#10 Bryn Street, Talsarnau Wales (1901 Welsh Census)

This is a closeup of the 1901 Welsh census showing Robert David Williams age 11, and his brother Willie age 8. For years I didn’t think this was really them as I believed Willie was born in 1898 and should have been age 3! But after discovering Willie on the 1911 census age 18, I then knew this was indeed the little brothers, boarding with Mary Parry, a single mother age 32, working as a laundress. She had a young daughter age 2. 

They lived in the parish of Talsarnau in the rural district of Deudraeth in Merioneth. I can’t read the name of the ecclesiastical parish. They lived at #10 Bryn Street. It’s a complete mystery as of this date, April 25, 2016, as to why they were boarding out. Talsarnau is fairly close to Blaenau Ffestiniog, but I don’t know what happened to their parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Williams as I can find no trace of them on the census. John Griffith, their older brother age 13, appears on page 14 of this census, also living in Talsarnau but at Plasuehaf Farm as a cattle man with Ellis Jones Edmunds, a 47 year old farmer.

According to Google maps, this is #10 Bryn Street in Talsarnau Wales.

This shows how far away Bryn Street in Talsarnau Wales is from Blaenau Ffestiniog. It's 19 minutes, or 10 miles by car. So I guess by horse and cart it may have been one hour. 

By Loretta (Williams) Houben

60 years ago...March 24, 1956

60 years ago on March 24, 1956 my great uncle, Robert David Williams, passed away.

Until last year, 2015, I knew very little about him, and now thanks to contact with his grandson, 

Paul Williams in Australia, I'm learning a great deal, including his date of birth and date of death, and now his obituary, written in Welsh of course. He is buried in Bethesda Cemetery in Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales, in the county of Gwynedd. So far I haven't been able to locate the cemetery records online. 

Paul emailed the above to me on March 7, 2016. He had taken a picture of the clipping in the possession of his aunt Betty while he was recently in England.

What is fascinating and thrilling to me is the list of mourners, including 

Mrs. E. Simpson and her daughter Vera. This is Robert's sister, the elusive Elizabeth Ellen! But according to Betty Elizabeth was a half sister. So there is another mystery to solve!

It also lists Mr. JG Williams, Brother, Vancouver, which is my grandpa.

It also mentions Robert's parents, Joseph and Elizabeth.

By Loretta Williams Houben

1939 National Register for England and Wales

I subscribe to FindMyPast online, a really good site indeed.

Recently they released files for the 1939 National Register for England and Wales.

Everyone was accounted for on Sept 29, 1939; over 41 million people.

Because there was no census taken in the 1940's, and the one in the 1920's was accidentally burned during WW II, there are no other records like this unless you go back to the 1911 census. So the 1939 Register is a great way to find out about your relatives living at that time. 

I looked up Robert David Williams (my paternal grandpa's brother) and found him living at 47 Fronfawr in Merioneth, Festiniog, Wales, with his wife Rose, and son William Frederick. Their dates of birth and their occupations are listed. There are other members of the family but they are blocked out as they were all still living in 1991, the cut off date. If any family members die afterwards, you must submit a copy of their death certificates to see their record. That's one of the firm rules.

I find it very interesting that this is now available, never having learned about it until recently. My grandpa, John Williams, was living in Saskatchewan at this time, and his sister, Elizabeth or Eleanor, (not sure which name she was known by) may have been living but I don't know her married name, so I'm unable to find her. 

47 Fron Fawr in Festiniog, Google Maps 2016.

47 Fron Fawr in Festiniog, Google Maps 2016.

By Loretta Williams Houben

Remembering great uncle William J Williams.

Today, November 6, 2015, I searched again on UK Ancestry site for records of William Williams, and I actually found two more I had never seen.

I am very pleased. I would love to become a life long member of Ancestry.

It's so easy to search their records.

I created the above collage today.

The above record is from the army register of soldiers' effects.

Notice the "to whom authorized" box on the right.

Notice the red pen notation on the right.

Here is a close up; it shows Bro: Sole Legal, Robert David Williams, HMS Violet.

That would most likely mean the parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Williams, are dead.

So this is another big clue.

By Loretta Williams Houben

Ancestry UK web site for genealogy research.

The above tree chart from Ancestry UK shows an 8th great grandfather, branching off through the Palmer/Bellamy/Bluett side all the way back to 1699!

Recently I tried out Ancestry for the first time, after Paul Williams, grandson of Robert David Williams, contacted me on August 30th. He found my Williams family tree by trying out one month's trial on Ancestry, and since then we've been emailing back and forth catching up on information.

I decided to try out Ancestry too, after they sent me a deal for one month that I couldn't refuse; only $2.00 Canadian for access to all their files.

I began to dig for Williams info but it's really difficult to find. I still haven't discovered the parents of Joseph Williams. So I began to dig around on the Bellamy side of things and I hit pay dirt!

The thing with Ancestry is that it's so easy to use. They do all the hard work. When you type a name in to search, voila! The name and dates are matched with other family trees, and those trees have more names and dates. It's so neat.

Of course they don't all match, so you choose "ignore" and the tree disappears.

I feel very important now that I've discovered the above branch of my Bellamy tree.

Here is a nice photo of Robert David Williams, discovered in my Dad's collection!

Yes, my Dad had this photo since 2004, when his mother passed away. Apparently Robert kept in touch with his brother John (my Dad's father) and he sent him a lot of photos!

I now have more old photos of him, than I do of my Grandpa when he was young.

Don't you think he looks quite dapper?

And just look at this! I'd never seen it before, but there it was sitting in my Dad's box.

This is Robert David Williams, and his young wife, Rose (Horrell).

I believe this is taken in 1920, and that is their first son, Robert Jr, born on December 22, 1916, so he would be nearly 4 years old. Little William Frederick, born June 6, 1920, is sitting on his mother's lap. William is Paul's father, the one I've been communicating with who lives in Perth, Australia.

I just love this photo. I immediately scan the photos and email them to Paul. He hasn't seen most of them, so it's a goldmine for him too.

This is the back of the photo.

When I read the name, "Aunty Nell" I nearly dropped the photo!

This is my grandpa's first wife. She died in 1926. So her hands would have held this.

Amazing. I guess my grandparents must have really been attached to Robert to have kept all the photos he sent to them, living far away in Canada. But it appears that no photos of Grandpa's family crossed the ocean to Robert or else they weren't saved so carefully.

Anyhow, I'm thrilled with all that's come to light recently.

I'm having the time of my life!

By Loretta Williams Houben

Joseph and Elizabeth Williams' children.

This is one of the earliest photos I have of the three Williams brothers.

My paternal grandpa, John Griffith, is on the left.

Robert David is seated in his navy uniform.

William Joseph is on the right.

I find it unusual that they all had a middle name.

The photo was taken at 59 High Street in Blaenau Festiniog, North Wales.

This would have been before 1910, the year in which John sailed for Canada for a new life on the prairies.

Isn't John handsome? I don't know the date of this photo.

It was either taken before he left for Canada, or shortly after he arrived.

I will write about each of the brothers separately, but wished to have them all in one post.

I discovered this photo today, Sept 9, 2015, in my Dad's box of old photos.

I'd never seen it before. It was taken in a studio in Stonehouse, Plymouth, which is part of Devon in England. I searched online and discovered the photographer, George Thomas Bayley,

in Kelly's Directories for 1902.

This is young Robert David Williams, a sailor in the navy.

The ship's name is HMS Warrior.

William Joseph Williams, who went to war 100 years ago, and gave his life at age 19.

This is part of a professional photograph.

The brothers all have similarities.

I don't have a photo of their sister, Elizabeth Ellen, known as Ellen or Ella.

She is the mystery!

Now that I've been in contact with Paul Williams, a grandson of Robert, I have hope that one day I'll find Ellen's descendants. Paul is my 2nd cousin, and we have been emailing back and forth now for over a week. Genealogy research is never boring!

By Loretta (Williams) Houben

Joseph and Elizabeth Williams, my great grandparents.

Welcome to my Williams/Palmer genealogy page.

I've decided to put everything I've learned since 2011 in one spot so it's easy to access.

My great grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Roberts) Williams appear on the 1891 Welsh census.

This is a cropped part of the census, showing Joseph Williams on Line 4, age 37, occupation quarry slate man, born in Caernarvonshire, ? (I can't figure out the rest of the writing).

His wife is Elizabeth (shortened spelling by the enumerator) age 34, born in Porthmadog, Caernarvonshire, North Wales. They have three children at this time.

Elizabeth Ellen, age 6, born in Merioneth, Festiniog. 

(which would mean she was born in 1885)

John Griffith, (incorrectly listed as "Thom") age 3, born in Merioneth, Festiniog, 

on February 17, 1888.

Robert David Williams, age 1, born in Merioneth, Festiniog, on February 21, 1890.

They lived at 394 Geufron Terrace, Blaenau Festiniog, North Wales, in the county of

Merioneth, and they all spoke Welsh.

I cannot locate the family on the census after 1891. Joseph and Elizabeth had one more son,

William Joseph Williams, born in 1898 in Merioneth, Festiniog.

I don't have Joseph and Elizabeth's date of marriage, but hope to solve that mystery soon.

I don't know when they died, or where they are buried.

I don't know the names of their parents or their siblings.

I am hopeful though, as on August 30, 2015, a relative of the Williams family contacted me through Ancestry.com where I have my Williams family tree on public view. It turns out he is a grandson of Robert David Williams and he is supplying me with photos and details of dates.

I'm completely thrilled with this major break through, so I thought it was time to create a blog for my Williams family clan.

By Loretta (Williams) Houben