Beddgelert, Gwynedd

1901 census

This is actually a memory of my father, who is listed in the census of Wales for 1901 as being a quarryman, lodging at Cidwyn View, Betws Garmon aged 21.

I hope to visit the village (?) this Sept. and also the quarry. I would love to know if this house still stands.

Spiritual Home

My first memory of Tanygrisiau goes back to my being aged five and being taken there by my parents, Lloyd George and Catherine Owen. Dad's family had lived and worked at Tanygrisiau since almost the beginning of the slate mining industry. Dad was very proud of his slate mining ancestors, his great-great-great-grandfather James Williams being the Welsh partner in Ffestiniogs first... [more]

Lon Y Gert

I have a letter dated 1935 signed your brother William Hugh Jones to my grandfather James Oscough Jones who lived in Garn  unable to find my grandfathers birth record not sure if he was adopted still checking he did live at Lon Gert found family possibly his as it states on my grandfathers marriage father as Hugh Jones:-
Hugh b... [more]

Borth Y Gest - Simply The Best

I'm privileged to be the first to leave a memory relating to Borth Y Gest. I first had a holiday there in 1964. The owner of the factory where my dad was director owned a lovely holiday home in an elevated position in Mersey Street. The house is called "Mirain" and has unrivalled views across the estuary to... [more]

Bronddwyryd

Not exactly my memory (only 44yrs old).  But in the research of my family tree, I have been interested in locating old pictures of Bronddwyryd.  The small row of houses were built in 1880, and my great grandfather Richard Evans (1846-1912) was the first to rent the property.  His son, my grandfather Evan Evans (1880-1954) lived there with his wife Annie... [more]

100 years ago

My aunt Elizabeth Lloyd Griffiths Jones was born in Blaenau Ffestinog on Feb. 12, 1906. She is the daughter of the late William and Annie Griffiths. She came to America in around 1920. While living in Wales she lived with her maternal grandmother Elizabeth Jones (Husband was David Jones). As a young girl she came to... [more]

Simple holidays.

When I saw this photo of the road leading to the beach, I could literally smell the sand and the sea. I felt the excitement of a five year old, armed with bucket and spade. Further up from the beach but on the same road, there was a large white house with a long path from its gate. This was the... [more]

WW11 in Llan Ffestiniog

Towards the end of WW11 my mother took me to visit family in Llan Ffestiniog. I was vey young. I recall clearly looking out of the parlour window and seeing a communal water pump in the street and with dozens if not hundreds of soldiers passing through - apparently en route to their camp at Trawsfynydd.
Where was the pump ?... [more]