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George Gower, born about 1814 in Swansea, his wife Helen (nee Insole), born about 1820 in Worcester, and his son George Insole Gower, born 1843 in Cardiff, emigrated from Cardiff to South Africa sometime between 1843 and 1848.  Their daughter Julia Helen Gower may have accompanied them or may have been born in South Africa.  Three more children were born there, John Gower, born 1849 and died 1850 in Graaff-Reinett, Hannah Margaret Gower born 1851 in Richmond and died 1951 in Modderfontein, and another daughter born 1855 in Richmond.  George Gower died in 1875 in Cradock and Helen in 1895 in Grahamstown.

I am looking for more information, in particular about Julia Helen Gower.  She was baptised as an adult, unmarried, on 11 June 1884 at Grahamstown Methodist Church.  In 1898 she appears to be referred to in a relative's will as "Mrs Owen", and I am interested in the details of her marriage.  I would also like to find out how I could get a copy of George Gower's will, shown on NAAIRS as being in Cape Town Archives.  I have tried emailing the Archives several times but have had no reply.  I would be very grateful for any help with these questions.

Drosybont

Other diminutives for Martha are Pat and Patty.  Caused my sister and I a lot of puzzling last winter while transcribing some family diaries from the 1850s and 1860s.  The household had a daughter called Martha Jane, so we guessed who M.J was quite easily, but we racked our brains over who Pat could be.  Then we got to these entries on successive days:  "M.J went to market and fell down into Mr Bishop's cellar and hurt her leg" and "Poor Pat is at home all day her leg being very sore".  Cracked it!  Same person!  Confirmed by checking a reference to Pat's birthday with M.J's birth date. 

Drosybont

Hello Omega

Yes, please, the birth dates of William and Rebecca's children would be helpful.  According to his obituary memoir in The Baptist Magazine 1851, William was "baptised by Mr Rees of Froghole at Haverford West, March 24th 1816".   And the record attached by Orielbenfro above shows he also had a private baptism in 1796 and a christening in 1813, three altogether, seems very thorough!

Drosybont

This is my first post, not great timing because I'm away for the next two weeks, beyond the reach of RootsChat. 

The William Davies living at Coedcanlas is a member of one of the families in my tree.  He's one of Roger and Alice Davies's 10 children named in Roger's will at the National Library of Wales.  He married Rebecca Dicker in 1825 in Hailsham, Sussex and the children of that marriage were born from 1826 onwards, so I don't think he can be the one looked for here. 

If anyone else is interested in the Coedcanlas Davies's, perhaps they should be discussed separately, but if I may ask now, Oriel, was this an entry in the Martletwy parish church register or in a non-conformist register?

Drosybont