Charles Cross

A Memory of Bedwas.

Does anyone remember Charles Cross who spent his last years living with his nephew William Jones in Greenhill Cottages, Church Street, Bedwas(?) He died there in 1945 at the age of 79. He was my grandfather and I never met him or knew what he looked like; nor do I know where he was buried. He was a very clever engineer who was well known for the minature, working steam engines he used to build; one of which was displayed at Cwm Aber near Caerphilly, in the local school yard. (I have a very old photograph of this). Charles Cross was born (registered) in Bassaleg about 1866 and as a youngster also possibly lived in Michaelstone-y-Fedw and later in Rudry. Around 1898 he went to work in Birmingham where most of his children were born, and where he is reputed to have invented/built a special machine for the Cadbury Brothers at Bourneville. His eldest son, also Charles, was born in Senghenydd (1897) and was killed at Flanders, WW1 in 1918. Charles (senior) married Eleanor Montgomery from Durham in 1896. When he returned to Wales around 1912, he settled in John Street in Rogerstone. Eleanor died at the age of 49 in 1922. Though Charles continued to live in John Street for a good number of years, it is not known when he left or when he went to live in Bedwas. Does anyone know any relatives of him or William Jones? I would love to find out more about him and discover where he now lies at rest.

---

---