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My great aunt Mary Davies was married to David Watkins, the son of the shop. They ran the Caerlan Shop for many years, I think. I am not sure when they retired but before 1939. They did not have children but Mary’s niece Olive from Caehopkin worked there a lot of the time.

My grandfather’s family lived in Caerlan in 1891. From that census it looks as if the Watkins were in the house next to the shop as well - father Evan and mother Margaret in the shop house and son Evan with wife Mary next door. David Watkins was living in the shop house with his future wife a few doors away.
Susan

Thanks for this. I shall start from here as I'll have more time next week. Is Mary Watkins Elizabeth's sister do you think? Watkins is much more common here than Richards.

There were two main bedrooms in the farm accessed by a stone stair one room leading to the other. There was a small bedroom above the kitchen and pantry which was used by daughters/girls and reached with a wooden stair/ladder. I suppose they would have had a box bed downstairs if necessary.
I'll be back in touch.
Siwsan

Hi
The Elen is the local nant  or stream. Sarn Helen was the roman road with a roman settlement in Banwen. Glyn Elen is now Pentwynelen Farm in Caehopkin.

The Richards family who married into a mining family was from Penderyn which is about 12 miles away. He was a limestone merchant. It might be his name in the Gwyn Estate papers but your Thomas Richards would have had a lease anyway with the Gwyn Estate because they owned his farm. (The Gwyn Estate rents were always collected in his farm.) Thomas Richards Penderyn's daughter Jennet married Rhys Davies of Caehopkin who had a share in the mine but Thomas Richards stayed in Penderyn.

I shall try to find out about your Richards family. Were they church or chapel? I am in the middle of this patch.
Siwsan