Harry Davies

Harry Davies was my grandfather; my mother's father. 

George Henry Davies was born in October 1884 in Crickhowell, Breconshire, his father, Henry, was 39 and his mother, Mary, was 39. He married Annie Smith in 1905. They had seven children in 15 years. He had three brothers and two sisters.

Harry died in 1958. I would have been four years old at the time. I've searched my memory but sadly I can't remember him at all. However, I have managed to gather together some interesting facts.

L to R. Cousin Sandra, My uncle Charles Heighes, mother May, brother Barrie, grandmother Ann, grandfather Harry, cousin Chris.

A few years ago, my cousin Chris showed me a small item that he owned that Harry had made. It was a small brass matchbox case detailing his First World War service.

Note:- the date 29/9/18 was the day that Bulgaria surrendered.

For many years I thought of this artefact as a simple matchbox case. However, you should realise that during the First World War, servicemen were not issued with dog tags. Many soldiers created items such as this so that their bodies could be identified.

It was seeing this one item that made me want to know more about my grandfather. There were so many clues on this simple matchbox case but for many years, I couldn't make any progress at all. 

I then discovered my grandmother's death certificate. On it, her husband's name was listed as George Henry Davies. I'd been looking for a Harold. Once I realised this, I discovered Harry's World War 1 records.

Harry signed up for service at Brecon Barracks on the ninth of December 1915. Note, that at the time he stated that he was single. Rather strange as at the time he'd been married for about twelve years.

 This made no sense. Listing himself as single meant that he'd be on reduced pay. The only reason why he listed himself as single could possibly be down to his enthusiasm for going to war. Apparently at the time the South Wales Borderers would be sending two drafts of soldiers to the front in France. The first draft was made up of soldiers who were single. Married men would go in the later draft.

There are other documents showing that he was in the army in September 1914, so one of the first to enlist.

 Harry was sent to France on 25th September 1915. He might have seen action at the Battle of Loos, on September 25th 1915. This was the first time that the British Army used poison gas. This turned out to be a bit of a disaster for the British when the gas drifted back over British lines.
Harry didn't stay long in France. On the 31st of October 1915 he was transferred to Salonika on Greece.

Some pictures.
Rhondda Valley camp at Salonika.
Artillery Ammunition Limber
18 pounder field gun
Gardening
South Wales Borderers
South Wales Borderers Pack Mule Transport



Most people these days don't even realise that there was any fighting going on in Greece. This must have been quite a strange existence for Harry. He was part of a multi-national defence force made up of French, Italian, Russian, and Serbian forces. The Serbian army had almost been wiped out by the Bulgarians and had suffered and starved on a long retreat to Greece. The Greek government were trying to stay neutral but had to put up with this multi-national force that was trying to stop the Bulgarians advancing. From what I've discovered, not much actual fighting took place over the years that harry spent there. Apparently many soldiers spent (wasted) their time racing tortoises. I've also read that horse shows were organised there. Maybe Harry was involved somehow. However, disease amongst the men was rife, with many, including Harry catching malaria.

Harry's medical record.

A letter from Private Ieuan Hughes. Probably on the same ship as Harry.

Harry's medical record shows that he spent some time at Karaissi hospital. 

Here is a picture of the nursing staff.

Recently I've come across some film from the Salonika campaign. Who knows; Harry might be in there somewhere. Two of the movies feature images of the British Army at Salonika. One shows the town of Salonika. I love this one. It gives me the impression that Salonika was quite a modern, forward-thinking town. Occasionally you get glimpses of some quite big department stores. The fourth film tells the story of The Great Fire of Salonika. This happened in 1917. Harry was definitely there at the time.

Eventually he was evacuated to Alexandria on the 14th of September 1917. He sailed on the ship
S.S. Manitou, arriving in Alexandria on the nineteenth of September.

Harry was home on leave in March 1918. This snippet comes from the Aberdare Leader, 2nd of March 1918.

His service records show that he re-joined active service in August 1918. His matchbox case suggests that he went to France on the third of September 1918.

It was quite hard for the soldiers of Salonica upon their return home. The other soldiers who had served in France thought that the Salonica men had quite a cushy number. After all, the Salonika front only saw one serious battle in three years. They Western Front men even had a name for the Salonika men....The Gardeners of Salonica. However, the dangers of Salonica were of a different nature with so many servicemen falling ill to malaria, typhoid, scarlet fever etc.  A large percentage of the Salonika servicemen fell ill in this way.

Harry spent the rest of his life as a colliery farrier. The family lived in Aberdare for a while but then moved to New Street in Ferndale. In 1913 my great grandfather William Smith was killed in a colliery accident. Maybe they went back to live with my great grandmother Martha? Eventually they would move to Blaenllechau. Harry and his wife Ann had seven children, six girls and a boy.

People have told me that he never forgot Salonika. Maybe I should go there one day to find whether he left anything behind.

People have told me that he was quite a gruff character, but he had a soft side. I'm told that he had a real soft spot for my brother Barrie. My aunty Doreen told me that he once returned home for work and sat down for his dinner, as he always did. When my grandmother placed his food in front of him, he pushed it away and burst into tears. That was the day when his favourite pit pony had died.

He was a keen gardener. Apparently his garden was a living picture. He'd only grow flowers though.  This skill appeared to have been passed down to my uncle Burt who was also a keen gardener. (Roses). Maybe it is a skill that has been passed down to me. In my latter years I've become interested in gardening although I wouldn't call myself successful.

 I'm told that he tried breeding terriers once, but this wasn't much of a success. 

16 Club Row, Blaenllechau

If you'd like to learn more about the Salonica campaign, read The Gardeners of Salonica by Alan Palmer.

As far as I know, this is the only song written about Salonica. It's an Irish folk song.....or is it a protest song.

Salonika by the folk band Lankum.

Oh my husband's in Salonika.

I wonder if he's dead?

I wonder if he knows he has a kid with a foxy head?

So write away.

So write away.

So write away Salonika, write away me soldier boy.

George Henry "Harry" Davies.

1884-1958.

Sergeant, South Wales Borderers and Royal Field Artillery.

Colliery Farrier.

Husband, Father and Grandfather.

A couple of years ago, my daughter Elinor gave me a lifebelt. It had been left over from one of her circus performances. I decided to paint it and decorate it. It now hangs in my garden, near my pond, just in case.

Index

Links
Keeston, Camrose.
William Dennis
The Smith Family
Bill Edwards
May Edwards
The Edwards Family
The Edwards Name
Thomas Smith
Smith / Dennis connections

Keeston, Camrose.

Looking down my mother's line of the family tree, I discovered a branch of the family with the surname Deveraux.  The only picture that I have of a Deveraux is this one.

Martha Smith nee Deveraux.

She was born on Christmas Day 1853.

Her father was named Thomas Deveraux. He couldn't read or write. He signed Martha's birth certificate with a mark.

Martha's mother was also called Martha. Her maiden name had been Davied.

They lived in a tiny hamlet called Keeston, which is near the village of Camrose, near Haverfordwest.

Thomas Deveraux was a farm labourer.

There were actually a few  ladies called Martha Deveraux. My great grandmother, shown in the picture. Her mother was also Martha Deveraux. She died of cholera in1866. She was 53 at the time so was probably born in 1813.

Notice from the 1881 census report that Thomas Devereux was living with the Smiths. He was my great-great grandfather. There was also a niece living with them , also called Martha Devereux.

At the time, Keeston held a fair twice a year, in the Spring and in the Autumn. These were probably Hiring Fairs.

I've only managed to find one newspaper item relating to Keeston.

So, there were a few ladies called Martha Deveraux.

One was born around 1815. She married Thomas Deveraux, a farm labourer.

She died in 1866 of cholera. Strangely, around the same time there was much celebration in the area as a railway line had pushed through the area.

Thomas and Martha had a number of children. One of them was named Martha and would be my great grandmother. In the 1911 census she is living in New Street, Ferndale with her husband William and also a sister, Eliza. I'm not sure when she died although there is a death listed in 1927.

I'm not sure what became of Martha Deveraux the niece although I did find a newspaper report that told of a Martha Devereux that was named as a receptionist for a spiritualist medium.

Another Martha Devereux was born in the area in 1816.

I've also found evidence of the death of a one year old child called Martha Devereux (1824)

Thomas Devereux lived until 1890. I can't be sure of this, but I think after 1881 he moved to Pontypridd. A Thomas Devereaux is listed as working in the Penrhiw Colliery. At one time, a Thomas Devereux appeared in court accused of helping to organise a strike. These were the days before organised unions. The newspaper refers to the action as a holiday.

If this is my great great grandfather then he was still working at the age of 74.

The only other newspaper article that I have relating to a Thomas Deveraux records an appearance in court.

He was fined one shilling and three pence. He would have been 36 at the time. I wonder what he did?

Update.

I now have Thomas Deveraux's death certificate. He died on the Fourth of November 1890.

At the time, he was living in Lake Street, Ferndale. I think I remember this as being the posh part of Ferndale. One of my doctors lived there. His son was also called Thomas Deveraux and he was with his father when he died. The son's name was also Thomas Deveraux. Again, he signed his name with a mark. Thomas Deveraux junior lived in Beech Street, again, one of the nicer parts of Ferndale.

From the Land Tax sheets I learned that Rees Devereux was farming at Kethingston in 1786....presumably Keeston .....where Stephen Devereux was farming in 1830.

In 1786 Gabriel Devereux and James Devereux farmed in Camrose as well, but I have not endeavoured to track inbetweentimes until we learn more from you.

More on Thomas Devereux.

Strange when you think about it. My great grandmother's father-in-law was sent to prison for poaching. Her husband, William Smith's father was a game keeper.

Stephen Devereux

Stephen Devereux was Thomas' father, so that would make him my great great great grandfather. So far I've discovered that his wife was called Emma. I have also discovered this newspaper advert.

I suppose this might give me a clue as to why I'm not a landowner in Pembrokeshire.

Index

William Dennis

William Dennis

William Dennis was the man that should have been my grandfather. 

This was a story that was never talked about amongst my family. It was my Auntie Doreen that told me this story shortly before she died. Apparently, William married my grandmother, Ann Smith in July of 1900, just a few months after his cycling fine. A few months after that, I was told that he was killed in a mining accident.

It is a really creepy thought, but if he hadn't died, then it is likely that myself, my brother, my cousins, my mother and my aunts and uncles would never have been born.

I've managed to find his obituary, but so far I have been unable to find any mention of his death in newspaper archives.

We record the death of a young friend William Dennis to the place above who died 26th February at the early age of 26 years old.The son of John and Hannah Dennis, Gadlys Street,Aberdare.

His mother died when he was just a small child.Soon after this, his father moved to Ferndale to live there and he spent the greater part of his life living comfortably in the house of his aunt,Elizabeth Williams of Taff Street.

He was buried the following Saturday at Aberdare public landfill site . The service was carried out by the Reverend D Silent Evans, Aberdare. He left a young widow of six months to mourn him who participated in the ceremony.

Let the widows comforter and father of the fatherless look after her in her misery and longing.

Here is a copy of their wedding certificate.

Here you can see the Smith family's census entry in the 1901 census. It was this clue of my grandmother being named as Ann Dennis that led me to believe that she had indeed had a previous marriage.

After William's death, she discovered that she was pregnant. She had a little boy and named him William John Dennis. I'd love to learn what became of him.

My grandmother, Ann Davies, as I remember her.

W56 Consecrated Maerdy Cemetery.

Blaenllechau.

A Mystery Solved

One day, during my teenage years, I was out with my parents driving around South Wales. My mother saw a road sign for Ystradgynlais. She became really animated and asked, "We must go there. I'd like to see my Uncle Reg (or did she say cousin?) She had no idea where he lived but she appeared determined to find him. We were actually stopping the car and asking total strangers whether they knew where Reg lived. Eventually, we actually found him. I remember him being quite a tall man, with grey hair. We had quite a welcome, with the best china brought out for us. Problem was, I never fully understood who Reg was. Looking through our family tree, nobody in the Davies or Smith line has a Reg,

Then, a few days ago, from the depths of my memory I remembered my mother asking those people on the road in Ystradgynlais. She wasn't asking about Reg. She asked after Reg Dennis.

Look back at the Scorching Cyclists newspaper clipping. There was another Dennis mentioned. Gomer Dennis. To my mind, this was probably William Dennis' brother.

Looking at the 1911 census report, I found an entry for Gomer Dennis who at the time, was living in Ystradgynlais. Also listed, was his eight year old son, Reggie. Mystery solved.

It makes me think that there must have been contact between the Davies and the Dennis family for years after William Dennis' death. I'm pretty sure that I can remember my mother saying that they used to visit Reg.

I managed to find one other newspaper story relating to Gomer Dennis.

William Dennis is buried with his father in Plot E52 at Aberdare cemetery.

I have tried to visit the grave. We made a visit on a Sunday. Sadly, the cemetery is huge and none of the plots appear to be numbered. I've been advised that it is best to visit on a weekday, timing your visit to coincide with the grave-diggers morning tea break. Apparently a packet of biscuits makes them more helpful.

Recently, thanks to Facebook, I've managed to contact Kevin Dennis. He is Gomer Dennis' great grandson. He runs a transport firm in Ystradgynlais.

Index

The Smith Family

I believe that this picture shows my great grandparents, Martha and William Smith together with my grandmother, Ann. The child could be my Auntie Phylis. For many years the Smiths lived in New Street in Ferndale.

My grandmother went on to have seven children. One of them was my mother. A few months before my Auntie Doreen died, I was told that my grandmother had a previous marriage. She had married a young collier, but just a few weeks after the wedding, he was killed in a mining accident. 

I told this story to my brother and cousins. We were all somewhat dubious about the story. We all felt that it was often best not to believe anything that Auntie Doreen ever told us. However, from research I have found out that it was true. Ann married a young man called William Dennis in July 1900. He was killed in 1901 although so far I have been unable to find any details of his death.

I've found two items relating to William Smith.

The first is a report on his inquest. This definitely relates to my Great Grandfather as I know that he lived at 40 New Street, Ferndale.

Fatal Accident to Ferndale Man- Struck on the Leg by Overhead Wire. Inquest Adjourned. An inquest was opened at the Salisbury Hotel. ferndale. on Saturday morning last by Mr. R. J. Rhvs. district coroner, touching the death of William Smith, married, 58 years of age. residing at 40. New Street, Ferndale, and employed as pulleyman at the No. 1 Pit of Messrs. D. Davis and Sons. Ltd. Henry Davies. son-in-law of deceased, gave evidence of identification, and stated that he had been in fairly good health during the past twelve months. The Coroner: Had he been injured previously ? Witness: Yes. on the hand. George Jones, rider, the next witness, said that lhe was riding on a journey of twelve empty trams on a single road about 8.45 a.m. last Wednesday. When he first saw Smith he was then fifteen yards ahead of the journey, but when passing he noticed that he was lying on the ground, shouting for help. "At this time we were travelling at a slow pace. Immediately I heard his shouts I assisted in taking him to the locking station, where he informed me that he had received a cut on the leg." Thomas John Davies, haulier, who was an eye-witness of the accident, said that he. was standing only half a yard away from Smith when he saw him being struck by the overhead rope, which broke and flew back, hitting him on the leg, thus causing him to fall on his seat. Thomas Johns, manager of the pit, described the breaking of the rope. The doggy had got on to the drum of the engine (the other side of Midwinter, the engineer), which he could not possibly see, and thus caused the two ropes at the main and tail-to overlap each other until they came to a standstill. Mid-winter re-started the engine, which now caused the rope to snap at the cap. The engine had been in that place for about seven years, and the rope was a new one, the latter having only been in use since July 23rd, and during all those years everything; had gone on quite satisfactorily without any accident. Dr. John Williams was next called. He said that he attended Smith at 10 a.m. at his home in New Street, when he found him suffering from a. shock, but quite conscious. He ordered him to take cocoa, and whilst dressing tho leg Smith drank two cupsful. The nature of the injury was a cut on the shin 3 inches below the knee, with much discolouration around the knee. The Coroner Did you see him afterwards ? Witness: Yes. I again called at. 2 o'clock in the afternoon. This time I found him in a semi-conscious state, and it was with difficulty I was able to arouse him. and after I had gathered a little information he collapsed. It was 7 p.m. the same day when I saw him next, and he was perfectly unconscious. "I could not possibly rouse him in any shape or form." said the doctor. At 10 p.m. he again went to see him. but this time life had expired. The Coroner How do you account for his death ? Witness: Some injury to the brain caused coma. It could have been concussion followed by extreme congestion, but there were no symptoms whatever externally. It was decided to adjourn the inquest till Wednesday morning next at 10.30, in order that a post-mortem might be held.

This report was from The Rhondda Leader,
  6th September 1913

The witness, Henry Davies, was my grandfather, George Henry Davies, also known as Harry.

I'm not so sure about this report. William Smith must be a really popular name. This happened on  11th August 1900. In the 1901 census, William Smith's occupation was listed as a coal haulier. I suppose that he may have found a new job between the two dates.

A delivery cart on Pontygwaith bridge. Could this be William Smith?

Ferndale Colliery.

40 New Street, Ferndale.

Thomas Smith

Thomas Smith was my great great grandfather. In 1861 he is listed as owning a farm called 'Hermitage' in Haycastle, Pembrokeshire.

Farmer of 105 acres.

Which begs the question, why didn't his son William inherit the farm? What became of the farm?

Some interesting facts about Thomas Smith.

Another family member having a brush with the law.....speeding. This time, a fine o £1/9/3.

A big fine in 1864.

He was married in 1845.

His wife Mary died in 1863

He re-married in 1866 to Jane Roberts.

Alexander and Ann Smith.

I've managed to trace the family back to the late 1700s. Before Trafalgar. Before Waterloo. When people wrote with a quill pen. This is what the Davies / Smith / Deveraux side of the family tree now looks like.

Alexander and Ann Smith would be my great-great-great grandparents. Miles back in time but I've still managed to find a few things relating to them.

Alexander and Ann's Wedding certificate. Note that they mark their names with a cross. 1813.

Alexander's death certificate. Note, no reason could be found for his death. 1845.

Ann's baptism certificate. Note the 'B'word. 1790.

Ann Smith Death Certificate. Lived until 1800. Died age 92.

Index