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« on: Saturday 29 October 11 09:04 BST (UK) »
Bethan, great feedback and many thanks for your help. My problem in tracing my family tree is that I am unable to track down details of my grandfather's birth / parents. His name was William Evans with no middle name. That's how his name appears on his marriage certificate and death certificate. It is also the name on my father's (William Henry Evans) birth certificate (17/9/1909). This would suggest that William Evans aged 30 burial number 19870 in plot P3 is the one I'm after. So that is great feedback for me.
His marriage certificate gives his father's name as Evan Evans. His age at the time of his marriage (26 in Nov 1906) and his age at time of death (30 in 1910) suggest he was born in 1879/80.
My problem comes in that there are two many Williams the sons of Evan's for me to pin down his birth. I am therefore hoping that his grave may reveal a further clue. An alternative option could be mine company records. I don't know if such things exist but, if they did and they could reveal my grandfather's date of birth, then it may get me on the move again with the family tree.
I attach below my notes in case these give you any clues. Once again, many thanks for your help.
MY NOTES
William worked as both a coal miner and a brickyard labourer and travelled between the Rhondda Valley and Bridgwater. In Bridgwater he married Rosina Langdon, my grandmother, on 5 November 1906.
On 17 September, 1909 their first child William Henry, my father, was born at 35 Trebanog Road, Cymmer (the same residence was later described as 35 Dranbryn Cottages, Trebanog). The following year, their daughter Rosina was born on 6 September 1910 when William was employed as a rider in the colliery at Llanbrisant, Pontypridd.
On 4 October 1910, when his son was just a year old and his daughter a few weeks, William was killed in a mining accident at Cymmer Old Pit, a mine owned by Insoles Ltd. My understanding from my father was that there were a number of coal wagons at the pit head. A stopping mechanism had been left off, the purpose of which was to act as a brake. The wagons began to roll down the pit at an ever increasing speed. My father’s description also mentioned that his father was cut into three pieces. From the coroner’s report, it would appear that he probably lost all or parts of two limbs. He survived for two days.
Cymmer Old Pit
The Glamorgan Free Press that appeared on Friday 14 October, 1910 reported as follows:
Sad Fatality at Cymmer - We have to record the death of William Evans, Rhyw Garn, Trebanog, which took place on Wednesday of last week at the Porth Cottage Hospital, as the result of injuries which he received at the Cymmer Pit on the Monday morning previous. Evans was employed as a rider at the above colliery, and while the journey was descending a short drift, called the six foot drift, an empty journey of trams, for some unaccountable reason got loose and ran headlong down the drift behind the other journey. Evans, hearing it coming, sprang aside into a manhole. So terrible was the impact between the journeys, that the empties got jammed into the manhole, so severely injuring Evans that he was removed to the hospital immediately. An operation was performed, but the unfortunate man succumbed to his injuries. Deceased was held in great respect by all who knew him, and the large attendance at his funeral, which took place on Monday afternoon, demonstrated the high esteem in which he was held. With every manifestation of sorrow and profound regret the mournful cortege wended its way to the local cemetery, Llethrddu, where the interment took place.
The Porth Gazette reported as follows:
Fatal accident at Cymmer
An accident which unfortunately proved fatal took place at the Cymmer Old Pit on Monday morning. William Evans, a rider was behind a journey descending a short declivity, the six feet drift, when by some unaccountable reason three runaway trams came rushing behind him, crashing into the journey, The rider upon hearing the sound behind jumped to the side where the manholes were, and when the runaway trams smashed into the journey some of then were thrown violently upon him, inflicting terrible injuries. He was immediately conveyed to the Porth Cottage Hospital and attended by Drs. Cochrane and Lewis, and an operation was performed on Wednesday evening last, but, the same evening he expired. The deceased was a resident of Trebanog, a married man and leaves a wife and child (sic) He was a very conscientious and industrious workman, and regarded very highly according to his employers. He was a well known figure at the colliery and his sad end is deeply lamented by his fellow workmen, most of whom recognised the sterling merit and intrinsic worth which lay beneath an external of bluff and bluster.
The mining Inspector’s Report was less detailed.
William Evans
03/10/1910, 29, Rider, Cymmer, Old , Insoles Ltd, , Glamorgan, Three empty trams followed the journey on which he was riding and overtook it, causing injuries from which he died two days after. A stop block had been left open.
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