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Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Glamorganshire => Topic started by: burrahills on Wednesday 23 October 19 11:41 BST (UK)
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John Griffiths, born Swansea 1818-1821, a stonemason at Swansea smelters, married Sarah Barber Jones in 1844 in St Marys, Swansea and migrated to Burra, South Australia in 1855 with 4 children.
John was the eldest of 6 brothers William, Henry, Phillip, Francis and David and two sisters Gwendoline and Ruth. All the brothers allegedly served in the Crimean War and only David returned but seriously ill with dysentery. He followed his brother John to Burra but returned to die in Wales.
I cannot find any record of the brothers or sisters or parents John and either Sarah or Mary back in Wales. Any suggestions?
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Presumably this is the marriage registration, no mention of a middle name for Sarah though
Marriages Dec qtr 1844
GRIFFITHS John
JONES Sarah
Swansea 26 651
Where do you have this couple on the 1851 census
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The marriage has
John Griffiths occ Mason abode New Street, father John Griffiths occ Mason.
Sarah Jones of Tontine Street, father Thomas Jones occ Butcher
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I think this may be the family in 1851
Ebenezer Street, Swansea, Glamorganshire
John and Sarah with three children Charles, Adelaide and Sarah and nephew Thomas Jones.
Registration district Swansea
Archive reference HO107
Piece number 2466
Folio 419
Page 15
Charles' birth record?
GRIFFITHS, CHARLES BARBER JONES
GRO Reference: 1845 D Quarter in SWANSEA UNION Volume 26 Page 463
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Yes, you are all correct with your findings! Thank you!
It is the rest of the family I am interested in...the ones left behind.
Has anyone access to the Crimean War records. From my understanding there were very few records of casualties. Henry, William, Phillip, Francis and David all went but only David returned. They were all born after my Pioneer John and David was almost too young to go. It seems the British went around the smelters and they all signed up. I also cannot find their parents or the family in the 1841 Census
or 1851 Census except for Pioneer John and Sarah Barber in Ebenezer St. Where was the rest of the family? A short side track:- in a book a family member wrote it said they were friends with Thomas Wilks and this man lived in Higher and lower Llansamlet before they migrated to Burra.
I believe the rest of the family lived in Glamorgan...possibly Swansea too.
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Online burrahills
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Re: Griffiths Family in Glamorgan, Wales.
« Reply #4 on: Yesterday at 23:58 »
QuoteModify
Yes, you are all correct with your findings! Thank you!
It is the rest of the family I am interested in...the ones left behind.
Has anyone access to the Crimean War records. From my understanding there were very few records of casualties. Henry, William, Phillip, Francis and David all went but only David returned. They were all born after my Pioneer John and David was almost too young to go. It seems the British went around the smelters and they all signed up. I also cannot find their parents or the family in the 1841 Census
or 1851 Census except for Pioneer John and Sarah Barber in Ebenezer St. Where was the rest of the family? A short side track:- in a book a family member wrote it said they were friends with Thomas Wilks and this man lived in Higher and lower Llansamlet before they migrated to Burra.
I believe the rest of the family lived in Glamorgan...possibly Swansea too.
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I looked back at your other post
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=764879.msg6176303#msg6176303
and I now have doubts over the family from the 1851 & 1841 census entries. I've found baptisms for William & Sarah in St Mary's Swansea & the father is a mason but his first name is Thomas.
William born 6 Aug 1828, bp 31 Aug 1828 son of Thomas, mason, & Sarah Griffiths
Sarah born 6 Dec 1830, bp 9 Jan 1831 dau of Thomas, mason, & Sarah Griffiths
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Thanks Osprey...no, the father is definitely John! It's strange I can't find them either. The Pioneer John and Sarah who migrated are the ones in 1851 Census in Ebenezer St, but all his siblings and parents must be somewhere you would think?
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you would think so, but born in county isn't helping with a common surname.
::)
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My gg grandfather was John Griffiths circa 1805-1852 master mason and builder is listed on the 1851 census for Trevethin, Pontypool Monmouthshire, as born in MANTWILL Glamorgan, possibly a transcription error as I cant find it. Notes his father was William Griffiths noted on his second marriage to Margaret Harris DAVIES (1801-1880+). He was firstly married to Sarah Morris circa 1805 who died in 1842.
Margaret's first husband was David Davies 1786-1842 both from MARLYBONE London who had been married to Elizabeth Jones (circa 1786-1838) They must have moved to Trevethin Monmouthshire as her parents were there. Margaret and Elizabeth Davies were listed as Inn Keeper and David Davies a Brewer who owned the Three Cranes in Crane St Trevethin Monmouthshire on 1841 and 1851 census. Davies children were relocated to relatives on Davids death but not Elizabeth D
There appears a lot of possible connection any help??
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Hi genie56,
Isn’t that strange, I was just commenting to my brother who is an ancestry buff, that I had virtually given up hope of finding my husband Don’s ancestors in Wales.. that is, the Griffiths side.
Have you done your DNA genie56? I have been doing Don’s tree in Ancestry and there are 566 cousins 5-7 generations ago. There are only 4 Griffiths in a closer relationship but 2 can’t be members anymore as they have not replied to my queries. These Griffiths are obviously not in a direct line as they come from Pembrokeshire, Coity, Bridgend, Shropshire and London. Somewhere in the 1700’s there must have been the family which they came from.
Your area sounds right. From the little information I have had from family, they lived above Cardiff area of Wales, and they travelled to and from the Smelters in Swansea. Charles Barber Griffiths jnr wrote his memoirs and he says it is what his father, Charles Barber senior told him. This man migrated as a child with his father John Griffiths, our Pioneer in Burra. They were all stone masons. The story though may be a mix of fiction and fact. One cousin said they lived in the Aron? Valley? John allegedly chopped off his trigger finger so he would not have to go to the Crimean War as he had a young family. He then migrated to Australia in 1855. His 5 brothers all died in the Crimean War except David who was the youngest. It was said he returned to find all his family gone so he went to Burra too but was still suffering from dysentery and returned to Wales where he died????There was also supposed to be 2 young sisters Ruth and Gwendoline but ??? I have not found any of them anywhere!!
I will have a look at the Census you said and explore that area.
If you can help at all that would be great.
Do you live in Wales? We did go to Swansea to see if we could find anyone but we didn’t.
I am writing to a Linda Griffiths in London. We thought it was her late husband who was related but it’s actually Linda and she was an Ahern. I also write to the Jones side in Swansea,,so that is one good thing! Hope to hear from you. Barbara
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Hi Barbara it is a minefield trying to find my Griffiths family But John G was a master builder and mason an hopefully may fit into your family as his children all came to live in Wandiligong Victoria Australia about 1857-1867 when Mary his first daughter married my ggrandfather Donald Forbes in 1853 Trevethin Pontypool WALES and settled there with Marys sisters and brothers were Sarah 1834, Adeline1836, Marie Louisa 1837 James 1838 and John g 1841 who died four months after Sarahs death from typhoid in 1842
My gg grandfather John Griffiths circa 1808?-1852 was listed on the 1851 census for Trevethin, Pontypool Monmouthshire, as born in MANTWILL Glamorgan. I have found a William and Sarah Griffiths as his possible parents from Melincryddan Neath Glamorgan John G baptized when 10 birth old noted as an 1808 birth All deaths recorded at St Cardoc's Church Trevethin Pontypool Monmouthshire
John G notes his father was William Griffiths on his second marriage records to Margaret Harris DAVIES (1801-1880+). He was firstly married to Sarah Morris circa 1805 who died in 1842 Pontypool possibly born Monmouthshire maybe to John Morris and Sarah Mysham or similiar
Margaret's johns second marriage first husband was David Davies 1786-1842 both from MARLYBONE London who had been married to Elizabeth Jones (circa 1786-1838) lived later ijn Trevethin Monmouthshire .
Margaret and Elizabeth Jones Davies (Abt 1787-1838) David DAVIES 1784-1840 first wife ) were listed as Inn Keeper and David Davies as Brewer who owned the Three Cranes in Crane St Trevethin Monmouthshire on the 1841 and 1851 census. Davies children were relocated to relatives on David's death in 1840 but not Elizabeth D who was adopted by John Griffiths and Margaret Carolyn Harris, Davies father John Harris was a tailor in London Harris family from Malhilibad or Goytre Monmouthshire
To complicate things further Margaret Harris Davies Griffiths then married William Phillips in 1865 a wealthy coal miner and land owner and died after him about 1880 step mother to about 30 children with none her own just her stepdaughter Elizabeth davies
Hope this helps live in Melbourne where are you residing Happy new year Jeanne
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Hi Jeanne,
I live in Adelaide, South Australia.
We are going to Bright in October this year so might check out Wandiligong.
I don't think your family are my Griffiths, but it is hard to say. I have found out that there are relations all from Coity, near Bridgend in Wales. They are not on my husband's Don immediate line but are related by DNA. There was a William in that lot born 1787 married to Sarah Truman. They were stonemasons and I would say that he was a brother of our great great great grandfather. Can't prove it of course but there would have to be siblings somewhere. The Coity lot had lots of children and some went to WA and some settled in Mt Larcombe near Gladstone in Qld. I honestly am at a loss what happened to our original pioneer's family. They might have all died from typhoid! The maternal side of our pioneer was Sarah Barber Jones and I've since found from DNA that some Jones went and settled in Sebastopol near Ballarat.
Anyway I am happy to keep looking …it’s like a big jigsaw and I've always liked jigsaws!
Happy New Year to you too! Barbara Griffiths