Lapstone Cottage – 291 on the 1841 Tithe Map. 27 perches.

Lapstone Cottage is now in the parish of Llanover.

The 1661 Land Tax says that John Morgan and William Howell hold 1 messuage, 1 barn and certain lands, and before them Valentine Pritchard.

A letter to the Rev. Mr Williams, curate of Goytrey asking him to publish the banns of William Howell labourer and Mary Saunders who lives with her father at his dwelling house between Croshoped and Cefnmynog. William and Mary were married on the 19^th July 1755 at St Peter’s.

Another letter to the Rev. Williams in 1762 asking for the banns to be published for the marriage between William Long and Barbara Saunders, both living at the house of her father, William Saunders, they were married on the 16^th October at St Peter’s.

There was another marriage in 1819 between William Griffiths and Mary Morgan, they had two daughters whilst living at Lapstone, Margaret who was baptised at 6 months of age on the 31^st January 1822 and Mary on the 23^rd July 1824.

There is an indenture dated 1831 between Edward Hoskins, Alexander Waddington and Henry Frederick. Edward Hoskins died on the 24^th March 1832, this ties in with the 1841 tithe that says Mary Hoskins is the owner and William Griffiths the occupier. (Mary Hoskins died on the 6^th October 1855 and sometime after this date their daughter Eliza sold Lapstone to Lord Llanover for £85.)

Lewis Edmund the local builder wrote in his diary on 20^th November 1855 “At John Jones Lapstone Bridge repairing the house.” (John Jones is my great-great-grandfather.) He married Jane James at Bettws Newydd and their children, Jane (my great-grandmother) Emily, Edwin and John were born there before she died in 1865 aged 30. John was also the clerk at St Peter’s for nearly 40 years.

In 1875 William Williams was renting Lapstone at a cost of £4 10s. Lady Llanover’s agent, Turner, wrote her a letter asking if he, William Williams, could swap houses with Prosser who lives at Pencaffyl. Lady Llanover agrees to the arrangement as long as he works for her.

James Parry was next to sign up for Lapstone, this he did on the 6^th March 1879, again paying a rent of £4 10s. He was there in 1881 with his wife Harriet and children James, Ann, William and Alfred. Later that year he also sends a letter to Lady Llanover saying he to cannot pay the rent and has gone to live in one of Pruett’s old cottages (Woodlands). James Parry died, and was buried on the 28^th September 1881. His wife Harriet later married James Jenkins and lived at Ty Llwyd.

On the 1911 census Thomas Hudson a 43 year old estate worker is living at Lapstone along with his 39 year old wife Marie and Marie’s uncle John Lewis 75, who is a retired general labourer on the estate, Marie and John were both born in Monmouth, also staying with them is Marie’s sister 26 year old Kate Goode who was born in Blaenavon.

The census of 1921 says David Thomas a 59 year old quarryman born in Monkswood and Margaret 39 born in Cwmcarvan are the occupiers.

Murder of Margaret Thomas

Lapstone Cottage Goytrey – 26^th October 1921

When morning broke on Wednesday 26^th October 1921, it was a predictable start to the day for David Thomas and his wife Margaret. The couple lived at Lapstone Cottage, a small stone built house on the Llanover Estate, at Pengroesoped near Abergavenny. Having risen as usual just before 6am, David washed and readied himself for work, whilst his 48 year old wife prepared their breakfast of fried potatoes and bacon. This finished and having exchanged their goodbyes, David Thomas left for work. It was 6.45am.

David worked at Ffawydden Quarry about a mile and a half from his home. He was responsible for the removal of topsoil prior to the quarrying of stone. He returned home to the most horrible sight – the dead body of his wife on the kitchen floor bespattered with blood. Nearby was a piece of iron which was blood stained and there is no doubt that it was with this the brute – man is to good a name for such a villain.

Mr. Thomas found his wife was beyond human aid and went to raise the alarm, meeting on his way the village postman, he detached him to summon the local policeman P.C. Preece, who resided about 1 mile from the scene.

Critical investigations have and are being conducted. Yesterday the little white cottage was visited by a number of well known people in the locality and a good many of the women were overcome.

All evidence points strongly to the fact that the murder must have been committed early in the day – probably soon after the husband left for his work. Mrs. Thomas’s routine would be to let the fowl and pigs out shortly after breakfast, but on his return Mr. Thomas fond the animals still locked in their pens. Neither had she commenced her daily chores.

The husband, attired in ordinary everyday labourer’s clothes was a pathetic picture.

The inquest was held in the village Temperance Hotel at Pengroesoped, the husband was called as the first witness, he said he was David Thomas of Lapstone Cottage and his wife’s age was 43, he had left the cottage at 6.40 and returned at 5.30pm, when on gaining access to the house he found his wife dead. On the way to work he saw young Billy Thomas and spoke to him. On his return home unable to get into the house, thinking his wife had gone for milk or water, he discovered the pigs had not been fed and were ravenous, after a while he tried the other door and found it to be on the latch, when he got into the house he found an iron bar about a foot long lying by his wife’s right hand.

Missing from the house were several items; a silver watch of his wife’s; a metal watch of his own; a navy blue suit; navy blue waistcoat and trousers; a pair of light black boots; a tie; 19s; a pair of pants; a singlet; two good razors and bar of shaving soap. In the house they found a tin can close to the wall. In the bedroom witness said he found a folded handkerchief, also missing was £4 in treasury notes.

He had seen a strange man about several days before on the canal bank.

Mrs. Thomas sometimes worked for Mrs. Rosser Llanover and on the 13^th October on arriving at work she seemed very upset and said about 8am that day she had seen wet footprints on her path leading to the door of her house. She then went up to the door of her shed and found a big man sitting there and it frightened her. She asked him what he wanted and he said some sticks to light a fire. She told him to be off as she had to carry her sticks a long way. She did not see him again.

William Williams of Llanover said he saw Mr. Thomas working at the quarry on the day of the murder and passed the time of day with him. Alfred Thomas, son of the last witness said he also saw Mr. Thomas in the quarry on the day in question.

Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, widow, Pengroesoped said that Thomas had come to her house to see if his wife had come for water, he then went back home and half an hour later came rushing back shouting someone has murdered Maggie, he then went to Henry Jones for help.

The body was covered in a red quilt and lots of mats but you could still see her legs, nurse Saunders of Tredegar examined Mrs. Thomas and found her dead.

Critical investigations are and being conducted but nothing tangible has been discovered. The murder must have been committed early in the morning, soon after the husband left for work.

Mr. Bryn Morgan of Glan-y-nant Farm said he had seen a man washing himself in the brook, asked if he knew Mrs. Thomas he said she was one of the most jolly women you could wish to know. At one time Mrs. Thomas was housekeeper for Mr. Charles at Park-y-brain Farm.

The funeral of Mrs. Thomas, which took place at Saron Baptist Chapel, a distance of one and a half miles from her cottage was lined with about two thousand people, many to pay genuine respects and many from morbid curiosity.

Friday November 4^th 1921 – Funeral of the Victim

Thousands Witness the Sad Ceremony

On Sunday afternoon when the weather was in its most beneficent mood I rode out to the scene continues our reporter.

Naturally expectant of a large crowd I was nevertheless surprised at the traffic on the highways.

Hundreds upon hundreds of visitors, drawn from far and near in the county and many outside invaded the customary Sabbath quietude of the picturesque little village when the funeral took place of the victim. The country roads and lanes were thickly lined with motor cars, motor cycles, ordinary pushbikes and scores more walked the distance from Pontypool and Abergavenny and intermediate villages.

Around the pretty little white Lapstone Cottage, where the murderer, at the time of writing unknown, committed his gruesome task and on the way to Saron Baptist Chapel, a distance of approximately a mile and a half, there would be, at a moderate computation a concourse of two thousand people, many to pay genuine respect and many methinks were drawn there from a morbid curiosity, as was evidenced by the way they passed in queues through the graveyard to get a glimpse of the coffin.

Service at the Cottage

The officiating minister the Rev Leonard Collin Edwards Baptist minister who showed me an exquisite bouquet from Lord and Lady Treowen, officiated at a short service inside the cottage ground, where the unfortunate woman had spent thousands of happy hours in attending to her household duties – where the poultry and the farm stock generally knew her and her voice. Somewhat inured to unusual and pathetic scenes I was appreciably moved by the singing of ‘Jesu, lover of my soul’ to the welsh tune of Aberystwyth – deep in its emotionalism and particularly so, as this was the first time I had ever heard it rendered by welsh men, women and children. The tragedy which had been enacted in that little lonely cottage – the diminutive coffin enveloped by a mass of chrysanthemums, roses and characteristic country flowers – the large concourse of people the majority of the male suasion bareheaded – some smoking cigarettes – the hooting of motors as they dashed madly along the main roads – women, young and old attired in gay summer array – who had motored or cycled to the scene – were a peculiar admixture of human nature – some impressed – temporarily undoubtedly – others there from a torrid pulse of interest.

Taken along the country lanes to the last resting-place. Crowds lined the thoroughfares as the last mortal remains were carried, in relays by workmen on the estate.

Headed by an appreciable number of workpeople employed on the Llanover Estate the mournful procession wended its way to the Chapel. Bearers carrying the coffin followed and then was to be seen the husband leaning on the arm of a lady relative. At the occasional halts he was the picture of pathos. There was poignant attitude depleted on his features. Intermittently there was an apparent tremulous and hesitation in his walk – but throughout he bore up bravely – as fulfilled a soldier.

At The Chapel

Wending my way to the comparatively small Church I found hundreds of people congregated there. The ubiquitous ‘man in blue’ the village policeman respectfully asked the large concourse to move further up the hill and they readily acquisteed. Inside the chapel everything possible had be done to make the necessary preparations, and the chief mourners

William Sullivan, 42, a tramping labourer from Cwmbran was charged with the murder of Margaret Thomas.

George Henry Smith, milk seller, Mamhilad said on Friday October 21^st he saw prisoner and asked him where he was going; he said he had come from Newport workhouse and was going to Abergavenny workhouse. He again saw him on October 26^thheading towards Pontypool. Florence Smith, wife of witness also identified Sullivan as the man seen on the dates mentioned.

A pair of boots left at Lapstone Cottage along with a dirty pair of pajamas and a very dirty handkerchief were discovered by Mr. Thomas and handed to the police. These items were identified as belonging to Sullivan.

Annie Jones of the Forge Hammer Inn, Cwmbran, said Sullivan was drinking in her pub on the 26^th October paying 2s 6d for his first drink and later £1 note for drinks with his brother.

Lily May Groves (14) Albion Road, Pontypool, indentified Sullivan as the man who called at her home asking her to ask her mother if she would like to buy a pair of boots and a coat. He wanted 2/6d for the boots and 2/- for the coat. He was told to come back at 6pm. He left the boots and coat on a chair.

Hannah Eliza Groves, 54 of Albion Road Pontypool said she purchased the items from him.

Sullivan was found guilty of the murder of Margaret Thomas.

(Full article can be read in the Free Press)

William Sullivan, 42, a tramping labourer from Cwmbran was charged with the murder of Margaret Thomas.

Annie Jones of the Forge Hammer Inn, Cwmbran, said Sullivan was drinking in her pub on the 26^th October paying 2s 6d for his first drink and later £1 note for drinks with his brother.

Hannah Eliza Groves, 54 of Albion Road Pontypool said she purchased the items from him.