The GENUKI pages for Merthyr at
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/GLA/MerthyrTydfil/ have a link to the >
parish map showing the 'hamlets' into which the parish was divided. Gellideg
included most of Abercanaid and was west of the river Taff, Heolwermod
(variously spelled) was east of the river Taff and included Pentrebach.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/GLA/MerthyrTydfil/ParishMap.html
superimposes the hamlet boundaries on a more modern map.
It was common for the larger parishes in Glamorgan to be sub-divided into
'hamlets' for purposes of administration of the poor law, for example.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/GLA/MerthyrTydfil/Lewis1833.html is worth
reading to get an impression (perhaps somewhat bigoted) of Merthyr in the
early 19th century.
Alan George's web site based on old photos of Merthyr is also well worth
looking at.
http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/old_merthyr.htm
The Alan George site has a section on St James's Church, Pentrebach which
explains the formation of the 'ecclesiastical district'.
With common surnames it can sometimes be difficult to be sure that you
have
found the right marriage. The best way forward is often to find the birth
of
one of the younger children after the start of civil registration,
preferably one with a distinctive name, and obtain a birth certificate
showing the mother's maiden name. Working backwards to the eldest child
found in any census you can then look for a likely marriage in Glamorgan
FHS
pre-1837 marriage index or findmypast.co.uk . Sometimes if a family had
their children baptised in the parish church ( not very widespread in
Merthyr in the 1830s to 1850s) baptism records can narrow down the date of
birth, and family location at the time, so that one can be more sure of
finding the right birth certificate.
Note that because of high mortality rates ( and Merthyr area was hit hard
by
the Cholera outbreaks of 1832 and particularly 1849 for example) there were
often remarriages of widowers and widows, so the wife found in 1861 census
might not have been the mother of all the children.
Jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: "MARC ARCHER" <marcher56(a)att.net>
To: <glamorgan(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 1:35 AM
Subject: Re: [GLA] Hamlets of Gollydog & ? Heohuormwood?
List,
I'm looking at census entries for 1861 that list the Hamlets of Gollydog
in the eclesiastical district of Pentrebach, also what looks like the
hamlet of Heohuormwood, also in Pentrebach. I was expecting to find them
in Abercanaid, which I know is near Pentrebach. Does anyone know of these
places? Or their proximity to each other? Or can decipher the
Heohuormwood?
Also, with the help of a generous fellow-listee, I've found what I believe
to be my ancestors, on the 1861 census, William Davies ae 54 b. Merthyr
Tydfil and his wife Mary b. Llanyfelach ae 50, and William Morgan ae 49 b.
Aberdare, and his wife Margaret ae 46, b. Merthyr Tydfil. Since they were
married before compulsory registration, but might be on the 1841 census,
is the only way of finding the wives' maiden names a parish marriage?
Many thanks,
Marc Archer
Ludington, MI