This is the 1871 census entry for Sarah DAVIS, from the Parish her G'parents are residing it might be useful to find Father/Mother? 1871 census DAVIES  BENJAMIN  Head M  70  b Cardiganshire, place BLAENGEWC, TROEDYRAUR   Cardiganshire        DAVIES HANNAH        Wife F  71  b Cardiganshire, place BLAENGEWC, TROEDYRAUR   Cardiganshire        DAVIES SARAH   Granddaughter F 6 bCardiganshire, place BLAENGEWC,  TROEDYRAUR    Cardiganshire      Regards M & P Oram

DAVIES Hello David I also research LEWIS and DAVIES but my worst nightmare is the Davies from Troedyraur area pre and post 1835 apart from names and ?bapt dates thats it and i really have tried can the team help me do you think? regards Brenda ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Gilroy" <gilgen@ntlworld.com> To: "Brenda Parrott" <willspad2@talktalk.net>; <yvonne@artdes.co.uk> Cc: <DYFED@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 9:32 PM Subject: Re: [Dyfed] DAVIES Sarah > Hello Brenda , Yvonne and the List from David Gilroy in St.Albans . > > As you know , I am blessed with Davies on my Tree .Faced with a > sackload of Elizabeth DAVIES births in Merthyr Tydfil around 1858 I > turned to the local Superintendent Registrar there with amazing > results - a story and a half resulted from a very unusual set of > circumstances . > > Similarly for my DAVIES in the Clydey area about 1840 I turned to the > Supt Reg. there - again they found the right one . > > In both cases I told them all I had .Requiring the "right" birth in > both cases I listed all the births on Free Bmd for a year or two > either side in the District in question with the possible parents > names . > > For events after 1837 , I cannot praise the Supt Registrars and their > teams in Wales enough for the help they have given me with DAVIES . > There is sometimes no other way - not even church registers , although > clearly they can be vital . > Thanks to them I am about to take my DAVIES and LEWIS lines back into > the 1700's ! > > For specific contacts at the two offices above please contact me > offlist . > > Don't despair with DAVIES - I didn't and now after 26 years of doing > all lines on my Tree ,I have blown my Welsh ancestors lines wide open > . > > Best wishes , > > David Gilroy - who gets his (past) Rugby Union playing brilliance from > his grannies of Merthyr Tydfil ! > > Dyfed FHS Mem No 4698. > > 25 October 2009. > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Brenda Parrott" <willspad2@talktalk.net> > To: <yvonne@artdes.co.uk> > Cc: <DYFED@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 3:13 PM > Subject: Re: [Dyfed] DAVIES Sarah > > >> Thanks Yvonne Have tried BMD but far too many i dont know if she >> was born out of wedlock or no anyway I will keep searching, thanks >> again Brenda. >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Yvonne Watson >> To: Brenda Parrott >> Cc: DYFED@rootsweb.com >> Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 1:48 PM >> Subject: Re: [Dyfed] DAVIES Sarah >> >> >> Brenda >> You can search for births on http://www.freebmd.org.uk >> There are several Sarah Davies born 1865 in Newcastle Emlyn which >> is the registration district that includes Troedyraur. >> If you know her parents you may be better to search for a baptism >> in the parish records of the area. >> Yvonne >> >> >> On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 10:36 AM, Brenda Parrott >> <willspad2@talktalk.net> wrote: >> >> DAVIES Sarah I wonder if somone could look up a birth please >> Sarah Davies >> c1865 Troedyraur Cardiganshire Thank you Brenda >> >> >> ================================ >> Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> >> >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.31/2457 - Release Date: >> 10/24/09 14:31:00 >> >> ================================ >> Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.31/2457 - Release Date: 10/24/09 14:31:00

Jen You are right -- I had read the introduction to William Evans' Diary of a Welsh Swagman 1869-94 (Macmillan, 1975) too carelessly (and some years ago!) and assumed that the reference to Blaenplwyf was to the village near Aberystwyth. I was mistaken, which is good, as it makes my newspaper reference more likely to refer to his family. I note from the intro to the book that he was born in 1818 and at the age of 28, married, and moved to Trecefel, Tregaron. So whether the article really referred to him or not I'm still not really sure, but it must surely be his family. Evans, who edited the diary extracts, was his grandson, and an eminent cardiologist. Fascinating book, too! The odd thing about your census extract is that (as I understand it) in the 1841 census most ages for people above 15 were rounded to a figure divisible by 5 (whether rounded up or down I don't know), whereas Joseph's age is given as 22, which seems about right. You asked about the newspaper reference. Well this was one was in a Maitland newspaper (not Melbourne, as was an earlier extract I posted). Maitland is a small city on the Hunter river north of Sydney (and in a coal mining area). I suspect the newspaper merely reproduced the item from a British newspaper---perhaps just as a space filler. David Canberra On 24/10/2009, at 3:38, Jennifer Cairns wrote: > Dear David > > Thank you for the rat catching episode... fascinating... how > horrible ! > > Joseph Jenkins (The Swagman) WAS from Blaenplwyf, Ystrad (now known > as Felin Fach) > The farm known as Blaenplwyf is at the Gartheli and Betws Bleddrws > end of the parish. > > BUT there is a bit of a mystery as in 1847 Joseph J would have been > 28. He was resident in Blaenplwyf in 1841 and still resident there > in 1847 although married (his wife living with her parents) and > moving to Trecefel, Tregaron in 1848. > > [all info above from Bethan Phillips book Pity the Swagman 2001] > > So I dont think there was any connection with the village of > Blaenplwyf. >

Brian I am sending you offlist an attacchment with the details of Carmarthenshire Land Tax Assessments Regards Joy

Hello Brenda , Yvonne and the List from David Gilroy in St.Albans . As you know , I am blessed with Davies on my Tree .Faced with a sackload of Elizabeth DAVIES births in Merthyr Tydfil around 1858 I turned to the local Superintendent Registrar there with amazing results - a story and a half resulted from a very unusual set of circumstances . Similarly for my DAVIES in the Clydey area about 1840 I turned to the Supt Reg. there - again they found the right one . In both cases I told them all I had .Requiring the "right" birth in both cases I listed all the births on Free Bmd for a year or two either side in the District in question with the possible parents names . For events after 1837 , I cannot praise the Supt Registrars and their teams in Wales enough for the help they have given me with DAVIES . There is sometimes no other way - not even church registers , although clearly they can be vital . Thanks to them I am about to take my DAVIES and LEWIS lines back into the 1700's ! For specific contacts at the two offices above please contact me offlist . Don't despair with DAVIES - I didn't and now after 26 years of doing all lines on my Tree ,I have blown my Welsh ancestors lines wide open . Best wishes , David Gilroy - who gets his (past) Rugby Union playing brilliance from his grannies of Merthyr Tydfil ! Dyfed FHS Mem No 4698. 25 October 2009. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brenda Parrott" <willspad2@talktalk.net> To: <yvonne@artdes.co.uk> Cc: <DYFED@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 3:13 PM Subject: Re: [Dyfed] DAVIES Sarah > Thanks Yvonne Have tried BMD but far too many i dont know if she > was born out of wedlock or no anyway I will keep searching, thanks > again Brenda. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Yvonne Watson > To: Brenda Parrott > Cc: DYFED@rootsweb.com > Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 1:48 PM > Subject: Re: [Dyfed] DAVIES Sarah > > > Brenda > You can search for births on http://www.freebmd.org.uk > There are several Sarah Davies born 1865 in Newcastle Emlyn which > is the registration district that includes Troedyraur. > If you know her parents you may be better to search for a baptism > in the parish records of the area. > Yvonne > > > On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 10:36 AM, Brenda Parrott > <willspad2@talktalk.net> wrote: > > DAVIES Sarah I wonder if somone could look up a birth please > Sarah Davies > c1865 Troedyraur Cardiganshire Thank you Brenda > > > ================================ > Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.31/2457 - Release Date: > 10/24/09 14:31:00 > > ================================ > Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Did you notice that there was a visitor, Evan JONES, at Blaenplwyf on Census 1851 and he was a ratcatcher! There must have been a serious outbreak. Annie, was your connection through Joseph's sister Jane who married Daniel LLOYD of Pant Farm, Garth & Ystrad? I assume they married in Q4 1847 Lampeter. Your explanation of why Joseph left for Australia seems to fit as the author said that "they could only surmise that the marriage was not a happy one", so the family hadn't mentioned it. Farmers were not doing well around that time and he may have given in under pressure from the landowners in order to save his own family and farm. He was an intelligent man who had strong views about Aborigine rights etc, and he would have been very ashamed of his actions. Anne On 24/10/2009, at 3:38, Jennifer Cairns wrote: > Thank you for the rat catching episode... fascinating... how > horrible !

Dear Anne: No, I am not related to Joseph Jenkins thru his sister who married the Lloyd. I'm related thru his mother and her line. You can talk about all the circumstances surrounding Joseph's need for money, etc. for his reason for selling out the other farmers. The fact is, he sold them out. But that does not help the fact that my great grandfather had a good farm in Tregaron. Because he voted the way he felt, he was evicted from his land. He and his wife and children had to leave the area where they were from and move 50 miles away, where family still lives to this day. I'm also wondering why Joseph Jenkins had so many children? If he didn't love his wife - well, you know, it takes two to tango. He's as responsible as she was. The problem is she wanted him to stay home and help with the farm and he didn't want to do that. It's as simple as that. Annie Attached Message From: Anne Thomas <gwyn@morcoms.co.uk> To: Dyfed DYFED <Dyfed@rootsweb.com> Subject: [Dyfed] Ceredigion: Joseph Jenkins, Blaenplwyf Ystrad,1847 rat catcher Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:20:08 +0000 Did you notice that there was a visitor, Evan JONES, at Blaenplwyf on Census 1851 and he was a ratcatcher! There must have been a serious outbreak. Annie, was your connection through Joseph's sister Jane who married Daniel LLOYD of Pant Farm, Garth & Ystrad? I assume they married in Q4 1847 Lampeter. Your explanation of why Joseph left for Australia seems to fit as the author said that "they could only surmise that the marriage was not a happy one", so the family hadn't mentioned it. Farmers were not doing well around that time and he may have given in under pressure from the landowners in order to save his own family and farm. He was an intelligent man who had strong views about Aborigine rights etc, and he would have been very ashamed of his actions. Anne On 24/10/2009, at 3:38, Jennifer Cairns wrote: > Thank you for the rat catching episode... fascinating... how > horrible ! Attached Message

Photos of: St Illtud's Church, Newcastle, Bridgend, GLA Dear Listers, The latest subject to be added to my 'Welsh Churches and Chapels Collection' is: The 14th century Church of St Illtud at Newcastle, in the town of Bridgend, Glamorgan. Photography is by John Ball. Go to www.jlb2005.plus.com/walespic/churches/ and search the index for the Newcastle. Kind regards, John -------------------- John Ball, Brecon, Mid-Wales, UK E-mail: john@jlb2005.plus.com John's Homepage: http://www.jlb2005.plus.com/ Images of Wales: http://www.jlb2005.plus.com/walespic/ Welsh Family History Archive: http://www.jlb2005.plus.com/wales/ GENUKI Breconshire Maintainer: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/BRE/ Joint Administrator - Powys (& BRE/MGY/RAD) RootsWeb mailing lists

Can you confirm Land Tax Returns for Carmarthenshire survive (apart from 1798 at the National Archives)? Pembrokeshire survives from 1786 to 1831. Brian -----Original Message----- From: dyfed-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:dyfed-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of cardi2@aol.com Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:52 AM To: dyfed@rootsweb.com Subject: [Dyfed] LAND TAX ASSESSMENTS How do you access land tax assessments? That's very easy. Go into your local Family History Center and order them. They were filmed by the Mormons many years ago. The Cardiganshire ones are great; Carmarthenshire's are horrible. I don't know about Pembrokeshire. Never had a reason to look up anybody in PEM. By the way, its for all of Wales . Annie Attached Message From: David Gilroy <gilgen@ntlworld.com> To: LC & BJ Kirkwood <lki59595@bigpond.net.au>; James Lloyd <jblloyd@kc.rr.com>; dyfed@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Dyfed] DYFED Digest, Vol 4, Issue 329 Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:53:28 +0100 Being a Dyfed "rookie" - I don't have a clue even how to access the Land Tax records - how do you do it ? ================================ Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Dear list, Per a recent posting, I looked for the land tax records in the Family History Center catalog and came up empty handed, both for Cardiganshire and for Wales as a whole. Can anyone tell me film numbers or titles? Thank you. James Lloyd

James - I'm just back from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. I've never heard they had copies of the land tax assessments, and I certainly found none while I was there. It may be something the Church would like to photocopy, but to my knowledge they have not done so yet. I think they are still trying to get all of the parish records photocopied/scanned, but are finding some resistence in some areas. There is a fear that Ancestry.com will just take over whatever the Family History Library has scanned, and other smaller groups (like Dyfed) will not be able to make any revenue from the records. I'd be happy to know if I am wrong. Lynne in Tucson ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Lloyd" <jblloyd@kc.rr.com> To: <dyfed@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 2:37 PM Subject: [Dyfed] land tax records > Dear list, > > Per a recent posting, I looked for the land tax records in the Family > History Center catalog and came up empty handed, both for Cardiganshire > and > for Wales as a whole. Can anyone tell me film numbers or titles? > > Thank you. > > James Lloyd > > ================================ > Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.31/2458 - Release Date: 10/25/09 08:10:00

Thanks Yvonne Have tried BMD but far too many i dont know if she was born out of wedlock or no anyway I will keep searching, thanks again Brenda. ----- Original Message ----- From: Yvonne Watson To: Brenda Parrott Cc: DYFED@rootsweb.com Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 1:48 PM Subject: Re: [Dyfed] DAVIES Sarah Brenda You can search for births on http://www.freebmd.org.uk There are several Sarah Davies born 1865 in Newcastle Emlyn which is the registration district that includes Troedyraur. If you know her parents you may be better to search for a baptism in the parish records of the area. Yvonne On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 10:36 AM, Brenda Parrott <willspad2@talktalk.net> wrote: DAVIES Sarah I wonder if somone could look up a birth please Sarah Davies c1865 Troedyraur Cardiganshire Thank you Brenda ================================ Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.31/2457 - Release Date: 10/24/09 14:31:00

Brenda You can search for births on http://www.freebmd.org.uk There are several Sarah Davies born 1865 in Newcastle Emlyn which is the registration district that includes Troedyraur. If you know her parents you may be better to search for a baptism in the parish records of the area. Yvonne On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 10:36 AM, Brenda Parrott <willspad2@talktalk.net>wrote: > DAVIES Sarah I wonder if somone could look up a birth please Sarah Davies > c1865 Troedyraur Cardiganshire Thank you Brenda > > > ================================ > Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

DAVIES Sarah I wonder if somone could look up a birth please Sarah Davies c1865 Troedyraur Cardiganshire Thank you Brenda

Good morning, I am looking for information with regard to a Rachel Thomas, who married a William Charles in the Parish of St. Fagan's nr. Cardiff, Glamorgan on the 2/11/1800. Rachel was not baptized in the Parish of St. Fagan's, also no children where born to them in the parish of St. Fagan's. Regards Lynne _________________________________________________________________ Chat to your friends for free on selected mobiles http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/174426567/direct/01/

Hi: Some years ago, I discovered that Joseph Jenkins the Swagman was distantly related to me. I had heard of him. I can't say that I was happy to find him in my family tree, however. Before the 1860's, the only men in Wales who could vote were landowners. If you had freeholder behind your name you could vote. but if you didn't, you couldn't vote. Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister, changed that and said that all men, whether they owned property or not, could vote. The first election was the 1868 when William Gladstone of the liberal party became Prime Minister of England. The larger landowners came down on the small farmer telling them they had to vote THEIR way which was not for the liberal party.There was no secret ballot in those days so the landowners would know how the small farmers voted. If they voted against the landowners, they would be evicted from their land. Joseph Jenkins, the swagman, was paid by the large landowners to stop the small farmers from voting for the liberal party This was apparently before he went to Australia and probably was the reason he went.. Anyhow, one of those 90 farmers that got evicted from their land was my great grandfather, John Lloyd. If a relative hadn't found him a farm in Southern Cardiganshire, he would have come to America. But as it was, he had to leave the area where he had lived all his life. There are many stories like this in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire. All the misery and suffering these big landowners caused the small farmer. I always felt sorry for Joseph Jenkins' wife when he fled to Australia. She had to carry on, taking care of the children and the farm. Annie

Retrospectives: Defynnog, BRE; Dowlais, GLA Dear Listers, This week's Retrospectives, just uploaded onto my website, are: 1. A visit to the village of Defynnog in the county of Breconshire (nine pictures). This feature was first shown on 'Images of Wales' in May 1998. 2. A walk around Dowlais, once a world-renowned iron-making centre, in the county of Glamorgan (seven pictures). This feature was first shown on 'Images of Wales' in May 1998. As usual, these webpages will be on display on my website for one week. 'Retrospective Images of Wales' is at www.jlb2005.plus.com/walespic/retro/retro.htm After viewing the Retrospectives, please explore my 'Webpage Archive' and make your own Retrospective requests. Kind regards, John -------------------- John Ball, Brecon, mid-Wales, UK E-mail: john@jlb2005.plus.com John's Homepage: http://www.jlb2005.plus.com/ Images of Wales: http://www.jlb2005.plus.com/walespic/ Welsh Family History Archive: http://www.jlb2005.plus.com/wales/ GENUKI Breconshire Maintainer: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/BRE/ Joint Administrator - Powys (& BRE/MGY/RAD) mailing lists

Any Davies with Lampeter area ancestry out there? I found this interesting item in the 'Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser', Saturday 13 November 1847. "Rat-killing Extraordinary.—On the 11th instant Mr. Joseph Jenkins, of Blaen-plwyf Ystrad, near Lampeter, and his two brothers, both under twelve years of age, killed no less than 107 rats in less than half an hour. The modus operandi was as follows:—The three brothers poured boiling water, or cold water and quick lime, into the rats' holes, and on their attempting to escape they were knocked on the head with the batons which the youths held in their hands. No dogs whatever were used on the occasion,and the dead rats filled a bushel basket." I thought at first that this might be the same Joseph Jenkins that wrote the famous diary (excerpts published some years ago by his great- grandson with a title along the lines of 'Diary of a Welsh Swagman' and mentioned, I believe on this list) but the diarist was from near Blaenplwyf, just south of Aberystwyth (where the TV transmitter is) whereas the rat-catcher was from Blaen-plwyf Ystrad, near Lampeter. David Canberra

I found "The Australian Diary of a Cardiganshire Swagman, 1869-1894" very interesting when I borrowed it many years ago. It covered an area in which I was interested so I made some notes. Letters took ages to get to Australia and some dates are therefore suspect by the time the diary was written. I hope this incomplete list will provide a connection for a List member, Census 1861: Trecefel, Llanfihangel Ystrad CGN: RG9/4203: Joseph JENKINS age 43 b.Llanfihangel Ystrad, farmer183 aces, 3 labs. Elizabeth age 33 wife, with 5 of their 10 children: Jenkin age 14 Lewis age 13 Margaret age 10 - married David EVANS, Glangors on 8 Sep 1876 and she died on 29 Apr 1883 age 32 - 3 children Elinor age 8 - married Ebenezer EVANS, Tyndomen. Nell & her daughter were still writing to Joseph in 1892. Mary age 5 - married Jane age 2 - married Daniel of Frithwen on 7 May 1892 The missing ones: Tom (Thomas Joe, who later farmed Trecefel) Anne (whose diary is in the National Library of Wales) 2 children died very young. His wife was the daughter of Jenkin EVANS, Tynant, Vale of Aeron CGN. Her father died age 94. His eldest daughter Betty lost her husband Jenkin GRIFFITHS, Pontfaen, when he fell off his horse on 20 Mar 1875, somewhere between Llanrhystyd and Llanon, while returning from market. No wonder, as the roads you mentioned in your previous letter were in such a terrible state, David. This entry is slightly confused, Betty was not mentioned and Jenkin GRIFFITHS was just described as 'brother-in-law'. Joseph 'the Swagman' (bardic name "Amnon II") left his family for Australia in 1868. He had started his diary when he was age c.21 while living on his aunt's farm, Clwtypatrwn, Llanfair. Her second husband John EVANS died in 1882. David DAVIES 1745-1827 of Castell Hywel, farmer, preacher, scholar & distinguished bard who also translated Gray's Elegy. Rev. D.C. REES wrote "History of Tregaron". David EVANS, Rheola's death in 1888 (his adopted daughter Lily wrote to the 'Swagman'). Big fire at Aberystwyth University in c.1885. Reverend Charles JONES, Sunny Hill, Tregaron and Vicar of All Saints, Welsh Church, Roath, Cardiff, died 1890, also his sister Avarinah, both single. John DAVIES & William WILLIAMS were gold diggers in AUS. His cousin Reverend John DAVIES returned to Tynrhos, Llangeitho in 1889. Walter David JONES of Penywern CGN went to AUS (near Castlemaine). WDJ's uncle JONES of Llanion was known as a 'good shot'. Rees JONES of Ponterwyd & his wife from Penrhiw Pal, near Newcastle Emlyn's family were in Maldon AUS in 1885. Rees JONES, miner of Cwmystwyth CGN, now manager of the Beehive Golden Claim, died 1891 - he left "a swarm of children aged between 20 & 0". One of the Swagman's nephews was Jenkin JENKINS "Aeronian" of Felincoed died in 1892 & his wife also died, leaving 9 daughters & one son. John JENKINS died 24 Mar 1895 was known by the bardic name "Cerncoch". Swagman's brother. Jenkin JENKINS, 1835-1907, brother, was educated in Hereford and returned to Blaenplwyf* so related to the rat catchers mentioned by David. He owned a famous mare "Nans o'r Glyn". He became Chairman of Cardigan County Council & Alderman. Anne David Rowlands wrote: > Any Davies with Lampeter area ancestry out there? > > I found this interesting item in the 'Maitland Mercury & Hunter River > General Advertiser', Saturday 13 November 1847. > > "Rat-killing Extraordinary.—On the 11th instant Mr. Joseph Jenkins, of > Blaen-plwyf Ystrad, near Lampeter, and his two brothers, both under > twelve years of age, killed no less than 107 rats in less than half an > hour. The modus operandi was as follows:—The three brothers poured > boiling water, or cold water and quick lime, into the rats' holes, and > on their attempting to escape they were knocked on the head with the > batons which the youths held in their hands. No dogs whatever were > used on the occasion,and the dead rats filled a bushel basket." > > I thought at first that this might be the same Joseph Jenkins that > wrote the famous diary (excerpts published some years ago by his great- > grandson with a title along the lines of 'Diary of a Welsh Swagman' > and mentioned, I believe on this list) but the diarist was from near > Blaenplwyf, just south of Aberystwyth (where the TV transmitter is) > whereas the rat-catcher was from Blaen-plwyf Ystrad, near Lampeter. > > David > Canberra > > ================================ > Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Dear David   Thank you for the rat catching episode...   fascinating...  how horrible !   Joseph Jenkins (The Swagman) WAS from Blaenplwyf, Ystrad (now known as Felin Fach) The farm known as Blaenplwyf is at the Gartheli and Betws Bleddrws end of the parish.   BUT there is a bit of a mystery as in 1847 Joseph J would have been 28.  He was resident in Blaenplwyf in 1841 and still resident there in 1847 although married (his wife living with her parents) and moving to Trecefel, Tregaron in 1848.   [all info above from Bethan Phillips book Pity the Swagman 2001]   So I dont think there was any connection with the village of Blaenplwyf.   1841 Census Sheet for Blaenplwyf, Llanfihangel Ystrad Parish Class: HO107; Enumeration District: 17; Folio: 9; Page: 10; Line: 7;   These are the occupants in 1841 - and by 1847 there would still have been 3 boys under 12 (or close enough) possibly capable of catching the rats led by Joseph.   Blaenplwyf, Llanfihangel Ystrad 1841 Census Jenkin Jenkins died 1846                     60 Elinor Jenkins                                      45 Joseph Jenkins                         22 John Jenkins                                        20 David Jenkins                                       12 Timothy Jenkins                                    5 Jenkin Jenkins                                     7 Jane Jenkins                                        15 Mary Jenkins                                        14 Ann Jenkins                                          9 Benjamin Jenkins                                    1   Blaenplwyf has an interesting history, apart from being the early home of the Swagman.    I have also discovered recently that there was a circulating school which met in Blaenplwyf. Theophilus Jones also lived in Blaenplwyf. He died in 1758 and was celebrated by an elegy written by William Williams Pantycelyn.  Theophilus Jones was the brother of the Jones's that originally lived in Derry Ormond House.  (nb This particular TJ should not to be confused with the historian of the same name)   Local stories relate that both David Rowland (1713 – 1790) and William Williams Pantycelyn 1717 –1791 stayed in Blaenplwyf in the early days of Methodism.     An interesting dwelling - with or without the rats.   Joseph Jenkins made his way in later years out to Australia, one wonders who was the link between Melbourne and Ystrad that encouraged the local paper to run the item on rat-catching?   Many thanks,  Jen      --- On Fri, 23/10/09, David Rowlands <drowlan1@bigpond.net.au> wrote: From: David Rowlands <drowlan1@bigpond.net.au> Subject: [Dyfed] Ceredigion: Joseph Jenkins, Blaenplwyf Ystrad, 1847 rat catcher To: "Dyfed DYFED" <v> Date: Friday, 23 October, 2009, 7:51 AM Any Davies with Lampeter area ancestry out there? I found this interesting item in the 'Maitland Mercury & Hunter River  General Advertiser', Saturday 13 November 1847. "Rat-killing Extraordinary.—On the 11th instant Mr. Joseph Jenkins, of  Blaen-plwyf Ystrad, near Lampeter, and his two brothers, both under  twelve years of age, killed no less than 107 rats in less than half an  hour. The modus operandi was as follows:—The three brothers poured  boiling water, or cold water and quick lime, into the rats' holes, and  on their attempting to escape they were knocked on the head with the  batons which the youths held in their hands. No dogs whatever were  used on the occasion,and the dead rats filled a bushel basket." I thought at first that this might be the same Joseph Jenkins that  wrote the famous diary (excerpts published some years ago by his great- grandson with a title along the lines of 'Diary of a Welsh Swagman'  and mentioned, I believe on this list) but the diarist was from near  Blaenplwyf, just south of Aberystwyth (where the TV transmitter is)  whereas the rat-catcher was from Blaen-plwyf Ystrad, near Lampeter. David Canberra ================================ Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DYFED-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message