FelRh002ach 26.11.1995 (iss. 2)

NOTES ON THE FAMILY OF FELENRHYD FAWR AND FFOR

In the nineteenth century Maentwrog and Lleyn were as far as London and New York. Be as it may Laura  Davies of Felenrhyd Fawr and William Jones Ty Mawr, Y Ffor (Fourcrosses near Pwllheli) met at Maentwrog.  Tuesday, the 8th of August 1995 was the centenary of the birth of their youngest twin daughters, Nel and Ann.. They were born at 3, Tyn Llwyn, Tanygrisiau on the 8.8.1895 and baptised at Capel Mawr ( Bethel - now demolished ), Tanygrisiau. See birth certificates and family photograph.

For the ancestors of Laura start with the family tree  ( B ).Laura's parents were Sarah (nee Jones) and Griffith Dafydd and the following census of records of 1871 for Cynfal Fawr 

We do not know where the other three children were i.e. Sarah , Margaret ( 980 ) and our Laura; she would have been 11years old in 1871. We are certain that they lived at Gelli Grin as well as Felenrhyd Fawr. It is apparent that Griffith Dafydd, as he was known, worked in the quarries. I presume that it was the Oakley Quarry and farmed at Cynfal fawr at the same time; this being the custom. It would appear that a Pierce Jones, who lived at the adjacent and smaller farm, Garth had his eyes on on the tenancy of the better farm of Cynfal Fawr. He went to the landlord and told him that Griffith Dafydd was neglecting the farm by working in the quarry. Presumably G.D. got the tenancy of Gelli Grin and Felenrhyd fawr from his quarry master William Oakley.  All we know about Griffith Dafydd is that he was born at Llanfrothen circa 1816. There is an acknowledgement to him in the book  "Hanes Plwyf Ffestiniog " by G.J. Williams 1882

Laura's grandparents were Sarah and Morris Jones (of Bryn Cyfergid and Tyddyn Dewin)

see Family tree  A. We glean some information from a small book " Hanes yr Achos Methodistiad yn Nhanygrisiau gan D.O. Hughes 1809 i 1909 (History of Methodist at Tanygrisiau ) pp 47 - 55.   .There is a note regarding some of the 500 members of a temperance society 1852 -6.The translated note reads " Margaret Pritchard the mother of Mr Griffith Dafydd, Cynfal, the grandmother of Mr Griffith Davies, Gelli Green, Maentwrog and also the grandmother of the children of  (Mr & Mrs) J. E Roberts, Bryn Goleu and others" i.e.  the above children would be Morris, Lisa (Evans Bryn Goleu-  mother of Gwilym Evans, Jennie & Blodwen ), Mary, Griffith Ellis & two others (see 980) . Mrs J.E.Robert was Margaret Ellis (nee Davies) Roberts was the daughter of Sarah and Griffith Dafydd, Cynfal.  I wonder if Margaret Prichard's husband was called Dafydd Prichard and their son called Griffith Dafydd or was Prichard her maiden name? Margaret Pritchard time would be circa 1790 to 1860- Llanfrothen and Tanygrisiau.  Of course, her maiden name might have been Pritard. Griffith and Sarah Davies are buried at Maentwrog Church. The raised slate chest is on the other side to the church door and is very difficult to read due to accumulation of moss on the slate. It reads Griffith Davies Gelli Green (sic), Llandecwyn previously of Cynfal Fawr and Dinas Ffestiniog 1.11.1891 75 years old.

                        Y llygaid am gwelodd ni'n gavel mwyach

                        Dy lygaid sydd ????maf?ac nid ydwyf.

also Sarah his wife who died 30.11.1899 77 years old

                         A oes neb o'm hen gyffeillion

                         A ddaw'n ddiddig gyda mi

                         Ac a orwedd wrth fy ochr

                          A yw cyfaill ddim ond hynny

                          Taflu dagrau a newid gwedd

                           Pan bod'r  pridd ar  ??

                           Ar man  ??   cwypo y mwy hedd

Laura's aunts and uncles were

1) Gwen & Pierce Edwards of Glanllynau

2) Ann  & John Cadwalader of Bryn Llech - related to Annie Vaughan (Lewis) Jones 

3) Mary & Robert Joseph of Bryncyfergid and Tyddyn Gwyn mawr-parents of Sarah Williams and g'parents of Rbt & William.TGMawr. We have no information about Arthur except that he died-young? There was an Auntie Sera who lived at a little farm Bwlch Bryn Minffordd and later at Porth Dinorwic. She was found drowned at  Fellinheli. She was a cousin to Ann and Nell. Looking at family tree (B) we see that she could be  the grand daughter of either of Sera, Elin or Griffith of Felenrhyd- or non of them!

(Note:- some of the above information was collected by Robert Griffith Wynne Road, a master at the Old County School, and was in the possession of  most of the Annie Vaughan (Lewis) Jones)

 Sarah (Nee Joseph )Williams of Tyddyn Gwyn Mawr and Laura ( Nee Davies) were first cousins i.e. the two mothers were sisters. It was Sarah husband, Owen Williams Tyddyn Gwyn Mawr and Bron Manod, that were related to Bryn Melyn and Auntie Sally Smart (TyG M).

Between 1871 and 1891 a scion and a new generation had moved from Cynfal Fawr to Felin Rhyd Fawr/Gelli Grin. There was a David Davies who died on 21.7.1880 age 32 (and his wife Martha) at Cynfal in 1880. Were they related ? (see 911)

We need to look at the 1881 census for cynfal Fawr, Felenrhyd Fawr & Gelli Grin to form a better picture of the families . We do not know where Nain ,Laura Davies, (aged 21) was in 1881   . Probably she was not married.

Note there were three Griffith Davies's viz:- (1816 -1891), (1854 - 1937 ) & (1883  -  1942 )
In 1891 we have the following census returns for Felenrhyd Fawr;-  

there were also three servants  viz:- Maggie Lewis, Robert Jones and Humphery Roberts 17,25 & 48 respectively   .

William Jones of  the family of Ty Mawr, Y Ffor Nr Chwilog has been set out by Nesta Rees and Margaret C. Jones ( see C  ,two sheets). There is much history to be collated and dated here.

William Jones used to travel with horses. Possibly with stallions, as was the custom. He was at the Grapes Hotel, Maentwrog as a young stable boy - with gingerish hair. He met Laura. We heard that Laura's family were not impressed by the catch and she was somewhat ostracised  by the family at Felin Rhyd. After Laura and William married circa 1882 they went to live to  3 ?, Tyn Llwyn, Tanygrisiau. William Jones was a quarry labourer at one of the local quarries. Eight children were born altogether all at Tanygrisiau ? and there two sets of twins. As a family they attended Bethel Chapel( now demolished) where the Rev. Samuel Owen was a minister from Sept 1864 until his death in December 1903. It would be Samuel Owen that would have christened the children at Capel Mawr, i.e. Bethel. There is a photograph of five of the children at Tanygrisiau school, taken about 1899. On the picture we can see Laura, Mary, (twins) and Maggie at the back; Nell at the front ,holding the slate, and her twin sister Ann, just behind her. William Jones had an accident and had to have his leg amputated ,(this is questionable). Another photograph was taken of all of the family, outside 3? Tyn Llwyn. Circa 1903 the family moved to a small farm, Bryn Llewelyn at Penrhyndeudraeth. They were there for a short time before moving to 9, School Street Penrhyn. Sometime about 1905,Sarah, the eldest daughter married John Lloyd Williams and set up their home at Croesor. (Their grandson, Edgar Parry Williams still lives in the old homestead. )  In 1907 Laura, the mother died, and was buried at Maentwrog Church, leaving a family of William Jones 53, Sera 24, William, 20, Mary and Laura18 Margaret 16 & Nell and Ann 12. Apart from the youngest two all the children would be working.  There is a school photograph of Margaret at the school at Penrhyn. Mary had fits and Nel and Ann had to stay at home from school, every other day to look after Mary,. Mary was at a home at Magull for a while and Sera and Tom Davies have  in her possession a small presentation cup and saucer from Magull   About 1909 Laura married Robert Hughes who went to live at Fflint. Margaret went to South Wales. At the age of 25,in 1915, Mary died and was buried with her mother. William was working at a Ffestiniog Quarry all his life, he married Margaret Jane from Minffordd. Nell went to Cheadle, nr Stockport in service and Ann stayed at home with her father at School St. In 1917 Ann married Edward Jones (see wedding photograph) in 1917. Nell came home and was in service at Tyddyn Gwyn Mawr with Modryb Sarah.William Jones, the father died in 1918. In 1919 Nell married David Price Bron Goronwy and went to live at Maesteg, Glanmorgan. Ann lived at School St until her death in 1978.  The Welsh dresser, clock mawr, and three oak chair which were at Tynllwyn and used to belonged to J.C.Jones, the coal merchant ( and a relation to Catherine MacShane) were bought by the family who took them to Penrhyn. As they were bequeathed to Nell by her father the furniture were taken to Maesteg in the early 20's. They are now in the possession of Nell's daughter, Nellie (Thomas) at Penrhyn Isaf Farm, Minffordd. The three small oak chair are with me at Preston and some of the Ffor furniture and Clock are with Will Price. A replica of the dresser was made by David Price at Maesteg for School Street.; at present  the replica is with Dafydd Price (junior) at Dolau Las.

 There is much to be added and corrected to this brief account. The story of Ty Mawr, Y Ffor is yet to be told. I would be most grateful of any titbits or recollection which I will weave into this never-ending jigsaw.

 Sera  and Tom Davies have the old family bible from  Y Ffor. Some person has ripped off the front page. It came from Peter Jones Minffordd who had acquired it from some  Ffor relation. It is thought that it was inscribed to Ewythr Sior (Lloyd George). It is also thought that Lloyd George's grand mother and great grandmother of Ffor were two sisters!! I have no evidence to this fact.

 These are the entries in the Bible Marriages David Jones aged 33 y.o.L 1873 to Dorothy Jones aged 33 y.o.L 1873. Names of the children William Jones mab David a Dorothy Jones yr hwn a annwyd 19 o Ebrill yn y flwydd 1877. Ellen Jones yr hon a annwyd Ionawr y 27 1881. Marwolaethau:-William Jones mab David a Dorothy Jones yr hwn a fu farw 2 Mai 1878 yn flwydd a dwy wythnos ir diwrnod,; Dorothy priod David Jones fu farw 12. Awst 1882 yn 42 oed; David Jones 1889 50 oed Owen Jones 1888, Ellen Jones 11.4.1910  yn 95.5 oed.

 Some  memoriam  verses to Nain Ffor were written by Celyn.

 Some of the children of Tommy, Rhoslan are still living at the farm. Also son of Owen Jones at Tyddyn Shianel. Dafydd Rowlands was the son of the Saddler and had something to do with the N.F.U.

I have not been able to establish just how 'Auntie' May, Pengroes, Penrhyn was related to Felenrhyd fawr, if at all. I have a lot of information from Lora, Pengroes and Arwyn Thomas. She was the only surviving daughter of Laura and William David Williams. Her grandparents were Mary and Griffith Thomas of Gatws, Parc, Bwlchlleindir a Chroesor Fawr. This is another story in it's self which needs examining.  

                                                                           R. Price