Another couple of snippets from the Genuki 1851 Religious census extraction project - these from Llanddeiniolen parish now half way through CAE. They are typical of the 'social commentary' to be found in this return. * Ebenezer Chapel, Independents "NB. Many of our Attendants who used to attend our Chapel being ill at home and Great many are gone & going to America during the last and present twelve months" * Llanddeilionen Parish Church "Afternoon service is performed in a club room at the mountain end of the parish" "I would beg to observe that the Parish Church of Llanddeiniolen is within 3/4 of a mile of the lower boundary of the Parish, and is well placed as regard the old agricultural population. But the bulk of the present population, which has, during the last forty years, been drawn together by the working of Mr Assheton Smith's slate quarries, lies at a distance from the Church of from 3 to 5 miles. There are in the parish 13 dissenting Meeting Houses." Gareth Genuki Wales http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/ Help Page http://home.clara.net/tirbach/hicks.html Cwmgors/Waun http://www.tytwp.plus.com/Waun/Waun.html

Hello Gareth This strikes a cord in the area where I live. Only instead of dwindling flocks those leaving the rural areas would be coming to the industrial towns as well as emigrating to America. The established church were forever complaining about the lack of an adequate place to worship in the town and being overworked through the lack of personnel. With the industrial revolution in full swing. Many a local tavern was used to hold the dissenting meetings before the building of their new chapel. With baptisms being performed in the local river, sometimes a baptismal pool would be built in a nearby stream. Gareth --- On Thu, 23/6/11, Gareth <tirbach@clara.co.uk> wrote: * Llanddeilionen Parish Church "Afternoon service is performed in a club room at the mountain end of the parish"