Dear List
My cousin Eric Hughes has sent me a parcel of family history papers relating
to his Mother Elsie (nee Roberts). Elsie was descended from a long line of
Bonesetters, Surgeons and Doctors who worked in the Ffestiniog area and were
known as Roberts Isallt. The line goes back to the family of Ifan Meredydd
an ancestor of Sir John Wynn of Gwydir, Llanrwst but more recently there is
a Robert Roberts of Isallt (d. 1776) who was married three times. The third
marriage, to Jane Anwyl Isaac of Parc, Llanfrothen, produced five sons and a
single daughter, Gwen, the mother of Dafydd Y Garreg Wen.
Many of the doctors remained in North Wales but one, John Roberts (1842
1908) moved to Chester and married Cordelia Peters (1837 1912). John
Roberts became a leading light in Chester his obit describes him as
Chester's leading Welshman becoming Mayor in 1903.
The papers contain much detail on the Peters family. Edward Peters (1806
1881) Cordelia's father was married to Anne Jones, a descendent of Simon
Lloyd of Plas-yn-Dref, Bala. Peters is said to have been "a prosperous
silversmith and ironmonger" although later records show that his son-in law
Hugh Hughes (b. Harlech 1838) joined him in business in Chester where he is
described as an Ironmonger. It seems that the Peters and Hughes families had
links to Caergwrle.
Finally there is a link to the Mills family who were Grocers and Corn
Merchants in Dolgellau. Richard Mills moved to Chester where he married
Cordelia Roberts (1869 1912) daughter of Alderman Dr. John Roberts.
I have endeavoured to be a brief as possible but the material contains
extracts from diaries, newspaper articles, photographs as well as
contemporary accounts. I have sent this note to those FHS areas as would
appear appropriate and I will gladly share the information I hold, on or off
list.
Barry Hughes