Initially when starting Welsh research in the Brecon area, I often thought
I'd found the place, but it's not only the names of people, but house /farm
names which are very common. Names like Pentwyn, Colebrook, Troed-y-harne,
Fforrdfawr,Genffordd may occur frequently & be spelled differently. In
consequence I made lots of mistakes. The place name might be changed e.g.
Elormeich became Oaklands. The -isha & -uchaf appendage can create
problems. We came back with a load of research finds from Penywaen,
Llanddew,only to discover it wasn't Penywaenisha ( a variant spelling was
Penisarwain) but -uchaf we should have been getting. Also, because the
incidence of some names is so high, it is easy to presume the same family
are living in a specific home. This may not be the case, as with the
WILLIAMS in Bradwys, Talgarth & also Maesyronnen, Glasbury. Still not sure
whether there is a connection between the Thomas WILLIAMS family at Bryndu
farm, Broynllis prior to 1861 census & the freeholder Roger WILLIAMS, from
Penwaen uchaf 1851, who came to Bryndu, 1861c. It is complicated by the fact
that Roger's wife Elizabeth had also been a Williams before marriage & she
stayed on in the farm as head after Roger died in 1865. Her family farmed at
Troed-yr-Harne,Llanddew. A further complication is that both their mothers
were JONES prior to marriage. Anne dau. of Roger JONES being Roger's, &
Sarah married to Evan, being Elizabeth's. My children's ancestor William
WILLIAMS was the fourth son of Roger & Elizabeth & I know nothing of the
three youngest children who were still at Bryndu in 1861. They were Alice18,
Sarah15 & Thomas 13. All 3 had left prior to 1871 & I wonder if any of the
WILLIAMS researchers link up with them & have information ?
I would be very interested in any information about the farms also.
Hopefully.. Eileen WILLIAMS (now West Sussex)