|
|
Post by moggie on Jun 8, 2007 0:09:17 GMT 1
My grandmother was born in Merthyr in 1860; her father, William Simons, was a solicitor in the town. My grandmother married a Scotsman, Henry William Shand, and they went to Australia and eventually settled in Chile. I would really like to find out more about the family in Merthyr. I can't even trace when my grandparents were married. Any help would be most welcome.
|
|
jemhay
First Few Posts
Posts: 8
|
Post by jemhay on Feb 8, 2009 8:51:22 GMT 1
Hi moggie,
I did a little digging on your family - and if I'm on the right track, your grandmother was named Mary Clara Louisa Langdale(?) Simons.
She is found on the Wales Census for 1861 in Merthyr Tydfil (at number 5 George Street) aged one year, with her Father William Simons aged 47 (Solicitor and Proprieter of Coal Mine) and mother Clara Maria Simons aged just 20!
They have one other child, a son named William Vazie(?) Langdale(?) Simons aged one month, four servants and a visitor named Harriett Glascodine.
|
|
jemhay
First Few Posts
Posts: 8
|
Post by jemhay on Feb 8, 2009 9:16:31 GMT 1
She is also found on the 1871 Wales Census at Gwainvarren House, Garth, Merthyr Tydfil with her parents (Father is born Pembrey, Carmarthenshire - Mother born Dowlais, Glamorganshire) and siblings, all born Merthyr Tydfil, as follows:
William Vasie(?) Langdale(?) SImons - aged 9
Alice Maud Moucuze(?) Simons - aged 8
Blanche Edith Selwy Simons - aged 7
Robert J R Cobden Simons - aged 6
Charles E Glascodine Simons - aged 4
Catherine E Evelyn Simons - aged 2
Frederick D Sydney Simons - aged 6 months
They also have a Governess, Nurse, Cook, Laundress, two Housemaids and a Nursemaid.
|
|
jemhay
First Few Posts
Posts: 8
|
Post by jemhay on Feb 8, 2009 9:27:23 GMT 1
A very likely marriage for William Simons and Clara Maria Evans is found in the index for the registration district of Cardiff in the March quarter of 1859 (ref 11a/307)
A likely marriage for your Grandmother (a Mary Clara SIMONS) to a Henry Samuel (not William) SHAND is found in Hampstead in the December quarter of 1883 (ref 1a/1256). Provided, of course, that she married in England or Wales before leaving for Australia. In fact, this is THE only marriage between a SHAND and a SIMONS that comes up in the whole of the UK thus far. You would have to order the actual certificate to confirm.
|
|
jemhay
First Few Posts
Posts: 8
|
Post by jemhay on Feb 8, 2009 9:44:13 GMT 1
Still at home with her family aged 21 in 1881 - now at G????farren House, Garth Hamlet, Merthyr Tydfil.
Her Father is 67 and now a "Barrister at Law". Her Mother is 40 and her siblings are as follows:
William Vasil(?) Landale(?) Simons - aged 19 (Law Student)
Alice maud Maria Simons - aged 18
Blanche Edith Selwyn Simons - aged 17
Robert John Cobden Simons - aged 16 (Medical Student)
Charles Edward Bright Simons - aged 14
Catherine Evelyn Simons - aged 12
Frederick Dyke Simons - aged 10
Phebe Elina Jenny Simons - aged 7
Emma Seabell Simons - aged 5
There are three servants (I believe possibly continued on next page but the image is unavailable)
|
|
jemhay
First Few Posts
Posts: 8
|
Post by jemhay on Feb 8, 2009 9:51:45 GMT 1
The family is still showing up on the 1891 Wales Census (minus your grandmother - reinforcing that she married between 1881 and 1891 as per the potential marriage above).
They are now residing at 50 Newport Road, Cardiff, Glamorgan (Roath Parish).
William is still a Solicitor even though he is now 77. His wife is 50 and the youngest child in the house is Emma now aged 15.
|
|
jemhay
First Few Posts
Posts: 8
|
Post by jemhay on Feb 8, 2009 10:07:41 GMT 1
I tried, but could not find Mary and or Henry SHAND on the 1891 Wales or England Census, so I presume they married and left the UK soon after their marriage. This prompted me to check Passenger lists and immigration records, but no luck there so far I'm afraid. If I find anything further, I will update  |
|
|
|
Post by grahamsimons on Jun 15, 2010 21:55:17 GMT 1
William died in 1893, the oldest working solicitor in Wales. Just been reading about his exploits in getting reform of the Consistory Court system. We have some notes made in the 1960s by his 9th child, Phoebe Simons.
|
|
|
|
Post by jonathanp on Dec 26, 2012 18:31:05 GMT 1
Frederick Dyke Sydney Simons was my great grandfather.
|
|
|
|
Post by dawnmac57 on Jan 5, 2013 0:16:09 GMT 1
My grandmother was born in Merthyr in 1900 her married name was Agnes Thomas and she lived in galon uchhaf
|
|
|
|
Post by jeffmatthews on Jan 5, 2013 13:36:55 GMT 1
Hello. I am tracing my family history in Merthyr. I am trying to bring the connections as far up to modern times as possible. Briefly: John Evans (1849 - 1911?) and Catherne Reardon (1851 - 1903) were married in Merthyr and had 7 children. They lived at 27 Bethesda Street I believe, from memory. Children: Mary 1873, William J. (John?) 1876, David Michael 1881, Walter J. (James?) 1884, Catherine Evans 1886, Elizabeth Ann 1887 - 1971 (My Grandmother), Thomas 1890 who married Catherine Donovan in March 1915 in St Johns Rhymney. Any additional information would be gratefully recieved. Thank you. Jeff
|
|
|
|
Post by robertjones on Jan 18, 2013 20:48:20 GMT 1
Hi
Michael Donovan is indexing obituaries in the Merthyr Express for the Merthyr Tydfil Branch of the Glamorgan Family History Society.
He has passed on to me one for William Simons, solicitor, Oct. 28th 1893 ... difficult to scan as it is A3 a large, long column as he was an important man. If you provide an address I will happily forward it to you gratis.
Robert
|
|
|
|
Post by mikemerthyr on Apr 2, 2013 15:12:26 GMT 1
For jeffmatthews looking at pages and saw your message thought as REARDON might be IRISH and possibly CATHOLIC had a look at catholic records in library . Found your family records of baptisms and dates of birth ,no address given but godparents names are given these are sometimes relatives .JOHN and CATHERINE'S wedding record is also there .There is a death of a CATHERINE EVANS died 21 NOV 1903 AGED 5I or might be 54 the address given is SECTION HOUSES these were also called THE FLATS and were located in BETHEL STREET GEORGETOWN MERTHYR TYDFIL (former CATHOLIC CHURCH ) photos on this web site . I looked at 1901 census and the family were living at number 20 the flats . There are no deaths of any JOHN EVANS in Catholic death records for Merthyr from July 1897- April 1931 . I hope this info might be useful .
mike
|
|
|
|
Post by taffydog on May 17, 2013 16:03:02 GMT 1
I have fairly well documented most of my family in Merthyr - but am struggling with some Irish ancestors who came to Merthyr. I have John Dwyer and Ellen Doyle in the 1851 census - but they married in Merthyr.
They did not arrive together.
I think I may have John Dwyer at a lodging house in in Merthyr in the 1841 census.
John was born abt 1821 and his wife about 1826 - both in Ireland.
The son of John - Michael Dwyer - was an iron pudler like his father. Later years he was a corporation foreman.
Michael was born 1855 - and married Mary Heppell a daughter of mining Engineer Richard Heppell.
Her Grandfather was George Heppell. The Heppells came from Northumberland to work for Anthony Hill.
Thomas Heppell married Margaret Williams - daughter of Morgan Williams the Chartist.
Michael later married Margaret Glavin.
The sister of Michael Dwyer married a Dennis Foley in Merthyr in 1869 - but I believe they went to Cork and stayed there.
If this information rings a bell with anyone - I would love to know if anyone has a hint of where the original John Dwyer came from. I have all the certificates I can find - and I only know his place of birth was Ireland.
TIA
|
|
|
|
Post by mikemerthyr on May 21, 2013 11:54:43 GMT 1
Hello taffydog You say you have all the certificates you can find . Have you got just the registrar certificates or do you have church certificates as well ? If you don't have church certs there are photocopies of originals in MERTHYR TYDFIL CENTRAL LIBRARY baptism's/marriages and death's. you could get in touch with them and they could send you copies ,remember though that church records recorded the name's in LATIN years ago and also the Priest might have not spelt the SURNAME the way you do eg DWIRE or DEWIRE etc .
mike
|
|
