George Owen & Family of Trecoed Farm, Letterston

[BonnieBell]

Hello:
This is my first posting. Please bear with me as I am in Canada and know nothing of the various areas in the UK.
In 1911 a relative of mine from a WORKHOUSE in London, was sent to work on the farm of George Owen at Trecoed, Letterston, Dyfed, South Wales.  He was only 17 and Feeble-Minded and not sure how long he stayed there.  Thomas (or John) Swain born in 1894 arrived there in October of 1910 and still there in March of 1911 and already had his wages lowered, so he must have a burden to this Owen family and perhaps did not even stay. The last sighting of him was in the 1911 Census.  Does anyone in that area, have memory of him and some information I can use to track his whereabouts?  Thank you so much for any help with this mystery.  There were 6  children in that family and I have not been able to locate any of them after 1911. Only one girl, my grandmother came to Canada with Barnardo's in 1899 and never knew anything about her siblings.

Thanks very much,
Bonnie

[Orielbenfro]

I grew up in various Dr Barnardo's Homes after been born at Dr Barnardo's Tech. College, Goldings Hertford in the '40's, moving to Woodford Bridge Essex and Kidderminster Worcestershire.

If you write (snailmail only ~ include as much proof as possible) to Dr Barnardo's H.Q. at Barkingside Essex see ;
http://www.barnardos.org.uk/

Years ago H.Q. Barkingside used to have a department that assisted with such questions as you ask, especially with the change in Government legislation of permitting adopted children(etc) to ident their families. 

I wonder if the likes of Gene...........united, would not be a better location to make a plea or you could try the "Old Boys & Girls" site at
http://www.goldonian.org/
The house you see in the photo, was where I was born.

Hope this is of some asssitance.

Rgds
Orielbenfro

[OrganicJohn]

Hello Bonnie.I have found a John Thomas Swain,age 16,(labourer) and William Swain,age 18,(labourer),embarking to Montreal from Liverpool 0n 13th May 1911 on the White Star ship Teutonic.Could these have been 2 of your grandmother's brothers? In 1901 at Lambeth New Schools,Elder Rd. Norwood there were 4 Swains.George age 11,Walter age 3(or ,Thomas age 7,and Arthur age 5.Places of birth "unknown".My grandfather spent 7 years at the school,leaving in 1893.Charlie Chaplin and his brother Sydney spent a short time in the shool ,in the 1990s I think.It is possible to search the admissions and departures from the schools on Ancestry under London Poor Law but the entries are not indexed so it is time consuming.A kind Rootschatter found my grandfather that way. The entries will give parents names(if known) and possibly where they are being sent to. I have also found William Swain,b.1893 in the Shelter Home of the C of E Temperance Society,formerly farm labourer,born Highgate.Could these have been the 5 brothers?

[BonnieBell]

Thank you so much for your efforts but I'm afraid these boys are not from my family. John (or Thomas, not sure which) was feeble-minded and would not have traveled alone or had the money to do that.
He was abandoned in 1902 at the age of 8 when his mother died and was in various homes from that time, till he ended up on the farm. I doubt that he knew he had a brother George one year younger.

Bonnie