Ystalyfera - William (Willie) Thomas

[merrymoo]

Oh, I did wonder how he got to Essex, it says on the 1901 census in Essex he was single but on his marriage certificate in 1902 it says he was a widower. the family were alway cagey about him and I could never find a marriage for him before my nan in 1902!! The plot thickens.

[Whichypoohs]

Oh how interesting. Well I'll keep digging.  Mind you being naughty then, and being naughty now are two different things; these little villages can be nasty places to live, and people are as nosey as ever. Let me know if you receive the email I sent (via Roots) with the attachments?

Actually my neighbour, who's 90, is from Ystalyfera, and still has a sister living there. I wonder if she would know? I will have a chat when I see her.

The Bible I have was given to Margaret Ann who was my dads grandmother, when she left home on March 4th 1903. The Bible is in Welsh, which gives you a hint of strong Welsh-speaking heritage. William Thomas (the naughty boy) died Feb 10th 1941 in Burnham on Crouch Essex? Strangely my dad used to keep his boat in Burnham-on-crouch.

The Thomas line lived in a beautiful little farm in Rhosaman/Brynamman, called "Llwyn Farm." When Gwilym (William) Williams and Elinor (Eleanor?) died their two daughters took over the farm: they were spinsters. Dad said they used to walk down to the village to buy a copy of the NEWS OF THE WORLD, where they devoured the gossip. They were a couple of "tough birds!"

Gwilym (William) Williams: born 1845 died 1919
Eleanor came from Maespant, Gwynfe) and was born 30.8.1848

The above couple were married at Llwyn Farm. They had 11 children:

John 1869 - 2.3.1881
Mary 3.5.1872 - 29.1.1959 MARRIED WILLIAM JONES (BLAENCWMTEG)
Morgan 1873  MARRIED ELIZABETH PHELPS
Thomas 1876 - 11.12.1881
Margaret Ann (my grt grandmother) 1878 MARRIED THOMAS THOMAS
Gwilym 1880 MARRIED CATHERINE JONES
Elizabeth 1882 - 29.12.1959
Richard 1884 MARRIED MARY JONES
David 1885 MARRIED MARY DEAN
Rachel 1887 - 29.5.1954
Gomer  28.7.1888

....and the above's children are listed too.....



There's a little boys name written in the bible: Eddie Thomas who was born March 3rd 1907 but, sadly, died in February 1910.

We have an extensive, written,  family tree going back to 1719. My grt. grt. grt. grt grandparents were Thomas and Elizabeth Williams who lived at "Rhiwddu, Gwynfe in Llangadog). Gwynfe is THE most gorgeous place and is in the same area as Carreg Cennen Castle. Again this was/is farming country.

I have all the children listed: there are a lot of names and dates. Let me know if you receive the email or if I can be of any help. I would gladly send you a copy of the family tree if you like.

[merrymoo]

I havn't received any other messages other than your last. Can you send it directly through the ordinary email, I did put my email address on the personal messages section at the top of this page? Can I help you any more with this?

Your neighbour from Ystalyfera might remember William's sister, my great aunt Edith Thomas, who remained unmarried, and her sister May who were elementary school teachers and lived at Lower Cwmtwrch.

My husband and I recently visited Ystalyfera and Lower Cwmtwrch and the house where they lived at Gurnos Cross (house name Dan y Coed) was pointed out to us by a man who remembered Edith as a teacher. She used to write to me when I was a little girl back in the 50's early 60's.

My grandad, however naughty he was in Wales, did enlist during WW1 and was gassed in the trenches in France. He died in 1941, as you say, apparently as the result of a bomb dropping in Burnham, apparently it caused him to have heart failure and he subsequently died in hospital in Chelmsford.

I am really looking forward to seeing how your Williams family are related to my Thomas family

Diane

[Whichypoohs]

NO I can't find your email address, however, here's mine: * so if you mail me I can then send the page to you, and I can have the family tree copied onto A4 and scan that to you as well.

HEATHER X

^(*)

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[syjonemi]

  Hi William
      My name is Mike Jones and have recently started researching my family tree.My great grandfather times four was also Thomas Williams of Rhiwddu and I would be interested to know your connection.Mine is as follows .Thomas Williams son John Williams married Anne Morgan of Nant y moch(daughter of John Morgan,farmer.).Their son Thomas Williams married Elizabeth Davies of Brynamman(daughter of Griffith Davies,quarryman of Brynamman).Their daughter Mary Anne Williams married David Jones(son of John Jones ,coal miner of Pantycelyn,Brynamman).Their son John Jones married my grandmother Gladys Wilson(born llandilofawr)and had my father.
     I would be interested to here from any one connected to any of these people or with any knowledge of them.
                Thanks
                          Mike Jones

[Morganllan]

Hello Mike 

Welcome to Rootschat!

Once you have made 3 postings on here you will be able to use the Personal Message (PM) facility to exchange information privately with other members.

Kind Regards
Morgan

[Amandaph9]

I know this is a very late reply, but Eleanor and William were my Great Great Grandparents too and Mary and William Jones were my great grand parents and my grandfather was born in Blaencwmteg