Ty Twmpyn

On the Earl of Abergavenny’s 1821 map Ty Tympyn is listed as number 89. On the 1841 tithe map it has the number 495.

The holder of the lease in 1755 was John Morgan a taylor (sic), of a cottage, 3 acres 2 rood 3 perches. The owner was the Earl of Abergavenny. The lease was renewed in 1770 again to John Morgan, aged 60, for the lives of his nephews, John Morgan and Thomas Lewis both aged 13.

John Morgan had a brother Charles. His sister Rachel married Thomas Prosser.

John Morgan, taylor (sic), died in June 1775, he was buried in St Peter’s Churchyard.

Unfortunately I cannot find any further mention of Ty Twmpyn until the Earl of Abergavenny’s survey of his estates in 1821 when it says William Williams and Thomas Prosser are both lease holders of Haymeadow and Ty Twmpyn.

Thomas Prosser is the occupier of Ty Twmpyn in 1821, a cottage and land, numbers 495 – 496 – 500, containing 2a 0r 21p.

By 1824 the occupier had changed to John Powell and his wife Diana, (nee Morgan) John and Diana had a son Thomas baptised at St Peter’s Church on 11 April 1824, John’s occupation was given as farmer.

John Powell was born in Bettws Newydd, his wife Diana in Nash.

By the 1841 census this had changed to John Williams, a 60 year old labourer, his name also appears on the tithe apportionment, stating the Earl of Abergavenny is the owner of 2a 3 rood 26 perches, paying 7 shillings to the rector.

Living with John Williams is the Walters family. John Walters is 50, Mary his wife is also 50, their children are Harriet 14, William 12 and eight year old Ann.

On the census of 1851 John Williams is still residing at Tee Twympin, he is now a 72 year old widower born in Llanvrechva.

On the Rev. Thomas Evans tithe accounts for the years 1855/7 the lease for Ty Twmpyn is held by Walter Williams with John Williams still in residence., the leaseholder in 1857 is changed to Henry Edwards.

The Earl of Abergavenny gave notice for John Williams to quit the property by 29^th September 1857.

Unfortunately I am unable to work out who was at Ty Twmpyn on the 1861 census, part of the parish census is missing and the part which is available the enumerator decided not to name most of the properties. Although it must have been John Williams as in the overseers accounts of 1863 John Williams  of Ty Twmpyn was given three shillings poor money.

On the census of 1871 George Coles and his family had moved from the Old Cider Mill to live at Ty Twmpyn. George was a 51 year old miner born in Somerset, Susan his wife is also 51 born in Bettws. Living with them are their children Emily 21, George 19 and Eliza 17, they were all born in Trevethin. They also had a visitor, 8 year old John Jones born in Llanvihangel.

George Coles died in March 1875 followed by Susan in March 1879.

Daniel Crompton took the lease for Ty Twmpyn from the Earl of Abergavenny , lease 16 containing numbers 507, 716 and 811 on the tithe map.

The 1881 census says Daniel Compton was a 62 year old agricultural labourer born in Wiltshire, his wife Mary is 40 born in Goytre, they have three children, born in Lanvair, John 9, Sarah 6 and two year old Matilda.

On the 24^th February 1884 Sarah was punished for missing school when sent by her parents. (Penperlleni school log book page 333)

Also written in the school log book on the 7^th January 1889 page 415

William Crompton has been stricken with paralysis.

On the census of 1891 Daniel Crompton is 62, Mary is 50, children Sarah 16, Matilda 12 and William 8.

In 1898 poor William Crompton is sent to the workhouse with pneumonia, no date of release was given.

By 1901 the census says Daniel is 80 years of age saying he is a retired coachman, Mary his wife is 60, son John is 29 and single, Matilda is now 22, a school teacher and William is 18.

On the 18^th November 1904 William Crompton died, he was only 22 years old.

Daniel Crompton died in February 1908 followed by Mary in January 1911, they were buried in St Peter’s churchyard, as was William in 1904.

Son John is still living at home on the 1911 census, he is single, aged 39 he works as a corrugated iron pickler. Living with him is his sister Matilda who married Albert Edwards (33) of Bettws Newydd, they had been married for 8 years, have two children Clara Josephine 7 and Hilda Constance 2, sadly they also had another child, John Reginald who died in 1907 aged one month.

The Earl of Abergavenny sale of properties in 1920 included Ty Twmpyn, says the new house was built in 1913, has 3 acres 2 rood 25 perches, rental is £14 per year, tithe 9s 11d, the property was sold to Mrs Watts of Llandewi Rhyderch for £650.

The information given on the census of 1921 says John Crompton is head of the household, he is now 50 years and two months old, a farm labourer working for David Morgan. Living with him is is brother-in-law Albert Edwards who is 44 years old, a blacksmith,

His sister Matilda Edwards, who is 42 years and four months old and their children, Josephine 17, Hilda 12 and William 9, all born in Goytre and all in full time education.

By 1925 there is a new resident at Ty Twmpyn in Gerald Cornish and his wife Ann, (nee Price) they had married in 1916. Previously living at number 2 Chapel Ed, they left in 1930 and moved to Sunnyside.

On the 1939 Electoral register they were living at Roselyn, Mamhilad, where Gerald’s occupation is a GWR signalman.

I am unable to find any further information about Ty Twmpyn.

Coalbrook Cottage 681 on the 1841 tithe containing 3 acres 1rood 34 perches

In 1784 the parish records say Francis Valant was the constable for Coalbrook which contained a house and garden, field behind the house, little field and was paying the rector 10 shillings tithe.

On the census of 1841 the owner is Ann Jones and the occupier of Coalbrook is William Bevan 55, a labourer, born in Trelleck (he married Mary Williams in Llanover Church) she is now 40, their children are John and Isaac 15, Ruth 13, William 12, Abraham 9, Hester 6, Moses 4 and one year old Philip, they were all born in Monmouthshire.

William Bevan is still in occupation of Coalbrook on the census of 1851 where he is now a 64 year old woodcutter, living with him is wife Mary and children Isaac, Ruth, Hester, Philip and Mary.

In 1861 William Bevan is still at Coalbrook, he is now a 72 year old labourer living with him is daughter Esther (Hester) who has now married Thomas Cobner who is a shoemaker, they have a 3 year old son called Jacob, both Thomas and Jacob were born in Goytre.

On the 1^st of March 1864 when he was 28, Isaac Bevan was taken to Abergavenny Asylum, he was said to be in good bodily health, a labourer said to be suffering from congenital imbecility, he remained in the asylum until his death in May 1900.

William’s wife Mary Bevan died aged 65 in 1866, she was buried at St Peter’s Church Goytre,

Coalbrook was put up for sale by auction on the 5^th July 1867, cottage, garden and 3 pieces of meadow land arable land.

In February 1869 poor William Bevan was drowned in the canal at Mamhilad, full article in the Free Press.

This meant that by the time of the 1871 census a new family are in residence, Thomas Jenkins and his family, Thomas is 63 a labourer born in Goytre, Anna his 49 year old wife is also born in Goytre, their children are David and Elizabeth Hutchinson, Elizabeth Jenkins, 25, a laundress, 3 year old granddaughter Elizabeth James.

In 1874 the Well Dispute began when the Rev. Thomas Evans refused a widow to collect water from a well at Black Beech as she had removed her children from his school at Nantyderry to the new school at Goytre.

One of the witnesses William William stated he was over 78 years of age and was born at Coalbrook Cottage where both his father and grandfather had lived there before him, his father was in service to old Mr Jenkins, tenant of Walnut Tree Farm.

On the census of 1881 William Williams a 34 year old haulier along with his wife Sarah 44, born in Somerset and their children, Martha Jane (4) and Anna Marie (7) were now in residence.

This had changed by 1891 to Edward and Martha Williams, they were both aged 68, Edward says he is a farmer born in Whitchurch, Martha was born in Graton, Somerset.

By the census of 1901 Edwin and Sarah Ann Evans were in residence, they were both 49, Edwin was a wheelwright from Sebastapol, his 26 year old son William is also a wheelwright, daughter Catherine is 16 at home, fourteen year old Albert is a house boy, Arthur 12 is in school, all the children and Sarah Ann were born in Goytre.

An advert was placed in the Free Press on the 27^th September 1901 by the owner of Coalbrook, Joshua Davies of Greenmeadow Farm Glascoed, offering Coalbrook for sale saying the rent is £7 10s per annum, the occupier is John Jones.

The new owner of Coalbrook in 1910 was Oliver James Lawrence, a butcher from Crane Street Pontypool he paid £455 for the cottage and 3.5 acres, he let the property to Edwin Evans of Little Mill for £15 per annum.

The 1914 poor rate says Frederick Williams in occupation, the owner Oliver J Lawrence.

The census of 1921 gives two separate families in occupation of Coalbrook the first family is Frederick Williams 44 from Lansay, a general carpenter at Mrs Wilks’ building firm, his wife Hannah is 36 from Laugharne, Reginald 12 also born in Laugharne, Stanley 10, Wilfred 4, Alfred 6 and Victor 1 were born in Goytre.

The second family are Mary Ann Mainwaring an 80 year old retired market gardener from Radnorshire, her son Sidney 45 was born in Llanover, he is a farm worker for Mr Lewis of Tyr Ewen, daughter Edith Isaacs is 46, son in law Arthur Isaacs is also a farm worker at Mr Pritchards Ty llwyd Farm Mamhilad, living with them is 11 year old granddaughter Estelle Davies who was born in Goytre.

In December 1935 Reg Williams caught his leg in a thrashing machine whilst working for Evan Davies of Penwern, a court case followed.

The electoral register of 1939 gives Charles Williams a smallholder and carpenter with his wife Hannah in residence at Coalbrook, their children are sons, Herbert, Arthur, Victor, Francis and John all helping in agriculture and poultry farming in their family business.

The first mention of Lynwood is on the 1911 census when Alfred Thomas a 66 year old widower from Llangattock, son Edgar 34, a blacksmith born in Lanvair Kilgedin along with his daughter Edith 29 who had married George Sexton 29 from Hereford and grandchildren Annie 2 and Edith 3 both were born in Kemys Commander.

The 1914 poor rate says the owner is Edgar Thomas.

Lynwood was sold to L R Bowen of Oak Cottage in 1920 for the sum of £260.

The property is not mentioned on the census of 1921 but in 1923 Sidney and Laura Jenkins are in residence.

The 1939 electoral register says George and Nellie Ricketts are at Lynwood, George was born in 1896 he is employed as an underground labourer, Nellie was born in 1904, children Fred and Donald are both attending school while Ellis and Edmund are under school age there is also one closed account. Ellis died in 1945 in Pontypool. The photograph is George and Nellie Ricketts.

I remember the James family at Lynwood in the 1950’s/60’s they kept a small shop on the premises.

Number 4 Nantyderry Cottages was not occupied on the census of 1891.

On the 1901 census 26 year old William Powell a signalman from Hereford with his wife Harriet 24 also from Hereford were in residence, staying with them is their 9 year old relative from Ebbw Vale, Sophie Hart.

In 1911 Sarah Taylor a 72 year old widow, her son Jesse Taylor and his wife were in residence, Jesse was 34, born in Rhyd-y-meirch Llanover the son of George, a carpenter, he gave his occupation as a butler, Sarah his wife was born in Bristol.

In 1921 gardener Eli Henry Jenkins with his family have moved into number 4.

Eli came from Ledbury he was 33, his wife Viola, 33 from Swansea, as was a visitor, Annie Solomon aged 55. Eli and Viola’s children are Joan Viola 2 and 2 month old Eric Henry.

The electoral register of 1939 says Ernest Rouse, a gardener and chauffeur born in 1913 and his wife Mary Ellen born 1913 and their son Anthony who is under school age are in residence. Ernest Rouse died in Cheltenham in 1994.

Nantyderry No. 3

The census of 1891 says Henry Neate aged 25, a railway signalman born in Hereford is residing at number 3 with his family, wife Clara, 23 from Llanvihangle Crucorney and their son Albert Henry 2, born in Goytre, Living with them is Clara’s sister Sonia Harrison aged 17.

Henry Neate married Susannah Mills and had three children, Harry, Edwin and Hannah, he was moved to Cheltenham with his occupation as a signalman, he died in Cheltenham in 1930 leaving probate of £1278 0s 5d to Alfred Roberts assistant post superintendent.

By  1901 the new occupier of number 3 was Charles Southam also a signalman, Charles was 25 from Hereford, his wife Sarah 23 was from Abergavenny, they have a one year old son Charles who was born in Llanvihangel Crucorney.

By 1911 Tracy Leeworthy 30 a GWR signalman and his wife Maud, daughter Mollie Gwendoline along with their niece Madeline Florence Sweet and boarder Albert Price were in residence.

They remained at  Nantyderry until about 1918 as the new family who took residence was Charles Wagher and his wife Annie, followed shortly in 1921 by Emma Collet a widow, her husband John having died in 1918, Emma and John’s children were John 25, a gardener working for D Knight, Nantyderry, Blanche Maria 14, and a boarder Sandford George 34 from Gloucester. They moved back to Worcestershire at some point.

By 1935  Percy, Doris and George Jones lived at number 3.

By 1937 William Rouse and his family took residence, they remained in Nantyderry for many years moving into the station house by 1939 as on the 1939 electoral register for number 3 is Reg Gwatkin, a tiler and plasterer born in 1914, with his wife Winifred born in 1909.

Reg Gwatkin died in 1964

William Rouse died in 1960 aged 83 and Harriet in 1940 aged 76.

I am unable to ascertain who is at number one until the census of 1891 when Stephen Gregory 76 from Corsham and his 75 year old wife Mary from Ireland are in residence.

This had changed by 1891 to Maria Taylor 63, she occupied the grocer’s shop, living with her are her sons Benje 32, a tyler and plasterer, Jesse 24, a groom and 22 year old daughter Eliza, all the family were born in Llanover.

By 1901 David Hughes, 28 year old from Carmarthen employed as a cattleman on a farm was in residence along with his family, Ellen his wife was 30 from Conwy, children Alice 7, Winifred 4 and one year old Griffith, who were all born in Carmarthen.

In 1911 Martha Thomas a widow born in Goytre is in residence, she is 71 years old.

By 1921 the Allchurch family had taken up residence, Charles Tasker Allchurch married Beatrice Ellen Salter in 1909 at Badsey church Herefordshire.

Prior to coming to live in Nantyderry Charles had a military tribunal relating to his exemption from military service, the document dated 17^th October 1916 says he is 34 and working at Mr Blakes market gardens of 9 acres and being the sole labourer on the establishment was granted temporary exemption until 1^st January 1917.

On the census of 1921 Charles Tasker Allchurch is 39 from Bredforton Hereford, he is employed by D Knight’s market gardens in Nantyderry, Beatrice his wife is 30, their children are Hilda 11, Alfred 9, Margaret 5, Florence 4 and two year old Wilson, all the children were born in Badsey.

By 1926 the Allchurch family had moved to Little Mill where they were successful market gardeners.

Charles Tasker Allchurch died in November 1947, probate of £2694 1s 9d was left to Beatrice., he is buried in St Peter’s church.

For a very short while Alice Flowers lived at number 1 but had left by 1927.

On the 1939 electoral register says Thomas Edward Fay, a retired GWR platelayer born in 1874 and his wife Laura born in 1870.

Thomas Fay was born in Havant, he married Laura Reed in 1911 and lived with his father-in-law, a general haulier in Llangibby. Thomas and Laura had a daughter Caroline Maud who was 2 in 1911. They moved from Nantyderry to St Helen’s Lancashire about 1950 where Thomas died in 1956 followed by Laura in 1960.

Nantyderry Railway Cottages No.2

The Rev. Thomas Evans about 1869 built the cottages. Living at number two in 1881 was Edwin Poole, Edwin was born in1843 a few miles away in Kemys Commander, the son of Dennis an agricultural labourer and his wife Elizabeth.

He married Elizabeth James at St Woolos in 1875, on the census Elizabeth is 40 she was born in Llanelly.

On the census of 1871 Edwin was a servant at the Cross Inn, Lanvair.

Edwin and Elizabeth Poole remained at the cottage for many years, in 1891 he was a gardener, living with him on the census besides his wife Elizabeth was a boarder called William Beard who was a railway porter born in Westbury Gloucestershire.

Ten years later on the census of 1901 Edwin had become the second gardener, possibly at Nantyderry House.

Edwin was still a gardener in 1911, he is now 67, living with him and Elizabeth is Charles Ecott a coachman aged 35 from Hereford.

Elizabeth Poole died in January 1915, she was buried at St Peter’s Church. Edwin remains at his cottage although on the census of 1921 it says Edwin is living on his own at number 4. (I have had difficulty in establishing who lived in the cottages due to the enumerators having different ideas as to the way they were numbered, or in some cases, no numbers whatsoever).

Edwin died in August 1927 and was buried along with Elizabeth at St. Peter’s Church Nantyderry.

I have searched the electoral registers for the new residents of the cottages but once again the house numbers are missing which means I would have to guess who lived where.

In 1939 the electoral register says Archibald Rosser, his wife Anne and their 4 children were living at number 2.

16 May 1945 Western Mail – for sale,  3 cottages owned by Mr M O’Sullivan

There is an adult baptism at St Peter’s in July 1951 of Glyn Harvey Charles Arthur born in 1928, Glyn is living with his parents Henry and Frances at number 2. he is a British railway employee.

Heathfield was built just before 1891, the census of that year says Edwin Richards 71 and his 66 year old wife Elizabeth are in residence.

Edwin Richards’s father was Josiah, who was employed in a senior roll at Rhymney Iron works, he died by a fall in the engine room in March 1839. The family had to leave their family home Plas Llecha but all the children were well educated. Edwin  went on to be employed in senior managerial rolls at Tredegar Iron & Coal co., Rhymney Iron & Coal Co and Ebbw Vale Steel & Iron Works, he also was managing director of Caldecot Tinplate Co., Ltd. It was Edwin’s brother Windsor who became a top name in the industry.

In 1905 Edwin put Heathfield up for sale:

Modern attractive villa, Heathfield Nantyderry, good supply of water, garden, orchard, lawn near the River Usk, post, telegraph and church. 5 minutes walk to Nantyderry Station, 17 trains daily. Apply by letter to Edwin Richards, Nantyderry.

It appears Heathfield wasn’t sold as Edwin remains there and tries to sell the following year, 1906 when an advert appeared in the Free Press for the sale of Heathfield at the Greyhound Hotel in Abergavenny on 17^th August.

The census of 1911 says Edwin and Elizabeth had been married for 47 years and had no children, Edwin is 81 and born in Dowlais, Elizabeth 76 born in Bassaleg.

Edwin died on the 11th January 1916 at Llysbrechfa Caerleon, probate of £7690 was granted to his wife Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was still residing at Heathfield on her own on the census of 1921. Elizabeth died on the 1st May 1924 at Heathfield, probate was granted to Alfred Henry Watkins, solicitor and Lizzie Jane Herring wife of Albert Herbert Herring, her effects were valued at £9255 15s 10d.

The 1939 Electoral register gives Alice Marfell, retired farmer and her daughter Nellie at Heathfield.

Owner Thomas Roberts of Mount St., St Albans. Leased to John Harris Conway the younger of Abergavenny  building ground with plan.

D433- 11/0002 – 30^th May 1874

Plan. Leased from 1^st November 1873 for a term of 99 years.

D433- 11/4 – 28^th June 1876

1. John Harris Conway the younger of Abergavenny late commercial traveller now general merchant.
2. John Edward Price of Newent Glos., gent.

D433- 11/5 31^st Aug 1889

1. Octavius Thomas Price of Newent, gent.
2. Henry Edward Pope parish of Goytre tailor.

£350

Plot of land (394 sq. Yds) as in mortgage of 3^rd August 1874

D433- 11/6 25^th September 1889

Transfer of mortgage

1. Octavius Thomas Price
2. Thomas Morgan of Nantyglo, colliery manager and Elizabeth his wife

£250

Plot of land etc

D433- 11/8 – 29^th October 1900

Assignment

1. Elizabeth Morgan formerly of Nantyglo but now of Emlyn House, Brynmawr Brecon, widow

John Prys of Ty Porth Llanover County Mon., Presbyterian Minister

£186.10s

Plot of land and premises erected theron in the parish of Goytre

D433- 11/0002 – 30^th May 1874

Plan. Leased from 1^st November 1873 for a term of 99 years.

On the 30^th May 1874 Thomas Roberts of Mount St Albans Christchurch, the owner of Kiln Farm, agreed to sell to J Harris Conway, a commercial traveller, a piece of land 394 square yards with a 50ft frontage..

A mortgage was granted to J H Conway the younger, now a general merchant and his father, a tin plate manufacturer from the Equitable Building Society for the sum of £360 in 1874.

29^th April 1876 – Waite & Sons Auctioneers

Lot 9: All that newly erected Dwelling House or Messuage, Shop, Offices, Yard and Premises, the whole containing by admeasurement 394 square yards [more or less] situate in the Parish of Goitre, on the side of the Turnpike Road leading from Pontypool to Abergavenny and known by the name of the Goitre Shop and now in the occupation of Messrs David Jones and David Brunt Jones or their under-tenants.

This Let is sold subject to a Mortgage, the amount of which will be disclosed at the sale or previously on application to the Vendor’s Solicitor and to the reservation of the minerals [if any] thereunder, and is held under a lease for an unexpired term of 96 years at a rental of £3 6s

The census of 1881 says David Brunt Jones, 67 and his 66 year old wife Sarah were in occupation of the shop and gave their occupation as grocers, they had both come from Hereford.

On the census of 1901 John George was in residence, his son Trevor was attending Llanover school, followed a few years later by his brother Emrys.

At some time before 1910 Samuel Deverall, an ex-mayor of Abergavenny took the premises over, he hung himself in one of the outbuildings, the full report is in the Free Press dated 5^th August 1910.

In 1911 Thomas Woodward was the occupier, he was 39, from Stroud, living with him is his wife Pattie, 40 from Doncaster, they had been married for 15 years and have a 13 year old daughter Pattie.

In 1916 Mrs Jane Jenkins was the shop keeper, her two children, John and Denis were attending Llanover school.

On the census of 1921 Morgan Jones 39 from Llanddeusant Carmarthen gave his occupation as a grocer and provision merchant, his wife Mary Elizabeth was 36 from Worcester. Living with them is Morgan’s sister Catherine Jenkins 53, her children John Rees 17, a sailor for the Canadian Pacific Steamship co., Doris Margaret 15 and 6 year old Charles Tudor.

Sunnyside

I have put these together as it has been very difficult to separate the properties and I have very little information about them.

The owner in 1914 was William Walter who paid the poor rate for both properties.

Number 1

On the census of 1921 living at number one is Leonard Prosser, Leonard is 30 a colliery brakesman below ground for Partridge Jones Llanerch colliery, his wife Cissie was born in Llanellen.

Leonard Prosser remained at number one until about 1935 when he moved to Rose Cottage.

In August of 1931 John Rosser of Sunnyside Goytre died, he had previously kept the Griffin Inn in Abergavenny.

At number one on the 1939 Electoral Register is Ernest Hanies, he is a GWR lengthsman born on the 6^th August 1901, living with him is his wife Alice who was born on the 15^th January 1903.

Number 2.

At number two on the 1921 census was Arthur Titcombe 31 from Leominster, he was a GWR signalman, his wife Anne Charlotte was 30 and came from Surrey, they had a 10 month old baby, Charles Alfred, I’m wondering if the postcard I have is of them.

On the 1939 Electoral Register living at number two is Ernest James Colwell, he was born on the 24^th February 1892 and was employed as a permanent way labourer, Lilian May is his wife, there is also a closed record.

A terrible tragedy occurred to Ernest Colwell this was reported in the Free Press on the 6^th February 1953.

Ernest James Colwell, a railway ganger of 2, Sunnyside Goytre was killed in a roadside accident whilst walking to work on Pentwyn Pitch early on Friday morning, the car was being driven by Mrs Beatrice Trench of Monmouth Road Abergavenny.

Mr Colwell was a native of Usk, he leaves a widow and a married son.