-
Any information on the family around the turn of the 20th century. Most of the family were coopers in Llanidloes, Newtown and Welshpool. I have been searching for more than three years and can't find anything or anyone. David and his wife, Sarah (Meddins) were head of the family.
Wendypa
-
Hi Wendy :)
Welcome to Rootschat. I've found a David C Parry with wife Sarah on the 1901 census in Newtown.
David was a Cooper. The Ref is:
RG13/5196/38/1
Gadget
-
Full details:
13 Park St, Newtown
RG13/5196/38/1
David C Parry, 42, cooper, b. Newtown
Sarah A, 32, b. Beauford
Ila M, 7, b. Llanfraid (?Llansanffraid)
William H, 5, -do-
Hubert, 3, b. Newtown
Florence, 1, -do-
Have you checked on the 1911 for them? They seem to be missing from the free searches that I've just done and nothing showing for a death of David in Montgomeryshire 1901-1911
Gadget
-
Hi Wendy,
Also in 1891, there is a different David and Sarah Parry, Davids occupation ,cooper(different ages 58 and 64)
Rg12/4589 13/2 Maesyllan, Newtown.
Can post details if you d like.
Best wishes,
Cathy
-
Hi,
1891 Wales Rg12 4589 13 2
David Parry head mar 58 cooper Montgomery, Newtown
Sarah " wife mar 64 " Kerry
Llewellyn " son s 21 Tailor " Llanidloes
Mary Ann " dau s 22 " "
Muriel Dorothy Bird Grandau 8mos Westminster, London
Maesyllan, Upper Llanidloes, Newtown.
On Freebmd there is a marriage in 1852 Newtown for a Sarah Meddins with a David Parry on same page.
Possible for Sarah and David on the 1861 census with a Meddins family member in same household.
Ref RG09/4250 53/12
Cathy :)
-
Gosh, thanks all of you and so quick. Yes, I know all about the family up to the 1901 census but can't get any further. I just wondered if there's anyone in the area who might be a descendent who could fill me in on more recent family happenings. There's one son of David and Sarah, George, who was a cooper in Welshpool and he had a son, Charles, who carried on with the business. Later on he became a builder and I found a photo of him in a local Welshpool newspaper from the archive of 1962. That's as recent as I can get on anyone in the family. I haven't been able to find anything on the 1911 census and, when I paid for searches, I ended up losing my payment and didn't get to see the entries. I'll just have to wait for it to be free - next year?
If anyone can help me further, I'd be so grateful.
-
Hi Wendy
Have you checked the local newspapers for possible obituaries etc. It might give some leads.
Gadget
-
Hi, Gadget
That takes me into the realms of being too difficult and I'm up to my eyes in birth, marriage and death certificates. So many of them moved away from Wales but I keep thinking there must be some still around the area. The North Wales BMD is, thankfully, really good unlike other parts of the country.
I've obviously missed something that I haven't been able to find where to do a free 1911 search. Are Ancestry taking up the option next year as I heard they weren't. Familysearch.org throws up a load of things that I can't find anywhere else, like baptisms.
Any more ideas would be welcome and many thanks.
Wendy
-
Hi again Wendy,
Was the George you are looking for a son of David Parry and Sarah Meddins, bornc 1961?
I see he married an Anna and had a son Charles Edward Parry born c 1896, is this the Charles you are interested in?
If so he appears to be on the 1911 living in Forden, Welshpool with his father George Meddins Parry and family.
Sorry if i have the wrong family, perhaps you are looking for a later George.
Hope you are successful in your search
Cathy :)
-
Hi, Cathy
Yes, this is the right family and thanks for your searching. Unfortunately I seem to have missed where one can do free searches of the 1911 census as I didn't think it would officially be available till next year. I could probably find out just a bit more on my family further on from the 1901 one.
I know about Charles Parry (who would have been my father's cousin) up to 1962 but the North Wales BMD doesn't go beyond 1959 and I haven't had any luck with the Welshpool newspaper regarding his obituary, as Gadget suggested. In fact, I've asked for their help in the past but they didn't even bother to get back to me.
I keep hoping, with every new series of "Who Do You Think You Are", that a few of the Parry family will come out of the woodwork and get interested in all this searching themselves.
Wendy
-
Hi Wendy
By doing a canny search - using the advanced options, you can get quite a lot of information for free. There's a thread somewhere on the Forum about the best ways of doing it.
I'll go look and report back :)
Gadget
added - her's one:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,355239.0.html
-
Thanks, Gadget. I had a look but got completely lost. 1911census.co.uk seems to come up with the members of a household but it's down to credits for the actual entry. At least one can see who is still at an address after the 1901 census which is something just to see who's hatched and despatched after ten years.
Was I right in thinking that Ancestry isn't taking up the option when, presumably, it should be online next year? I believe Ancestry along with familysearch.org are both Latter Day Saints' property.
I don't know where you and Cathy are and whether you have local knowledge in the Powys area. It always helps if you know an area to be able to help other people, as I have been with others where I live.
Wendy
-
Hi Wendy
I now live in Tyneside but grew up on the Denbighshire/Shropshire borders and knew quite a bit about Montgomeryshire from visits, etc.
I also have one of my main lines from that area.
I'm not sure about Ancestry taking up the 1911. I'm with FindMyPast as well :)
Gadget
-
Hi Wendy I live in Welshpool. I'm actually a Parry but my Parry's originate from just over the border in Shropshire. I do know of a Parry family in Welshpool who I could ask if they know of who your talking about?
I could also maybe take a look in the local cemeteries for you to see if there is anything there that might crop up.
-
Hi, Aileen
Thanks for your offer of help with searching cemeteries. I know that George (1862) had his coopering business at Church Bank and his son Charles (1896) was there in 1962 as a builder. I did try to attach a picture of him but I'm not sure whether you'll find it or I deleted it. Probably the business has completely gone now and there are houses or even a car park on the place. This is what generally seems to happen.
Charles had other brothers although I think George (1891)may have died in infancy. The others were John ((1893) and Ernest (1899). There was also a sister, Annie (1900). The birth years might be out a year either side.
As far as I know, the rest of the family who weren't either living in Llanidloes or even Newtown moved right away and I haven't been able to trace any of them through various websites. I haven't had much luck with the 1911 census yet.
It's quite possible that there are some Parry descendents still in Welshpool but it's needles and haystacks with such a common surname. If one doesn't ask, one doesn't find out so it would be really great if you could just ask the people you know. I'm just curious about a family I know nothing about and probably my father didn't either.
-
Was it number 1 or 2 Church Bank?
Those houses are still there and I remember having a conversation with the present owners of number 2, who own an antique shop in the town when I told them my surname was Parry they asked if I was any relation to the Parry's that had lived in their house previously the last being a lady who passed away about 10 years ago. There was a business attached to the side of their house which still has a worn brass plaque on the door I will pop there tomorrow and see what it says on the door. It is right next door to Church House which serves the St Mary's church directly across the road.
Church bank is only very small.
-
Well, it looks as if you've found some clue to the Parry family at last. I suppose the old lady who died was Charles' wife, Martha. It's good to know the house is still standing and I've come across some old photos on the internet of Church Bank. There was one of Charles about 1920 outside G M Parry's cooper's business. The old plaque could well be a relic from these times or Charles Parry himself. I wonder what became of any children they might have had. There could still be some locally.
Thanks for all your help in this matter and I hope you are getting some fun from it. My neighbour, who is practically blind, had me rummaging in our village churchyard for some people he was interested in and it was great.
I thought that Church Bank must be quite small but I'm not sure of any number. Sometimes numbers were changed, I suppose depending on new building. I can't get into Ancestry these days to check as they want me to update something and I don't think my poor old computer can cope with it.
-
If you need any ancestry things looking up I can do them for you. I treat myself to the subscription every month.
I could also ask the people in the antique shop too if they of any information about where the family could be. Plus my next door neighbour is a wealth of information she grew up on the housing estate near by and knows practically everyone. I'm sure her sister married a George Parry he would be in his 70's now they are divorced though. I must admit I'm quite addicted to this tree searching and keep wanting more after I've found something :)
-
It's always worth asking people who've been round the area for generations and your neighbour sounds likely and the people in the antique shop too. They should be interested in local history if they're into antiques. Maybe George was a son of Charles. I suppose one has to think in terms of some of the older ones having lost their lives in the two world wars. My own father was shot and blinded in WW1.
I still have a subscription with Ancestry although I was going to cancel. My original email people suddenly stopped my email address and said it wasn't used or out of date or something stupid. Although it's good that a few people now can't get in touch with me, I need my old email address to get in touch with Ancestry to change it. How daft is that? I just don't get round to these things and it probably just means a phone call. It was all too difficult to get my original email reinstated and my 'little man' who fixes any computer problems just won't do it.
I seemed to get bored rather easily with any other bits of my family on my mother's side. My grandfather Parry married a lady from Shifnal, which you'd probably know quite well, but, although I contacted a distant relation there, she hasn't continued with any emails back to me. She even promised she'd send over some photos but didn't. I did manage to find out what had happened to my father's brother who'd moved to Lowestoft. When I found his son, he didn't want to know. Sounded rather a bitter man but I only had any contact through his ex-wife. His feeling was, what had happened to the 'family' when he needed them. Well, I could have said the same when my mother died and her brother (who was Dad's business partner) all within five weeks leaving my blind father on his own (I was 9). It wasn't my fault so why take it out on me and contact had been lost years beforehand. I suppose we just have to face these disappointments and not everyone is interested in this family tree thing. With each new "Who Do You Think You Are" I hope the Parry connection will suddenly take an interest particularly as some of them moved away.
With such common surnames, it's easy to make mistakes and I matched myself to a Parry family who'd originated in Shropshire, went to Birmingham, became Mormons (or Latter Day Saints) and moved to Utah at the beginning of the 20th century. It was quite a while before I found I'd boobed but the 'cousin' I've been in touch with for two years wasn't bothered and we still email all the time. I thought her family were from Worthington (on the census) although I can't find a place of that name. I just remember there was a Richard and a Clarence who were in Birmingham. I wondered if it was Worthen but don't really know the lie of the land. The people who filled in the census forms made errors and there are plenty of my family in Wales, the Meddins, who just don't crop up at all until married. Maybe they were wild mountain people who turned a shotgun on anyone who came within yards of the house.
Hope you enjoy your search. Thanks.
-
Hello, Aileen
Sorry, I don't seem able to do anything in brief and there was too much information in my previous contact. I hope everything is OK with you and wonder if you found out anything about my Parry ancestors. It would be good to hear from you.
Wendy
-
Hi Wendy,
I haven't had the chance to wonder around the town at the moment ive been ill with a horrible virus that made me dizzy and severe headaches so haven't been able to do much. My children go back to school next week so I will be free to get around and have a snoop! I will get back to you then ASAP.
-
Hello, Aileen
I did wonder if you had been ill or away on holiday but didn't like to get in touch, not wanting to be a nuisance. Sorry you've had such a horrible virus, particularly during the school holidays. Don't worry about rushing around on my behalf. If there's information out there, it won't go away.
Best wishes and get completely well soon.
Wendy
-
Hello Wendy,
I went into the antiques shop and had a word with the owner. He said he does live in Charles Parry's house No 2 Church Bank and that the last Parry to live in there was 'Cis'?? (I think he said Charles daughter) who lived to be 92 she passed away a couple of years ago in the nursing home down the road from the house. He said that when She left the house Charles' tools were donated to the local Powysland museum. The only problem with that which he was very annoyed about is tat they had to be sent to Cardiff by the museum for cataloguing. When he enquired why they were not back at Welshpool yet they said they have lost them!!!
He says you are very welcome if you could ever get to Welshpool to come and visit his wife at the house. He says that he still has the original Hoop that was used for shaping the barrels and the water trough in the back garden. He said he is also thinking of starting up a museum in the house dedicated to Charles and his family. He said if you would be willing to pass on any contact details he would be very happy to tell you what he knows.
Alternatively the shop is
LAMPLITE ANTIQUES
2 Boot St
WELSHPOOL
SY21 7SA
01938 555036
I apologise though as I forgot to ask what his name is! I will also be catching a bus outside of the house tomorrow so I will take my camera with me and take a photo for you.
-
Hello, Aileen
It was a lovely surprise to hear from you this evening and I hope you've fully recovered. I'm pretty sure that a photo I found of Charles outside the cooper's shop, as it was then, was on the Powysland Museum website taken probably in the 1920s. I'm pretty disgusted about the loss of the tools, etc in Cardiff and you wonder just what they did with them. Surely it's up to the museum to make a fuss with Cardiff. Are we sure that Cis couldn't have been a wife or sister? I think Charles would have been too young to have a daughter of such an age. He would have been 113 this year. Presumably he had children and grandchildren and you wonder where they are or were when it came to clearing out the house and premises. One wonders where all the Parry family have disappeared to as I can't believe they've all moved away. They'd be easier to find if Parry wasn't such a common surname.
How lovely that the present house owners are thinking of setting up a museum of the business. It was there for a considerable amount of time, both with the father, George, and then Charles. I wish I could get to Welshpool but it's unlikely as I don't have a car now. I don't know how else you could contact me or the shopowners apart from having my email address. I'll maybe write a letter to them and thanks for all your help in this matter. It would be lovely to see some photos although I still haven't found how you actually attach them to these messages.
Did your neighbour have any information on the family?
Best wishes. Wendy
-
I'd just like to point out that the number of the house Charlie Parry used to live in was not no. 2 but in fact no. 1 Church Bank. My family (Davies) lived in no.2 from the early 1920's up until the late 1980/90's. I was actually born at no. 2 and remember, as a child, my father referring to Charlie Parry as being a cooper. It does however seem odd that the cottage at the top of Church Bank is no. 2 and the one next door no. 2 but I can assure you that is correct.
I noticed in a book I bought at the weekend 'Pocket Images of Welshpool' that a photo on page 59 shows Charlie Parry and refers to no2. and it's annexe but that too is incorrect.
:)
-
DJM Warboys - Thank you for your message. I see that it was 2009 when I was last on here and nothing went any further on the Welshpool connection after that. I can barely remember who Aileen was and haven't heard from her again. I do have some photos of the property you mention, both when it was a firm of coopers to later times as a builders. I'm sure there must be distant relations still round the area but nothing more than someone vaguely in Kerry and another one in Cardiff. We're all in contact via Facebook (Wendy Parry Astor). Best Wishes. Wendy