Greetings from New Zealand.
Is there anybody who might have access to a local newspaper (1829) and who might
be able to unearth a little more information about a trial, please? It's possible
that it might have been reported in the paper, or in assizes.
In a letter to his daughter Jane (my 2x gt-grandmother) in Liverpool - dated 26
August 1829 - Edward RICHARD(S) of Towyn wrote (in part):
"Anwyl Blentyn
Rhwyf yn anfon hyn o Leunian Atat ith hysbysu fy mod yn lled ddrwg om lechyd ers
wythnos yn ol gan ddiffig anadl A thrwy hyny yn methugwneid fy gwaith fel
arferol. Rwyf yn meddwl mae yr achos om hanwyldeb presenol oedd myned I
ddolgelley ar dreial y forwyn oedd yr un fan a myfi oedd wedi genu plentyn allan
(mewn cae) au gael wedi marw ar gosp a gofodd oedd mis o garchar gweddio rhwyf nos
a dydd am ir Arglwydd Eich gward rhag pob drwg. "
A very kind lister, from a few years ago, translated this for me to read:
"Dear Child
I am sending this from Lleunian to you to let you know that I'm in rather bad
health since a week ago with a breathing difficulty And because of this I'm
failing to do my work as usual. I think that the cause of my present disorder
was to go to Ddolgelley for the trial of the maid who was from the same place as
myself who had given birth to a child out in a field and it being found dead and
the punishment she had was a month in prison Praying I am night and day for the
Lord to ward you from all evil....."
Not understanding the Welsh, I trust that I have finished both extracts at the
same point! But it has often occurred to me that there may be some further clues
to Edward RICHARDS' origins ("the maid from the same place as myself") and
perhaps
even a family connection to the unfortunate young woman.
If anybody has access to records of this era, I would be extremely grateful for
some help. The original letters are part of some family treasure I have inherited
from my father, via his mother and her father - Jane's older son.
Many thanks, and kind regards
Blanche Charles
Wellington
New Zealand
PS Edward RICHARDS' "usual work" was as a gardener. If I have found the
correct
burial for him in Towyn, he died in November 1831 - not too long after having
written the letter.