[Born at Bryn Isaf, Lledrod, Cardigan. It is said that he was ordained at the Bishop's Palace at Abergwilli, Carmarthen on the 24th. of August, 1783. He took up residence at Llanerchymedd, (perhaps at Ty-Coch, 8 High Street, a property that appears in his will), and presumably lived there until his marriage to Ann Parry.]
This is the entry that I have for the Rev. John. I know the entries for 1808 and 1826 intimately; they were my basis for disbelieving that he obtained a degree at Oxford. The entries are from the Clerical list of Wales and show that he was educated to 'Lit' standard, meaning that he was without a degree but that he was educated enough to be a priest. The only time that he is referred to with a degree, (BA), is on his burial tablet inside St. Mary's Church, and later, on the gravestones of his family. (The son, or daughter, of the Rev. John Richards, M.A.)
Other entries that I have are as follows.
Extract from the "Cambro-Briton" of 7th. March, 1820.
"The other officers were chosen for the present year and the Rev. John Richards of Anglesey was proposed as an Honourable Member and as Critic of the Society, on which occasion an address from that Gentleman was read and deservedly applauded for the critical ability which it disclosed."
Extract from Archaeologi Cambriensis. John Skinner, 1808.
"I here had to regret the loss of my walking stick; I shrewdly suspected that the Cleric, (Rev. John Richards), had taken a fancy to it, there being no other person in the churchyard excepting our own party. This gentleman seems to have paid a good deal of attention to the Antiquities, but superstition is not confined to the ignorant and illiterate. He believes in fairies and stated that he had chased them away from the churchyard many times. !"
He is sometimes referred to as being a guarantor as to the good character of others; mentions in Druidic papers but never with a degree after his name. He began his Clerical duties at Llanerchymedd in 1784, shortly after his ordination at Abergwilli.
On the other point that you mention. Edward schoolmaster was the lifelong friend of James Lloyd of Mabws. Both were, according to various reports, very influential in the area. I thought that David Richards moved to Ffos in 1757 but I see a doc where he is stated as being of Ffos, dated 1754.
A separate issue. I'm still leaning towards Thomas, (son of Morgan Richards, son of the Rev. David Richards of Llandewi, passed to the Rev. Davies and ending up in a house that, perhaps after the date of 1756, belonged to the Church, or Ystradmeurig School), as being the father of John and James. The dates that we have fit the narrative and if Jane, the mother, died shortly after the birth of James then Thomas, as a widower with at least 2 children, would re-marry as soon as possible, as was the style in those days. James' son, John was educated at Ystradmeurig school and he started working at the Customs House in Liverpool at the age of 12. The 6 year education period would mean that from 1769 to 1775, James himself, would have been at the school, (John at Oxford), neither being dependent on their parents for sustenance. We don't know where the Rev Richard of Llandewi was born. He may be the link to the other Richard/s in our area.
Regards from Peter.
