William Dempsey Bute Dock policeman

[Berni]

I am looking for further information regarding my maternal G Grandfather William Dempsey 1859-1942. William was born in Sully to Irish Immigrant parents. The family first appear on the 1861 Wales census, his father is working and the family are living at Hays farm Sully. At 13 he is listed as a farm servant. 1881 he’s a farm labourer in Lavernock. By 1891 he’s married to Emma Morgan they have three children and they are living in Canton he is now listed as a policeman. In total they have 7 children ( I have discovered 5 of the 7 children) 1911 the family is living in Seymour street Splott. William lives at this address until his death in 1942.
I would like to learn more about his life as a dock policeman, any information regarding his life growing up and working on farms.

[CaroleW]

The 2 missing children were Margaret May b & died 1895 & Arthur Wilfred b 1899 died Sept 1900 aged 1

[louisem]

There are several books by the same author about the history of the police in Cardiff. He also has a Facebook page.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Horrors-Dead-House-Wordcatcher-History/dp/1789421136/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=cardiff+police&qid=1618166782&sr=8-9

[osprey]

mentioned in a newspaper article as belonging to Cardiff Railway Police

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4199544/4199547/87/

some background here

https://headline.org.uk/

https://headline.org.uk/bute-dock-police-cardiff/

[louisem]

Wow that is such a bizarre coincidence. I was looking at this post and posted a reply about Docks police so I got a notification about the next reply. When I clicked on the link I thought it had automatically taken me to the last page I had looked at in Welsh Newspapers online. The man who died in the Docks that night is one of my ancestors Walter Henry Symons and I had been looking at that same article earlier today.  I can’t get over what an extraordinary coincidence this is. There are a few more articles about the same incident. I will check if they also mention William Dempsey.

[louisem]

Here is Walter Henry Symon’s grave in Cathays cemetery Cardiff. I just can’t get over the coincidence of this. He was my great Grandmother’s brother.

[Berni]

Thank you so much for finding the two missing babies of my G Grandparents. It was such a proud feeling to see Williams name mentioned in a newspaper report.

[osprey]

that's an amazing coincidence!

 

[wdytya]

As you say on the 1881 census William Dempsey was living at Sea Cottage. The nearest farm, I think, would have been Swanbridge Farm as it is on the coast of the Bristol Channel so Sea Cottage would have been an appropriate name being located by the sea. The farm was owned by Lord Bute, as were most in this region, and was farmed by a John Hawker. John died in 1880 and his wife Caroline ran the farm with her brother a Daniel Lawrence as seen on the 1881 census. The main farming families in the area were the Hawker family at Swanbridge Farm, The Lawrence Family at Upper Cosmeston farm 9as well as other farms in Penarth) and the Hopkins family at Lower Cosmeston Farm. These prominent farming families were buried at St Lawrence church in Lavernock, incidentally close to the location where Marconi sent the first overseas transmission.