James and Phebe Evans

When I first started collecting facts about my family tree, I would have been the first to admit that I knew very little about my father's family. Apart from a couple of individuals, it was as though they were within a closed book. I knew my mother's family well, even the ones that were living away. My father's family were totally different. One day, I was walking through town and a total stranger came up to me and said, "Hello. You know who I am don't you? I'm your uncle." And the thing was....he was my uncle. Also, my Edwards grandparents had neighbours who were often calling in for tea and a gossip. I was twenty years old before I realised that they were and uncle and aunt of mine.

James and Phebe Evans are from my father's closed book of a family.
Here's how the link works.

My father:- Richard William Edwards  >  my grandfather:- William Edwards  > His parents, William and Barbara Edwards> Barbara Edwards' Mother and father, James and Phebe Evans, my great great grandparents.

Learning about James and Phebe helped me to answer a few mysteries.

Here is the family entry for the 1911 census.

William at the top was my great grandfather. Barbara, was James and Phebe's daughter. The second William was my grandfather. Look at the rest of the family names. James, John, Lilwen, Maldwyn but one name sticks out like a sore thumb. Rosina. Now, I can't ever remember my father talking about Aunty Rosina although I have since learned that she was his cousin Barbara's mother. Where did that name come from?

My Edwards grandparents lived in a tiny miner's cottage. Most of their lives were lived in the back kitchen. The front'best room was dominated by a chapel organ, which neither of them could play. I've always wondered, where did that organ come from?

Also, whilst growing out as a child I realised that my father had a few unexplained talents. He could fix watches, clocks and radios. He could cut hair. He'd even help my mother with a perm. Also, he'd make a pretty good job of fixing shoes. In our household, we had a cobbler's last. Now, I never thought that was a strange object to have in a house until I was very much older but I now realise that not many people had one.....but now I think I know where it came from.

Here is James and Phebe's entry from the 1861 census.

Married at 19. Living in Narberth. His job was a shoe-maker.

By 1871 they and moved to Llandissilio. James was now a railway porter. By now, they had four children, including Barbara, my great grandmother.

By 1881 they had moved to St Ishmael's, Ferryside. 

1891. Still a porter but the family had moved to the Station Master's House. 

Note:- by now there were two eleven year old daughters in the family, Elizabeth and Martha. Initially I thought that they were twins but it appears that they were just born at opposite ends of the same year.

The last census entry comes in 1901. By now, all of the children except Martha have left home. James is now a signalman (promotion?)

Sadly, I know very little about Phebe other than that she had lots of children and that for a while, she made gloves.

I've found out a few things about James from searching through old newspaper clippings. 

I don't think that anything of much importance ever occurred at Ferryside although I'm pretty sure that James and Phebe would have known about this event. 8th February 1904.

This is from 10th February 1908.

This is from 28th of February 1908.

So sad to have died so close to his retirement party.

I've  other interesting newspaper item that mentions an organ.

So, James Evans was an organist. He also knew a Miss Rosina Davies. She lived in Ferryside, as did James. Just one problem. The James Evans that I was interested died in February 1908. This story comes from March 1917. Then I remembered. James and Phebe had a son and his name was James.

Could this be him in the 1901 census? His birth date is correct. James and Phebe did probably have a child when they were living in Llandisilio. Also I find it interesting that he is recorded as being a teacher and organist.

Here is his entry from 1911.

Who was Rosina Davies?

Rosina Davies was quite a famous evangelist from a time in history when there was a great religious revival happening in Wales. She was the great aunt of Sian Phillips, author, actress and singer.

 There is a portrait of her, completed by the artist George Frederick Harris, grandfather of Rolf Harris.

So, it may be, and I could be wrong here, that the second James Evans, the teacher and organist, somehow left his organ to his sister Barbara and eventually it found its way to my grandparents' family home in Tylorstown?

It may also be that the Evans family were in contact with Rosina Davies. Maybe they'd heard her singing and her sermons. Maybe Barbara decided to name one of her children Rosina in much the same was as today's parents would name a child after a football player, a pop star or their favourite wine?

But there again, I might be totally wrong on all counts.

In the meantime, back to the organ. Here's a clip of what that type of instrument can and should sound like.

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