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Messages - Cymro36

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1
London and Middlesex / Re: World War 2 Evacuees
« on: Tuesday 21 April 20 19:35 BST (UK)  »
Thanks, everybody.  I think my next step must be to see if I can get any answers via the school admissions register at West Glamorgan Archives.

2
London and Middlesex / World War 2 Evacuees
« on: Tuesday 14 April 20 20:47 BST (UK)  »
Let's make it clear from the outset that this is the longest of long shots as I'm starting with a virtually blank page, but with old age I've begun to wonder about a boy and girl who were evacuated to stay with relations of mine at Port Talbot, South Wales, during W.W.2.  Unfortunately I have absolutely no info about them and am only assuming that they came from London as that was where the greatest number of evacuees came from.  Although we played together and we attended the same school during their stay, I was only about 4 or 5 at the time and have no memory of their names.  I do not even know if they were siblings or which schools they came from or how long they stayed (though I believe it was not for the full duration of the war).  Now for what I do know - the names of the relations with whom they stayed were William (or Will) and Sarah Owen who lived at 14, The Uplands, Penycae, Port Talbot.  The school attended during their stay was Central Primary School, Port Talbot.  And that is all I know.  While I realise that this is probably a wild goose chase, there may be just the slimmest chance that they are family history buffs and might see this post.  Alternatively, there just may be a Roots Chat member who knows of someone who was evacuated to South Wales and might - just might - fit the bill.  As I said at the outset, it's the longest of long shots, and I don't expect success, but it's an itch that I just have to scratch.

3
Afraid I can't help with names of American units stationed in South Wales during W.W.2, but I do have a clear recollection of U.S. troops stationed at Margam Castle, Port Talbot.  For security reasons, access to the Margam estate was restricted, but as my great-aunts lived in the West Lodge (demolished in the 1960s to facilitate construction of the M4) on the estate my father had a permit to enable him to visit them and, as a child, I used to accompany him.  An American sentry was posted at the white gates outside the Lodge at the western entrance to the estate and we were able to walk a certain distance up the drive, though not as far as the Castle.  In the months leading up to D-Day, there was a long line of military vehicles with American insignia parked along the length of the drive.  Memories of childhood are not always reliable with the passage of years but, if mine are correct, I believe that these vehicles were painted yellow, which suggests they may have been brought from the campaign in North Africa, but that is only my guess.  Anyway, one day they were no longer there - I assume that they had moved on as a result of D-Day.  I hope this may be of some general interest, even though it does not answer your specific question.  At least, it enabled me to go on a nostalgia-trip!

4
Glamorganshire / Re: Back St , Port Talbot ?
« on: Sunday 04 September 16 12:23 BST (UK)  »
Certainly Park Street.  Not only is the "P" identical to the one in "Port", but someone appears to have written "Taibach" above the line, which is where Park Street is located.  I was born in the next street to it!

5
Glamorganshire / Re: Thomas Jones, Cwmavon
« on: Tuesday 12 May 15 19:21 BST (UK)  »
Thanks for the offer, but the last time I was at West Glamorgan archives the parish registers for St. Michael's, Cwmavon, for the period in question weren't there.  Admittedly that was a few years ago as I don't live locally.  Perhaps I should see if they are still with the vicar, but I just haven't got around to it.

6
Glamorganshire / Re: Thomas Jones, Cwmavon
« on: Monday 11 May 15 13:23 BST (UK)  »
Afraid I couldn't find him in 1911 either, though if he had moved he could be any one of umpteen Thomas Joneses.  Thanks for the suggestion re probatesearch - although it didn't help me to find Thomas, it led me to one or two other interesting results both in my own family and my wife's.  Thanks.

7
Glamorganshire / Re: Thomas Jones, Cwmavon
« on: Friday 08 May 15 16:54 BST (UK)  »
Yes, I had noted that one, although the age is not quite right and if he was still alive in 1903 it wouldn't explain why I can't find him in the 1901 census - I have assumed he was dead by then.  Apart from the 1903 death, there were another 6 Thomas Joneses recorded as having died in the Neath Registration District between 1891 and 1899.  I suppose the answer would be to get copies of all those death certificates and hope that one of them gives a clue to the correct identity.

8
Glamorganshire / Re: Thomas Jones, Cwmavon
« on: Wednesday 06 May 15 20:08 BST (UK)  »
It looks as though there is no direct family connection, but if my Thomas did actually come from Llanwinio it may be that a group of families migrated together from there to Cwmavon, so may have settled in close proximity in Gower Street (see the same thing happening with the Irish migration, where whole streets were occupied by families from a particular place in Ireland).  Or alternatively, perhaps my Phillip and your Benjamin were brothers - at this distance in time, who knows?  God help those of us with Jones ancestors!!  Anyway, thanks a lot and good hunting.

9
Glamorganshire / Re: Thomas Jones, Cwmavon
« on: Tuesday 05 May 15 15:46 BST (UK)  »
Thanks for your posting - sorry I've taken so long to reply, but I received it literally as I was leaving for 3 weeks' holiday.  My grandmother did indeed have a sister Martha, but as she was only born in 1877/78 she wouldn't have been marrying in 1889.  In any case, my grandmother's father was Thomas Jones.  What I found particularly interesting, however, was the fact that the birthplace of William Jones was Llanwinio, Carms.  In each of the censuses for 1871, 1881 and 1891, Thomas Jones's place of birth is virtually undecipherable, except that it was in Carmarthenshire, but one suggestion which I have received is that it might have been Llanwinio - indeed, in the 1871 census in particular it could well have been transliterated as Llanwynio, which is obviously very close.  This raises the possibility that "my" Thomas and "your" William may have been brothers.  Thomas's marriage certificate gives his father as Phillip Jones, farmer.  Do you have the name of William's father?  Incidentally, I'm not aware of any connection of my family with the Llantrisant area.

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