Harris family, Merthyr Tydfil 1851

[Deirdre784]

Hi Mar, finally arrived at lunchtime so i can have a look at this. That 1871 Evans entry is really interesting so i'm going to have a look at that first. That was some find 

John Coombes was born on 19 Nov 1846 in Merthyr, a 14 year old coalminer in 1861, a 34 yo coalminer in 1881, a 44 yo coalminer in 1891, a 54 yo coal hewer in 1901 and a 64 yo coal hewer in 1911, so age seems spot on throughout. He was a haulier on Sarah Ann's birth cert in 1867. He was a coal miner on Ann's death cert in 1874 and coalminer hewer on his own death cert in 1924. I have his 1866 marriage cert on order from the GRO - pdf trial - which may give more detail re ages and occupation.

So the age is close, occupation possible, Ann was a year younger than him, and Sarah Ann would have been aged 4. I guess i could buy the birth cert for son David born on 7 Oct 1871 and if they were at that address at the time, then great, but they did seem to move around a lot.

[Deirdre784]

Hi Mar, have run out of time so will have to look at the rest of this tonight but can i ask about this..... why are you intrigued? We haven't seen the family in Taff St before have we? 

....but am intrigued that David Harries shoemaker ends up in Taff Street in 1891.

[MarMnkly]

Not as intrigued as maybe I was 
I could see that David Harris (1819, shoemaker) is in Taff Street (Toops court) in 1891
That Sarah Harris (1776, Carmarthen) was in Taff Street in 1861 and 1871
That Ann Harries, relative, 14 (1847), was with Sarah Harris (above) in 1861
That in 1861 (2 houses along in Taff Street) is another family of Harris !!

I had thought the address was Taff Street, Merthyr Vale, but I've re-looked at the images and all the Taff Street's are Cyfarthfa ward.
If it had been Taff Street in Merthyr Vale, I thought it was a fair way (I know it's only 4 or 5 miles) to go without any connection family wise. As you probably know Taff Street in Merthyr Vale supported the pit predominantly.

One thing is for sure, there are an awful lot of Harris/Harries in Merthyr !!!!!  

Added - nice couple of images of Taff Street on the Alan George website
http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/caepantywyll_page2.htm

[Deirdre784]

Sorry Mar, I hadn't picked up on the others in Taff Street, though i have tried to find the link between the families, particularly Sarah.

And despite living in Cardiff, i've not actually been to Merthyr  - no relatives there now.....

[Deirdre784]

One thing is for sure, there are an awful lot of Harris/Harries in Merthyr !!!!!  

Lots of Coombes and variants too 

[MarMnkly]

Deirdre
lovely in Merthyr, worth a trip 
Are you confirmed on Thomas and Hannah Harries as the parents of David (shoemaker) Harries?

Mar

[Deirdre784]

Not gone any further back than the 1841 so far, partly as David was born in Merthyr, Anglesey or Carmarthenshire  though with the possible link with Sarah, Carmarthenshire looks most likely. And obviously not helped by no earlier censuses to explore.

I guess it may depend on whether we are looking for Carmarthen itself, or the whole of Carmarthenshire   

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Not sure if this helps at all

8 Sept 1862
JOHN WILLIAMS, BUILDER AND IRONMONGER, OF HIGH STREET, DOWLAIS, AND MARIA HIS WIFE, DECEASED. Public Notice. ALL parties indebted to the above are requested to call at the house of DAVID HARRIES, of No. 13, Taff- street, Pantywyll, Merthyr Tydfil, immediately, so as to make an arrangement to pay their different accounts to Mr. THOMAS SAMUEL, Cordwainer, Well-street, Dowlais.

Most versions of this advert have the address as 15 Taff ST. David Harries being the executor of Maria Williams

[Deirdre784]

Thanks Mabel, very interesting; another bit and more people to try and link in