Forest of Dean FHT Forum - Railways from Dean to Monmouthshire, South Wales & Beyond...

Railways from Dean to Monmouthshire, South Wales & Beyond... (reply)

10noyrum — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:30:50 +0000

How interesting. My grandfather William Henry Morgan was working in the Tin works at Redbrook in 1911. He might well have taken the Coleford to Pontypool railway on part of his journey to Ebbw Vale where he worked in the Tin-works. He eventually worked in the tin works in Abercarn.

Railways from Dean to Monmouthshire, South Wales & Beyond... (reply)

Jefff — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:26:11 +0000

Hi Dougal,
if you want to learn a little more about the once extensive railway links between the Forest & South Wales these websites are recommended. Within the Forest itself many disused trackbeds are now cyclepaths, trains were still hauling goods (mostly coal of course) until the early 60s. In your ancestors' time the railways could take you or your goods anywhere very regularly, quickly and reliably.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nigel.nicholson/gn/page%2095.html
The links at the extreme bottom of this hugely informative webpage will take you to the other Dean lines of old. I particularly like this site as it helps us relate the old routes to the modern settings the lines used to run thro.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleford,_Monmouth,_Usk_and_Pontypool_Railway

http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/wye.html

James WHITTINGTON - Lydbrook Family -> South Wales (reply)

dougal — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:22:58 +0000

does appear that way. I know another child - called Cyril was also born in Cinderford, he died the same year as his birth 1901 and they were back in Abersychan by 1903 for the next child. Might be the reasoning for that.
Thank you for your informative assistance though. Didn't know about the train links as these days there are none through the forest so I didn't consider it.

James WHITTINGTON - Lydbrook Family -> South Wales (reply)

slowhands — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:46:38 +0000

Just found it strange that they appeared to go back and forth

1911 Manor Road Abersychan Mon
James Whittington 44 Cinderford
Kate Whittington 41 Cinderford
Alfred Whittington 20 Abersychan
Frank Whittington 18 Abersychan
Harold Whittington 17 Abersychan
Tom Whittington 14 Abersychan
Harry Whittington 12 Cinderford
Florance Whittington 8 Abersychan
Cryel Whittington 6 Abersychan
Laura Whittington 4 Abersychan
Hubert Whittington 2/12 Abersychan
Rachel Powell 16 Abersychan
Annie Whittington 2 Abersychan

1901 Perkins Row Littledean hill
James Whittington abt 1867 Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Kate Whittington abt 1870 Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
Alfred Whittington abt 1891 Monmouthshire, Wales Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Frank Whittington abt 1893 Monmouthshire, Wales Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Harold Whittington abt 1894 Monmouthshire, Wales Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Tom Whittington abt 1897 Monmouthshire, Wales Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Harry Whittington abt 1899 Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Syriel Whittington abt 1901 Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Earnest Moss abt 1895 Monmouthshire, Wales Visitor East Dean, Gloucestershire

1891 Cwmavon Road
James Whittington abt 1866 Gloucestershire, England Head Trevethin, Monmouthshire
Kate Whittington abt 1871 Gloucestershire, England Wife Trevethin, Monmouthshire
Alfred V Whittington abt 1890 Monmouthshire, Wales Son Trevethin, Monmouthshire

1891 Incline Rd
John Cook abt 1838 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Head Trevethin, Monmouthshire
Alice Cook abt 1848 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Wife Trevethin, Monmouthshire
Lilley Cook abt 1874 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Trevethin, Monmouthshire
Victor Cook abt 1876 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Son Trevethin, Monmouthshire
Ernest Cook abt 1879 Varteg, Monmouthshire, Wales Son Trevethin, Monmouthshire
Willie Cook abt 1885 Varteg, Monmouthshire, Wales Son Trevethin, Monmouthshire

1881 Upper Lydbrook
Richard Whittington abt 1830 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Head West Dean, Gloucestershire
Ann Whittington abt 1837 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Wife West Dean, Gloucestershire
Thomas Whittington abt 1863 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
James Whittington abt 1866 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Edward Whittington abt 1868 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Hubert Whittington abt 1873 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire

We can only guess but work would seem to be key, or it is possible a sick family member brought them back to Cinderford, and then greater prosperity drew then back to Pontypool.....

WHITTINGTON - Lydbrook Family -> South Wales (reply)

dougal — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:29:27 +0000

The branch I'm researching are my Husband's great grandfather James Henry Whittington b28.4.1966 Worrall Hill, parents Richard b1829 Lydbrook, and Ann b 1836 Ruardean.
he was living in Lydbrook in 1871 and 1881. At some stage after this he moved to Cwmavon, nr Abersychan and got married in Pontenewydd in 1888 to Kate Cook from Woodside originally.
They lived in Cwmavon until approx 1899 when they moved back to Littledean Hill, Cinderford for a few years, 1899 and 1901 definitely, and are on 1901 census there, then returning to Abersychan until his death.
Just found it strange that they appeared to go back and forth

WHITTINGTON - Lydbrook Family -> South Wales (reply)

slowhands — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:31:37 +0000

Was wondering if anyone could explain why this family moved back and forward from Lydbrook - Abersychan (Pontypool ish), back to Littledean Hill and back once again to Abersychan. It was a mining family
Thank you

Without knowing the branch that you refer to ....

. We know that some WHITTINGTON's had settled in Aberystruth http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=35652

. There was a good rail connection from Lydbrook to the South Wales Valleys i.e the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway

. Coal production and possibly wages may have been higher

and other factors would create reasons for families freely moving between the two areas.....

Whittington 1866 - 1015 (reply)

dougal — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:24:34 +0000

Was wondering if anyone could explain why this family moved back and forward from Lydbrook - Abersychan (Pontypool ish), back to Littledean Hill and back once again to Abersychan. It was a mining family
Thank you

Coal mining - labour movement etc (reply)

slowhands — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 03:51:35 +0000

Migration ( economic ) is not new to the FOD, many were "Voreigners" who arrived from South Wales, Staffordshire and other areas. Also many left to seek fortune elsewhere, - Staffordshire (!), South Wales ,Lanacashire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Durham, America etc etc.

Mining - Iron, Coal - and Quarrying have been part of Forest life for many generations ( Centuries). Witness the Freeminer traditions.

I'm sure that labour was scarce in other regions, so the skilled workers - sinkers, etc, as well as the face workers and engine men, were recruited to other areas as Mining developed there. In the late Victorian era, and then again in the Depression of the 1920/30's. Finally as Beavan boys in the 1940's we can see evidence of Labour movement.

Prior generations of "slowhands" have tunneled under the Vorest and Yorks/Notts.

< Whilst penning this, I'm reminded of a Monty Python sketch - "We had it tough" etc etc .... I'm proud of my roots, and admire the hard life these folk endured; repetitive strain injury, knowledge workers, what would they have made of that ! >

Associated threads - LEADBEATER GRINDLE etc (reply)

Jean Herbert — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 03:16:43 +0000

Thank you Mike and of course Slowhands for this information. I was interested in James initially as he was at one point living in Yorkshire. When I first started researching the Herbert Tree, our main line, we had thought that they were the only ones who "Emigrated" to Yorkshire. A lot further down the line, thanks to information from various members of this site, not forgetting Slowhands, we have found that many of the related by marriage families also landed up in Yorkshire. They were all Coal Miners and the areas they settled in were at one time large mining communities. Sadly these are no more but descendants of these families are still around. Would it be safe to assume that around the late 1800's the mines in Wales and Gloucestershire had started to be worked out and perhaps this is the reason for the huge migration? Regards Jean Herbert

Associated threads - LEADBEATER GRINDLE etc (reply)

slowhands — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:01:58 +0000

Modern Miskin / Llantrisant (old Ystradyfogwy)

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/GLA/Ystradyfodwg/

James seems to be living in the Porth and Cymmer part of the Parish. Lower Rhondda ( aka Gateway to the Rhondda )

in the area of the Cymmer Colliery http://www.therhondda.co.uk/photos/colliery/cymmer_1920.html
http://www.porthnewydd.org/history.htm
http://webapps.rhondda-cynon-taf.gov.uk/heritagetrail/rhondda/porth/Porth.htm
http://www.ggat.org.uk/historic%20landscapes/Rhondda/English/Rhondda_001.htm

and FOD links

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=1158#p1171

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=798#p802

James Leadbeater 1869 (reply)

shepway — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:04:48 +0000

Hello Jean,

James was working in the South Wales coalfields in 1901. He was a Coal Hewer and living with his family at 8 Argyle Street, Ystradyfodwg.
This is the Census:

Florence Leadbeater abt 1899 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Ystradyfodwg Glamorgan
Frank Leadbeater abt 1900 Sorth, Glamorgan, Wales Son Ystradyfodwg Glamorgan
James Leadbeater abt 1870 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Head Ystradyfodwg Glamorgan
Julia Leadbeater J abt 1859 Blaisden, Gloucestershire, England Wife Ystradyfodwg Glamorgan
Annie George abt 1890 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Stepdaughter Ystradyfodwg Glamorgan
Mable George abt 1892 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Stepdaughter Ystradyfodwg Glamorgan
Wallace George abt 1882 Blaisden, Gloucestershire, England Stepson Ystradyfodwg Glamorgan

James married Julia Emily George nee Bowkett in December Quarter 1893 Westbury on Severn Vol 6a Page 497

This was Julia's second marriage having married Edwin Henry George September Quarter 1878 Westbury on Severn Vol 6a Page 393. Edwin died March Quarter 1892 aged 34. Westbury on Severn Vol 6a Page 205

You can find full details of the Edwin's baptism and burial and Julia's baptism and marriages in the Parish Records on this site.

Mike

James Leadbeater 1869

Jean Herbert — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:49:57 +0000

Searching for James Leadbeater (various spellings of surname) after 1891.
His parents were Frederick Leadbeater and Susan Elizabeth (nee Grindle)
I have his baptism record, obtained from this site, 31 Oct 1869. Found on census 1871 and 1881 still at home with his parents. Found him on 1891 lodging in the household of a James Cavender in Kimberworth Rotheram Yorkshire. James was aged 21 and a Collier. After this date I cannot find him on the 1901 census. Could he have emigrated? Regards Jean Herbert