Dear List,
I have the pleasure of confirming that the marriage found in the GRO indexes for James
Henry JONES and Elizabeth WALTERS in Bedwellty IS the marriage of the parents of Mabel
Jones (1904-73) born in Pontypridd, Glamorgan and who married/lived in Cwm, Ebbw Vale.
They were married in October 1901 (Free BMD indexes say 1902 - is this an error?) in St.
Paul's Church, Cwm. James Henry JONES was a widower (as I suspected) aged 34, of
'Parish', the son of James JONES, Collier. Elizabeth WALTERS was a 38 year old
spinster of 'This Parish', the daughter of William WALTERS, Coal Miner. The
spelling of her surname, also as I said, is a mere error caused no doubt by the similarity
of Walters/Waters when spoken. Elizabeth could not write which also explains the error and
one of the witnesses, Catherine WATERS, a literate relative confirms the tru spelling of
the family's surname. The other witness was an Ebenezer Gulliver who I think was
Elizabeth's cousin. The 1881 census for 7 Lethbridg!
e Terrace (Cwm or Ebbw Vale?) in Bedwellty shows William Rowlands (widower), his son
Ebenezer Rowlands (unmarried) and his son-in-law William WATERS, 38, born Ebbw Vale, Coal
Miner plus his wife Elizabeth (presumably nee Rowlands), 36, born Ebbw Vale and their
children including daughter Elizabeth, 16, born Ebbw Vale (presumably my Elizabeth who
married James Henry Jones in 1901) and their other children Henry, Martha, Ebenezer,
William and Watkin. Living at Pantysof Cottages, Aberystruth was Martha GULLIVER (32 y/o
widow) and her 10 y/o son Ebenezer who I take to be the witness to the 1901 marriage, his
mother Martha was probably nee ROWLANDS and a sister of Elizabeth WATERS nee ROWLANDS (who
used the names Martha and Ebenezer for two of her children) so that Ebenezer GULLIVER and
my Elizabeth WATERS were first cousins. The patriarch of this family, William ROWLANDS,
was aged [circa] 74 in 1881 and his birthplace is just given as 'Glamorgan' so
I'd appreciate any help with !
the ROWLANDS and WATERS families now that I have more information.
Best wishes
James Phillips-Evans