William John Croot was born in Bedminster Bristol in 1859, the son of William , a tanner labourer and Ann (nee Martin.)

William John Croot 

He was apprenticed as a pupil teacher to the Bedminster Boy’s British School, Bristol in 1873. In 1877 he gained a Queen’s Scholarship, First Division and proceeded in due course to Borough Road Training College, London, where he spent two years, after which he was appointed headmaster of Govilion British School and held this post for five years.

In 1885 he became the headmaster of Goytrey British School and in April the same year married Phoebe Ann Pritchard in Crickhowell.

Their son Benjamin William was born on 14th October 1889, he also became a school teacher and remained living in Goytre.

Benjamin married Margaret Ann Jones in 1916 at St Peter’s Church Goytre.

William Croot retired in 1932 after 43 years of teaching in Monmouthshire. He moved to Llanvihangel, Abergavenny where his wife Phoebe died in March 1932, leaving her estate valued £4,136 to her son Benjamin. William John Croot died in 1945, also leaving his estate of £2505 6s 6d to his son Benjamin.

Benjamin William Croot died in a convalescent home in Redditch in December 1978, his wife Margaret died much earlier in 1941.

Richard Bowen 1851-1917

Richard Bowen was born at Trevethin in 1851, the son of David and Elizabeth (nee Griffiths.)

The family moved to Goytre and were living at Coalbrook on the census of 1871.

Richard Bowen was a mason as was his father. He married Elizabeth Powell, a dairy maid from Hereford who was working for John and Margaret Williams at Melin-y-coed.

They had 6 children and moved to many properties around the parish.

In September 1895 the first meeting of creditors to the estate of Richard Bowen, lately a builder carrying on business at Usk, was held today at the office of the National Receiver, Newport.

The debtor began business 12 years ago at Nantyderry and removed to Usk 12 months ago when he took a contract to erect two villas for £1,825. He estimates that £450 is now due to him on account.

12^th January 1917 – Funeral of the Late Mr R Bowen.

The funeral of the late Mr R Bowen of Brynynant, Nantyderry took place on Monday, the internment being in the Goytre Churchyard

Mr Bowen died whilst visiting Abergavenny, his cortege came by road and was met at the churchyard by a number of other friends and relatives.

Correspondence between

Anne Evans (wife of Thomas Evans Clerk, Rector of Goytrey)

And the trustees of her uncle John (Fielden’s) will

Concerning the purchase of several estates

Re: Pentwyn Farm and Goytre Hall In1874

Letter 1 – Wickham, Hants, 6^th May 1874

My Dear William
Re: Fielden
Can you, referring to these papers tell me what was paid on the admission of Gittens and myself with copy-holds which are subject to Sterlings mortgage as I am now making out a Wh. & D account from the time of Mr Fieldens deals.
Yours Sincerely
C. Smith
Wm Houghton Esq.

Letter 2 – Nantyderry, Abergavenny, 17^th Dec 1874

Dear Mr Houghton
It is very handsome of you to say that on our growing absence that we will sign the deed. You will yourself undulate to send me my due while I thank you. I consider and I am, (?) you also do that Messrs Smith and Gittens have no right to withhold from me my due. It is not honest in them to do it, for much an act on their part you know I can rue them.
It is plain they have no desire to do by me as they have done by others entitled under my uncle’s will.
My consent, as I have told you, to dispose of my uncle’s estate was given to Mr Strickland on the distinct understanding that the property was temporarily placed in the funds in (Naler?) to re-invest. My portion is bankway Pref., or bank stock so that I might have proper value of.
Several years ago I had this matter before Mr Thomas White of Bedford, now who having examined the will, stated that it could be done: and he also said last spring that it could still be easily invested in lands.
I am not particular as to which invested.
I am not tied to any other source therefore the matter could be carried out in your office – I see no reason why I should lose £100 a year through a low rate of interest whilst the respective positions of Messrs Smith & Gittens are made the just of – and especially since by the terms of the will it is evident my uncle intended that I should have equal advantage with them in the event of becoming a wife or mother.
With my Rector’s and my now kind regards to you, wishing you all every happiness at this season,
I am dear Mr Houghton,
Yours very sincerely,
Mr W. Houghton Esq. Anne Evans

Letter 3 Wickham, Hants 6^th May 1874
And at 166 Queen Street, Portsea & Jewry Street, Winchester

My Dear William,
Sterlings Mortgage
Please reply to Mr Evans as you propose.
Yours truly
C. Smith
Wm. Houghton Esq.

Letter 4 Nantyderry, Abergavenny, 13^th March 1875

Dear Mr Houghton
Since I last wrote to you about the £200, Sir Geo Chetwynd has decided upon selling all his estates in this county.
There are three of his farms in this locality, one of 170 acres adjoining Nantyderry and another within a quarter of a mile and all in this parish.
It has occurred to me that there would be some dipping into it laying out in Railway Pref: shares. About 2 years ago the buildings on these farms were put in excellent order; the one adjoining us is in a high state of cultivation.
Should this place be calculated and the trustees require to further date’s faction that a view of the plans and particulars of the sale when they come out Mr Evans would save your expense of coming down to see the property.
This is an opportunity of benefiting my children in the way of position that can never rise again, properties about being sincerely curtailed, therefore I shall feel it my duty to leave no matter untried to attain so desirable an object, 1^st by appealing to the trustees – and in case of refusal, to the court, which I have long ago been advised by Messrs White and Son, can be done and would on a full representation of the case be allowed by the court.
I shall be obliged to you if you will do your best with the trustees to obtain their consent to this reasonable plan as they accede to one plan for peace sake; I hope they will also accede notwithstanding their opposition.
We could easily purchase the farms in other ways but not without making sacrifice as we took up 636 of the last South Metropolitan Gas Shares on which £7 10s each, we now priced out our savings with my own and the Rectors.
With my own and the Rector’s kind regards
I am, dear Mr Houghton
Yours very sincerely
Mr Houghton Esq. Anne Evans

Letter 5 Portsmouth, 25^th March 1875

My Dear Charles
I wish to be entirely (?) by Mr Houghton in the matter which I must desire is to purchase from Mrs Evans for his interest in the Sterlings property and if state that by admonishing £200 with the (?) monies on mortgage I think it would be wise to do so.
I return Mrs Evans letter
With kind love and regards to all yours,
W. Feildens

Letter 6 Nantyderry, Abergavenny, 31^st March 1875

Dear Mr Houghton
If you and Susanna knew all you would feel as I do. Nothing will induce me to consent to Mr Goldsmith or any other party connected with Messer’s Smith & Gittens to be valuer so near me.
1^st because I will have nothing to do with them
2^nd because it would not be common fairness that they should be pledges in this matter – any more valuer in this or adjoining county suggested by them would do this, thought to be deemed reasonable and sufficient – the sale will be by public auction in the course of the summer and the valuer ought to be instructed not to give a notion to anybody as to who the purchaser is likely to be, for that would at once raise the interest most sincerely, the property being obviously worth more to us that they can be to any other person by reason of the contingency of the finest farm.
I have nothing but contentious feelings towards Mr C Smith for his own and his present sakes but on the ground will carefully look over my uncle John’s will.
You will see that their power is after all, very circumscribed and my own very considerable.
I am, dear Mr Houghton with our kind regards
Yours very sincerely
W Houghton Esq. Anne Evans

Letter 7 7 Mostyn Cresent, Llandudno, 18^th June 1875

My Dear Mr Houghton
The enclosed telegram which I do not wished returned will shew you that we have purchased the farms.
We employed Mr Williams the solicitor and county treasurer from Monmouth, as our own solicitor firm Abergavenny would have been suspected as bidding for us.
I also enclose your plans of the property purchase to be completed on or before 25^th December next. We have paid the deposit. We should prefer paying £5 per cent interest for 10 days and taking our Railway dividends if it can be managed.
We return home next Saturday.
With our kind regards
Yours very sincerely,
Mr W Houghton Esq. Anne Evans

Letter 8 Summerhill House, Tunbridge Wells, 20^th July 1875

Mr Dear Mr Houghton,
Your letter has been forwarded onto me here. The splendid property and lands in the names of “Harriet Turner”, widow and Anne Evans.
Mr. Evans to Anne has been added by me since my baptism. The funds are being high now and you promised to buy preference stock.
The funds may go down by January and we may have to sell out at sacrifice, therefore if you can get preference stock on which the dividends will fall due about Christmas it would and will do so. It could stand in our joint names. – Anne Evans – CB.
Smith & Gittens – we are here with our friends Mr. & Mrs W C Bernard till after post next Monday, we then move to Brighton all together.
With all our kind regards
Yours very sincerely
Mr W Houghton Esq. Anne Evans

Letter 9 Nantyderry, Abergavenny, 17^th July 1877

My Dear Mr Houghton
We are fairly tired that with the long delay over the conveyance. Had we foreseen it, we should have taken other steps as regards the payment, I am now anxious to prevent needless delay on my part.
Will you kindly say whether you are satisfied with the title and that the funded properties will be forthcoming as soon as the estates are duly conveyed?
It is a very complicated title but Mt Gabb thinks we shall be safe as there is no one to claim the property.
It is very provoking because the funds were so high months ago.
I am, dear Mr Houghton
Yours very sincerely
W. Houghton Esq. Anne Evans

P.S.How about my interest from the £200 which interest is my pocket money and must not be included in the capital amount. Will you kindly call on Messer’s Freer, Foster & co., as they have now approved conveyance.

Letter 10 Nantyderry, Abergavenny, 18^th July 1878

Dear Mr Houghton
I return the paper duly signed by me and my Rector. Mr Evans wrote last Saturday to apply for £200 at the stock. We shall not know until after the 27^th whether the request is granted, though in all probability it will be. Can you therefore go quite at your convenience for the money and interest, our brokers are Messrs Bragg & Stockdale, 6 Throuronto St, London EC, we have always been well treated by them but we shall not require a broker if we get this stock, you will only have to pay the £200 direct to secretary of Gas Light & Coke Co., in the names of A Evans, CB Smith and G Gittens.
The advantage of this stock is that it is not redeemable, need we shall not be worried at a time when money is plentiful to fork out for any other security.
If this falls through there will be no difficulty in purchasing other preference stock.
I am, dear Mr Houghton
Yours very sincerely
W Houghton Esq. Anne Evans

P.S.
We have paid another call on our South Metropolitan shares, twice I offered them to you as security. Only £1 now remaining to be paid and we would have our shares still worth more than £16000.

Letter 11 Nantyderry, Abergavenny, 17^th April 1878

Dear Mr Houghton,
In respect of your letter received this morning I wrote some little time ago to Messrs Grant & Co., and asked them to send me this time their cheque direct registered letter, such that I would send them my stamped receipt.
We cannot see our way to bank in the new West of England bank in Pontypool, although we much like the old manager still in charge. All the banks are anxious to see us but we have not decided we have undersigned warrants now in the house for over £700.
I am thoughtful to say that we have no shares now in West of England or any bank but plenty of poor people out of work to employ.
Under the circumstances please let me have cheque direct this time when we have a bank I will let Messrs Grant know.
Mr Walter Long married an old school fellow of mine and my Rector knows Mr Hills, his brother in law.
I am, dear Mr Houghton
Yours very sincerely
W Houghton Esq. Anne Evans