Migration from Cardiff to Swindon in 1860s

[toby webb]

           It is understood that a Thomas Ellis worked with Daniel Gooch of railway fame at the Tredegar Iron Works. and that this is likely to have been the same Thomas Ellis who came to Swindon in 1861 with many workers from S. Wales to establish the rolling mills in the GWR workshops.
          Can anyone give a lead into the way recruitment & migration of these workers was managed?
Thank you, Toby.   

p.s. Posted in Glamorgan too. T

[LizzieW]

Looking forward to the reply.  One of my ancestors went from Liincolnshire to Lancashire to work on the railways, have no idea why or how he got there (with his large family) but he died after a couple or so years and the family promptly went back to Lincolnshire.

Lizzie

ps.  I do know there were railway cottages in Swindon for railway workers, in fact Brunel (I think it was him), built what is called a railway village.  So it could be that the workers from S.Wales were just attracted by a job and housing.

[youngtug]

http://swindonia.blogspot.com/2007/11/railway-village-chapels.html              Cambria cottages was  mostly Welsh families, although the Welsh workers were also in other parts of the town. Swindon new town was being built along with the influx of workers. The early [single] Welsh workers were housed in the "barracks"[see link] but was not realy suitable so housing was built. Cambria cottages are not the "railway village".    http://www.swindon.gov.uk/railway_village_history.pdf               For more information you should contact Swindon Library who are very helpful.  http://www.swindon.gov.uk/leisuresport/libraries/libraries-libraries/libraries-central.htm

[toby webb]

Lizzie. I can add to that. Cambria Place was built in Sindon specially for the S. Wales workers. There was a Baptist chapel and services were conducted in welsh. Cambria Place and the chapel still exist but  the chapel is now a private house. Toby.

[youngtug]

The first records  I have of my Welsh ggtgtgrandparents in Swindon [1871] they are living in church place which is near to both the railway village and cambria place but not I think belonging to either. They later moved to the Rodbourne area of Swindon. My father told me of him visiting an aunt in Cambria Place [probably 1930/40] and they all spoke Welsh.

[nigelp]

You may find it helpful to contact Steam (Museum of The Great Western Railway) in Swindon for information:

http://www.steam-museum.org.uk/steam/steam2007-archive-introduction-2.htm

Official records (including those of staff) are held at The National Archives.

Nigel

[LizzieW]

There is a railway cottage that is open to the public, so that you can see the conditions in which they lived, which must have been very good for the period.  The adjoining cottages are still lived in, but I have been modernised.

[toby webb]

The 1871 Census return shows the following in Cambria Place which may be helpful. The Welsh element is quite obvious.
CAMBRIA  PLACE.
                                            occupation              born
 1.James Davidson. Adjuster of  Tappy valves. Scotland
    David Hodges.                                               Wales
 2.Samuel Wiliams.             Forgeman.              Wales
 3.William Butt.                  Timber Inspector.   Wales
 4.John Lavender.                Forgeman.              Wales
 5.Caleb Williams.              Heater.                    Wales
 6.Alfred Yapp.                   Sawyer.                  Hereford
 7.William  Harry.               Roller.                    Wales
 8.Thomas Evans.               Labourer.                Wales
 9.George Green.                 Forgeman.              Wilts.
10.Meesam Gibbs.              Platelayer.               Wilts.
11.James Wood.                  Forgeman.              Wales.
12.John Bywater                 Heater.                    Wales
13.William Thomas.           Rail rougher.           Wales
14.Joseph Carlton.              Foreman Joiners. Cumberland
15.William Jones.               Heater .                     Wales
16.Ann Jones.                     Widow.                     Wales
17.Thomas Harry                Furnaceman.            Wales
18.John Jones.                     Rougher.                  Wales
19.Benjamin Browning.     Coach Painter.          Warks.
     Sidney Ellis                   Carpenter.                 Wales
20.Thomas Speck.              Labourer.                  Wilts.
21.David Davis.                  Labourer.                  Wales.
22.John Jones.                     Roller.                      Wales.
23.Robert Ellis.                   Hammersmith.         Wales.
24.Wm. Smith Hodges.       Rail Straightener.    Somerset
25.Anne Barrett                                                   Glos.
     Robert Winter                Carpenter.                 Dorset
26.Mary  Ann Wright.        House keeper            Devon
27.Henry J. Hughes.           Carpenter.                 Wilts.
28.John Dyer.                     Carpenter.                 Berks.
29.James Jarman                Iron Roller                Wales
     Robert Hill                    Furnaceman              Wales
30.
31.John Freehorn.              Roller                        Wales
32.Thomas Synes?             Rougher                    Wales
33.Evan Isaacs.                  Baller in Iron Mill.   Wales
34.Charlie Ferguson           Fitter                         Scotland
35.Wiliam Mole.                Fitter                         Yardley
36.Henry Carter                 Rail Straightener.      Wilts.
37.William Maggs.            Iron Smelter.            Somerset
     David Morgan              Boiler Maker             Wales
38.Ebenezer Evans.           Rail Straightener       Wales
39.John Thomas.               Iron Works Foreman  Wales
40.Wm. Townsend            Shingler.                 Northants
41.Arthur Marchant           Carpenter.                  Devon
      Samuel Jones               Blacksmith.                Wales
42.Leonard Watkins.         Blacksmith.                Wales

Toby.

[roofy]

ha ha I was just about to write a long paragraph about how my relations lived at 6 church place and then realised who posted. Hello coz;)

Im looking forward to visiting 'Steam'. Youll have to tell me all about the Welsh speaking Aunty as well when we meet up,

Good luck to everyone researching their Welsh ancestors in Swindon.

Roofy