Griffiths from Gwendraeth Row, Pontyberem

[Cdngirl78]

Hello there,

This is my first post but have been lurking in the background for some time.

I am researching my Grandmother and her family who were from Pontyberem. At the moment I am researching William Benjamin Griffiths and Annie his wife (nee Bateman), my Grandmother's Grandparents. They lived on Gwendraeth Row for some time. William worked in the Pontyberem/Ammandford Colliery from before he en-listed and then again when he returned from the forces.

My question is that he and his family seemed to have lived here for some time, including Grandchildren and I am trying to figure out which Church they would have been buried at? On a few of the burial records I've got off Ancestry it says St John's in the parish of Llanelli. I see there is a St John's church in Pontyberem which has a graveyard but not in use. Does anyone know where I can find the burial records for this church so I can confirm with my records? 

I currently live in Cheshire, originally from Canada, and would love to drive down one day and visit their graves but want to find which gravesite they would be buried at. I am a member from DYFED Family History and they do have a section which includes Memorial Inscriptions but can't see any from Pontyberem.

Any tips, hints or clues as to where to look would be ever so helpful!

Thanks so much everyone.
Hollie 

[Pejic]

Any dates, eh?

[CaroleW]

Welcome to Rootschat

Are you referring to William Griffiths & Annie Bateman who married 1897 Pembroke?

1901 shows both were b Pembroke as were daughters Margaret Elizabeth (1897) & Gertrude Mary (1899) .  Living in Pembroke in 1901

[CaroleW]

1911 they have moved to Carmarthenshire.

FindaGrave shows daughter Edith (Bowen) was buried at Capel Ifan in 1968

Gertrude Mary (Thomas) died age 20 & was buried 1.6.1920 at Llanelli St Johns

William died 1958 - nothing found.  Annie died before the 1939 register was compiled

[Cdngirl78]

Hello,

Thanks for the replies. William B Griffiths b.1876 Llanstedwell died 1958 Pontyberem and Annie Bateman from Cosheston b.1877 and died 1935 in Pontyberem also. I have all the census records available to this family and yes they did move to Pontyberem in the early 1900s as William worked in the Colliery.  I have been trying to confirm if the church St John's in the Parish of Llanelli is the one in Pontyberem. This is my main issue. I am mainly looking into Gertrude Mary Thomas nee Griffiths b. 1899 d. 1920 William Thomas James Griffiths b.1909 d.1927 and their mother, Annie Griffiths nee Bateman. I have a burial records for Gertrude and William her brother and will attach one for you to see. I would like to take a visit one day but want to make sure I have the right church first! If it is would be interested to know if there are any MI documentation for it. I am a member of Dyfed Family History Society and they don't have anything for this church online.

Thanks again for your help.
Hollie

[osprey]

this entry seems to confirm that St John's in the parish of Llanelli is the church in Pontyberem

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/CMN/Llanelli/PontyberemStJohn

[Cdngirl78]

this entry seems to confirm that St John's in the parish of Llanelli is the church in Pontyberem

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/CMN/Llanelli/PontyberemStJohn

Fabulous! Thank you so much for that. As I'm not from the area I wasn't too sure.

[roycymru]

Capel Ifan is another name for St. John’s. A lot of the gravestones have been photographed and are on findagrave

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2615572

The other main burial place is Caersalem. Again if you look on findagrave you will find a lot have been photographed

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2667488/pontyberem-(caersalem)-congregational-churchyard

There is also Soar Chapel which is much smaller

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2728690/soar-chapel

You can do some basic searching on findagrave but you will find a lot of the details have not been fully transcribed but you can suggest edits to however took the photograph so they can add more detail if you wish, for the benefit of other researchers.