Hi both,
JL, many thanks for that info. I was being slow-witted and had forgotten that one could jump directly to the full description of the batch's source in the FHL catalogue simply by clicking on the Source Call No. (right beside the batch no. at the foot of the individual search result page). Your second link duly took me to that same place, and enabled me to cross-check it against the IGI result page for Robert Davies (Derwen 30.06.1832). Which did fortunately confirm my assumption that the entry was extracted from Derwen BTs, via the old filming work done in the early 1950s. Quite why someone decided to entitle the IGI batch derived from that film differently, as "Derwen by Corwen", remains obscure; but it becomes a non-issue now the batch's link to the Derwen BT film is clearly established.
I wish I could fill you in better about the new LDS filming project on Welsh PRs. All I know is what a chap told me two years ago, last time I managed to get to Ruthin RO. He had a hi-end digital filming rig set up in the old main reading room and was filming the original of a PR. He told me he was doing it p.p. the LDS and that peace had broken out between them and the C in W, on the basis that individual parish incumbents retained a veto-of-conscience, but (subject to that) the default position of the RCB in Cardiff was now broadly permissive. I have not sought to find corroboration of that from elsewhere -- so it could easily be wide of the mark. But I wait in hopes of hearing about a press launch! (And, as I wrote above, that could already have happened for all I know.)
So, back to the substance (from Lorrae's standpoint):
Hi JL
...
IGI brings up no useful hits for Robert 1831-3 in Merion., but four candidates in Denbighs. On looking at the one cited by Lorrae, I more than ha' me doots: a Wesleyan baptism at Ruthin, with mother's maiden name showing as Philips.
But . . . there is another bapt., on 30 June 1832, for parents listed as Thomas Davies and Jane, at "Derwen by Corwen"; batch is C090161. That did catch my eye, bearing in mind last para of my Reply 16. ... Unfortunately a search for others with the same parents turns up little else there; but of course people did swap preferred christening venues quite often in that period. ...
... What think you?
Lorrae, I do apologise if I have sown any confusion!
Ref.
I did see the record for THOMAS DAVIES AND JANE PHILLIPS on LDS so assumed that they were Roberts parents as I couldnt find anything else. ...
As you correctly concluded, for my part -- and it will be interesting to hear whether JL thinks any different -- I was sceptical about that IGI entry being the right one, once I realised it must be the one you meant. Against it already was the fact that it appeared in the register of a chapel at Ruthin (though that was certainly not decisive, given the size of early Wesleyan circuits). Then the implied 1841 census age for this child would be seven rather than the actual nine (one year off usually seems OK to me -- but with a child I get a bit more doubtful when the gap rises to two years). There seem to be none of the other known Davies siblings in the batch. And Philips is a rare-ish name in the Llandderfel area.
As both JL and I have commented, IGI coverage in N. Wales is generally very thin (because of the filming restrictions deriving from theological objections to what was perceived as "baptising the dead"), so the absence of any other IGI options carries little probative value.
None of which means that the Ruthin entry is the wrong one, just that my bet would be against it without more evidence. And, as you know, for now my eye has been caught by the possibility at Derwen. Plus who knows what Gwyddelwern PR or the other non-conformist registers may hold inside their covers.
Ref.
I find it confusing as on the censuse Robert born different places
Yes, he was certainly pretty erratic about what he told the enumerators. But my guess all along was Gwyddelwern, and as JL noted in bold print, he did revert to that in old age (1901).
Ref.
I have sent for Thomases death cert by so hopefully that will shed a bit of light on my tree.
Hope you were able to obtain a decent steer from the registrar at Ruthin about the right entry for Thomas (curious to know how much info he/she vouchsafed over the phone about the chosen entry).
Rol