Hello again, brigidmac, and hi, gadget,
Apologies in advance for the long post, but it was as short as I could get it.
Jane Jones married John Davies, in Gwytherin, Denbighshire in 1866, both of ‘full age’ and of the parish. He was a labourer on the marriage certificate and also a farmer/bugail/shepherd on the census’. Her father’s name was given as David Jones, labourer, and his father’s name was given as William Davies, labourer.
John Davies was b. Llanfair Talhaiarn about 1844 according to the census’ from 1871 onwards. That was pretty consistent in all of them. According to most of the census’, Jane was born in Llangernyw. At the time they were married, his address was Pen Llether, and her address was Tyddyn Ucha. John signed with his mark, but Jane signed her name.
He died 1932 Pandy Tudur, Llangernyw.
Death certificate gives age at death as 89 which would confirm birth 1843/44, although there is a M.I. in Gwytherin which has his age as 90. John and Jane’s first son, William is buried in Gwytherin, and the large gravestone has both John and Jane also inscribed on it, but there are no burial records. I do have their death certificates. Jane went to live with her daughter in Penmaenmawr after John’s death, and died there in 1940.
Most of addresses after his marriage are in bleak isolated places e.g. township of Cornwall (with one or two l’s) in Llanfair Talhaiarn, and on the Moors near Llansannan/Pentrefoelas. The 1911 census has him at Cornwall Ganol, which son Thomas takes over when John & Jane move to Pandy Tudur.
Their children were Jane, Catherine, William, Thomas and Margaret.
I have everything from John and Jane’s marriage onwards, but cannot find a confident match for a date of birth or baptism for John Davies or a sure match in the 1851 census. There are a couple of contenders for the 1861 census. I’m still not 100% confident about this birth certificate for Jane.
I did think a family of Davies at Hafod Gau was the likely family for John, but I’m unable to prove it. They have a John listed on the census, but he is the only one in that family not listed in the Parish baptisms in either Gwytherin or Llanfair Talhaiarn. The Hafod Gau Davies family have all died by 1864, except for John and possibly David, as they are not in the burials, unlike the rest of them. Hafod Gau is in the same remote area as John and Jane’s home, Beaver Gro, in 1871, in Llanfair Cornwall (Llanfair Talhaiarn.)
Other than that, I’ve not found any other possible relatives, other than their children and their families.
Every certificate I’ve sent for has not been the right one with William as the father. I’ve been looking at it again since lockdown, and have started now to research every John Davies with William as a father in the Denbighshire parish baptisms.
I must mention the Llandudno local Register Office, they have been very, very helpful, if as unsuccessful as me, for both John and Jane.
Thanks again, brigidmac, and you, too, gadget, if you can add anything.
