Pen Ucha'r Gwyllt

 Life and Times at Penucha'r Gwyllt

Penucha’r Gwyllt in 1841 saw Stone Mason William Davies (49) and his wife Mary (35) living with their children William (10), Hannah (5) and Catherine (3). All were locally born.

In 1851 William Davies 58 was still there aged 68, with Mary now 46, Catherine 13, another daughter Elinor aged 9, Miriam 7, and their youngest, David, aged 3.

By 1861 things had changed and widow Margaret Jones, 49, was farming 14 acres with Robert her son of 16 and Ellin her daughter, aged 7, On census night she probably had her mother staying with her, as another Margaret Jones, a widow of 87, is described as a visitor. All were locally born.


The year 1871 saw John Williams, 37, originally from Gwytherin, farming 4 acres at Pen Ucha'r Gwyllt along with his wife Jane, 36, Daughters Alice, 7, Jane, 5, and Elizabeth 3, and their son John, aged nine months. Jane's mother, Alice Jones, a 69 year old widow, lived with them.

Ten years later in 1881 Jane, now 47, was a widow; her son John, now 10, was in school and another daughter, Margaret, now aged 8, was also at school. Jane's unmarried sister, 40, also called Alice, a cook by occupation, lived with them along with Alice's son John aged 10, who attended school.

In 1891 Jane was 56 and living with her two year old grand daughter, Margaret Jane Williams.

Ten years later, in 1901, her bachelor son John, now 30, was living with her and working as an agricultural labourer. Was one of the above the Miss Margaret Williams who in her old age was looked after by Anne of Pont y Clwt?

In time Miss Williams' cow got sick, and she came to ask Hugh Evans of Garth Hebog (Uncle of Mr Hugh Ivor Evans, G.H.) to look at it. She was very upset about the sick cow, and this may have contributed to the stroke she then suffered. She collapsed in the house, and Hugh did what he could to make her safe before calling for help. When she died, Anne and Hugh Evans married, bought Pen Ucha'r Gwyllt from the heirs, and lived there for the rest of their lives.