Hi Martyn and John.
I am also related to the HANDLEYS of Aberedw!
My maternal 2x great grandfather was George HANDLEY b 1806 in Lyonshall, Herefordshire. His parents were Peter HANDLEY (Miller), b 1766 in Knill, and Mary nee GRIFFITHS. They were married in 1804 in Pembridge and lived at Bullock's Mill, Lyonshall. Peter was the son of Peter HANDLEY & Rebecca nee GUY and the brother of Samuel HANDLEY who married Ann FERRER and Catherine (can't remember her surname!). George's siblings were Francis, Thomas, John, Richard Guy, Rebecca and Mary. I believe Rebecca and Mary died young, Thomas married, Richard Guy also moved to Birmingham and went into business with George as Millstone Makers & Importers of French Burrs. I have also found a Francis in Birmingham so maybe he moved also.
I am related to Allison HANDLEY and Gwlythin ROWCROFT who's great grandmother was Rebecca LEWIS nee HANDLEY who appears on the censuses between 1871 and 1901 at Talgarth Mill, Breconshire.
In the 1841 census George was living at Velindre near Brecon with his wife Elizabeth nee ALLEN, and their young son William. Also living there was Catherine FIREES (FERRIES) age 15, a servant (daughter of Moses FERRIES and Catherine nee JENKINS who lived at Clyro and Bronydd). She became my 2x great grandmother!!! Catherine FERRIES nee JENKINS was mentioned in Kilvert's Diary and was the grandmother of George LANSBURY MP, leader of the Labour party in 1931/32 !!
In the 1851 census, 45 year old George, a Miller, described himself as a Widower and was living in Castle Street, Birmingham with 25 year old Catherine FERRIES his housekeeper!!! They went on to have 3 daughters, the eldest of whom was my great grandmother Mary Ann HANDLEY b 1854.The rest, as they say, is history!
During the course of my research I have recently found out that George and his younger brother John appeared before Hereford City Court on 15th July 1837 as insolvent debtors who had gone out of business! Apparently he had businesses in Clyro, Pembridge and Merthyr Tydfil! They are described as prisoners but I don't know if they were sent to a debtor's prison!
Also. last night I found out that Samuel HANDLEY appeared before a grand jury in 1811, indicted for assault and torn document against a blacksmith and he was indicted with the same thing against Samuel! The verdict was No True Bill (the jury felt there was not enough evidence for the case to proceed). It's all very interesting and amazing, considering a few years I knew next to nothing about George. He died in 1874 in Stepney, London age 68 of Bronchitis and Dropsy (Bright's Disease).
How are you both related to Samuel? Do you know when he died? As he doesn't appear on the 1841 census and Catherine describes herself as a widow.
Hope you find this informative and interesting. Hope to hear from you soon!
Best wishes
Lizzie x