So Richard (1851-1912) was the one who came over to Wales and started a Richards dynasty in Neath!
Richard was 4 months old during the census of 1851 and at that time he was living at the Hunters Inn, in the parish of Martinhoe, a neighbouring parish to Trentishoe. It's therefore likely that he was born at the inn that his father, John, and his mother, Mary-Ann, kept at the time. The 1861 census shows that the 10 years old Richard was still living in Martinhoe, though whether he and his family were still running the Hunters Inn at that time is not known to me as yet.
As I mentioned in my last post, the 1871 census shows him having arrived in Wales and working as a "stone breaker" so he must have arrived sometime between 1861 and 1871. He would have been a young man, anything between 10 and 20 years of age, though if he came over to Wales (it seems without his parents, though possibly may have been accompanied by his brother Thomas*) one would have thought he was nearer to 20 than to 10. But in those days, anything was possible, and further research may shed some light about his journey to Wales from Devon.
He married Margaret Morgan in St Catwg's church, Cadoxton (a village outside Neath) on 26 November 1873 when he was 22 years old and living in the Pentwyn area of Neath. I am not sure, and trying to find out, which part of Neath that is. Margaret was also from Neath, living at Gellia Fach (a farm?). Richard's occupation at the time seems to have changed to a collier from stone breaker. His father John obviously appears on the marriage certificate, but one wonders whether he was actually present and/or whether any other family members were there. Maybe Thomas stood close to his brother?
It appears that Richard took over and resided at the Duke of Wellington pub sometime after 1888. By this time, he was gathering quite a collection of offspring and the 1911 census shows that he and Margaret had 12 children in total, of which 8 survived. By 1911, only 3 children were living in the pub - Richard (my great grandfather), Kate and Maud**.
He is also noted as a "church sexton" in the 1881and 1891 censuses.
As far as I understand, his son Richard (my great grandfather) took over the Duke on his father's death in 1912.
* An interesting story for another blog post is Richard's brother Thomas. Ancestry.com website shows that was born in 1853 at the Hunters Inn and was two years younger than Richard. He was married to Mary in 1874, a woman born in Lynton, Devon. Were they married before they left Devon? Or did they leave on their own journey to Wales as young lovers? The 1881 census saw them living in Llantwit Lower, an area of Neath near the village of Tonna and appear to have remained there at least up until 1911 Wales Census (the census shows him living at "258 Tynyrheol Farm, Tonna, Neath" in the parish of Llantwit Lower). His death date is not recorded on ancestry.com. What is interesting is that the 1911 Wales census shows his occupation as both a farmer and coal merchant. As my own father, and my grandfather, were coal merchants, I wonder if my grandfather got involved (apprenticed?) in the coal business via his "uncle" Thomas, as my great grandfather does not appear to have been involved himself. Maybe.
** Maud, or Clara Maud L Richards per ancestry.com, appears to have only died relatively recently in 1975 but it is not a name that I have come across before in family discussions. Another interesting future blog post!
Richard was 4 months old during the census of 1851 and at that time he was living at the Hunters Inn, in the parish of Martinhoe, a neighbouring parish to Trentishoe. It's therefore likely that he was born at the inn that his father, John, and his mother, Mary-Ann, kept at the time. The 1861 census shows that the 10 years old Richard was still living in Martinhoe, though whether he and his family were still running the Hunters Inn at that time is not known to me as yet.
As I mentioned in my last post, the 1871 census shows him having arrived in Wales and working as a "stone breaker" so he must have arrived sometime between 1861 and 1871. He would have been a young man, anything between 10 and 20 years of age, though if he came over to Wales (it seems without his parents, though possibly may have been accompanied by his brother Thomas*) one would have thought he was nearer to 20 than to 10. But in those days, anything was possible, and further research may shed some light about his journey to Wales from Devon.
He married Margaret Morgan in St Catwg's church, Cadoxton (a village outside Neath) on 26 November 1873 when he was 22 years old and living in the Pentwyn area of Neath. I am not sure, and trying to find out, which part of Neath that is. Margaret was also from Neath, living at Gellia Fach (a farm?). Richard's occupation at the time seems to have changed to a collier from stone breaker. His father John obviously appears on the marriage certificate, but one wonders whether he was actually present and/or whether any other family members were there. Maybe Thomas stood close to his brother?
It appears that Richard took over and resided at the Duke of Wellington pub sometime after 1888. By this time, he was gathering quite a collection of offspring and the 1911 census shows that he and Margaret had 12 children in total, of which 8 survived. By 1911, only 3 children were living in the pub - Richard (my great grandfather), Kate and Maud**.
He is also noted as a "church sexton" in the 1881and 1891 censuses.
As far as I understand, his son Richard (my great grandfather) took over the Duke on his father's death in 1912.
* An interesting story for another blog post is Richard's brother Thomas. Ancestry.com website shows that was born in 1853 at the Hunters Inn and was two years younger than Richard. He was married to Mary in 1874, a woman born in Lynton, Devon. Were they married before they left Devon? Or did they leave on their own journey to Wales as young lovers? The 1881 census saw them living in Llantwit Lower, an area of Neath near the village of Tonna and appear to have remained there at least up until 1911 Wales Census (the census shows him living at "258 Tynyrheol Farm, Tonna, Neath" in the parish of Llantwit Lower). His death date is not recorded on ancestry.com. What is interesting is that the 1911 Wales census shows his occupation as both a farmer and coal merchant. As my own father, and my grandfather, were coal merchants, I wonder if my grandfather got involved (apprenticed?) in the coal business via his "uncle" Thomas, as my great grandfather does not appear to have been involved himself. Maybe.
** Maud, or Clara Maud L Richards per ancestry.com, appears to have only died relatively recently in 1975 but it is not a name that I have come across before in family discussions. Another interesting future blog post!
thanks again very interesting re ;; Richards family my grandad lived Robert street Steynton haverford west pembrokeshire his first name was William born 1861 died 1926 Wales or Margate kent I do not know my dad was a William all so. may not be the same Richards family
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