Gwrhay Cottage

[georgemason97]

Hi, I'm new here so bare with me. I am wanting to find out more about my family past starting with my mothers side of the family.

My grandmother was born near Cwrt - Y - Bella in a place called Gwrhay and I understand the cottage where she grew up was called Gwrhay cottage. There could be three different spellings 'Gurhay, Gwrhay and Gwerhay.'

Her father Oliver Jones worked in the colliery in Oakdale and her mother Susan Jones was an unpaid domestic servant often being there when people died she used to lay them out or when somebody gave birth etc.

I don't think Gwrhay exists anymore and I know the cottage doesn't anymore. If my facts are correct it was knocked down in the early to mid 30's.

We have a bible which says 'No 6 Gwrhay Cottage' and I remember my grandmother used to say it was a cottage on it's own surrounded by a bit of land.

Does anybody have any information on this? I've searched the internet but nothing seems to exist.

Thank you.

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat!

There's a map here:
https://historicplacenames.rcahmw.gov.uk/placenames/recordedname/27016e09-39e2-48fb-bcff-0b88f8f03239

Gwrhay also easily found on Google Maps.

[josey]

Welcome from me too  . Your first post was so clear, all the detail needed; many aren't & make answering less easy.

Good map, KGarrad; I would suggest given the description of 'surrounded by a bit of land', that No 6 was the southmost of the cottages on the west of the road opposite the word Gwrhay.

ADDED: over 300 references to Gwrhay in the British Newspaper Archive frm 1814 - 1960
eg 26 February 1904 - South Wales Gazette regarding how difficult it was to transport coffins

[KGarrad]

I should add that my grandfather worked at Oakdale pit!

And I worked in Pontllanfraith, south of Blackwood, on the Sirhowey River for a short while.

[josey]

Local knowledge is a wonderful thing!!

Side by side map at nls
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=51.6889&lon=-3.1826&layers=6&right=BingHyb

When was your grandmother living there, georgemason?

[georgemason97]

Hi,

Thanks so much, that side by side map Is very helpful. I suspect the cottage was knocked down and then the road was built a few years later.

I see some of the farms still exist and what an interesting news article regarding Gwrhay also.

My grandmother was born 21 June 1922 and lived there with her parents and sister Meghan until Oliver (her father) died in 1931... they moved to Brynglas Avenue in about 1935 where she then lived with her mother and sister until 1945 when she married and moved up to Bristol. I suspect they moved from Gwrhay when it was being developed etc. I do know however, the cottage was first mentioned in our family in the very very early 1900's according to notes in the bible we have.

Oliver was married to another woman beforehand and they lived there with their children until his first wife died.

My grandmother Susan is buried at Cwrt-y-Bella cemetery.

[georgemason97]

KGARRAD -

Interesting map of the area. We do visit my great grandmothers grave occasionally and I tend to imagine what living in Gwrhay would have been like...

My relative Sidney Owen also worked at the Oakdale Colliery.

I did also find out the Colliers arms pub was a cider place. Not sure if this is 100% factual though.

[KGarrad]

I did also find out the Colliers arms pub was a cider place. Not sure if this is 100% factual though.

Probably!
Friday afternoons in the factory social club had nearly every man buying a 2 litre flagon of cider. It was very popular!

Although my mother was born in Blaina, I never lived in Wales.
Pure coincidence that I ended up working at Pontllanfraith; my grandparents were married in Blackwood

[Arroncart]

Been doing walks of this area while doing research of Oakdale and its surroundings. Found some abandoned cottages in the Gwrhay area while on one of these walks. See photos https://ibb.co/wdjVkLr
https://ibb.co/C0TxjX2
https://ibb.co/SrDD8T1
https://ibb.co/Yd3mrK9
https://ibb.co/fC9qKcL
https://ibb.co/HpMTR1s
https://ibb.co/8dZh0gm
https://ibb.co/sV5D29V
https://ibb.co/ZKtBJJZ
https://ibb.co/3m2MvRc
https://ibb.co/k03jFVF
https://ibb.co/WnGxvqR
https://ibb.co/p2CSmnQ
https://ibb.co/wdjVkLr