Bethel

BETHEL - CYFFDY - PENISADRE CONNECTION BY MARY MORRIS

 

I have a copy of a marriage certificate which shows that William Jones married Ann Jones on the second of March 1855. They were married at Sion Chapel Llanrwst.

The groom is described as a bachelor aged 25 yrs. He is a labourer and his address is given as Cyffdy, Llanrwst. His father is William Jones, Labourer.

The bride is described as a spinster aged 21 yrs and her address is given as Bethel. Her father is Rowland Jones, Farmer.

The marriage was in the presence of William and Anne Jones.

On the 1861 Census William and Ann are shown at Shop Bethel.

He is aged 29 and a grocer and she is aged 26.

Their children are Catherine A (5), Evan J (3), and Elizabeth (1).

At Ty Capel we have Jane Williams aged 58 who is a miller’s widow living with her brother Robert Jones (39), nephew John (10) and niece Ellin (7)

Living at Ty Bethel are Owen Jones aged 61, a labourer, his wife Elizabeth, aged 61, and daughter Elizabeth (28) a milliner.

In 1871 William and Ann are still at Bethel.

He is now described as a corn dealer.

They now have three more children William (9), John (6) and Thomas 9months.

Margaret Jones aged 27, sister, described as a servant, also lives with them.

Owen Jones is still at Bethel with his wife and daughter. The daughter is now described as a dressmaker.

Also at Bethel are David and Catherine Jones (both 68). He is a master shoemaker

By 1881 William and Ann have left Bethel and Melin y Coed for Llanrwst.

They are living in Penisadre. He is described as a Flour Dealer.

The son William is a Joiner and Cabinet Maker and John is a Clerk at the railway station.

Another son Arthur is shown aged 6.

 

Above: The rear of Bethel seen from across the stream near the mill.

Now at Bethel are

1 Owen Jones aged 81

The Methodist chapel is shown as being built

2 Robert Roberts aged 63

I came across this family while looking for information about my grandfather, John Lewis Jones.

He was born in 1847, and my father always said he came from Pandy Tudur.

His father was Rouland Jones and mother Elizabeth Evans.

They were married in 1837 at Capel Garrmon.

On the 1841 Census they are shown as living at Glanrafon (Mathebrwd) following Vedw (Fedw) in the enumeration, with children Ann (7) and William (3).

By 1851 Elizabeth is at Tu Hwnt i'r Afon (near Rhyd Llechog). Rouland is not shown, but she is shown as married.

With her are Anne (17), William Evans (13), Margaret (7), John Lewis (4), and twins Jane Evans and Catherine Evans (4m). John Lewis was my grandfather.

I am wondering if this Ann is the one who married William and lived at Melin y Coed.

If so the sister living with them may have been her sister Margaret.

There is a link in Penisadre as Catherine Jones married Edward Morris, a butcher, and was living in Penisadre in1881.

In 1871 Edward Morris and family were living in Scotland St and John L Jones (24) was a lodger.

(Note: The 1991 Census records three families as living in Bethel, which was then still a row of three cottages rather than one home as it is today.

Robert Roberts, 76, lived in one and worked as a road scavenger. He and his wife Jemima, 66, were both Welsh speaking and born in Llanrwst.

The next house was home to Elizabeth Jones, 66, a skirt seamstress. She was Welsh speaking and born in Llanrwst.

In the third house lived Welsh speaking widowed pauper Elizabeth Owen, 77, born in Gwytherin.

According to the 1901 census, Bethel was then home to lead miner John Evans, 30, of Llanrwst and his wife Catherine, 42, of Dolwyddelen. The children were born locally. R O Evans was 5, Margaret 3 and W Saunders 7 months. John Jones, also recorded as a son, was 14 and the only bilingual person in the home.

Bethel is also recorded as being home to shepherd Lewis Hughes, 26, of Cerrig y Drudion and his local wife Lizzie, 21. Both were Welsh speaking. - Ed.)