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Hi Graham

Yes, I too like to view primary sources where possible. I visit Pembrokeshire regularly and have a working knowledge of Welsh, although not fluent. I viewed the Dinas Parish Records (MF 348) at the Pembrokeshire Record Office ten years or more back now.  I noted the following entries:-

Baptisms

1742
Margaret yr Daughter of John Larn and Mary his wife was baptised yr 20th Day of November

1745
Thomas ? (entry very hard to read) son of John and Mary his wife Baptised on the 1st day of August

 I added a note that bits of the next few pages appeared to have been chopped out

These records are also available on findmypast.co.uk

I have no death record for John and know little about him but I had sight of a copy of an indenture dated 1741. The original I believe to be in the National Library of Wales in the Eaton Evans and Williams collections.  John Laugharne is mentioned as follows:-
 “And also of in and upon all that Water Corn Grist Mill with its Appurtenances commonly called HESCWM MILL with its lands and appurtenances there unto belonging now or late in the tenure possession or occupation of John Laugharne his undertenents or assigns.”

Thomas Laugharne’s wife was called Mary (confirmed in his will of 1812) and I have a rough idea of their family from Dinas Parish Registers (MF 348 Pembs RO), although these records are incomplete:-

Maria baptised Apr 17th 1784, buried Dec 6th 1792
John buried Feb 6th 1786

Dinah and John,twins baptised Oct 3rd 1786, Dinah buried Dec 16th 1792
Margaret baptised 2 Feb 1788 (White book of Dinas)

Thomas baptised 13th June 1790 (White Book of Dinas), buried March 11th 1793
Anne baptised January 7th 1792

Thomas baptised Sept 1st 1793 (White book of Dinas)

Moses baptised July 6th 1797

The White Book of Dinas is a historical copy of original Dinas registers which no longer exist and I viewed it at Pembrokeshire Record Office. I am not convinced that all the dates in the White Book are accurate.

Thomas made a will (Episcopal Consistory Court of St Davids Library Call No 105.268)  dated 19th May 1812 in which he states “I give the lease of Hescomb Isaf to my wife and sole executrix.” further on in the will he mentions his wife Mary by name. He also refers to his daughter Sarah Davies of Ty Rhose (now called Ty Rhos). His granddaughter Mary Davies  and his sons Thomas and Moses Laugharne. Administration of the will was granted on 16th December 1822

Although Thomas Laugharne of Hescwm Isaf’s son Thomas appears to have been baptised in 1793, but his Master Mariner’s Certificate application has his date of birth as 1794

This Thomas Laugharne married Mary Lewis by banns in the parish of Dinas on 16th June 1818 (Dinas Parish records dowloaded from Find My Past) He is mentioned in the will of Mary Lewis’s father John Lewis (dated 21st July 1825) who left Mary land at Bwlchmawr “for the purpose of building a dwelling house thereon” Administration was granted on 2nd December 1829.

I hope these details help
Vivien

Hello Bryn Eglur

I'm sorry to take so long to get back to you about the Lewis connection to William Laugharne. It's taken me a while to find out much more than you had already discovered but I have recently discovered an entry in the parish register of St Mary's Newport (Pembs) which partly answers your question. It is the marriage on 23rd January 1817 of John Laugharne to Eleanor Lewis and, unlike the entry that you saw in Bishop's Transcripts this clearly states that she was a widow. I have also found their grave in St Mary's churchyard in Newport, She died in 1865 at the age of 78 while John was also 78 when he died in 1872, so she was older than him and  around 30 when they married. There was certainly a strong chance she would have had children by her first marriage.

I'd be interested in seeing any information you have on William Laugharne's brothers and sisters. I have a bit about  Maria who married John Rowlands, mariner and deaths for Elizabeth and Mary but I hadn't found anything about William's own death until I saw your posting.

Regards Vivien

I am fascinated by this thread as I have done quite a bit of research on the Laugharne family of Dinas and Newport, Pembrokeshire, some of whom were my maternal ancestors.

It seems to me that a bit of confusion is creeping in here because there were 3 William Laugharnes born in the North Pembs area within a few years of each other. You say in your original posting that your William Laugharne was born in Fishguard in 1819. There is indeed a William Laugharne who was a mariner who was born in Fishguard around that time. You can check out more details of his career at sea on http://www.welshmariners.org.uk.

Now the William Laugharne, corn merchant, at 39 Underhill St, Swansea on the 1881 Census was, I'm fairly certain, the son of Thomas and Mary Laugharne from Bwlchmawr in Dinas. My reason for thinking this is because in 1884 that there is an entry in the wills index  at the PRO to the effect "Personal estate of Mary Laugharne, wife of Thomas Laugharne, late of Bwlchmawr in the Parish of Dinas Pambs who died 16th November 1866 at Bwlchmawr was proved at Carmarthen by William Laugharne of 39, Charlton Terrace Swansea, Gla, corn merchant the son the surviving executor. Probate being granted under certain limitations". Why he was so late presenting this will is another story..... I have never been able to find a baptism record for him, so I would be interested to know if anyone else has.

There's a third William Laugharne, also a mariner, who was born in Newport in 1819. He was baptised at Ebenezer chapel in Newport and was the son of John and Eleanor Laugharne of Pant in Neport. He is also listed on http://www.welshmariners.org.uk. He married an Eleanor Griffiths in Newport on 28th Nov 1845 and I have baptisms for two of his sons in Newport and a lot more information about the Pant branch of the family, if you do find this is the right one.

I think this all needs a lot more unpicking. Why did all these people insist on having the same names  . I'm wondering if the shipmaster Laugharne, living at no 40 Underhill St was the one that you want and that Alfred and Evangeline were being put up next door for some reason. After all it says "visitor" rather than daughter by Evangeline's name.... just a thought.

I'm copying this to the Swansea list as I see that some of the thread is on there as well.

Good luck

Vivien

It was my great grandfather's uncle Thomas Laugharne of Dinas Cross in Pembrokeshire, one of five brothers who all died at sea. He took over command of the Colwyn a few months before she went missing on a voyage between Newcastle in Australia and Valpariso carrying a cargo of coal.

Your ancestor Captain Archie Robertson seems to have carried out many similar voyages in the Colwyn and was fortunate to die in his bed. Coal was a notoriously difficult cargo, prone to spontaneously ignite or shift dangerously in rough seas. For more details of the Colwyn's voyages check out http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home. Put barque Colwyn in the search box.

I was wondering who the lucky Captain Robertson was who gave up command of the Colwyn just before she went missing. Strange what you find out when you Google a ship's name

Regards Vivien