Hi Josephine, and Tony, So Ian's family is descended from (I think) George Purnell, son of Charles and Harriet, who married Harriet Gover at St Mary Redcliffe in 1835. My Purnells - as you probably know better than I - descend from Thomas who was George's younger brother and married Sylvia Evans at Clutton. Both families ended up in Wales - at Trevithin and Abertillery respectively, but Charles and Harriet had (I believe) four other children and 18 grandchildren from George and Thomas alone. So, do you know - did any of the other children end up in Wales, and if so how widespread was the area they moved to? I am interested in the factors which led them to move to particular places, which I'd think might have included proximity of other family members or straightforward recommendation of a place - but in fact I see rather little evidence of this as a guiding factor. Trevithin and Abertillery are not far apart but the journey from one to the other would not, I suspect have been trivial especially given the limited leisure time available. Incidentally, relevant to the latter point, through the kindness of another researcher I have recently found out a good deal of information about Dan Sage (who married Julia Purnell) in Cwmtillery. According to newspaper reports of his funeral he worked as a miner underground for a working life of 70 years from age 10 until he retired at 80. Even allowing for some modest exaggeration I am a little aghast at that. In his spare time he helped found the local Bible Christian chapel and the local Co-op. Best wishes, Ian On 18/02/2011 20:29, Josephine Jeremiah wrote: > > Hi Tony, > > Yes, I would not have known about the parish of Trevithin, which included > Abersychan, Pontnewydd and Pontypool, if I hadn't become interested in > researching my husband's and my family history. > > When we were younger, we often passed by Pontypool, on our way to the > Monmouthshire& Brecon Canal, little realizing that members of our > Somerset and South Gloucestershire families once lived in the area. > > Ian's PURNELL family moved to Trevethin from Clutton in Somerset. > > At the time of the 1881 census, coal miner, George PURNELL, 64, and his > wife, Harriet, 67, were living at 42 High Street in the parish of > Trevethin, Monmouthshire. Both were recorded as being born in Clutton. > > Josephine >

On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:38:59 -0000, Ian Sage <sage_gen@tiscali.co.uk> wrote: > So Ian's family is descended from (I think) George Purnell, son of > Charles and Harriet, who married Harriet Gover at St Mary Redcliffe in > 1835. Hi Ian, Yes, that's right. > My Purnells - as you probably know better than I - descend from Thomas > who was George's younger brother and married Sylvia Evans at Clutton. > Both families ended up in Wales - at Trevithin and Abertillery > respectively, but Charles and Harriet had (I believe) four other > children and 18 grandchildren from George and Thomas alone. The four other children of George and Harriet Purnell were: Sarah, who was baptized on 10th. May 1818 at St. Augustine's Church, Clutton. David, who was baptized on 17th. May 1829 at St. Augustine's Church, Clutton, Somerset. David may have died as the burial of David Purnell, aged 17, took place at Clutton on 23rd. December 1846. Charles, who was baptized at St. Augustine's Church, Clutton on 25th. March 1832. Elizabeth, who was baptized on 11th. December 1825 at St. Augustine's Church, Clutton, Somerset. Elizabeth may have died as the burial of Elizabeth Purnell, aged 21, took place at Clutton on 13th. February 1845. > So, do you know - did any of the other children end up in Wales, and if > so how > widespread was the area they moved to? I don't know what happened to Sarah Purnell, but it looks like Charles Purnell stayed in England. In 1881, coal miner Charles Purnell, 49, and his wife, Jemima, 49, were living at Whitehall Road, No. 18, St. George, Bristol. Both were recorded as being born in Clutton, Somerset. The four children in their household were all born in Clutton. George, a coal miner, was 19. Ellen, a dressmaker was 17. Emma, a stay maker, as 15. Alice whose occupation was 'stays at home' was 13. Josephine -- Josephine Jeremiah www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com

On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:38:59 -0000, Ian Sage <sage_gen@tiscali.co.uk> wrote: > My Purnells - as you probably know better than I - descend from Thomas > who was George's younger brother and married Sylvia Evans at Clutton. > Both families ended up in Wales - at Trevithin and Abertillery > respectively, but Charles and Harriet had (I believe) four other > children and 18 grandchildren from George and Thomas alone. > Trevithin and Abertillery are not far apart but the journey from one to > the other would not, I suspect have been trivial especially given the > limited leisure time available. Hi Ian, I looked at a modern map and was inclined to agree with you about the limitations faced by our Somerset ancestors travelling between Trevethin and Abertillery, especially as I travelled along the road between Crumlin and Pontypool six times last week. (The temperature noticeably dropped each time in this high- sided valley.) However, it has been brought to my notice that things were much different back then. There was a railway from Pontypool (Trevethin) to Crumlin. To get to Abertillery passengers would cross the Crumlin Viaduct and get off at Crumlin High Level Station. They would go to the Lower Level Station, which was about quarter of a mile away lower down the valley. (I hope that's right, no doubt someone will correct me if not.) Looking at this has solved a puzzle about the travel arrangements of one of my relatives, James Parfitt Veater, born Farmborough, Somerset c.1819, whose occupation was a waterman (barge) at the time of the 1891 census. Then, James was living as a boarder with his brother, Thomas Veater at 28 Hope Street, Blaina, Monmouthshire. It's likely that his job as waterman was on the Crumlin branch of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal or maybe on the latter canal, itself, and that he would have travelled to work by train. Josephine -- Josephine Jeremiah www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com

Josephine noted: >However, it has been brought to my notice that things were much different >back then. There was a railway from Pontypool (Trevethin) to Crumlin. To >get to Abertillery passengers would cross the Crumlin Viaduct and get off >at Crumlin High Level Station. They would go to the Lower Level Station, >which was about quarter of a mile away lower down the valley. (I hope >that's right, no doubt someone will correct me if not.) Thanks for that, Josephine. Your answer pricked my memory to look up and find the historic railway atlas at http://www.systemed.plus.com/New_Adlestrop_Railway_Atlas.pdf In fact it looks as though passengers had a choice of two stations to board the train near Pontypool (one at Clarence Street) as well as two further stations on the Cwmbran-Blaenafon/Brynmawr line. They could even alight at Six Bells instead of Abertillery, depending which end of town they wanted. It's quite eye opening (and sad) to see the sheer density of rail infrastructure our grandparents had at their call. It's equally enlightening to scroll down to the Somerset part of the map to see the line across Gordano, or to places like Clutton, Shepton Mallet or Wookey. Ian On 22/02/2011 10:57, Josephine Jeremiah wrote: > On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:38:59 -0000, Ian Sage<sage_gen@tiscali.co.uk> > wrote: > >> My Purnells - as you probably know better than I - descend from Thomas >> who was George's younger brother and married Sylvia Evans at Clutton. >> Both families ended up in Wales - at Trevithin and Abertillery >> respectively, but Charles and Harriet had (I believe) four other >> children and 18 grandchildren from George and Thomas alone. >> Trevithin and Abertillery are not far apart but the journey from one to >> the other would not, I suspect have been trivial especially given the >> limited leisure time available. > Hi Ian, > > I looked at a modern map and was inclined to agree with you about the > limitations faced by our Somerset ancestors travelling between Trevethin > and Abertillery, especially as I travelled along the road between Crumlin > and Pontypool six times last week. (The temperature noticeably dropped > each time in this high- > sided valley.) > > However, it has been brought to my notice that things were much different > back then. There was a railway from Pontypool (Trevethin) to Crumlin. To > get to Abertillery passengers would cross the Crumlin Viaduct and get off > at Crumlin High Level Station. They would go to the Lower Level Station, > which was about quarter of a mile away lower down the valley. (I hope > that's right, no doubt someone will correct me if not.) > > Looking at this has solved a puzzle about the travel arrangements of one > of my relatives, James Parfitt Veater, born Farmborough, Somerset c.1819, > whose occupation was a waterman (barge) at the time of the 1891 census. > Then, James was living as a boarder with his brother, Thomas Veater at 28 > Hope Street, Blaina, Monmouthshire. > > It's likely that his job as waterman was on the Crumlin branch of the > Monmouthshire& Brecon Canal or maybe on the latter canal, itself, and > that he would have travelled to work by train. > > Josephine >

On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:38:59 -0000, Ian Sage <sage_gen@tiscali.co.uk> wrote: > Both families ended up in Wales - at Trevithin and Abertillery > respectively, but Charles and Harriet had (I believe) four other > children and 18 grandchildren from George and Thomas alone. So, do you > know - did any of the other children end up in Wales, and if so how > widespread was the area they moved to? I am interested in the factors > which led them to move to particular places, which I'd think might have > included proximity of other family members or straightforward > recommendation of a place - but in fact I see rather little evidence of > this as a guiding factor. Hi Ian, Some of the children of Clutton-born George and Harriet PURNELL ended up in Wales, too. Their daughter Mary, baptized at Clutton on 31st. January 1836, and her husband, William PARFITT, went to Trevethin. They were there for the 1861-1901 censuses. However, Edwin Charles PARFITT, son of William and Mary, was baptized on 17th. July 1864 at Clutton. For the latter, the abode was given as Abersychan, so the PARFITTs came home from Monmouthshire to have their son baptized in St. Augustine's Church. Matthew PURNELL, son of George and Harriet, was baptized at Clutton on 23rd. June 1839. In 1881, a Matthew PURNELL, aged 41, whose birthplace was recorded as NK, Somerset, was living with his wife and family at Lower Llanvrechva, Monmouthshire. The address was Cwmbran Slate Row 1. This Matthew PURNELL was a coal miner. Luke PURNELL, son of George and Harriet, was baptized on 1st. October 1843 at Clutton. I've tracked him in the 1871, 1881, and 1881 censuses in Trevethin, Monmouthshire. Abode was Garndiffaith in 1891. David PURNELL, son of George and Harriet was baptized at Clutton, Somerset on 1st. August 1850.In 1881, he and his family were at Black Path, Trevethin, Monmouthshire and in 1891 they were at 2, Commercial Street, Pontnewydd, Monmouthshire. Martha PURNELL, daughter of George and Harriet, was baptized on 3rd. December 1854 at Clutton. Martha PURNELL may have married Isaac T. MORGAN. In 1881, there was a Martha MORGAN, aged 28 and born in Clutton, living with her husband and family at Woodhouses Cwmbran No 2, Lower Llanvrechfa, Monmouthshire. Not all the children of George and Harriet PURNELL went to Wales. Mark PURNELL, son of George and Harriet, was baptized on 17th. September 1837 at Clutton. In 1881, a coal miner, Mark PURNELL, aged 42 and born in Clutton, who may be a match, was living with his wife and family in Midsomer Norton, Somerset. He was still in Midsomer Norton at the time of the 1891 census. Josephine -- Josephine Jeremiah www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com