How do I find the 19th century occupants of a particular farm?

[nudge67]

Hi all

Here it is: Thomas EDWARDS and his family emigrated to South Australia in 1850. I found them in the 1841 census listed as a farmer in the township of Llanforda*, near Oswestry, Shropshire. there the trail runs cold. The commonality of the EDWARDS name, and the unreliability of early 19th century parish records, makes further conclusive proof difficult. It seems to be an irony that the more recent the parish records are, the less useful information they contain.

(*sometimes rendered as Llanvorda)

The online indexes of the Oswestry Parish Registers of the 16th-18th centuries, as well as some Denbighshire and Shropshire county records, list an EDWARDS family as farmers of a property called "The Mountain" in Llanforda. While I have located no property of that name, there is a 'Llanforda Uchaf', a significant farm of appropriate vintage located on what appears to be one of the higher hills of Llanforda. (I base this on researching maps, I have not been there)

"Uchaf"  translates from the Welsh as "Highest, Uppermost". My gut feeling is that this is the place, my ancestral home, however I have no proof.

Is there some authority I can correspond with in the UK that can confirm the previous residents of a particular address? Any advice greatly appreciated

[chempat]

This is not a UK authority, but I wondered if you have considered asking here for any guidance?

http://www.sfhs.org.uk/

[nudge67]

Cool, thanks for the link.

[km1971]

You should also ask Shropshire Record Office about the National Farm Survey of 1941. This may confirm the property's name. Also ask them about tithe records, and Ordnance Survey field books. Each enclosed piece of land has a unique reference. There is also the Owners of Land survey of 1872?

If he felt the need to emigrate it suggests he was a tenant and not the owner. If so the landowner may have had large holdings and may have left a archive somewhere.

You should also look for later census. They may describe later farmers as a tenant or owner; and also give the acreage.

Ken

[nudge67]

Thanks Ken, I will follow your suggestions.

Yes Thomas EDWARDS was a tenant farmer, on the Llanforda Estate, which was then part the WILLIAMS-WYNN Baronetcy, the largest landholders in North Wales & Shropshire. The Llanforda Estate was 1200 acres, with four major farms of 100- 250 acres, and several smaller 20-30 acre allotments.

When the EDWARDS family migrated in 1850, they paid full fare, at a time when most emigrants were sponsored by emigration schemes.

Australian newspaper articles suggest Thomas suggest he had been a farmer of note in Shropshire, Certainly he became so in South Australia, by his death in 1890 he had built up an property empire of over 15,000 acres, and was noted as one of the state's most successful farmers. Indeed the family was listed as one of fifty families recognized as "Founders of Australia" in a book published in 1937.

Cheers
Nudge