Try
www.swansea.gov.uk/cambrian which is an index of items in local
newspaper. BMDs are well beyond 1900 but general news is only up to 1878.
I have seen mention of Thomas Freeman in the Cambrian. He is mentioned three
or four times in Jubilee Swansea II by Gerald Gabb which is a book about
various themes related to 1891 census and Swansea in the 1890s. He was
involved in Temperance causes, lived at 'Corrymore' between Sketty and
Uplands (now redeveloped I think) and as mayor mocked 'temperance'
magistrates who popped into a hotel on the way home to refresh themselves
with a glass of wine (my paraphrase). He is said to have owned a zinc works,
but Gerald Gabb may be wrong.
Many people made fortunes in tinplate in Swansea in the 1880s and preceding
decades, but a number, including former Mayor of Swansea William Thomas of
Lan, lost them when US protectionist legislation slapped a large tariffs on
imported tinplate from 1891. As the US was Swansea's main export market they
rushed out as much as they could before the new law took effect. The
resultant slump in tinplate businesses in Swansea area in the 1890s led to a
good deal of unemployment in the industry and a number of skilled workers
ended up migrating to America to work in the tinplate works that were
flourishing there now that competition from Welsh imports was 'nobbled'.
There seem to have been various Swansea FREEMAN families. Freeman & Co were
involved in the White Rock copper works
I wonder if this is your man - from the 'Cambrian'
02 October 1874 WANTED TO BORROW AT ONCE,£2000,ON GOOD LEASEHOLD
SECURITY.APPLY TO THOMAS FREEMAN,SURVEYOR BRYNHYFRYD.P4
This chap was elected to Swansea Board of Guardians in 1874
07 May 1875 LANDORE PERMANENT BUILDING SOCIETY:SOLICITOR - DAVID DAVIES,
SURVEYOR, THOMAS FREEMAN,TREASURER,ROBERT JENKINS .P1
02 June 1876 TENDERS INVITED FOR BUILDING NEW CHAPEL AT LANDORE; PLANS AT
SILOH CHAPEL HOUSE. TENDERS TO THOMAS FREEMAN, SURVEYOR.P1
That would have been Siloh Newydd, built by Thomas THOMAS who doubled as
congregationalist minister ans slum landlord. I think he was surveyor for
other chapels as well.
10 October 1879 ON 6 OCTOBER, THE WIFE OF MR THOMAS FREEMAN, BRYNHYFRYD, OF
A SON (FIRST BORN).
31 March 1893 MARCH 25, AT BRYNHYFRYD, SWANSEA, MRS.E.FREEMAN, AGED 45, WIFE
OF MR.THOMAS FREEMAN, J.P. - INTERRED AT SKETTY.
31 March 1893 DEATH OF MRS.FREEMAN,WIFE OF THOMAS FREEMAN,J.P., OF
BRYNHYFRYD - EX-MAYOR OF SWANSEA. P8
20 May 1898 DEATH OF WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE: TRIBUTES FROM MR.BRYNMOR
JONES, Q.C.,M.P.,MR.THOMAS FREEMAN AND J.C.FOWLER. P5 suggests he was a
Liberal in politics.
Best of luck in your research.
Jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Boulton" <alancboulton(a)rogers.com>
To: <WLS-SWANSEA(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 11:45 PM
Subject: [WLS-SWANSEA] FREEMAN family of Swansea
Hi Swansea Listers:
I'm new to the Swansea list and I'm looking for help researching the
FREEMAN family of Swansea. My grandfather was Llewellyn Freeman of
Pontardulais; he was born in Panteg, Monmouthshire but his father, John
Freeman ,was a Swansea man; born there about 1835 and John's father was
Thomas born in Swansea about 1811. John's brother was Thomas (Tom)
Freeman who was mayor of Swansea in 1890. Tom, the mayor was a
surveyor/architect by profession and a local industrialist - he was part
owner of Clayton tinplate works in Pontardulais. There is an anomaly in
our family history - The Mayor was a richman but his father was a labourer
and his brother John was an illiterate stone mason - I'd like to know if
Thomas junior was a self made man and where was he educated. Also I'd like
to trace the family further back than the 1811 Thomas. Family lore suggest
the family originated in Cornwall but I have no evidence for that. Can
anyone shed any light or direct me to possible sources of
information?
I thank you and look forward to your responses.
Alan ( Toronto)
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