Gething family and Baptist causes (General)

by wbellin, Monday, June 21, 2010, 11:39 (5347 days ago) @ Astley 7

A benefactor of the Baptist college at Pontypool in the 19th century was a George Gething. Is that the same George Gething (md to Jane)who lost two daughters (drowned at Southerndown 21/7/1842)? In the old Baptist chapel at Caerleon, Newport [now two private houses] there was a plaque He was a shipping merchant using the Usk at Caerleon. I would like to know more about the family and their connections.

"Sacred to the memory of Mary aged 15 years and Jane aged 13 years, only daughters of George and Jane Gething of the town of Newport, died 21st July 1842"

Bradney's history of Monmouthshire records the plaque. Then the Bristol Mercury and Daily post, Saturday,July 30 1842 reports

"In our last we breifly alluded to the melancholy dealth, by drowning, of Jane, aged 14, and Mary, aged 16, daughters of George Gething, Esq., of Newport. It appears that the two ladies, with their mother, who was stopping near Southerndown,a watering place, near Bridgend, on the Glamorganshire coast, went to bathe under Dunraven Castle, not far from the Summer-house. The tide being low, the young ladies proceeded beyond the point; and Mrs Gething repeatedly enjoined them to be cautious and not venture beyond the shallow water. They were , however, drawn into the current, and after a brief struggle for existance, both perished! Poor Mrs Gething made every exertion to rescue her children. She went out of her depth and narrowly escaped the fate of her lost offspring. The agonised father immediately reached the scene of the wo, and found his wife in a state of insensibility. The body of Jane aged 14, was soon recovered, but Mary was not found till about half past twelve on Friday morning. ... The afflicted father, wandering in agony beside the treacherous waters, found his beloved child Mary a stiffened corpse the next morning. A verdict of accidental dealth has been returned ..."