Shoemaker in Wales

[zane]

Hi Everyone

My gg grandfather David Rees, was listed as a retired shoemaker in the 1901 Wales census, in Cilfynydd, he lived with his wife and his daughter, son in law (David Phillips) and family.

In the 1891 census he is listed as a boot and shoe maker, although the name is spelt as Rhys, still living in Cilfynydd.

1881 census living in Clase, still as a boot and shoe maker, the daughter's name is Ellenor though, on Ellen/ors wedding cert to David Phillips she is listed as Ellen, married at the Tabernacle Baptist Church on 25 Dec 1890.

I also have read somewhere that around 1890 there was only about 129 members of this church, is there anyway I could check these records out online as I live in Australia.

My grandfather Evan Phillips was born in Cilfynydd on 26 Feb 1909, address 5 Bedw Road, would there be christening records anywhere, if he got christened.

Would David Rees of had a shop, worked from home or worked for someone else? I am presuming that as he isn't listed as a shop owner he worked for someone else, is there anyway of checking?

I believe David Rees married a Mary Davies, have not checked this yet.

Any info on any of these names would be great. Oops this ended up being longer than I anticipated, sorry!

Thanks

[michaelpipe]

Would David Rees of had a shop, worked from home or worked for someone else? I am presuming that as he isn't listed as a shop owner he worked for someone else, is there anyway of checking?

Thanks

In the 1891 census he is recorded as "neither employer nor employed". Wouldn't this, at his age of 62, imply that he was not a business owner, but had worked for someone else in the past?

Just a thought.

Michael

[zane]

Yes, this is what I wondered and the fact that they always seemed to be very short of money made me think that he worked for someone else, I have looked on some trade directories for Wales and not found him, knew it wasn't going to be easy!!

[John Nicholas]

Hello Zane,

Rehoboth Welsh Baptist Chapel in Cilfynydd was a 'branch' of the Tabernacle Baptist Chapel in Pontypridd (see https://www.pontypriddmuseum.org.uk/cilfynydd_11.htm). The membership figure of 129 in 1889 is mentioned on this site. Tabernacle itself is on the banks of the River Taff, right next to the Old Bridge, for which Pontypridd is (relatively) famous. It closed as a chapel some years ago and is now the Pontypridd Museum - as reference above.

According to a list available through Genuki//Wales/Glamorgan/church records, only the more recent records for Tabernacle are held at the Glamorgan Record Office, certainly well after your ancestors' time. The compiler of the list says that other records are either destroyed or at the chapel concerned. You could try contacting the museum to see if they know more about the chapel they now occupy, but it doesn't look too hopeful.

Incidentally, I went to school in Pontypridd and remember these places well.

John