Church Farm – 655 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

This  beautiful Farm House (now a listed building) is still a working farm. The first mention I can find is a letter to the Rector in 1755:

Church Farm.

Sir, you are desired to publ’ih Banns of Matrimony between us Thomas Roger’s of the parish of Pan teg in the County of Monmouth who live near New Inn in the said parish and Mary Williams spinster of your said parish of Goettre, that now live and have resided there at my father’s house near the Church for above four weeks.

Immediately preceding the date hereof given under our hands this 15^th day of November in ye year of our Lord 1755.

Thomas Rogers of the Parish of Pant-teg and Mary Williams of the Parish of Goettre were married in the Church of Goettre by banns this 20^th day of December in ye year of our Lord 1755 by me E Williams, Curate.

In the presence of Francis Williams

The mark of Richard Edward

This marriage was solemnized by us Thomas Rogers

The mark of Mary Williams15^th November 1755

The Rev’d Mr Williams curate of the parish of Goettre

Another letter in 1762 again asking the curate to publish the marriage bans;

1^st May 1762

To the Rev’d Mr Williams Curate of Goettre

Sir, we William Powel, late churchwarden of your said parish and Ann James that live with my parents in the house next to the church where I have lived constantly for several years last past do desire you to publish Banns of Matrimony between us with all convenient speed.

Given under our hands this first day of May 1762.

William Powel and Ann James both of the parish of Goettre were married in the church of Goettre by banns this 26^th day of May in the year of our Lord 1762 by me E Williams curate.

In the presence of the mark of John Andrew

The mark of Ann Edwards

This marriage was Solemnized by us the mark of William Powel the mark of Ann James

In 1768 Joseph Watkins is overseer of the poor for the house by the church and in 1774 John Powell is constable for “ye house by ye church.”

An entry in St Iltyd Church Mamhilad on the 10^th October 1775 says a marriage, by license was conducted between Richard Jeremiah of Church Farm Goytrey and Mary Philips of Mamhilad.

In 1790 Richard Jeremiah is mentioned as being the occupier of Church Farm and the owner is Capel Hanbury Leigh of Pontypool.

In 1804 at St Peter’s, William Jeremiah married Martha Jenkins, their children being baptised at St Peter’s.

William Lloyd became the occupier in 1823. In 1830-31 he had a salary for being an overseer of the poor for the parish.

On the 1841 tithe Church Farm has 59 acres 1 rood and 15 perches, £6 9s is payable to the rector and the owner is still Capel Hanbury Leigh. On the census William Lloyd is aged 55, Mary his wife is 55 and their children Martha and William are 15 and 11 respectively.

Mary Lloyd had died between the 1841 and 1851 census but I am unable to find an entry of a burial at St Peter’s. The 1861 census says William is a widower aged 61 born in Glascoed, the rateable value of Church Farm being £24 5s. William Lloyd died in 1854 and was buried at St Peter’s.

Shortly afterward John Preece became the new occupier. His son William was baptised on the 30^th April 1855. Also about this time he swaps farms with William Gwatkin of Abergwellan.

William Gwatkin is mentioned frequently in the parish records, he has a salary of £20 in

This wonderful photo of William and Eliza has kindly been passed to me by Clive Jenkins, grandson of Rosa.

1855 for collecting rates, that is, income tax, land tax and assessed rates for the parish. On the 3rd July 1856 he sat on the grand jury quarter sessions. His mother Elizabeth died in 1864 aged 79 and was buried at Kemys Commander.

On the 1871 census William Gwatkin is 50, a farmer of 60 acres, his wife Eliza is 51 and born in Mamhilad, their children, Ann, John, George, Richard Thomas and Edmund were all born in Goytre, also living with them is Eliza’s mother Joanne Williams 86, who was born in Monkswood.

William remained overseer of the poor for many years until he retired with a pension in 1881. The Gwatkin family on the 1881 census had moved to Glascoed. It appears that  Church Farm was not occupied in 1881, but by 1891 David Morgan 42, a haulier born Glascoed, with his wife Martha 41, born in Llanover, had moved into Church Farm. He is also on the electoral register in 1894.

By 1901 George Gwatkin, 45 born Goytre, and his wife Jane, 47 born Hereford, had moved into Church Farm with their children Fred, Herbert, Rosa,

George Gwatkin

Caroline, Sophia, Amy and Gilbert, all the children being born in Goytre. They were still living there on the 1911 census and paying poor rate in 1914.

George Gwatkin died in April  was buried at St Peter’s on 17^th April 1917 aged 61. He left £329 to his son Herbert Frank William Gwatkin. Jane his wife died in October 1919 aged 66, Amy their daughter died in 1920 (there is an obituary for Amy in the Free Press,) they were all buried at St Peter’s.

The census of 1921 says 24 year old Gilbert Gwatkin, a farmer working on his own account along with his sister Sofie aged 28 are living at Church farm, both were born in Goytre.

On the 25^th March 1927, Gilbert and Sophia,

Gilbert Gwatkin

two of George and Jane’s children had a “leaving do” at Nantyderry schoolroom, they were moving to farm in west Wales.

The electoral register in 1927 now says William Percival Edwards is farming Church Farm and in 1945 Thomas C Edwards, Thomas was born in October 1907, Elsie his wife in 1911.

Oriel Garn – 174 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

A house, garden and orchard containing 1 rood 38 perches, the owner is Albert Adams Williams.

A burial at St Peter’s says William Phillips aged 56 of Oriel Garn was buried in 1817, I can’t find any further mention until the 1841 census when John Lewis 45 and Elizabeth his wife are living at Oriel Garn.

In 1851 Elizabeth Hughes 56, a widow, formerly an innkeeper born in Llanover and her son John 28 are living at Oriel Garn, they remained there through to 1871 when John becomes the head of the family and his mother Elizabeth is 75, she died the following year and was buried at Mamhilad.

By 1881 the Rosser family had moved into Oriel Garn, from Upper House Goytrey, James was 46, Keturah his wife 38, and children James 18, Ann 16, Rachel 14, Richard 12, Sarah 8, Ruth 6, and Jenkin 3.

In 1885 Anne Rosser married Alfred Purnell at Mamhilad, and in 1896 Richard Rosser married Ellen Lusty in Cardiff, and Sarah married Francis Poulson.

The following is from the Free Press;

18^th May 1883

Shooting Affray at Goytre On Tuesday evening last a serious shooting affray occurred at Goytre. It appeared that a man named Samuel Turner a blacksmith’s striker, living at Pontypool was coming home from Abergavenny fair when he called in at the house of his brother-in-law James Prosser (reported as Prosser but it is Rosser) a labourer living in Goytre.

Between seven and eight o’clock in the evening at altercation took place between the two and finally they had a fight. It is alleged that Turner became very violent and that Prosser in self-defence got his gun and shot him. Whether this really was the case it is as yet impossible to say, however in the heat of the quarrel Prosser sent for his gun, a double barrel one, which was already loaded with mixed shot and discharged one barrel into his brother-in-law’s left thigh inflicting a terrible wound about 11 inches in length.

Prosser occupied two houses which were attached and at the time of the quarrel the gun was in the premises adjoining those in which the scuffle took place. The fight must have been a very brutal one for Prosser did not come out of it until he had two ribs broken.

Information was conveyed to the police at Pontypool by means of the driver of the Abergavenny mail cart, with as little delay as possible and superintendent Whitfield accompanied by Dr Essex set out in a few minutes to the scene of the affray.

The injured man was attended to and Prosser taken into custody and brought to the police station at Pontypool. On Wednesday he was brought before J C Llywellin and remanded for 1 week. Dr Essex who is now attending Turner certified that under the most favourable circumstances it would be at least a month before he would be able to give evidence. The injured man who now lies in Pontypool union is progressing satisfactory.

22 June 1883

Shooting Affray at Goytre

James Rosser of Goytre was charged with feloniously wounding Samuel Turner by shooting him with a gun.

Mr. T. Watkins appeared for the defendant. Prosecutor said he was a labourer living Trosnant Pontypool; he went to the prisoner’s home on 15^th May. After going into the house his sister (prisoner’s wife) asked him to sit down. They had some words and the prisoner “took it up”.

Prisoner called him a “—-“ scamp and he called him a liar.

His sister got up and struck at him. Witness got up off the chair to prevent her striking the blow and the prisoner then interfered and hit him down a good bit.

Witness tried to keep him off his feet he got up and they all ran away for fear he should murder them he supposed, prisoners daughter then said “fetch the gun father and shoot him”. The daughter brought the gun to witness who shot witness “smack” the charge striking him in the leg.

Witness did not stand on his feet and the postman came to his assistance. Dr Essex saw him afterwards, he was in awful pain.

In answer to Mr. Watkins witness said he had been to a fair that day, he liked to go to fairs.

He did know that the row had commenced about Robert Davies or that he called him bad names. He said that he wasn’t much good. The prisoner came into the house about 2 minutes after he got there. He was then ‘having words’ with his sister. George Young was also there. But he did not attempt to make peace between him and his sister. They kept on quarrelling. He did not put up his fists. Prisoner got up and “scienced” before him, and struck him. He did not “science” before the prisoner, but tried to make his sister sit down. He did not call her any bad names. Prisoner struck him down but when on the ground wit was not very violent though he tried to keep the prisoner off. He pushed him away with his feet. He did not know how prisoner ribs were broken. He was in a bad temper on the ground but did not threat to murder anybody. He knew better than to do that. He did not throw the knife box at prisoner. But ‘shot’ something at him. He did not break any chairs. He did not remember when in his brothers’ house in Trosnant a week before threatening to do worse than anything he had ever done before.

He had been in this court for assaults many times before, worse luck but had never been convicted of assault in Abergavenny. Perhaps he had been convicted in this court 6 different times. He had had 14 days at Pontypridd for begging but that was no harm. He had ‘done’ a month at Liverpool but that was nothing at all.

George Young whose depositions taken at the previous hearing, were read, was next examined. In reply to Mr. Watkins wit said he felt a lump on Rosser’s ribs immediately after the assault. He had been in the house about half an hour before prosecutor, who was followed in about 10 minutes by the prisoner. During the interval he was quarrelling with his sister and was quarrelling with her when the prisoner came in. Prisoner clenched his fists and witness expected he would have struck his sister. Prisoner said his wife then held him down on the ground. Prior to that wit was making most use of violent threats and wit persuaded them to let him get up to see what he would do.

Dr J R Essex said that on the 15^th May he was called to Goytre arriving there about 10 o’c. he saw prosecutor at prisoners house. He examined him + finding a large lacerated wound on upper part of thigh. The wound was about 5” ac extending about 11” down towards the knee. The edge of the wound was very much riddled, it was a gunshot wound. He also ex prisoner who was suffering from severe injury to the ribs, 2 of which were broken. He had seen the prosecutor since at the workhouse. With ref to prisoners injuries he should say they were caused by a blow given with a good deal of force. One rib had been forced underneath the other; it was a most unusual injury, a kick would have caused it. The prosecutor was doing well and was now out of danger.

By Mr. Watkins, it must have been a violent blow to have caused injury to the ribs. Prisoner said he had shot Turner + that he had waited for his opportunity so as not to shoot him in the body. He also said that of he did not shoot him they would all have been murdered.

PC Price proved apprehended the prisoner who said “this is a bad job here” what are you going to do with me? I can’t walk, he had broken some of my ribs or something” in and to the charge prisoner said if he hadn’t shot him Turner would have murdered the lot of them.

Wit: took possession of the gun – a double barrel one – one barrel of which had recently been discharged. Witness produced the gun, prosecutors’ trousers + the charge found in the other barrel.

The charge was handed to the magistrates who were of the opinion that it was a very small one. Prisoner was committed to take his trial at the ensuing assizes bail being fixed at – himself £100 + 3 surety of £50 each.

On the 2^nd April 1897 James Rosser was summoned for non-payment of 14s 11d poor rates and again on the 14^th May for not having a dog license and was fined 7s 6d.

On August 29th 1897 Sarah Rosser, 25,  of Oliver Gardens married Francis Henry Poulsom, a 25 year old coal miner from Pontnewynydd

A court case in the Free Press on the 16^th November 1900 says Mrs Rosser’s trap was damaged by Henry Knipe – she won £3 compensation.

More marriages, Jenkin married Elizabeth Morris in 1902 and Clara married William Crump of Pengroesoped Farm the same year.

In March 1900 an advert in the Free Press offers 5 twelve week old pigs, one 5 month old, good growers; apply Rosser Ty Cooke Goytre.

By 1915 Richard Jones is living at the now named Oviel Garn and in 1918 Albert Adams Williams sold Oviel Garn to Thomas Jenkins of New Barn for £180.

From 1918 to 1924 George and Margaret Davies resided there followed by William Parsons to 1926; Bertie Paginton, Daisy and Ethel from 1926 to 1930.

Tier Common Bach – 460 on the 1841 Tithe Map.

The owner in 1812 was Ann Pritchard of Pandy Farm Goytrey. In 1821 Margaret James is holding a house &c and a ruin.

On the 1841 tithe Tire Common Bach shows two ruins. One property appears to have been rebuilt by 1851, Walter Davies is the owner and the rateable value for Tire Common Bach is £2 10s; containing the ruins of a house, clover piece 3 roods 23 perches;  wheat 1 acre 1 rood 14 perches;  with 1 rood and 21 perches being taken by the canal embankment and a piece of cut-off 14 perches; and taken by the canal 1 rood 18 perches.

By the 1871 census Philip Jenkins aged 41, unmarried is living at Tier Common Bach with his brother James aged 33, also unmarried.

The 1888 tithe update says the owner is now Thomas Evans and the occupier is David Hutchinson. On the 1901 census he is aged 44, a galvanising sheet metal inspector born in Llanover, his wife Mary was born in Panteg.

By the 1905 electoral register the new owner is Thomas Davies of Upper Cae Coed. This changes again by 1910 when the new owner is Francis Prosser of Upper House Goytre, the gross value of Tire y Common Bach was £6 18s and the rateable value £6 5s .

The poor rate of 1914 says the owner is Prosser. This lovely photo of ‘Rees the Police’ was sent to me by Nigel Purches, I believe him to be Nigel’s  great-great-grandfather who lived at Common Bach. The second photo is also of him and described by Nigel as ‘Old Rees.’ He was born in 1866, the son of Thomas and Ann Prosser, Upper House Goytrey.

The census of 1921 says Ress Prosser is 56, a smallholder born in Goytre, Ethel his daughter is 28, sons Edgar  21 and Ernest 25 both are out of work, also with them on the night of the census is Rees’s grand daughter Joyce Bowen and 1 year and 8 months who was born in Goytre.

A wedding took place at St Peter’s church between Edwin Gordon Phillips of New House Goytrey and Ethel Mabel Rachel Prosser of Court-y-Monos on the 4 August 1924, Edwin’s occupation is given as blacksmith.

‘”Rees the Police”

Pontymoel Corner Again – Friday 7^th April 1936

Goytrey Woman Cyclist Crashes into Shop Window

A woman cyclist was involved in an accident at Pontymoel corner, Pontypool on Friday and again a plate glass window at the shop of Mr W.T. Herbert [Herbert Bros.] was broken.

Mrs Phillips of Canal Cottage Goytrey, the cyclist sustained cuts to the face, a hand and a leg. She received attention at the shop and was treated at the surgery of Dr T J McAllen and was afterwards taken home.