Henwaun Row Bliana

[hourihane]

On the 1851 Census my G G Granfather is living at it looks like 14 Henwaun Row Bliana .His occupation is down as a Coal Haulier does that mean someone that just delivers coal or someone with there own business . Also at 14 Henwaun Row Bliana apart from his family he has a House Servant aged 13. Does having House Servant in 1851 mean they were quite well off compared to the ordinary people.

[Cal241]

HI
I am not too sure whether they were wealthy or not but I know that every man and his dog appeared to have servants in the 1800s. It seemed to be the growth employment industry.

My gg grandparent in Wales were farm owners and had many folk in their census entries as servants but they I guess were employees/farm labourers. But my folk in London never had any (but they needed one as they 9 kids!!)
Someone on here will have the definitive answer I am sure

Cal

[hourihane]

Hi Cal
Thank for your interest in my posting when you think of the times and how hard life was, its just strange that ordinary people (poor people) would have a House Servant.

[doglover]

My Grandfather was born in Henwaun Cottage Blaina in 1878, I am told it was near the Blaina railway station
part of which can be seen today. His father was born in Henwaun Terrace in Blaina, I believe some of these houses
still exist but are now called Abertillery Road Blaina. A coal
haulier was the term for a Mineworker underground possibily in charge of a horse and dram with or without
coal to transport from coal face to surface.
There was little unemployment in the 1900's every family member worked, young girls often worked as servants. It was not uncommon for mineworkers to employ household
help, but it was often a family member e.g. neice cousin
etc  it helped sometimes with over crowding as families were large then.

[hourihane]

Thanks doglover
That’s made things a lot clearer

[johnhowellstyrfro]

I live near Blaina. Yes a coal haulier usually worked down the mines with horses. My great grandfather was a coal haulier. It wasn't uncommon for different families or lodgers to share the same house. The domestic servant might have not actually worked in that household although a coal haulier might have been more prosperous than the average coal miner. Sometimes because of their knowledge of horses they came from an agricultural background. My great grandfather was from Radnorshire.