Lampeter Velfry and Coldblow Village

[Colin Rowledge]

Several of my wife's ancestors appear to hail from these parts.

In fact, the last one was the Thomas family who at the time of the 1901 and 1911 census had lived in the village of Coldblow since the 1860's and for many years ran a farm called Cold Blow Farm.

I am interested to impart some local knowledge to my wife of the area from the 1860's to the present.

Thanks for any help here.

Colin

[Ultramum]

Assume you've looked at the GENUKI page? http://www.
genuki.org.uk/big/wal/PEM/LampeterVelfrey/

[Colin Rowledge]

Yes, Ultramum your assumption is correct. I found in the NLW the papers of a Thomas Reece [sic] Thomas who may well be an ancestor.

However, one has to visit in order to view and that for me is difficult.

Colin

[Orielbenfro]

Colin
Not exactly sure what it is you are after. Cold Blow is not a village, it does not have a parish church or chapel, but is a hamlet of a few houses on a 'T' junction of the B4315 and an unclass road going W.N.W. direction of Narberth.

Cold Blow lies approx 2-3 km's S.W. as the crow flys from Lampeter Velfrey but more like 6-7 km's to travel by road, the co-ordinates for Cold Blow are 51.78261,-4.722469, with both places clear on Google Maps which give a very clear indication of the rural nature of this area in satellite mode.

The nearest parishes are Narberth (N.W.) Templeton (S.W.) Crinow (N.) Lampeter Velfrey (N.E) and Ludchurch (S.S.E.). For non-conformist chapels there are Narberth, Templeton, Princess Gate (E.) Glan-Rhyd (E.) Longstone (S. of Ludchurch).

Currently I can find no reference to Cold Blow Farm and wonder if it was swallowed up be either Greenwood Farm of Word Farm.

Rgds
Orielbenfro
ORIEL a welsh window on a surname

[Colin Rowledge]

Hi. and thanks for this - a local lad who knows the geography.

Here are the various census details:
1861
Coldblow Village, Narberth South
RG09/4150/15/24

1871
Cold Blow Village, South Narberth
RG10/5509/10/13

1881
Green Cottage, South Narberth
RG11/5406/17/27

1891
6, Cold Blow, Narberth South
RG12/4525/11/14

1901
Cold Blow Farm, Narberth South
RG13/5119/5119/84/10

1911
Coldblow Farm, Narberth Pem Shire
RG14PN33121 RG78PN1898 bRD600 SD3 ED10\ SN20

The man's name was Rees Thomas. His 1st wife was Mary Rees and his 2nd wife was Sarah Griffiths.

Rees was born about 1824, the son of [we believe] David Thomas in Llandysillio. His 1st wife was Mary Rees. She was [we belive] the daughter of Rees Rees and born about 1824 in Lampeter. She died in Narberth in 1865

Rees then married a Sarah Griffiths,born about 1834 in Loveston. Her father could be John Griffiths.

When Rees and Sarah met and married on April 23, 1868 she was a Visitor's Maid at the home of Lewis Mathias at Lamphey Court.

What I am trying to establish is, given a potential visit in the future for my wife and I, where these places exist[ed], what life was like then and what happend in the years since.

Colin

[Richard1955]

Hi Colin
http://www.
einpay.com/map/wood-office,-cold-blow,-narberth,-pembrokeshire,-sa67-8rr.htm
Have a look round. Nice area and well worth a visit when you come.
Nearest train station is Kilgetta

[Orielbenfro]

Colin
A David Thomas of Nevern mrd Elizabeth John at Llandysillo 16 Oct 1821.

Rees Thomas was baptised at Llandysillo in 1822 which would appear to x/ref his 1881 census entry.

My finding appear to be confirmed by the IGI which shows Rees to David & Anne Thomas of Llandysillo baptised 25 Aug 1822. This would then make my findings of the above mrge of David somewhat redundant.

So the only other mrge that I can offer you is 25 Nov 1817 David Thomas to Anne Morris at Narberth.

I believe that Sarah Griffiths the 2nd wife of Rees was baptised at Loveston in 1834, possibly (but by no means certain at this time) to John & Sarah Griffiths. Whilst I know the baptism is correct I cannot confirm the parents at present, however one could surmise that given these parents the mrge that would best appear to fit is John Griffiths a shoemaker who mrd Sarah Eynon at Lawrenny 18 Aug 1832.

I can find no reference to the baptism of a Mary Rees at Lampeter Velfrey circa 1824. There is a Mary Rees baptised 1826 at Llanddewi Velfrey and 1832 at Lampeter Velfrey.

If you are correct about the father then the best fit mrge would appear to be 03 Nov 1818 Rees Rees to Martha John at Crinow.

A good search of the surnames shown above, in the wills at the following may well yield further information ;
http://cat.llgc.org.uk/cgi-bin/gw/ch...=profeb&lng=en

Use the Diocese of the E.C.C. of St Davids (Twyddewi)

Rgds
Orielbenfro
ORIEL a welsh window on a surname

[Orielbenfro]

Nearest train station is Kilgetta

Sorry ~ but the nearest rail station to Cold Blow is Narberth not Kilgetty, although at the time of Colin's interest 1901~11 the more convenient station would have been Templeton.

[Richard1955]

Thanks for the correction. I'll never trust Wikipedia again, ever.
Nothing like some good old local knowledge.

[Colin Rowledge]

In answer to post #7 - may we look at one set at a time?
Sarah Griffiths and Rees Thomas.

At the time of their marriage - April 23, 1868 - Sarah was aged 34 and a Spinster and Rees was aged 46 and a widower.

Sarah indicated her father was deceased and his occupation was a Millwright. His name was incated as John.
This would put her year of birth c.1833-4

Rees's father was still alive. His name was indicated as David and his occupation was a Carpenter.

The witnesses were David Williams and Thomas Griffiths.

Sarah's background

Her father was John. She had a younger brother - Isaac and if the Thomas who was a witness, is an older brother, as has yet to be confirmed, the family was liviing in Loveston at the time of the 1841 census. At the time of the census, there were 6 children. There was a significant age disparity [6 years] between Thomas and Sarah, which indicates that Thomas was from a previous marriage of John and Sarah is the daughter of Sarah and Thomas is from an unknown mother. This was in Loveston, Pembrokeshire.

In 1851, our Sarah is a Servant living away from home. Quite possibly, her younger sister Elizabeth is also engaged elsewhere, which is why only 4 children show up in Loveston in 1851.

As was noted earlier, her father was deceased when she married. John Griffiths isn't an unusual name so finding the correct one has proven difficult

In addition, she indicated her father was a Millwight, however all of the 1841 and 1851 census records that correspond to her family indicate that John was a Miller by trade. Could she have been mistaken, or was the census taker wrong? Sarah was able to read and write and signed her name on the certificate, so she obviously was aware of what was stated.

Rees's background
I have the marriage certificates of both his 1st and 2nd marriage. In both, he indicates his father was named David and was a Carpenter. His 1st wife was Mary Rees aged 24, a Spinster and her father was Rees Rees - occupation Smith. This marriage took place on November 11, 1845 and the witnesses were David Evans and Mary Griffiths.

Is any more information on Rees required?