Funeral Directors records - Prestatyn in the 1950's

[catanaccio]

I am trying to find any details about an ancestor who died on 16 October 1956 in Trefnant and who was buried four days later in the Parish Church, Prestatyn.

Her name was Catherine Jones (nee Morgan).

I am trying to trace any details of her life and, if possible, her actual date of birth.  She was supposedly aged 87 at her death.

She was the widow of Herbert Jones who had died in Prestatyn in 1947 aged 79 at which time they lived at Roseneath, Gorphwysfa Avenue, Prestatyn.

Were there any well-known firms of Funeral Directors in the area at the time ...and might their records have survived the last sixty years and be available to research?

Any help or advice gratefully received.

Ian.

[CaroleW]

I would think the chances of any records from such a long time ago are nil

Funeral directors would need huge storage facilities to store records of all their funerals over such a long period

I would think they would be destroyed after the 6 or possibly 10yr tax requirement period

[Eldon]

Hello Ian:
I live in this area and have been involved in the funeral industry.
Gorphwysfa Avenue still existsand is adjacent to Gorphwysfa which is a block of recent flats built on the location of the old Gorphwysfa which was knocked down.
The funeral director would very likely cover Trefnant (Any FD could arrange the funeral) and in 1956 could well be 'part time' with a day job usually in the building trade say carpentry. Although some funeral businesses do keep records it will be almost certain that they will not go back 50 years.

I had a play on the internet. I could not find an obvious birth for Catherine Morgan. So I searched on the North Wales BMD and found:-
Letitia Catherine Morgan born 1868 records in Denbigh South (Ruthin)which covers Trefnant --their code is DNB/13/60. No birth in 1869.
I found a marriage for Catherine Morgan to Herbert Jones in the 4th Qtr of 1896 in the St Asaph district 11b/581
In 1881 a Catherine Morgan aged 12 years born in Trefnant was living in St Asaph with Llewellyn/Ellen Morgan and 3 siblings.
It could be that she has dropped the name 'Letitia' and that is why you cannot find her birth details.
Hope this is of some help;
Regards Eldon.