Most of my ancestors were coal miners, slate quarrymen, agricultural workers, tenant farmers, forgemen, domestic servants, laundresses and dressmakers. Their main interests were religion, politics and football. Apart from church and civil registrations and censuses, I only have detailed information on two lines from old letters, wills and other legal documents. I have, however, attempted to reconstruct their lives here using broader local and social histories, newspaper reports and obituaries and family memories.

I have taken my seven great grandparents as the starting point for my description of the various families to whom I belong. These are

Ellen JONES and Thomas MATES

Martha JONES and James PARRY

Elizabeth STOKES¹ and Henry ROBERTS

Margaret WILSON who did not marry.

Accounts of their ancestors will be continued in subsequent pages.