Letter Book 1868

Letter Book, not dated but position indicates between the 4th and 15th August 1868 (Admin)

Mr Thos Evans.

Dear Sir I beg to inform you that your letter of the 3rd inst to the Chairman was read at a Board meeting held yesterday and the surveyor stated that he had been in communication with Mr Harris as to removing the f……… . J.K.

 

Misc Papers C.RB.HB7 C.0055 Memorandum as to Useless Road in Goytre (Admin)

To the Members of the Highway District Board Usk

December 28 1868

Gentleman

We the undersigned being Rate Payers & in the Parish of Goitre in the County of Monmouth do hereby request that your honourable Board will please to arrange to cancel and stop the old Parish Road that did in former times lead from a certain part of the main Parish Road near the place called Star through a part of Glenusk Farm up through Miss Mary Ann Cooke’s Woodland and thence up to the farthest end of a field called Cae Allen the said field being another part of the Glenusk Farm.

We consider the said old road quite unnecessary and useless and that it ought not be kept open but that it should be abandoned up to the place mentioned the said Road has not been in use for some years and it has been made quite inaccessible at the lower end by the late alterations made in the main Parish road.

Thomas Eborall Cooke for self and Miss M A F Cooke

Isaac Lewis

W Morgan

Wm Gwatkin

Thos Jenkins

Isaac Jenkins

David Davies

Samuel Heath

 

D Pa 71.19 picture 199

Notice is hereby given that a parish meeting will be held at the vestry at Goytrey church on Thursday the 21st instant at four o’clock in the afternoon for the purpose of considering the state of the highways and anything connected

Dated this 15th day of January 1869

Signed John Williams Waywarden

 

In pursuance of the above notice a meeting was held on the 21st day of January 1869 where it was proposed and seconded that in the absence of the Rector of the Parish Col Byrde be requested to take the chair.

The Waywardens report that the Highway Board desires an expression of opinion on the part of the Parish as to the desirability of closing certain roads with the view of avoiding any further expenditure on useless Highways.

 

……..that the following Highways are not necessary ………. as roads with the view to ……….. further outlay of parish money or rates

 

1 The road leading from Bwrgwm to Penystair

2 From Star road to Llan farm, through Glan Usk Mrs Cooks wood

 

That great damage had been found from land drains being laid on to it …… . The attention of the Surveyor to be called to them …………………………

 

Henry Bird Chairman.

 

Highways Board Miscellaneous Papers. (Admin)

Extract from proceedings of a Parish Meeting held on the 21st January 1869

1 That this meeting is of the opinion that the following Highways are not necessary to be maintained as roads with the view to avoiding any further outlay of parish money or rate

1st The road leading from Bwrgwm to Penastair

2nd Lane from Star pitch to the Llan farm.

2 That great damage has been found …… Land drainings being led onto the road – the attention of the Surveyor be called to this point with directions to have it re…..aded

Signed Henry C Byrde Chairman

 

Scrap of paper (Admin).

Goytre – Length of road now not used by the public from the Land Farm House to the Star Road

4 Fur 154 yards

H’ry Wms

T183 – Henry Charles Bird born 1815

T183

Henry Charles Bird son of Col Bird and Frances Bird

Born at Gosport 7th December 1815

Rebecca Mais d/o Charles and Elizabeth born Kingsdown Bristol on 10th December 1810 married at St Peter’s Church Colombo Ceylon on 5th February 1837 

Children:

Henry 3/12/1837 bap Kandy 4/3/37

Charles 17/6/1839 bap Kandy 14/7/39

Daughter 22/10/1840 died 27th/10/1840 – unbaptised born Kandy

Frederick Louis 28/1/1842 bap 27/2/1842

Richard Augustus 4/3/1844 bap 24/3/1844

Francis Wm 20/6/1846 b August 1846

Annie Elizabeth 16/2/1853 bap 20/3/1853

T252 – “African” Henry Bird

 T252

'African' Henry Bird

‘African’ Henry Bird

“African Henry”

Lieut General Henry Byrde ob. 1892

He was the son of Charles Elias Bird, Capt. 5th Foot, and Charlotte Crook of Kinsale. Married 1816.

Who with his elder brother Henry served all through the Peninsular War and in the Montevideo Buenos Aires expedition. Charles Elias wrote the diary.

These two were strong men of the army. When sent to forage they returned carrying an ox between them.

“African” Henry never married. His last appointment was that of governor of Cape Coast Castle.

ORA Byrde

Gt grandson of Henry Byrde department Comm. general Ceylon

In 1945 Florence Marriott wrote the following to someone:
This is “African Henry” given to me by aunt Louisa because I always admired him as a child although I never knew him.
He was my earliest hero, I love it, though mother said he looked like a “fat butcher.”

Cape Coast Castle.was the administrative centre for the Gold Coast (modern day Ghana), Henry was governor their from April 1858 – 20th April 1860.

T196 – Bond 1816

T196

1816 Bond for receiving £150

Elizabeth Bird parish Goytrey widow

George Samuel Bird gentleman

Lucy Bird all parish of Goytrey

Bond to John Griffiths parish Llanover Upper £3000

To pay £150

17th July 1821

Paid by Col. Bird £163-2s-6d being the principal sum

T232 – Fragmentary Diary of Charles Elias Bird

T232

Fragmentary Diary of Charles Elias Bird, born 1783 service throughout the Penninsular War mainly in the fighting fifth.

He was at Waterloo and received the medal about 1846.

He and his elder brother Henry were accounted the two strongest men in the army.

Sent out to forage they returned carrying a cow between them.

Henry, the elder was not at Waterloo owing to the long war at Wellington with Lord Hill, most of the senior officers were owed pay after Elba? Leading the Duke to say ‘ I have an infamous army’.

Both Henry and Charles were the sons of Lt. Col. Hy. Bird who fought thro the American War of Independence, rescued Elizabeth Hicks who became his wife from Red Indians, and in 1800 died at sea on Sir R Abercromby expedition to Egypt.

He left 3 sons and 9 daughters

ORA Byrde

4 Cambray Court

Cheltenham

Fragmentary Diary of Chas Elias Bird b. About 1784.

(I think at Ty Cooke before the repairs to Goytre House were finished)

T239 – Owen Richard Augustus Byrde

T239

Owen Byrde

Birth cert Rachel Olivia d/o Owen Richard Augustus Byrde and Lesley Weddell of Halifax

Birth cert for Lesley Weddell 3rd November 1881 – 18 Clayton Park Square USD Newcastle – d/o George Weddell and Isabella Jacques

Marriage cert Owen R Augustus Byrde and Lesley Weddell 15th October 1910

29 – School master – father Richard Augustus Byrde clk in holy orders

28 – Spinster – George Weddell – director

Death cert Owen R A Byrde – 6th February 1946 aged 64 years

4 Cambray Court Cheltenham – retired school master

Cirrhoses of the liver
Obesity
Varicose veins

Informant- son C G Byrde, 28 Thirloe S London SW7

Birth Cert ORAB
20th June 1881 – Islington

20th June 1881
Richard Owen Byrde s/o Richard Augustus Byrde – mother Alice Mary Leyburne Byrde formerly Burne

T240

I devise and bequeath all the residue of my real and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever to which I shall be entitled at my death unto my Trustees UPON TRUST that my Trustees shall sell, call in and convert into money the same or such part thereof as shall not consist of money with power to postpone such sale calling in and conversion for such period as my Trustees shall judge expedient. (with particular reference to the shares held by me in Cerebos Ltd) and out of the money so produced and out of my ready money shall pay my funeral and testamentary expenses and debts and the legacies, bequests by this my will or any codicil hereto and all invest the residue of the said moneys in any authorised trust, investments with power from time to time to vary such investments for others of a like nature and shall stand possessed of the residue of such moneys and the investments for/the time being representing the same (herein called “my Residuary Fund”) upon the following trusts:

 

  1. UPON TRUST to pay the income thereof to myself wife during her life.
  2. SUBJECT to the aforesaid life interest of my said wife upon trust to divide the same into five equal parts and to hold the same as to both capital and income thereof:-
  3. AS to two fifths parts thereof UPON TRUST for my said son Richard George de Fer Byrde absolutely PROVIDED that should my said son predecease me without leaving issue him surviving then I DIRECT that his share shall be held by my Trustees upon the trusts hereinafter set out with regard to the remainder of my Residuary Trust Fund.
  4. AS to the remaining three fifth parts thereof UPON TRUST for my three remaining children, namely Pamela Morrison Murray and Rachel Olivia Byrde and Christopher Granville Byrde on his attaining the age of twenty one year’s absolutely in equal shares.
  5. PROVIDED NEVERTHELESS that in case any child of mine has died or shall die in my lifetime leaving issue living at my death who being male attain the age of twenty one years or being female attain that age or previously marry such issue shall stand in the place of such deceased child and take per stirpes and equally between them if more than one the share of my residuary trust fund which such deceased child would have taken if he or she had survived me and had attained a vested interest.
  6. ANY trustee being a solicitor or other person engaged in any profession or business may be so employed or act and shall be entitled to charge and be paid all professional or other charges or any business or act done by him or by his firm in connection with the trusts hereof including acts which a Trustee could have done personally.
  7. I DESIRE that my body shall be cremated and my ashes deposited in the family grave of my father and mother in Goytrey Churchyard.

IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand to this my WILL contained in this and the preceding sheet of paper this Twentieth day of November One Thousand Nine Hundred and Thirty Nine.

SIGNED by the said Owen Augustus Richard Byrde the testator as and for his last will in the presence of us both present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

Owen Richard Augustus Byrde

C Evans                                                          SRC Thomas Patson

The Old Bank House                                      Park Avenue

Abergavenny Mon                                          Abergavenny – Bank Clerk 

– Bank Manager                                    

T176 – Family Letter to Miss H Chalklen 1887

T176

April 26th 1887
Letter to Miss H Chalklen

19 Richmond Crescent Barnsbury

The exact date is more than can be given (tho it might probably be ascertained) when Mary Martha, the pastor FW Durand wife woke in the middle of the night and distinctly saw the curtains of her bed drawn aside by the hand and beheld her beloved son Lieut Henry Durand stand by her and the figure one word he said – “Mother” she was not frightened but pleased to see him although he really was far distant – for he was on his return from the Mediterranean on board HMS Beller john for his Rgt., the 60th rifles had been engaged in some duty at Majorca or one of the adjacent islands.

In the morning Ms Durand began to think she must have had a dream – but sometime after sad news came that their lively young son officer, who have often said “he would like to have a short life and a merry one” was dead – and what estrayed of all was that at the very day and hour his mother had seen him at her bedside he had breathed his last with the word mother on his lips.

Lt. Henry Durand was younger than his sister Hester ja Coba afterwards Mrs de Fer, but probably older than Dr W Durands who died towards the close of the last century.

T172 – Letters Requesting collection of items from Bonhams

T172

Letter 1

From Lawford & Co., Solicitors
Court Gray’s Inn
London

To Major W Byrde

Red Lion House
Membury
Axminster asking him to collect a bust of Sam Byrde in a buff coloured coat with gold buttons signed and dated 1778. Also one half of the armorial porcelain from Bonham’s.

Signed
G L Meyrick

Letter 2

To dearest Petronella from daddy asking her to go to Bonham’s and collect the things.

Letter 3

29th September 1980

To Major WB Byrde from G L Meyrick

In which is stated Mr Charles Byrde has no objection to W B Byrde having the deeds etc., but would be interested in any references to the Peninsular war, also there is conveyance and deeds relating to the litigation over property in both Leicester Square and Oxford St. Suggests they meet at the solicitors and view the paper together.

1780 – 1841

Epiphany 1780
John Jones, yeoman, on 10th January 1780 for assault on Sarah Cadogan.

Midsummer 1783
John Jones, the younger, tailor, £5 maintenance paid by the parish to maintain his wife after he deserted them.
William Williams, overseer of the poor for not paying his county taxes.

Midsummer 1790
William Jones, farmer and John Jones, carpenter for assault on William Jenkins the younger on August 1st 1790.

Midsummer 1791
Edward Jones, carpenter for assault on John Window.

Easter 1792
Timothy Burton, labourer for forcible entry and ejectment.
Timothy Burton, yeoman, for assault on James Lewis.

Midsummer 1792
James Lewis, farmer, John Williams, labourer and John Evans, Cordwainer for forcible entry and ejectment.

1793
Timothy Thomas for keeping a disorderly house and lodging vagabonds.

Midsummer 1802
John Tanley, labourer, presented for assault on 9th June 1802 on John Higgings.

Midsummer 1806
Richard Jeremiah and James Jeremiah, labourers for presented for stealing 2 cream cheeses to the value of 6d from Jospeh Hoskin.

Michaelmas 1817
Richard Williams, labourer and John Jones, yeoman, owing the sum of £20 each if they do not appear at next quarter sessions.

Midsummer 1821
John Osland, labourer, Thomas Richards, labourer presented for stealing 1cwt hay, value 5d. 1cwt grass, value 3d, 1cwt sainfoin value 6d, 1cwt trefoil value 3d, 1cwt clover value 6d, ryegrass value 3d.
Deposition of John Island, Thomas Richard, Thomas Williams and John Jones that they did not steal any grass, the property of Watkins George, gent, 22nd June 1822.
Deposition of Walter Prosser stating the above stole a quantity of grass from his master.

Midsummer 1823
Thomas Watts, wood collier, for keeping a dog and engines called nets for the purpose of killing game.

Epiphany 1826
John Morgan convicted of being a rogue and vagabond.

Epiphany 1827
James Gwatkin, yeoman, presented for assault on William Lewis on 24th November 1826. William Lewis was also presented for assault on James Gwatkin.

Easter 1828
Elizabeth Lewis, widow, convicted of keeping a net to destroy and kill game, fined £5.

Michaelmas 1830
James Jones, yeoman, presented for assault on William Evans on 19th July 1830.

Midsummer 1834
John Robinson, labourer and Francis Watkins, labourer, presented for stealing 1 pair of trousers, value 5/-. The goods and chattels of John Edwards on 10th April 1834

August 27th 1840
Deposition of David Davies, Goytrey, victualler; Charles Prosser, of Goytrey, labourer; John Jordan of Trevethin parish, police officer, against Thomas Watkins and Joseph Prosser, labourers for stealing 1 hat, the property of David Davies.

April 14th 1841
Deposition of Edward Thomas, water tender on the Brecon canal; Richard Progger of Goytrey, carpenter; William Phillips, water tender on the Brecon canal, against Henry Howells for stealing 1 plank, property of John Jones.

April 19th 1841
Deposition of Walter Williams of Goytrey, innkeeper, against David Lewis, Philip Evans, labourers for stealing 2 hens, the property of Walter Williams.

Midsummer 1841
David Lewis, labourer, Philip Evans, labourer, presented for stealing 9 quarters of potatoes value 4/-, goods and chattels of Richard Jones, on 19th April 1841
Henry Howells, labourer presented for stealing 1 plank, value 2/- good and chattels of John Jones on 3rd April 1841.

Jones, May – 1935

May 31st 1935

Treasured memories of our dear May, of Goytre, who died May 28th 1931.

Always remembered by Queen and Will

“Till memory fades, till life departs,

She will live for ever in our hearts.”