completed Looking for information on Thomas family in Abergywnfi,Neath.

[loueire]

Hi,am looking for some information on my grandfather William James Thomas's family,William was born 9th february 1920 at 30,commercial street,Abergywnfi,Neath,his father was called James Thomas he was a collier,his mother was called Sarah,her maiden name was also Thomas.
As yet,i have not been able to find anything on James and Sarah,or on whether they had any more children.
William Thomas left Wales in about 1935/36,he married in Paulton,Bath in 1942,he passed away in London 1973.
Any one who has has any information on the Thomas's,or where i could search for information,it would be lovely to hear from you,also anyone who knows what life would of been like in Abergywnfi in the 1920's.
Thankyou,Louise.

[CaroleW]

Hi again

Hopefully all sorted on the Beginners board so good luck on here - I hope somebody will be able to help you

Moderator comment: further information is now here, such as it is

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=483915.new

[Morganllan]

There's a picture of Miners digging for coal at Caerau during the National Strike of 1921

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/sites/inpictures/pages/cymmer_mines2.shtml?9

Caerau is not far from Aberwynfi in the Afan Valley

[loueire]

thankyou,would you know where a miner would of worked if they lived in abergywnfi?was there working mines there in the 1920's,or would the mine in the photo be a more likely place?
kind regards.

[Morganllan]

They may have worked in Blaengwynfi, which is lower down the mountain from Abergwynfi.

Corrwg Rhondda (Level) at Blaengwynfi was owned by The Glenavon Garw Collieries Ltd of Port Talbot. In 1918 the Manager was D Reece.

Glyncorrwg (Blaengwynfi) was another mine, managed by G Rowlands.

See this site:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cmhrc/lom18glam1.htm

There was also the Avon Colliery at Abergwynfi.
The Afan valley owed it's growth to coal mining so there would have been many mines employing colliers.

You could check out the Welsh Coal Mines site too.

[toni*]

Hi, have you looked at Street Directories for 1930 [/s 1920]to see who was living at 30 Commercial Street, Abergywnfi, ? if it is James Thomas brilliant and then you can work backwards to see when they first appeared there

[toni*]

here is a possible marriage

Marriages Dec 1908   Neath    11a   1615
DIXON    William James           
ROMBACH    Theresa          
THOMAS    James            
THOMAS    Sarah Catherine       



(if this is James & Sarah then Sarah would have been quite old to have William but its not impossible)
this was based on my thinking William was born 1930 sorry 

[hanes teulu]

Louise,
There's an earlier instance of the marriage of a James Thomas and a Sarah Thomas on the same page -

Sep Qtr, 1905 Registration District Neath, 11a 1405

There's a James and Sarah Thomas on the 1911 Census (links to the wedding above) that is a possible match for your William's parents. Sadly, Rootschatters can't disclose information from the 1911 Census.
Do you have access to Archives where you can access the Census free?

Re Abergwynfi, my grandfather was a Collier there on the 1901 Census. The return lists 6 Heads of Household, 28-31 High St. All 6 are Colliers.
 

[loueire]

i didn't think of street directories,thankyou.