Philip Crook. my great grandfather was born in 1835 in Blaina, Mon.
He lived in Coalbrookvale until 1847 and then with family to Newport (1851
census).
Worked as errand boy for Henry Oakley at Lanwarth St/ Commercial St,
Newport,
then apprenticed to Mr Powell, draper in Commercial Road.
Moved back to Blaina in 1854 and (no work for drapers!) started work again
at the IronWorks.
In March 1857 Philip married Jane Hyatt, a 24 year old widow, (nee Densley,
father Peter) at English Wesleyan Church, Tredegar.
He records that he was a local preacher taking services at Ebbw vale,
Sirhowey,Nantyglo, Beaufort and Tredegar with the names of George Monkley,
Sammy Nicks (a blacksmith, ventriloquist,and preacher), Rev S Lucas and
Thomas Shinton who was foreman at the foundry.
Accepting that the 1861 census is incomplete it is unfortunate that there
is no mention of Philip/Jane Crook or any Densley in Mon.
By 1865 Philip was in Liverpool when Jane died.
Philip then married my great grandmother Anna Maria Freeman born in Suffolk
in Liverpool in 1866.
If anyone recognises any of the names or can add anything, it would be very
good to
hear.
Thanks,
Barry Crook (Yorkshire).