14.11.2008
Hello, I have two questions - quite unrelated.
Firstly I am trying to
locate the farm where my grandfather was brought up.
I was told it was called Pantcrwyn but can't find this
on any map. I believe it was near Llanllyfni or Nebo.
He left the area to work in the South Wales coalfields
in his youth probably around 1910. He died when was
very young so I never visited the area as a child although
I have walked the Nantlle mountains in later years
and felt very much at home! I have just retired so
have time now to delve into these things and would
love to see where he lived one day.
My second query relates
to a local story from the Duddon Valley in Cumbria
where I now live and coming from Wales it interests
me. In the late 1800’s a Thomas Williams moved here
–he was a slate merchant from Rhostryfan who died in
a tragic drowning accident at the local quarry in 1880.
He is buried here in Ulpha churchyard and his obituary
reveals him to have been highly respected man who wrote
poetry under the pseudonym of Ap Gwyrfai. His funeral
was attended by a large number of people from Wales
including his brother rev William Williams, Methodist
Minister at Bala at that time. Hymns were sung in Welsh.
I would love to know more about him and his poetry.
Maybe he still has descendants in Rhostryfan although
no doubt there were many people with a similar name
who moved away to work in quarries in other parts of
Britain at that time.
I would be interested
in hearing from anyone who has information about these
queries.
Diolch yn fawr,
Elizabeth Wallis.
lizwallis2@hotmail.com
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