Swansea Family History

 Murder Stone – 2 Margaret Williams St. Catwg's church Cadoxton, Neath I wrote an article which was published in the Bay Magazine, Sweet F.A. , April 2021.   In the article I wrote about the murder stone at St. Catwg’s church, Cadoxton, Neath. It is commemorating the murder of Margaret Williams.   26-year-old Margaret hailed from Carmarthen and found employment in the local farm at Cadoxton.   When she fell pregnant, Margaret was asked to leave the farm. The figure of suspicion of the murder was pointed to the farmer’s son, Llewellyn Richard.   After the inquest, the jury couldn’t find enough evidence towards Llewellyn, and he was released.   He soon left completely onboard a cargo ship to America. The headstone was erected with the echoing words Alton born Quaker, Elijah Waring which reads:-   1823 To record MURDER This stone was erected over the body of MARGARET WILLIAMS Aged 26 A Native of Carmarthen Living In Service in this Parish Who was found dead wit

 Family connections. St. Nicholas church Moreton, Dorset Located in Moreton, Dorset, is the parish church, St. Nicholas. 1490 the church which had previously dedicated to St. Magnus Martyr (Magnus was the Earl of Orkney from 1106 to 1115), to St. Nicholas.   Nicholas the patron saint of sailors, merchants, arches, repentant thieves, prostitutes, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, unmarried people and students. The church during 1776.   The church of today, is the result of building works when the church was hit by a German bomb, 1940 Thomas Edward Lawrence 1918 Buried in the churchyard are Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”), Lawrence died 1935.   Even thought he is buried at St. Nicholas; Lawrence is buried separate burial ground.   Lawrence was the British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat and writer.   He became renowned for his role during the Arab Revolt (1916 – 1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915 – 1918) against the Ottoman Empire.   It wou

  Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson Elementary my Dear Watson, I do enjoy  partaking and challenge my grey matter and test the compliers of these Daily Express crosswords , thought Sherlock Holmes. Plymouth Brethren Meeting Room Old Chapel  Green Lane Cemetery, Farnham During my working day today, I cut through a cemetery, Green Lane Cemetery, Farnham.   As things goes, this a completely new cemetery, having been opened 1914.   The little chapel, which could seat 80 people, has been sold by the Farnham Town Council in recent years, and having been purchased by Plymouth Brethren, to use as their meeting room. There are 13 military burials, 2 dating from the First World War and the rest, 11 from the Second World War. However, one of the three notable burials, is that of Eille Norwood. Eille Norwood as Sherlock Holmes Eille Norwood, born Anthony Edward Brett, October 1861, was a stage actor, director and playwright, best known for portraying Sherlock Holmes , during a number of silen

  “Life is a blank canvas, and you need to throw all the paint on it you can”    so said the American actor   Danny Kaye . I live in Surrey so had the golden opportunity to hop on a train to visit the  National Portrait Gallery  in London. Well that was the plan! 27 th  April was the ideal day – I had a clear day so I boarded a train at Aldershot and travelled to London Charing Cross. Before arriving at Trafalgar Square, I passed a large number of people standing in a queue. On making enquires, I found out they were South African, and that 27 th  April, was their Free-dom Day. They were there to cast their election votes at the South African Embassy. From the top of his column,  Nelson  looked down on the  Vaisakhi Festival  that was underway in Trafalgar Square.  Vaisakhi  is a historical and religious festival in Sikhism, marking the start of the Sikh New Year. The National Portrait Gallery  (pictured above right) was established in 1856 and was the first portrait gallery in the worl

  Rhosilli, Gower, there are fields of beautiful sunflowers.  The sunflowers are planted with background of Worm’s Head.  Previous years, the plants have been planted by the National Trust.  This year, however, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, without the National Trust staff, local farmer Robert Morgan planted the sunflowers in fields used by the Trust and also buying himself an extra two fields. The sunflowers do vary in a variety of colours. Self-Portrait  1889 Musee d'Orsay Sunflowers 1888 Vincent van Gogh The famous piece of art, that features sunflowers, is Vincent van Gogh Sunflowers , 1888.   This still life painting was his fourth version. Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch post-impressionist artist. During his life, van Gogh, created 2,100 works, of which 860 were produced in the last two years of his life.     His works included landscapes, still life, portraits and self-portraits.   He wasn’t commercially successful in his life and during 1890, aged 37 van Gogh committed s