Sunnyside

I have put these together as it has been very difficult to separate the properties and I have very little information about them.

The owner in 1914 was William Walter who paid the poor rate for both properties.

Number 1

On the census of 1921 living at number one is Leonard Prosser, Leonard is 30 a colliery brakesman below ground for Partridge Jones Llanerch colliery, his wife Cissie was born in Llanellen.

Leonard Prosser remained at number one until about 1935 when he moved to Rose Cottage.

In August of 1931 John Rosser of Sunnyside Goytre died, he had previously kept the Griffin Inn in Abergavenny.

At number one on the 1939 Electoral Register is Ernest Hanies, he is a GWR lengthsman born on the 6^th August 1901, living with him is his wife Alice who was born on the 15^th January 1903.

Number 2.

At number two on the 1921 census was Arthur Titcombe 31 from Leominster, he was a GWR signalman, his wife Anne Charlotte was 30 and came from Surrey, they had a 10 month old baby, Charles Alfred, I’m wondering if the postcard I have is of them.

On the 1939 Electoral Register living at number two is Ernest James Colwell, he was born on the 24^th February 1892 and was employed as a permanent way labourer, Lilian May is his wife, there is also a closed record.

A terrible tragedy occurred to Ernest Colwell this was reported in the Free Press on the 6^th February 1953.

Ernest James Colwell, a railway ganger of 2, Sunnyside Goytre was killed in a roadside accident whilst walking to work on Pentwyn Pitch early on Friday morning, the car was being driven by Mrs Beatrice Trench of Monmouth Road Abergavenny.

Mr Colwell was a native of Usk, he leaves a widow and a married son.

Black Beech – 810 on the 1841 tithe map

On the tithe of 1841 Black Beech contained 29 acres 0 rood and 23 perches and an additional 7 acres 0 rood and 17 perches. The owner was Sir Joseph Bailey, he was paying £3 12s plus 5s 5d to the rector.

On the census of 1841 John Williams is the occupier, he is a 60 year old farmer, his wife Eleanor is 55, living with them are Thomas 25, Elinor 20, Abraham 20, Charlotte 15, Roger 15, Isaac 7, Elinor 4 and two year old Isaac.

By 1861 John Williams had died as Elinor says she is a 66 year old widow ( I cannot find a burial for John) farming 26 acres and came from Breconshire. Living with her are her grandchildren Isaac 17 and John 13. She also has two farm servants, John Watts, 40 and John Jenkins 25.

In 1852 Elinor is registered as holding farm and lands of 39 acres 0 rood and 23 perches, her name appears on the vicar’s tithe account in 1855.

An advert is placed in the Usk Observer on the 14^th March 1857 by Abraham Williams for the sale of farming stock and household furniture as the family are quitting Black Beech.

The new tenant of Black Beech in 1859 is Thomas Roberts. On the 1861census Thomas is a 33 year old, farming 32 acres, he was born in Llangattock. His wife is Jane who is 38, the children mentioned are Alice and Thomas, both aged 1.

By 1865 several things had happened to the family. Jane, Thomas’s wife had died although I cannot find a burial for her, and Thomas had changed his occupation, he is now a publican at the Royal Oak, Goytre. (Thomas Roberts, widow, public house keeper, married Martha Neate, July 1867.)

The electoral register of 1866 says Sir Joseph Bailey of Glenusk Park is still holding Black Beech, a freehold house and land.

I am unable to ascertain who is living at Black Beech on the census of 1871, but it appears John Williams of Penwern is leasing the property and subletting it as he says in the Free Press of 1873 that his tenant (of Black Beech) wants to leave due to the interference from the vicar. This is the date of the notorious case of “The Vicar and the Well.” Mr Mathews, farmer of Penpellenny closed up the Black Well the same year.

On the census of 1881 William Bevan and Elizabeth his wife are living at Black Beech, William is 48, an agricultural labourer born in Trevethin, Elizabeth is 56, born in Glascoed.

The tithe map was updated in 1888, we now have William Rees the new occupier. William was born in Raglan in 1822, the son of Leonard and Ann, nee Jones. William married Mary Turner at St Peter’s Goytre on the 15^th February 1847. Their children are William Leonard, Thomas, Mary Jane, Temperance and Catherine, on the census of 1891 at Black Beech are William 67 a farmer, Mary his wife 73, Mary Jane 35, Temperance 33 and Catherine 30.

Temperance married Francis Nobes, she died in 1926 in Poole.

Mary Jane remained unmarried, she died in Usk in 1908 and was laid to rest in St Peter’s Churchyard.

William Leonard Rees married Sarah Ann Howells in Goytre Church, they lived at Penpederhewl, according to an ancestor he emigrated to America, but no date is given.

Thomas married Sarah Ann Howells in Goytre Church, he lived and farmed the Walnut Tree in Goytre. Thomas died in 1902 aged 50, he is also buried at St Peter’s.

William Rees was fined in £3 10s in 1888 for non-payment of the poor rate. Mary, William’s wife died in May 1891 aged 76, William died in March 1900 aged 75, they are both buried in St Peter’s churchyard.

Another death in January 1902 at Black Beech is Alfred Lewis, Alfred was only 31 years old, the eldest son of William and Elizabeth, late of the Lan, Goytre.

Thomas Rees, (son of William, living at Walnut Tree) held a sale at Black Beech of farming stock and implements on 17^th November 1905.

By 1910 Black Beech had changed ownership, it now belonged to the Rev Charles Cook of Mamhilad it had a gross value of £8 and a rateable value of £7, for a holding of 28 acres.

The new occupier in 1911 is James Parry from Mamhilad, James is 42, his wife Emily (nee Arnold) is 38 they had been married for 17 years, had eight children, seven of which had survived. Laura 16, Bertha 14, Gus 12, Susan 11, Elizabeth 9, Emily 7, Elsie 4, all being born in Glascoed.

The Parry family did not stay long at Black Beech, by 1914 they had moved to farm at Glascoed, where James died in 1957.

The poor rate was paid by the Rev. C Cook 1914.

In March 1906 Christopher Cook of Mamhilad a 38 year old farmer married Gertrude Davies, 29, the daughter of Aaron Davies, a gardener, at Llanvihangel Pontymoile Church, they made their home at Black Beech where they had two sons, Philip and Charles.

On the 18^th December 1921 Christopher Cook, 53, of Black Beech, husband of Gertrude was laid to rest at St Peter’s church, Goytre. Christopher was the son of Christopher Cook, clergyman of Mamhilad.

Gertrude remained at Black Beech, the Electoral Register shows Philip living with her in 1938, by 1948 Gertrude, Charles and Philip were all residing there.

Gertrude died in 1957, the Cook family remained at Black Beech for many more years.

The cottages were built in the garden of the Old Thatch Cottage by William Williams, in December 1851.

On the census of 1861 widow Rachel Jones was in residence. This had changed by 1871 to Jane Thomas also a widow, living with her is her son William a 35 year old farm labourer, they were both born in Brecon.

On the 1881 census in occupation of number two is Henry Holland 55 from Bicester, a labourer, along with his 44 year old wife Virginia from Weymouth with their sons, Henry 17, a gardener born in Merthyr, William 11 and 13 year old daughter Ellen both born in Goytre.

The younger children were attending Penperlleny School when in January 1883 Henry Holland was summoned by the Pontypool Board of Guardians for his children’s non-attendance.

By 1891 Henry and his family moved to Abergavenny where, in 1894 Virginia died. Four year later in September 1898 Henry was admitted to Abergavenny Lunatic Asylum, he died in December the same year.

The 1901 census shows Samuel James and his family in occupation, Samuel is a 35 year old miller, born in Bath, Laura his wife is 30, their children are James, John and Ceridwen. All the children attended Llanover School.

Isaac Heaven had taken occupation by 1911, he was 44, a labourer on the Llanover estate, his wife Frances is also 44, they had been married 17 years and had two children both still alive but only one daughter, 9 year old Ellen Jane was living with them on the census.

By 1921 it was Henry William Jones living at number 2, Henry was 43 from Llanellen, he was a woodman for Llanover estate trustees, Catherine his wife was 29 born in Llantrissant, daughter Catherine was 10, born in Llanover and son William Herbert was 18, a garden labourer for Llanover trustees, William was born in Llanellen.

Pengroesoped Cottages were built about 1851 by William Williams in the garden of the Old Thatch Cottage whilst he was in ownership.

The census of 1861 says Elizabeth Fisher is in occupation with her son Edwin, they had previously lived at Goytre Wharf.

By 1867 the new owner of the Cottages was Richard Drinkwater, living there was Robert Davies who had moved to Pantglas Mill house before the 1871 census as the census of that year showed George Watkins a 34 year old agricultural labourer born in Hereford, his wife Mary Ann 25 born in Llanover upper and Heanna 3 living at number 1.

Living at number 1 on the 1881 census is Amos Jones, a 41 year old agricultural labourer born in Llandenny, his wife Martha is 43 from Glascoed, their children are Henry 8 and Elsie 2 both born in Goytre.

This had changed again by 1901 when 36 year old Isaac Heaven, a carter at the mill, and his family took occupation. Isaac was born in Llanover, his wife Frances 35  from Llanvihangel Gobion, their daughter Louise 6 was born in Glamorgan.

By 1911,  50 year old widow Elizabeth Evans and her 48 year old brother Phillip Jenkins and Elizabeth’s 19 year old daughter Louise a dressmaker had become the new occupiers of number 1. Elizabeth and Phillip were born in Goytre, Louise in Pontypool.

Louise had left the cottage by the 1921 census but Elizabeth and her brother Phillip were still living there at the time of a tragic accident when Phillip was killed, the report is under inquests in March 1927.

Coachman’s Cottage – 429 on the 1841 tithe

Coachman’s Cottage was built about 1863 as a coach house for Col. Byrde and renamed at a later stage. Lewis Edmund wrote in his diary on 4^th Feb 1864 “at Col. Byrde, repairing the pantile on the new coach house.”

Further to this all I have is the information given on the 1891 and 1901 census when Albert Coleman was living there.

In the 1950’s is was two flats, my best friends sister lived there after her marriage so we visited occasionally.

Black Beech – 810 on the 1841 tithe

On the tithe of 1841 Black Beech contained 29 acres 0 rood and 23 perches and an additional 7 acres 0 rood and 17 perches. The owner was Sir Joseph Bailey, he was paying £3 12s plus 5s 5d to the rector.

On the census of 1841 John Williams is the occupier, he is a 60 year old farmer, his wife Eleanor is 55, living with them are Thomas 25, Elinor 20, Abraham 20, Charlotte 15, Roger 15, Isaac 7, Elinor 4 and two year old Isaac.

By 1861 John Williams had died as Elinor says she is a 66 year old widow ( I cannot find a burial for John) farming 26 acres and came from Breconshire. Living with her are her grandchildren Isaac 17 and John 13. She also has two farm servants, John Watts, 40 and John Jenkins 25.

In 1852 Elinor is registered as holding farm and lands of 39 acres 0 rood and 23 perches her name appears on the vicar’s tithe account for1855.

An advert is placed in the Usk Observor on the 14^th March 1857 by Abraham, the son of John and Elinor Williams for the sale of farming stock and household furniture as the family are quitting Black Beech.

The new tenant of Black Beech in 1859 is Thomas Roberts. On the 1861 census Thomas is a 33 years old,  farming 32 acres, he was born in Llangattock. His wife  Jane  is 38, the children mentioned are Alice and Thomas, both aged 1..

By 1865 several things had happened to the Roberts family,  Jane, Thomas’s wife had died although I cannot find a burial for her and Thomas had changed his occupation, he is now a publican at the Royal Oak, Goytre. (Thomas Roberts, widow, public house keeper, married Martha Neate, July 1867.)

The electoral register of 1866 says Sir Joseph Bailey of Glenusk Park is still holding Black Beech, a freehold house and land.

I am unable to ascertain who is living at Black Beech on the census of 1871, but it appears John Williams of Penwern is leasing the property and subletting it as he says in the Free Press of 1873 that his tenant (of Black Beech) wants to leave due to the interference from the vicar. This is the date of the notorious case of “The Vicar and the Well.” Mr Mathews, farmer of Penpellenny closed up the Black Well the same year.

On the census of 1881 William Bevan and Elizabeth his wife are living at Black Beech, William is 48, an agricultural labourer born in Trevethin, Elizabeth is 56, born in Glascoed.

The tithe map was updated in 1888, we now have William Rees the new occupier. William was born in Raglan in 1822, the son of Leonard and Ann, nee Jones. William married Mary Turner at St Peter’s Goytre on the 15^th February 1847. Their children are William Leonard, Thomas, Mary Jane, Temperance and Catherine, on the census of 1891 at Black Beech are William 67 a farmer, Mary his wife 73, Mary Jane 35, Temperance 33 and Catherine 30.

Temperance married Francis Nobes, she died in 1926 in Poole.

Mary Jane remained unmarried, she died in Usk in 1908 and was laid to rest in St Peter’s Churchyard.

William Leonard Rees married Sarah Ann Howells in Goytre Church, they lived at Penpederhewl, according to an ancestor he emigrated to America, but no date is given.

Thomas married Sarah Ann Howells in Goytre Church, he lived and farmed the Walnut Tree in Goytre. Thomas died in 1902 aged 50, he is also buried at St Peter.

William Rees was fined in £3 10s in 1888 for non-payment of the poor rate. Mary, William’s wife died in May 1891 aged 76, William died in March 1900 aged 75, they are both buried in St Peter’s churchyard.

Another death in January 1902 at Black Beech is Alfred Lewis, Alfred was only 31 years old, the eldest son of William and Elizabeth, late of the Lan, Goytre.

Thomas Rees, (son of William, living at Walnut Tree) held a sale at Black Beech of farming stock and implements on 17^th November 1905.

By 1910 Black Beech had changed ownership, it now belonged to the Rev Charles Cook of Mamhilad it had a gross value of £8 and a rateable value of £7, for a holding of 28 acres.

The new occupier in 1911 is James Parry from Mamhilad, James is 42, his wife Emily (nee Arnold) is 38,  they had been married for 17 years, had eight children, seven of which had survived. Laura 16, Bertha 14, Gus 12, Susan 11, Elizabeth 9, Emily 7, Elsie 4, all being born in Glascoed.

The Parry family did not stay long at Black Beech, by 1914 they had moved to farm at Glascoed, where James died in 1957.

The poor rate was paid by the Rev. C Cook 1914.

In March 1906 Christopher Cook of Mamhilad,  a 38 year old farmer married Gertrude Davies, 29, the daughter of Aaron Davies, a gardener,  at Llanvihangel Pontymoile Church, they made their home at Black Beech where they had two sons, Philip and Charles.

On the 18^th December 1921 Christopher Cook, 53, of Black Beech, husband of Gertrude was laid to rest at St Peter’s church, Goytre. Christopher was the son of Christopher Cook, clergyman of Mamhilad.

Gertrude remained at Black Beech, the Electoral Register shows Philip living with her in 1938, by 1948 Gertrude, Charles and Philip were all residing there.

Gertrude died in 1957, the Cook family remained at Black Beech for many more years.

Arrow Cottage – Newtown Road

I was told by Brenda Harris, nee Merrick, who lived all her life on Newtown Road that the ground on which Arrow Cottage and many of the properties along the road were built was purchased by her Merrick family from Little Mill in the early 1900’s who then later sold plots individually for house building.

1907 is the earliest date I can find for Arrow Cottage being listed on the electoral register. The register says Arthur Jenkins is the owner, although his full name is Edward Arthur; he married Matilda Hunt at Inkberrow on the 1^st January 1904 saying he was a builders foreman.

Following on to the census of 1911 Arthur Jenkins is a 31 year old carpenter who was born in Usk, his wife Matilda was born in Inkberrow, they have three children, Owen 6, Norman 2, and 5 month old Jocelyn, all born in Goytre. The census also says the property has 5 rooms and that Arthur and Matilda had been married for 7 years.

The rateable value in 1910 was £5 5s, the gross value was £7, the poor rate for Arrow Cottage in 1914 was being paid by Arthur Jenkins.

Edward Jenkins is still at Arrow Cottage in 1921, he has changed his occupation and is now a motor and cycle engineer on his own account, working with him as a pupil is his 16 year old son Owen, children Norman and Jocelyn are now 13 and 10, Matilda his wife is 40.

Edward Arthur died in 1927 at The Nook, Lanvair Kilgeddin, he was 55 years old, and was buried at St Peter’s Church.

An article in the Free Press dated December 21^st 1934 says Norman Jenkins, of Goytrey, a garage proprietor was fined £2 10s with 10s costs for driving without due care and attention. (Full article can be read in the newspaper.)

Matilda and son Norman were still at Arrow Cottage in 1939. There were no electoral registers during years of the Second World War. In 1945 Norman is at Arrow Cottage on his own.

By 1948 the new owners were Stanley Hayes, his wife Gertrude, son Stanley and daughter Gwyneth.

I don’t know how long the Hayes family remained at Arrow Cottage.

My Morris family moved in about 1963, my parents then selling to Bob Price at a later date.

Sunnybank

Sunnybank was occupied by Arthur William Powles for so very many years, from 1915 to at least 1945.

He was born in May 1888 at Llanvihangel Crucorney to Thomas, a coal merchant, and Elizabeth his wife.

On the census of 1911 he was a wagoner on Lower Pentwyn farm, working for William Knipe.

Arthur married Eva Diana Walker of Penwern Farm at St Peter’s on the 12^th July 1915.

He served in the South Wales Borderers during WW1 in the Infantry Base Department but was discharged with a disability on the 29^th May 1919.

Eva died in April 1925 aged 32, she was buried in St Peter’s Churchyard. (Report in obituaries.  In October 1929 Arthur remarried Gladys Rogers at Llantrissant.

Arthur and Gladys remained at Sunnybank until at least 1945.

Sunnybank was advertised for sale in 1956, applicants to apply to Mrs Griffiths, Nantyderry.

Station House Nantyderry

The first mention of the station house I can find is John Williams being the master is on the 1861 census.

John married Hannah Mathews, a widow, on the 9^th June 1859 at Lanvair Kilgeddin church.

On the census of 1861 John is 27,  station master at Nantyderry, John was born in Llanthewy, Hannah his wife is 37, she was born in Llangibby, living with them are children Margaret 11, Alfred 9 and three year old Louisa.

By 1865 Thomas Pape was the station master, he was also the agent for the Usk Observer newspaper, where the newspaper could be purchased or adverts placed with him. Thomas was born in Louth, Lincolshire, the son of Mathew and Harriet, one of four children, he married Keziah Griffin from Hungerford in December 1848 in Berkshire, on the census of 1851 he was a policeman in Westminster.

The census of 1871 says Thomas is 40, Keziah is also 40, their children, Thomas 11 and Henry 10 were born in Mynyddyslwyn, where Thomas was a railway policeman before being the station master in Nantyderry.

There is an undated document in which Keziah and daughter Annie are invited to tea by Lady Llanover.

In November 1888 an assault took place at the station on an elderly woman called Mary Gregory by Henry Neate, a signalman, who accused her of eating his supper. He had left the station to go and signal a train, upon returning he noticed some of his supper was missing and accused Mary of eating it which she denied.

On meeting her the following night she admitted she had eaten his supper, he caught hold of her and said that if she wasn’t an old woman he should have shaken her. He then pushed her all the way to the end of the row to her own house where he threw a bucket of water over her. (Full article in Free Press.)

Thomas remained the station master at Nantyderry for 30 years until his death in June 1895,

Keziah then went to live with her son Henry, a mariners agent in Newport until her death in January 1908, she was laid to rest in St Peter’s Goytre, with Thomas.

The new station master was Henry Sawyer from St Barton’s Gloucester, the son of Henry George and Ellen Creed, he married Emily from Llanvihangel Crucorney in 1889 in Abergavenny. On the census of 1901 Henry is 39, Emily is 35, their children are Violet 11, Hannah 9, both girls were born in Abergavenny, their third daughter Gladys 7, was born in Goytre.

Henry Sawyer placed an advert in the Free Press on 3^rd October 1902 offering a £10 reward for the return of his lost dog Spring.

By 1911 Henry Sawyer had moved to Hereford.

The new station master was John Williams, his wife Jennett and their three children, Elsie, George and Arthur, in 1911 John was 42 and Jennett 44, Elsie was 18, George Keeton was 12 and Arthur Keeton 10. John and Jennett had been married for 23 years. John and his family had left Nantyderry by 1915.

The new station master was Edward Spencer, on the census of 1921 he is 47, born in Yewlesfield Gloucester, his occupation is Station master GWR, his wife is 48 year old Margaret born in Merthyr, daughter Roberta Edwin aged 4 was born in Nantyderry, their older daughter Lilian Margaret aged 16 born in Mamhilad is a drapers assistant apprentice at Golden Flower Shop Abergavenny.

Living with them  on the census are two boarders, William Douglas Butler from Bristol he is 30 years old a nurseryman on his own account and Colin Miles Butler aged 24 he is also a nurseryman.

Edward Spencer remained at Nantyderry until his death in 1933.

On the Electoral Register in 1935 the occupier of Station House is William Rouse, his wife Harriet and son Reginald. William was born in Hereford in 1889, the son of Charles and Mary and Preece. William died in 1980.

Ty Arrow

Ty Arrow is on Newtown Road,  it was built in 1909 by the then owner Arthur Jenkins.

Arthur Jenkins placed an advert in the Free Press on October 22^nd, 1909

New house to let, cheap and convenient, half a mile to the station, with garden. (I think this is Arrow Cottage)

The census of 1911 shows 80 year old Elizabeth Jenkins in occupation, Elizabeth was born in Llansoy,  a retired farmer. Living with her is 12 year old scholar Richard Meyrick Taylor Jenkins.

The 1921 census says Arthur Messenger is 31, born in Pontypool and a retail dairyman on his own account, his wife Florence, born in New Inn is 29 they have a daughter Eileen who is 1.

From the Electoral Register:

Thomas James and Gertrude Ethel Morgan in 1925.

There is no entry for 1930, but by 1936 Benjamin and Gladys Bishop were in residence.