Hi Rod,
I have posted this to the list as the names might prick up ears!
I have been out and about again. There is a lovely little church nestling in
the valley between Rouen and Tyn y Groes which is only literally a stones
throw down the fields from Isfryn. It is called Llangelynnin new church. It
is not new, probably 2-3 hundred years old and the reason for the new is that
the old Llangelynnin church is high up on the mountain above Conwy and dates
pre 1600.
I called there and have found a grave for your SLOAN (this time without the
e). It is a simple grave with a slate surround and a wooden cross which has
been hand carved with only one word - SLOAN. It has been tended as there are
daffodils growing, a Hosta, and a vase written `with loving memory` in which
there are artificial lilies. I have taken pictures of the church and the
grave but as I recently upgraded my hard drive and added Windows ME I can`t
at the moment get my twain program to work on the new system but given a bit
of time I will!
I called to see my `old friend` down the road from your grandfather and with
him was a friend from Penmaenmawr (not so old). This is what my old chap
remembers:
Your grandfather worked for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board in Liverpool,
he retired to Isfryn, he remembers his son coming to see him now and again,
he doesnt think he owned the property but rented it, he thinks it was a
chapel before it was converted into two houses - Haulfryn and Isfryn. He is
vague about your grandmother passing away but he attended your grandfathers
funeral, and your grandfather is most certainly buried there. He believes
that both of them are buried in Llangelynnin but can`t be sure. He remembers
him as being quite tall.
Now then, the other chap my old mans friend remembers a SLOAN/E who was a
gravedigger in Pen, he was tall, he thinks his daughter still lives there.
And thats your lot!
Not only that but I also got all this:
My wife Kathy nee DOYLE is from Pen and this chap knew her father and her
brothers and sisters, who they married etc and he also knew my fathers sister
who married a SEIRIOL WILLIAMS from Pen who had a brother WALTER who had a
hard time in the war, was interred in the concentration camps and suffered
badly with his legs. He was driving his car through Aber, stopped to ease his
aching legs, got out of the car, stumbled and was killed by an oncoming car.
This is of course in addition to the previous info he had given me about my
own family. There is no doubt that I will have to go back to these old chaps,
tie them both up and interrogate them ruthlessly to drag out more information
from them as between them I think they must know the history of Wales!!
Gwynedd Archives at Caernarvon show church records for Llangelynnin but
burials only to 1907 but I will give them a ring to find out what they hold
and for which church.
Have a nice day, its raining here now but much needed.
Regards, Keith Roberts