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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: mrs.family on Sunday 25 May 14 16:30 BST (UK)
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I'm hoping somebody can help me with a little mystery.
I'm posting this on the Australian and the Pembrokeshire parts of the Forum.
There is a James Lewis born in St Davids, Pembrokeshire in 1814, son of Thomas Lewis, a weaver. His adult life is not definitely traceable locally, but a James Lewis was buried in 1845 [though aged 33, which puts his birth at c.1812], and a [obviously different!] James Lewis was a witness at his brother's wedding in 1850.
Of course, James Lewis isn't an uncommon name ......so maybe neither of these is 'my' James......
There is also a James Lewis who emigrated to Australia and died in 1891; and there are a number of Trees on Ancestry, all saying
[a]James is the son of Thomas Lewis of St Davids
Thomas Lewis is a clockmaker.
Some also show [c] a ship's arrival list in which James is listed as being from 'St Davids, Mon' [Monmouthshire is of course a different county from Pembrokeshire].
I have contacted a few of these owners, asking where they got this information from - when they have replied, the reply has turned out to be "from someone else's Tree". H'm....
My gut feeling is that somebody at some time has mistaken 'cloth-maker' for 'clock-maker', and that James is quite probably who these Trees say he is.
But as things stand, I haven't found anyone who has any PROOFS or family stories or anything else that James is actually the son of Thomas the weaver of St Davids.
This little mystery has been driving me mad for a few years now - so if anyone can help I shall be very grateful (and I shall possibly have a whole new branch of my family....).
Elaine
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OBITUARY. — Mr. James Lewis, a pioneer, died on Tuesday, April 14, at his residence, Richmond House, on the Wakefield River, and was buried at Balaklava on Thursday. The late gentleman had been very unwell for some months past. Mr. Lewis was born in the City of St David's, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, and was the third son of Mr. Thomas Lewis, of Lewis Brothers, clock manufacturers, of that town. As a young man he followed a sea- faring life and came to this colony by the Rapid, brig, in, the year 1838. On his arrival he joined the Survey Department and served under Colonel Light, then Surveyor-General, for three years, and assisted in the survey of Districts A and B, from South-terrace to Mount Terrible. In the year 1841 he went in the cutter St. Vincent on a sealing expedition. The cutter was blown out to sea, leaving Mr.Lewis and four comrades on a reef, where they remained for six weeks, subsisting on limpets. In 1842 he went out with Lieutenant Frome from Adelaide on a trip north to Blackrock Hill, Mount Remarkable, and back by Clare. The deceased was one of Captain Sturt's party on his celebrated trip through the Barrier and Cooper, and on his return was engaged as a carrier on the Port-road before the railway days. In 1851 he went overland to the Victorian diggings with teams, returning to South Australia in 1852. After this he continued farming at Richmond until 1881, and then went north and remained there until the time of his death. He leaves a wife and a grown-up family of five sons and six daughters.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/48099030
It is quite possible that his father's occupation is an error made by the newspaper.
Debra :)
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" Some also show a ship's arrival list in which James is listed as being from 'St Davids, Mon' "
The reference for his name appearing on that list is BISA - which is the Biographical Index of South Australia - information submitted by researchers and not always correct.
Others on the board will help you out with South Australian resources, but I suspect that most of the BISA info has come from his obit.
Unfortunately South Australian marriage certs do not give the father's occupation. Perhaps you need to find out if there was a Lewis Brothers in St Davids who were clock manufacturers.
Debra :)
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Many thanks Dundee,
Yes, I've seen this obituary before, and while it refers to father Thomas as a 'clock-maker', the Trees I've seen all link James to Thomas the weaver of St Davids - and I can't find why they make the connection [except that the replies from those my cousin and I have contacted said they have just "copied the information from other Trees"- how I wish folk would do their own research, instead of churning other people's errors!].
Interestingly, it does mention his early years as a seaman; and there are maritime records in the 1830s of a James Lewis born 1814 in St Davids. But James Lewis being a common name, and NonConformity in Wales meaning not all children would be shown as baptised in Parish Registers, it would be a leap of faith to make an assumption that this chap is 'our' James.....
There's no Lewis family of clock-makers at St Davids that I've been able to find. There is a 'Lewis Clockmakers' in Wales, but not in St Davids.
Also, James was the second of six sons - not the third, as the obituary states - but this is a minor point, the informants presumably never having had much to do with the family in Wales, in the nature of things!
And then, the weavers of St Davids and Solva in the 1840s and 1850s Directories are recorded as Thomas, John and James Lewis - which may or may not mean anything - Thomas the weaver had brothers John and James.....
What I want to do, is to find is the person who first linked James to father Thomas the weaver - did this person just link James purely on the basis of his name/age/place of birth; or did he actually have some evidence that James was the son of Thomas the weaver?
One thing I hadn't considered was your point that the obituary notice might just have picked up the word 'cloth-maker' and printed it as 'clock-maker' - I had thought that my looked -for 'first Australian Tree-maker' had read a census entry incorrectly [the C1851 has a poorly-written 'cloth-factor' as employment], which had then been copied by every other Australian Tree-owner. But I think you may well have the answer here!
I shall go and have another look at James. My gut feeling is that he is in fact the son of Thomas the weaver and part of my family - but without proper evidence, I can't include him, of course!
One thing I can do, is go through the local census entries in St Davids/Solva and see if I can find all the James Lewises. And I feel a visit to the |Records Office in Haverfordwest coming on.....maybe they have some information tucked away somewhere....
I think you've cleared my head somewhat on this little puzzle, so my grateful thanks - Elaine
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1841 Wales census
The address is a bit tricky - it may be Goat St, Witwell St or Back Terrace (which may just refer to the back of another street). As you would know relationships are not shown for 1841.
Thomas Lewis 53, weaver
Mary Lewis 54
John Lewis 23
Mary Lewis 15
William Lewis 13
Judith
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1861 Wales census
Thomas LEWIS 64, head, tailor, b St Davids
Mary LEWIS 66, wife, b Norton? Pembs
John Bucklinam 12, grandson, b Newport - Monmouthshire may be crossed out and I can't read the other recorded place. I am aware that there are at least three Newports in UK
I am not seeing any Thomas LEWIS, clockmaker - which isn't to say there wasn't one :-\
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There is this will which may be worth chasing up when you go to Haverford West - would have to be a grandfather of James. This person was apparently of Haverford West
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=210-prob_sd_13&cid=-1#-1
Thomas Williams, Watchmaker SD/1787/44 1787
Contents:
Will.
Diocese: St David's
Parish: Haverfordwest (St Martin)
County: Pembrokeshire
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James' daughter tells a different story:
"...her father (Mr. James Lewis) and his parents in the Rapid with Col. Light......Col. Light, who boarded with her grandparents while his own home was being built..."
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/55728734
...and different again:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/43772551
Perhaps it was the reporter who couldn't get their head around who was who.
Debra :)
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...and his son:
"Mr. Lewis is keenly interested in South Australian history, as he said to day that his mother came to this State when she was 13 in the same ship as Col. Light. His father. James Lewis, came to Australia with Sturt's expedition..."
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/131204025
Family stories ::)
Debra :)
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The reference for his name appearing on that list is BISA - which is the Biographical Index of South Australia - information submitted by researchers and not always correct.
This is not entirely accurate. the CD The Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 also includes two volumes of South Australians 1836-1885 - these two volumes contain contributed information with sources.
The index was originally published in 1986 with approximately 100,000 entries of South Australians who were born or arrived in the colony during this period. The information was gleaned from research by the South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society [now known as SA Genealogy] in archives, public records, private papers, and letters of administrations as well as contributions from individuals.
It is an excellent place to start your South Australian research but naturally one needs to validate any information where possible.
Interesting that the 1836 arrival of the RAPID with Colonel LIGHT on board also had a James LEWIS on the passenger list.
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/1836Rapid.htm
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/1838Rapid.htm
http://www.familyhistorysa.info/shipping/passengerlists.html
LEWIS James arrived in SA 20 Jun 1838 aboard the RAPID from London [Source:5,7,8,18,23(1),26]
5. Cemetery and other memorial inscriptions, 5b burial registers
7. Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885, SAGHS, 1986
8. South Australians 1836-1885, SAGHS, 1990
23.1841 South Australia Census Returns, SAA, GRG24/13
26. Barry Leadbeater, South Australia Marriages 1836-56, Adelaide, 2005-2014
In case others wish to help....
http://www.rgssa.org.au/Exhib1978.htm
WELSH BIBLE PRESENTED BY THE LEWIS FAMILY.
James Lewis brought this Bible to South Australia in 1837 in the brig 'Rapid'. His son John was President of the Society from 1914 to 1920 and was keenly interested in Australian exploration. Dr. J. Brooke Lewis, grandson of the owner, presented the Bible. A bequest from the family established the various Lewis prizes for geography.
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/SAShips1836-1840.htm
1837 RAPID from Sydney arrived Glenelg - Apr 23th No Passengers
South Australians 1836-1885 - Published 1990
L 933 *Also detailed in BISA
LEWIS * James
Parents: Thomas FO, FR
Birth: c1813 St Davids MON WLS FO, FR
Death: 14.4.1891 Balaklava SA RDC
Burial: Balaklava SA FR
Arr SA: 30.6.1838 from ENG RAPID SRV, CI
Occup: mariner, explorer, postmaster, pastoralist RDC, FO
Residence: Marino, Brighton RDC, FR
Religion: C of E
Marriage: 15.5.1841 Adelaide SA PRA
Spouse: BRISTOW Eliza Margaret Hutton FB, RDC
Parents: Robert & Janet
Birth: c1825 ENG RDC
Death: 6.7.1906 Balaklava SA RDC
Burial: Balaklava SA FR
Arr SA: 11.9.1836 from ENG CYGNET SRV, CI
Children: Jane SHILLABEER (17.3.1842 -19.3.1908), John (12.2.1844 - 25.8.1923),
Sarah DAW (10.10.1847 - 5.6.1926), George (19.4.1849 -d.inf), James
(16.11.1850 - ), Eleanor McCLEERY (14.11.1853 - ), Mary RUDDOCK
(6.12.1855 - ), Martha [unm](1.4.1857 -17.9.1913), Thomas (7.8.1858 -
27.12.1863), Phillip (20.4.1860 - ), Stephen (22.4.1862 -15.7.1933), Lillian
[unm](4.12.1863 - 20.7.1946), Henry Francis (4.4.1867 -13.1.1937)
Other Information: James was a member of the STURT expedition to the interior in 1844.
Contributor: S 161U
CI = Cemetery Index
FB = Family Bible
FO = Family oral tradition
FR = Family records unspecified
PRA = Parish records Church of England
RDC = Death Certificate
RMC = Marriage Certificate
SRV = Vessel records
I will pm you the contributor's name and hopefully up to date contact details.
Cando
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Differing recollections of family members is not unusual. All family stories have some confusing details.
Stories my father told are questionable, and my sister believes the birth place of our father's mother is totally different to her birth record that gives the family living in a different area of SA.
Essie
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I tried to attach the image of the LEWIS headstone and it did not work.
The inscription clearly says James LEWIS arrived on the Rapid in 1837.
Essie
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I wonder if any events other than bdm's were listed in the LEWIS family bible?
Cando
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I am so very grateful to everyone who has replied on this post - and to the people who have replied via the Pembrokeshire board.
Judith B – many thanks, but ‘my’ Thomas Lewis is actually living next door to this chap on the 1841 Census – oh dear, there are a lot of Lewises in the area, and they have the habit of using the same names for their children….. By 1861, ‘my’ Thomas has drowned in an accident just off the coast, so he isn’t in that census.
Re the 1787 Will, I’ve had a look at it – the Nat. Library of Wales has Welsh Wills to 1858 online, bless ‘em – and I don’t think it’s relevant, though of course I will bear it in mind.
Debra – Well, the Lewises never came to Wales to visit any of OUR family in 1937! The news report indicates that Philip Lewis might know about his Welsh family – but none of my family have any stories about cousins in Australia (and in my family, bragging rights would have ensured they would have passed on stories about a branch which had apparently done so well in material terms!) – so either [a] James didn’t contact his family, and Philip was imagining he could walk into St Davids and find his family waiting or James came from another family altogether.
And what to make of the elderly daughter’s account…h’m…. But fascinating reading.
We have a story that a boy from the St Davids family “ran away to sea”. Curses that I never asked who/when/etc when the last generation was alive. But it MIGHT be James Lewis, of course (he may be mentioned in a 1835 Mariner’s List, sailing out of Whitby, the age and place of birth agree) ….
Cando – Wow! There is a Welsh Bible in existence! I wonder whether it has any info, like a dedication or possibly family notes? I can’t easily believe the family would have given their ‘family’ Bible to a 21-year-old leaving for Australia, but might have presented him with his own Bible…maybe…. Is there any way of seeing an image of the flyleaf, etc, I wonder?
Essie – thanks for trying!
Essie and Cando – thanks for the PMs – I’m in the UK, and know NOTHING about Australian genealogy (or anything else Oz, except I can sing ‘Waltzing Matilda' off-key). But I’m off now to try and find this descendant you’ve pointed me towards. Many thanks. Also to get my head round BISA.
thanks all, Elaine
ps Just came to me - there IS a Thomas Lewis, watchmaker - but in Montgomeryshire. Could 'MON' possibly refer to Montgomery [MGY] , not Monmouth [MON]? I don't think there's a St Davids in Montgomeryshire, but it did come under the diocese of St Davids.....clutching at straws..... Another family to chase, then, to see if they have a James who swanned off in 1836....
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http://www.rgssa.org.au/Exhib1978.htm
WELSH BIBLE PRESENTED BY THE LEWIS FAMILY.
James Lewis brought this Bible to South Australia in 1837 in the brig 'Rapid'. His son John was President of the Society from 1914 to 1920 and was keenly interested in Australian exploration. Dr. J. Brooke Lewis, grandson of the owner, presented the Bible. A bequest from the family established the various Lewis prizes for geography.
I suggest you contact the Society and ask about the bible. It is a good idea to read the links posted :)
http://www.rgssa.org.au/Contact_Us.htm
Cheers :)
Cando
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Can you give some details about the Thomas LEWIS from Montgomeryshire? All these names the same; my husband is Welsh Thank goodness his surname is not very Welsh but as soon as we get a couple of generations back - Thomas, Rees, Griffiths, Davies etc and the forenames.............
So the Thomas who is a father to a James LEWIS is this chap, next door to the one I quoted earlier:
1841 Wales Census
Thomas Lewis 45, tailor
Elinor Lewis 45
Mary Lewis 15
Good luck with it!!
Judith
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I've been reading about the Sturt expedition - AMAZING!
[ Though I think the technical term for anyone who puts himself through something like this must be
"a loony" ;) ]
I'm beginning to realise why James Lewis's descendants are so proud of him.
Cando - oops, I got a bit over-excited and didn't stop and look. I'll contact the Geog. Soc.
Judith B - I dunno anything about the Lewises of Mongomeryshire, just a chap I found when I googled for Welsh clockmakers. Something else to follow up, in case James was actually from this family.
And yes, Thomas and Elinor are the parents of James - well, according to all the public trees on ancestry, anyway..... and I have to add, the names do chime: John/Stephen/Philip/Thomas/James/Mary/Martha/Jane/Sarah/Eleanor all appear as children of James in Australia - and are also Lewis family names back in Wales.....
Having looked at various bits of information about James Lewis's arrival in S Australia, I am more than a little confused. There seem to be three arrival dates:
1836 - a James Lewis/Lowis is shown on the Rapid
1837 - Essie 9earlier in this conversation) says this is the arrival date shown on the gravestone; and this is the date shown
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APOLOGIES - MUST HAVE PRESSED 'SEND' BY MISTAKE....oh dear.
I've been reading about the Sturt expedition - AMAZING!
[ Though I think the technical term for anyone who puts himself through something like this must be
"a loony" ;) ]
I'm beginning to realise why James Lewis's descendants are so proud of him.
Cando - oops, I got a bit over-excited and didn't stop and look. I'll contact the Geog. Soc.
Judith B - I dunno anything about the Lewises of Mongomeryshire, just a chap I found when I googled for Welsh clockmakers. Something else to follow up, in case James was actually from this family.
And yes, Thomas and Elinor are the parents of James - well, according to all the public trees on ancestry, anyway..... and I have to add, the names do chime: John/Stephen/Philip/Thomas/James/Mary/Martha/Jane/Sarah/Eleanor all appear as children of James in Australia - and are also Lewis family names back in Wales.....
Having looked at various bits of information about James Lewis's arrival in S Australia, I am more than a little confused. There seem to be three arrival dates:
1836 - a James Lewis/Lowis is shown on the Rapid
1837 - Essie (earlier in this conversation) says this is the arrival date shown on the gravestone; and this is the date shown on the Royal Geog. Soc. of S A site, arrived on the Rapid
1838 - a James Lewis of St Davids MON is shown on the Rapid
Assuming that nobody in their right mind would travel UK-Aus three times in three years, what is going on?
It seems the Rapid arrived in S Australia in 1836 and 1838, but not 1837.
So do we actually have TWO James Lewises?
Or was James actually a crew-member in 1836, and returned to UK, then arrived back in Australia in 1838 as a settler?
Can anyone shed some light on this for me, please?
many thanks, Elaine
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Trying again to post this attachment.
Only a seaman would sail so often in those years? The RAPID was a coastal ship from Sydney and Kingscote in 1837.
Essie
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Essie,
That's an incredibly clear gravestone considering its age.
Trystan
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Thank you, Essie
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Ok, here's some TROVE mentions of the Rapid in South Australia.
3 May 1836 - Rapid sailed with passengers fro the new settlement of South Australia
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/1836Vansittart.jpg
June 1837 - an interesting letter from a disgruntled farmer re the lack of surveying being done in S A. He mentions a Mr Kingston returning in the Rapid.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/31749643
3 June 1837
Rapid had arrived safely with the Surveyor General, Colonel Light. Three other ships also arrived at the time and seemed also to carry surveyors 'including a strong party of labourers'. The article reads (to me) as though these ships travelled together and appear to have been all involved in Government or Commissioners exploits.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/31749635
July 1837
Comment re the Rapid being sent back to England
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/31749665
November 1837
Political comment that the Rapid had been sent 'home' with a cargo of oil when it should have stayed in S A as a survey vessel.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/31749732
19 June 1838
Arrived the Commissioners brig Rapid, Lieutenant F FIELD RN, Commander, from England 26 February.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71684596
August 1838 - Rapid still in harbour
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/31750094
June 1838
The Rapid carried passengers and cargo - nothing specified
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/31749976
September 1839
mention of a "whaling brig Rapid" - I'm assuming this is not the same ship
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71685528
Arrived 22 November 1838 - Commissioners' brig Rapid from the wreck of the Parsee with the passengers and their luggage
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71684920
The Parsee was travelling between Hobart and S A
July 1838
In harbour: Brigs: Rapid, from London 130 tons, a surveying vessel.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71684662
8 September - mentioned again as in harbour - surveying vessel
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71684769
8 Dec
Rapid is "surveying the harbour"
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71684952
Sorry this is a bit long but it would seem to me that the brig Rapid was being used by the Colonization Commissioners for South Australia, which group had been set up by Act of Parliament in UK. The Rapid certainly seems to have been back and forth 1836-1837, and was commanded by an officer RN, so it is possible that James LEWIS was aboard for any or all of the voyages.
There's a model of the Rapid in SA.
http://historysa.com.au/collections/port-adelaide-collection/model-brig-rapid
This article does not include a James LEWIS on the 1836 voyage.
http://boundforsouthaustralia.net.au/ships/passenger-lists/rapid-passenger-list.html
None of which helps us find a connection - such a long way from St David's
Judith
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Judith, thanks for all this - Australian records seem impressive - looking more likely that James Lewis was part of the crew, do you think? And stayed aboard Rapid til 1838? Who knows....
I have emailed the GeogSoc of S Australia to ask for an image of the flyleaf of the Lewis 'Welsh Bible' they hold - fingers crossed it has James's date of birth, or a dedication from his parents, or summat anyway.
I have an address and a phone number for a Mr * of Adelaide who is a descendant and seems to have supplied info, to BISA - wish I had his email, it's a cheaper option from here in the UK! But i will contact him and keep my fingers crossed.
Elaine
Name of living person removed as per RC policy.
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Thanks to the help I've received on this thread, I contacted the S Aus. Geography Society about James Lewis's Bible, and they sent me images of the inscriptions in it.
These writings included the names and dobs of James' siblings - who match the siblings of James Lewis of St Davids Pembrokeshire ...BINGO....RESULT.
The connection is now PROVED.
But without the pointers from you kind Australians, I would never have found this Bible - and without the co-operation of the staff at the GeogSoc, I would not have seen the writings in it.
So a real 'crowd-source' effort, for which I am immensely grateful.
I've asked whether the GeogSoc can leave my email address with the Bible, in case anyone wants to contact me, since I have family info going back to James's gt-grandparents, and also for the descendants of his siblings. Nobody in Australia seems to have this, as far as I've been able to ascertain so far.
Goes to show that so often there IS a piece of paper which breaks through your brick wall, if the right people come up with the right questions!
with thanks, Elaine
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Pleased the link was useful.
Cheers :)
Cando
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Newyddion da!
Good news - so pleased it has worked out.
There's a little more information on the Pembrokeshire board for anyone who may be following this thread.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=687950.new;topicseen#new
Judith
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Just a coda to this thread.
I've found James Lewis returning to Liverpool on a ship (Ocean Queen) in Nov 1836, then leaving Liverpool on the Dorothea and being discharged at Calcutta in the summer of 1837. I'm assuming he either was taken on board the Rapid in 1838 at Calcutta, or he got back to UK on another ship and joined the Rapid when it left London in 1838.
I've been looking for the Rapid's 1838 voyage at The National Archives in Kew, London, but since Rapid never seems to have returned to Home Waters, the paper trail in the UK has dried up. Hey ho.
HOWEVER, I've found the 1836/7 Crew List for the Rapid's voyage from London to S Australia. If anyone wants a copy, I'll gladly pass it on. I've sent a copy to 'familyhistorysa'. Fascinating stuff to anyone interested in the pioneers of S Australia. And the Crew Lists of the other ships of the 1836/7 'fleet' should also be at Kew, waiting for somebody to photograph them....
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Hi,
According to Rita Dunstan, "Leaders in industry, medicine --- Grandfather ran away to sea: Pioneer Family of South Australia", The Australian Women's Weekly, Australian Consolidated Press, Sydney, Australia, October 15, 1958, Page12 & 13.
This article starts of with a paragraph under photographs of olden James and Eliza Lewis:-
PIONEER James Lewis, son of a Welsh ironmonger, who ran away from home in 1824 and went to sea, arriving in South Australia 12 years later as a second mate in the Rapid. Etc.
To the start of the main part of this article:-
It was a quiet Sunday morning in the dyer's shop until James Lewis, a strapping 12-year-old, stopped by on his way to church.
James handed over a dress of his mother's to be dyed, and stood whistling while the girl behind the counter unwrapped the parcel.
Then something the girl said cut short his whistle. What she said we'll never know, but whatever it was, it mad James see red. Vermillion, in fact. Whole vatfuls of it.
And into one of the vats he tipped the saucy lass and left her there, dripping with dye to reflect on her folly.
James bolted out of the shop and was racing in the direction of the church, when he thought better of it. His mother would be at church and would no doubt soon hear of his escapade.
News travels fast, especially the kind of new James had made.
He turned towards home, but thought better of that too. His father, a stern Welsh ironmonger would be home. James changed course again.
This time he made straight for the coast, and instead of going home that day, went to sea and stayed there for 12 years.
That was how in 1824, James Lewis ran away from his home in Monmouthshire on the border of Wales. Etc.
This article had the blessing of John Lewis's family, and the story was part of our family lore. John, son of James, was my mothers maternal grandfather.
The main point in this is that James was the son of a Welsh ironmonger.
I have only included a small part of the article.
I don't believe that there was any other connection to cloth-dyers or clock-makers.
I hope this helps
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hi Tim, thanks for this - you'll see I've replied via the Lewis Clan facebook page.
Can I suggest you check the census returns for the appropriate years, for the father's occupation?
Elaine