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Over the past months have recreated the Inquiry into the 1875 Lan Colliery disaster. The actual records are lost. Luckily, archived newspaper of the day give near verbatim reports of proceedings so through detailed reading, this research was possible.

 One man is particularly interesting. Fireman William John. He is recalled to give evidence several times, told his job is on the line. He gives evidence against Abraham Phillips, the overman.

Now my question. I know nothing about William John beyond the fact he was fireman at Lan Colliery and he wasn’t underground at the time of the explosion, and that he hadn’t entered gas in the record book.

Is There any possibility of tracing a person with so little information? William John. fireman Lan Colliery. 1875. Probably lived in Lower Pentyrch, Gwaelod y Garth, or Taffs Well.

Any ideas welcomed! Thanks so much.

Moses Llewellyn died on December 6th. 1875 in Lan Colliery, Lower Pentyrch. He was eleven years old. I know he was the third eldest of the five children of Kindness and Samuel Llewellyn. I believe the youngest was called Lydia who  was one year old in 1875. The 1871 Census gives their address as The Old Mill, Gelynos. Same given in 1881 but I believe the family moved to live in Springfield Gardens because the local graveyard has Moses' grave monument.

I would be grateful if anyone can  locate the other siblings in the family, particularly the two who were older than Moses. I would also love to know if the older children were also miners. I haven't located the date of death of Samuel LLewellyn, the father, but wonder if he was injured in the Lan disaster and subsequently died of his injuries, or if he survived it while his son died.

It is extremely interesting to see the fine grave and head stone of Moses. Given how poor the family are likely to have been, and that some caught in  the disaster went to pauper's graves, it is curious that this little boy has such a grand memorial. Any ideas, anyone? I will attach a photo of Moses grave memorial. Thank you.  I am grateful to whoever feels able to help on this.

Here's an impossible search - but you seem to do the impossible. We are looking for a girl named Millie who may have lived in Pentyrch and is likely to have links with Mountain Ash. She will have been around twenty in the First World War, where the boy she loved lost his life.

Why do we want to know? It’s a complicated story. What we have is an obituary poem to  George, the boy she loved. He was with the Seaforth Highlanders, the Buffs, a hero of the battle of  Loos, which took place on the Western Front between 25 September and 13 October 1915.  He died of his wounds in March 1916. There’s a story behind this quest. But first, we need to find a Millie who may have lived in Pentyrch.  is any one willing to give it a go to find  a Millie in Pentyrch? Could be Evans, but not sure. Thanks. And if no one can try such an impossible search, thanks for reading anyway.

I am researching the Booker and Lindsay families. TW Booker was an iron master in S Wales in the late 19th. century. His son, Thomas William Booker married Caroline Emily Lindsay. They lived in Velindre in Whitchurch, Cardiff and subsequently at Sea Lawns, Slon in Southerndown on the Glamorgan coast. Apart from local press announcing the marriage between TWB jnr and Caroline Lindsay, I am not managing to assess the various Lindsay families to establish which is the family of Caroline. Can anyone help, please? I thought her father was Robert Lindsay, but I am finding so many Lindsays of that name and none that quite fit. Caroline and TWR had eight daughters and one son who died in infancy.

Good evening.
I am researching the history of our local pub which is deeply tied up with the Welsh Industrial Revolution in South Wales. I'm almost there. Contemporary papers are  a good source of information, bu there are no pictures of course.. The Booker family were major investors in industry in our village and were the original owners of the pub. While I can find a portrait of Snr. Thomas William Booker, MP, JP, (1801-1858)  i can find no images of his second son of the same name.(1830-1887) Any ideas of where I could look would be gratefully received. If anyone has this family on their tree and have a picture to share,that would be amazing. Over to you brilliant and kind researchers. Many thanks ... and my fingers are crossed.