No. 497 on the 1841 Tithe Map. 

There were two semi detached cottages at Porth Gwyn owned by the Earl of Abergavenny, I have decided to combine the information of both into one article.

In 1821 William Williams took a lease from the Earl of Abergavenny for Porth Gwyn cottages on the lives of John and Mary Rogers, the children of Isaac of Garndarris, an iron works foreman, John was 13, Mary 14. Also on the life of John Lewis 10, the son of Joseph Lewis of Mamhilad, labourer.

William Williams lived at number one Porth Gwyn and let number two. The electoral register of 1834 says William Williams lives near Ty Twmpyn.

On the 1841 tithe Joseph Lewis is paying 19 shillings to the rector for the property which includes 6 acres and 16 perches of land.

The head of household on the 1841 census at one of the cottages is 75 year old Elizabeth Lewis and Mary Edwards aged 30.

At the other cottage is the family of William Harris, William is 35 a labourer, his wife Sarah is 32, William and Sarah Lewis were married at St Peter’s church Goytre in April 1824.

Details are missing for both the 1851 and 61 census, but the 1852 electoral register says Joseph Lewis still holds the lease for lives.

In 1870 Col. Byrde took a 21 year lease from the Earl of Abergavenny in which is stated he must rebuild the cottages which he does, then let lets them to the Rev. Richard Byrde his son. The lease says the properties were late in the possession of Edmund Lewis  under a lease granted in 1813, late of Joseph Lewis under a lease of 1821 then to William Williams for 21 years.

On the census of 1881 living at number one cottage was Joseph Williams 32, his wife Mary 36, children James 10 ,Ann Mary 8, Edward 5 and three year old Ada, Joseph, James and Ann Mary were born in Llanover, Mary Edward and Ada were born in Goytre.

James, Mary and Edward Williams started attending Goytre British school in April 1878. In June 1882 James Williams named was on the list for not attending school and again in 1883, Joseph, his father was summoned for not sending him to school, an order was made against him in December 1883, in January 1884 he was fined 5s. In December 1884 Joseph was once again summoned for neglecting to send Mary and Ada to school.

At number two is Mary Davies nee Morgan. Mary had married Robert Davies a widower at St Peter’s church in July 1856.

On the census of 1881 she is now a 43 year old shoemakers widow from Bettws. Her husband Robert had died in 1879 and was buried at St Iltyd’s Mamhilad. Living with her is, Robert 22, her stepson a labourer, her children Moses 12, Ellen 9 and Mary 1. They had been in occupation of the cottage for a while as Moses started attending Goytre British school in 1873 and Ellen in 1878.

Mrs Davies was not sending Ellen to school in 1882 even though she had a paupers certificate for payment, she was summoned by Pontypool Board of Guardians in January for this offence and fined 5s.

In June 1884 Mary Davies remarried Thomas Amos Watkins at St Peter’s.

The following article, relating to Porth Gwyn was written in the Free Press.

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Application for Ejectment Order

1^st June 1888

Wm. Lewis was summoned to show why a warrant of ejectment order should not be issued against him in respect of premises at Goytrey in which he was in possession.

It will be remembered that the matter was before the court a fortnight ago, at the instance of the landlord, Col. Byrde, who then agreed to accept a nominal rent of £1 a year from Lewis, who however, would not agree to the arrangement but asked for a fortnight to consider the suggestion. – he did not now appear.

Col. Byrde went into the witness box and deposed that in March 1861, a widow named Lewis whose husband had recently died asked him if he would re-new a lease from the Earl of Abergavenny, that her family had held some years before, as some other persons had made application for it that she thought would not do very well by her.

He therefore made application to the Marquis of Abergavenny and obtained the lease in 1861. He then allowed the widow to occupy the house until 1884 when she died.

He might say that part of the house had been burnt down, and at present consisted of a little kitchen below and a little room upstairs with a ladder assent to it, she occupied it until her death. Her sons came to her occasionally during that time and her son William went into occupation, and applicant allowed him to remain in occupation for a couple of years, when fearing that he might think he was entitled to remain in occupation for the remainder of his life applicant sent to him a demand note for rent.

Then it was that he set up a claim, and said he would not turn out and that involved the necessity for the present application. 

Had Lewis acknowledged the applicant’s right he would have probably allowed him to remain there sometime longer, as he [Col. Byrde] had always paid the rent and taxes:

By Mr Parkes; Witness took the lease at the request of Lewis’s mother in order to allow her to remain in possession and always paid all demands.

Mr Phillips: Then so far as the son is concerned it is really a case of taking advantage of your kindness to his mother?

Col Byrde: I suppose so.

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At number one on the 1891 census is Joseph Williams, 47 a labourer born in Machen, his wife Mary is also 47, their children are James 20, a railway man, Edward 16 a labourer, both born in Blaenavon, Ada 13 and Joseph 9 were born in Goytre.

At number two is Thomas Amos Watkins 42 and his wife Mary 53, Mary’s children Moses 22 and Mary are living with them. Moses is a general labourer.

Joseph Williams and family are still in occupation at number one on the 1901 census, Joseph is now 57, a Waggoner on a farm, Mary is 57, she was born in Goytre, daughter Ann is 28, son Edward is 24, a railway brakesman, younger son Joseph is now 15.

At number two is still Thomas Watkins and Mary, Thomas is now 55 a main roads man, Mary is 61, she was born in Bettws Newydd, living with them is Mary’s daughter Mary, who is 21, a dressmaker working on her own account.

At number two is still Thomas Watkins, now 68 formerly a roadman for the rural district council, Mary his wife is now 72. Thomas died in 1913 and was buried on January 23rd 1913 at Mamhilad church. Mary died in 1915 and was also buried at St Iltyd’s, Mamhilad.

After the death of Thomas Morgan the Price family took occupancy, sadly a six month old baby Walter Morgan Price died aged 6 months on the 13th October, he was the son of George.

There is no mention of the cottages on the 1911 census and unfortunately I cannot work out who was living there.

In 1920 the Earl of Abergavenny sold his properties in Monmouthshire, Porth Gwyn, occupied by Charles Cornish who had previously lived at the Gelli purchased both cottage for £400, the sale says it was a pair of cottages with outbuildings containing 2a 2r 3p, the rent being £6 and the tithe 8s 9d.

The census of 1821 says Charles Cornish is occupying number one, he is 56 born in Somerset, Hannah is wife is 54, their children are Albert 11 and Irene 9, both were born in Goytre. Charles married Hannah Crabb on November 10th 1891 in Banwell. When Charles moved to the Gelli he was employed as a gamekeeper.

At number two is Jenkin Rosser 42, an under gardener, Jenkin was born in Goytre, Elizabeth his wife is 39 from Hereford, their children, all born in Goytre are Cecil 13, Alfred 7, Gladys 10 and Willie 5.

Charles Cornish died in March 1923 at Pontypool hospital aged 58, he was laid to rest in St Peter’s churchyard. Hannah remained at Porth Gwyn until her death in May 1930 aged 63.

The register of 1939 gives only one family at Porth Gwyn living at number two, James Henry Pritchard, a county council roadman, he has a housekeeper living with him, Margaret Clarkson.

The shop was set up in 1857 by Henry Bird JP as the Cooperative and Industrial Society Ltd. The manager of the shop was John Wilks, John was born at Goytre House Farm, the son of Isaac, a blacksmith and Elizabeth Jenkins.

The census of 1871 shows John Wilks in occupation, he is 28, a blacksmith and grocer,  Living with him is his brother William aged 24, sister Mary Ann 19,  his wife Catherine and two year old son John. Catherine Hargest, John’s wife was the daughter of David, a boot and shoe maker from Talgarth. John and Catherine were married  at  St Woolos  Newport on 29th January 1868.

On the census of 1881 at the Industrial Stores is John 38, a blacksmith and grocer, Catherine is 37, their children are John 12, Agnes 9 and David 3, living with them is an apprentice William Hawkes 19, his place of birth is not known.

By the census of 1901 John is a machinist, he had set up John Wilks and Son engineering works in Little Mill. The census says he is a mechanical engineer and employer, living with him is his wife Catherine 57, daughter Agnes 29, a grocers shop assistant and son David 23, a mechanical engineer.

Catherine died on April 28th 1905, she was buried at Chapel Ed where John was a deacon.

In 1911 at the Post Office Goytre is John 68, he is now a widower, daughter Agnes is a post mistress for GPO.

At Penperllenny House in 1921 is John, now says he is an agricultural engineer, living with him is daughter Agnes. Both his sons, David and John are employed at the works in Little Mill. David had married Ethel Davies on the 2nd of September 1907 at the Independent Chapel Abergavenny.

John Wilks died at Penperlleni House in Goytre on April 17th 1931, (read in obituaries) he left £808 3s 4d in his will to John and David. He was also buried at Chapel Ed.

Daughter Agnes remained at Penperlleny House until her death on January 18th 1945. Her will stated she had left £828 5s 9d to Ethel, the wife of her brother David, this amount was resworn later and increased to the sum of £2201 15s 1d.