DAVIES in Brecon

[D ap D]

After a break of about a year or so from this branch, I have come back to my Brecon brick wall.

Evan Davies was born in 1809 in Builth, Breconshire. He was a stonemason. He married Christiana Unknown (b: 1809 in Yatton, Somerset) about 1829/1830, at a place as yet unidentified, possibly either Christiana’s home parish of Yatton or in Brecon.

Evan and Christiana had:
•   Edward Davies, (bapt 12.10.1828 in St Davids, Brecon)
•   Christiana Davies, (b.: 1831 in Brecon)
•   Rees Davies, (b: 1835 in Brecon)
•   Mary Davies, (b.: 1838 in Brecon)
•   Emma Davies, (b.: 1841 in Brecon)
•   Evan Davies, (b.: 1844 in Brecon)
•   Mary Davies, (b.: 1848 in Aberdare)

The 1841 census has the family living at Priory Hill, Brecon. Obviously at some time between 1844 and 1848 the family moved from Brecon to Fforchaman, Abergwawr, Aberdare, where the family is living at the time of the 1851 census. Christiana died in the Merthyr District in the March quarter of 1860. I have not been able to determine when Evan died – sometime between 1851 and 1861. I have also not been able to determine where they are buried, although I presume somewhere in Merthyr

My questions:
1) A search in Yatton and the surrounding parishes for the marriage of Evan and Christiana has to date proven negative. If anyone has access to the Parish records, could they possibly look up this marriage). Assuming they married before the first child was born, the date would be about 1827;

2) Edward, Christiana and Rees were all born before compulsory registration started. From the IGI I have Edward’s baptism. Although the IGI goes up to 1844 for St David’s, no other baptisms for this couple are listed.  Any suggestions where I should look next?

3) Edward does not appear in any census. I therefore assume he died before 1841. To tie up this loose end, I would like to find out when he died, and where he was buried. Can anyone tell me which cemetery would be the most likely?

Many thanks in advance

D

[dee-jay]

I think you need to obtain the death certificate for Christiana to establish her normal abode at the time of her death.  Alternatively, as you know the year and quarter, if you have not already done so, you could make an enquiry to the Burials Clerk for Aberdare Cemetery.  If she was buried there, you may also discover if she was buried in unconsecrated ground, indicating nonconformism, and if anyone else was buried subsequently in the same plot.

For Edward's burial try Brecon St David's Church at Llanfaes, where the churchyard is still used for burials.  If only Edward was baptized there, it is possible he was baptized shortly before burial.  Again, if there were no further baptisms at St David's, it could be a further indication of nonconformism. 

[D ap D]

Ta for that DeeJay. It goes to prove you do sometimes need a fresh pair of eyes to look at a problem.

Much obliged.

D