Mary Rees 1807 of Hasguard Married James George (widower) 1809 Farmer and Collier from Lambston For the Children of Mary Rees and James George. See; Chapter Four The Early Years of Mary   Mary Rees was the eldest child of Thomas and Eleanor Rees and was born 8th October 1807 and baptised 15th November 1807 at Talbenny parish church. In 1841 we find Mary working at Lower Broadmoor Farm in Talbenny, she is aged 30. Married at St Ishmaels Two years after the 1841 census and Mary married the widower James George. The marriage was conducted at St Ishmael’s parish church in 1843. One of the witnesses was either her father or her youngest brother Thomas. I think that it was her younger brother who was the witness, but I cannot be sure. I know that Thomas Jnr was literate, but because I have never found a marriage document for Thomas Snr or any other written document. I am unable to say if Thomas Snr was the witness. We know that Mary was also literate and signed her name whilst James made his mark. The Early Years of James George James George claims to be born 1809 in the parish of Lambston, the son of William George a Tailor circa 1779. But as yet I have not found a baptism for James. We know that James was married to Elizabeth Phillips in 1831, we do not have the location of the marriage, and all that we have to go on is the marriage banns published in Talbenny parish church in 1831. The couple had at least six children, the eldest William (b 1832) Thomas (b 1833) Mary (b 1835), followed by Ann (b 1837) then Jane (b 1839) and Finally Elizabeth (b 1841). It is possible that Elizabeth died during child birth or soon after. From Woodlands Little Haven to Sandack Broad Haven After their marriage George and Mary lived in Sandack (modern spelling; Sandyke) Broad Haven, we know this fact because two of their children, William and Eleanor gave that address on the baptism register at Walton West parish church in 1843 and 1845. Prior to that James and his first wife Elizabeth lived in Woodlands, then a little hamlet just outside Little Haven. Things look up for Mary and James By the time of the 1851 census James and Mary are farming 15 acre at the Slash, it is also possible that James is working the open cast pits, known as the Slash, all three deep pits are now flooded and form a large pond, known as the Slash Pond, which is part of a nature reserve. It is possible that the farm house is located at an address known today as Swanswell. At the time there were two address known as Swanswell, Upper and Lower Swanswell At that point in time there are five children at that address, the elder three are from James’s first marriage to Elizabeth Phillips. The other two are the children of Mary and James. The two younger children are Ellen (b 1846) and John (b 1847)  The 1861 census has Mary and James living at the same address as the previous census, and James is recorded as being both farmer and collier. Only two of the child are at the family home these are Ellen and John Death of Mary’s Father Thomas Rees Snr died in 1865, and although we will never know, but It is possible that Mary's father lived with the couple in his last days, because his place of death is listed as, Swanswell. 1871 Census The 1871 census has George and Mary still living at Swans Well. Their grandson William George is living at the farm. William is the son of Ellen George. Death of James George 1875 James George died aged 67 years old he was buried 30th June 1875 at Walton West parish church. His last known address is given as Hasguard. It is possible that both he and Mary were living at their sons farm in Hasguard 1881 and 1891 Farm House Hasguard Pembs Mary George now aged 74 years old, and a widow is living at her son John and daughter in laws farm with their three children. The children (Mary’s grandchildren) are Margaret Helene (b 1868 St Brides) Thomas William (b 1873 Walton West) and John James (b 1877 Walton West). The farm at Swanswell is no occupied by Mary’s daughter Ellen, and her husband Isaac Rhead of Roch. The size of the farm has now increased to 38 acres. Mary is still living at her son’s farm in 1891 and is now aged 85 years old. Mary’s Death in 1894 Mary George of Hasguard died aged 89 years old and was buried 25th March 1894 The Children of Mary Rees and James George her husband. See; Chapter Four 1.      William George 1843 of Sandack Broad Haven. Not yet traced 2.      Elainor George 1845 of Sandack Broad Haven Married Isaac Rhead, see; Chapter Four Rhead 3.      John George1847 Broad Haven Married Margret Griffith (AKA Margaret Rosser) 1833 Hasguard; See; Chapter Four

William Rees 1813 -1831 William Rees was the third child of Thomas and Elainor Rees, and was baptised 22nd August 1813 at Talbenny parish church Pembrokeshire. William had a short life and died in 1831 aged just 18years old. He was buried 18th July 1831 at Talbenny parish church. The address is given as Middle Hall Talbenny parish. It is unlikely that William had any children or married.

Thomas Rees 1776 from Steynton Married date and location unknown Elainor Furlong or Thomas 1781 of St Ishmaels        1777 to 1841 Thomas Reece (Rees) was baptised 13th April 1777, at Steynton parish Church, the son of James Reece. Thomas was the youngest of four children. His elder sisters were Ann born 1771, Mary born 1774 and his elder brother James born later in 1774. All but Ann were baptised in Steynton parish church, Ann was baptised in Johnston.  The two elder sister married men from the Milford Haven area and settled in that area with their families James the elder brother of Thomas seems to have slipped the net and nothing more is heard from him again. It is possible that Thomas lived in the Herbranston, or the area surrounding area of Milford Haven. According to the 1851 census, Thomas puts his place of birth as Herbranston, but on the 1861 he enters his place of birth as Steynton. It is more than likely that Thomas lived in both Steynton and Herbranston in his youth. The Marriage sometime around 1790 – 1806 As of to date I have not been able to trace a marriage of Thomas Rees to Elainor. I assume it was around 1790 to 1806, and was possibly in the Hasguard or Walton West area. As the surrounding parishes have good records that cover that period. The reason I suspect that they married in Hasguard or Walton West is that there are large gaps in their parish records around about that time. Which Elainor is Which According to the American branch of the family Thomas Rees married Elainor Furlong of St Ishmaels. Elainor was reputedly born in St Ishmaels in 1781, the daughter of Peter Furlong and Elizabeth Williams. But they have not produced any evidence to corroborate this. That said the bottom of the page for 1781 on the baptism register is damaged and there may be three or four entries gone missing. So I will not dismiss it out of hand and keep an open mind on it. The only Elainor that I have found that fits the date of birth given on the 1841 and 1851 census, is the daughter William and Margaret Thomas. They had a daughter Eleanor who was baptised at Talbenny in 1781, Although this Elainor was baptised in Talbenny, we must remember that the old parish of Talbenny is an adjoining parish of St Ishmaels. For the moment I will pencil in Elainor Furlong as the wife of Thomas until it can be proven one way or the other. I know that Thomas and Elainor Rees, had a son Thomas who married Rebecca Williams, and that the Furlongs are on Rebekah’s side of the family and the facts got a little mixed up over the years. But again all this is pure conjecture. 1807 through to 1813 at Talbenny We know that Thomas and Eleanor lived in the Talbenny area from 1807 through to 1813, when three of their children were baptsied in the parish church at Talbenny. The three children are Mary born 8th October 1807 and baptised that year 15th November. The second child was George who was born 13th October 1810 and baptised 28th October that year. The third child was William baptised 22nd August 1813. 1818 in Hasguard At some point in time the family moved to Spread Eagle in the parish of Hasguard, when their fourth child John was baptised 22nd March 1818 at Hasguard parish church. John was born within a few days of his future wife Lettice Howells who was born just up the road from him at Sandy Hill. Back again to Talbenny at Middle Hall by 1821 Thomas and Eleanor moved back to Talbenny sometime after the baptism of John in 1818 and before the baptism of their youngest child Thomas Rees. Thomas was baptised 14th January 1821 at Talbenny parish church. His address was given as Middle Hall. Tragic Death of Young William Rees 1831 Tragedy struck in 1831, when their son William died aged just eighteen years old, he was buried at Talbenny parish church. The register did not record the cause of death, and one can only speculate as to the cause. Thomas and his family must have been devastated at the time, to have their son struck down in the prime of his life. Talbenny parish church taken 2017 The parish church of Talbenny would have looked very much the same then as it is now 1841 St Ishmaels Ten years after the death of their son William Thomas and Elainor can be found in the village of St Ishmaels, Thomas is described as a farm worker, and they are living on their own. By this time all the children had married or were about to get married. 1851 Census at the Lep (Leap) Little Haven The picture on the left is of an area in Little Haven known as the leap, the properties can be accessed by the lane on the right of the gate. Thomas and Eleanor lived in this area but it is recorded as the Lep. Obviously the enumerator wrote it phonetically. It should have been recorded as the Leap. It is possible that the wall existed in 1851, but the trees would have been much smaller. The road to the right of the picture takes you to Talbenny and if you were to turn around and walk down the hill, you would be in the village of Little Haven, which is in both the old parishes of Talbenny and Walton West. Depending on your point of view the road is either known as Strawberry Hill or St Brides Road. Some locals argue that Strawberry Hill ends just about where the photographer was standing and others disagree. The Death of Eleanor Elainor Rees the wife of Thomas died in 1859 in Broad Haven. If her date of birth of 1781 is correct, then she was aged 78 at the time of her death. As yet I have not been able to find her last resting place. But it is not in the parish churches of Talbenny or Walton West, or the Baptist Chapel in Broad Haven. Her son Thomas Jnr was a member of the LDS, and it is possible that both she and her husband Thomas Snr were also members, and are buried in one of their cemeteries. 1861 Census Broad Haven Thomas now aged 85 and a widower, and he is lodging at the house of Thomas and Jane Gudridge at Coxs Croft in Broad Haven. It is possible that Jane Gudridge (formally Rees) is a relative of Thomas Rees.  But the family connection is hard to prove because there is no data as regards to Jane’s birth or baptism. According to the census returns, Jane was born in the parish of Hasguard, and as previously stated the records for that parish are sketchy at best. Another thing that strengthens the argument that Jane is family is that John Rees the son of Thomas and Elainor Rees, also lodge at the home of Thomas and Jane. It may simply be that it was a coincidence, but I feel it in my bones that there is a family connection, but feelings are not proof, so for the minute me must simply take it as it is, that Thomas and John were only lodgers. Thomas’s final days at Swanswell Broad Haven Thomas died in 1865 aged 85 years old, he was possibly living at Swanswell Broad Haven, with his daughter Mary George (nee Rees). But the last resting place and Thomas’s last known address are still unknown Children of Thomas Rees and Eleanor Furlong 1.      Mary Rees 1807 Hasguard Married James George 1804 Lambston 2.      George Rees 1810 Talbenny Married Martha Hughes 3.      William Rees 1813 -1831 died aged 18 years old no children 4.      John Rees 1818 Hasguard Married Lettice Howells 1818 Hasguard 5.      Thomas Rees 1820 Talbenny Married Rebecca Williams 1821 Walton West

James Rees 1774 Steynton Milford Haven

James Rees was baptised in 1774 in the parish of Steynton, now part of Milford Haven urban area, and the rural community of Tiers Cross. He was the son of James Rees and Elizabeth Griffith his wife. His siblings were Thomas born 1776 at Steynton. His two sisters were Mary Rees born 1771 in the Johnston area of Pembrokeshire and married William Corke aka Cork. The other sister was Ann Rees, born 1774 at Steynton parish. Ann married her 1st husband Thomas Hyland, but tragically he died shortly after the marriage, she then married Benjamin Evans. I am assuming that James was born in the same year of his baptism. I have been unable to find anything about James after his baptism in 1774. There are a few possible sightings of James. The first is a marriage in 1792 to Martha Gwyther at Steynton parish church. The second was a marriage to Ann John in 1793 again at Steynton. And a marriage in Haverfordwest in 1815 to Elizabeth Harries. But other than these clues there is little else to go on.

Ann Rees 1774 – 1849 Steynton 1st Marriage 1797 Milford Haven Thomas Hyland 1773 & 2nd Marriage 1804 Milford Haven Benjamin Evans

Ann Rees was baptised 20th February 1774 at Steynton parish church in, the daughter of James Rees and his wife Elizabeth Griffith. Ann’s First Marriage Ann married Thomas Hyland a mariner at Hubberston parish church Pembrokeshire on the 13th June 1797. We see from the marriage record that Ann signed her name whilst Thomas made his mark. The three witnesses at the wedding are Eliza Knight, Joseph Jenkins and Martha Rees. It is not known if Martha Rees was a relative of either Ann or Thomas. Thomas Hyland was recorded as being from this parish, whilst Ann is not, this adds weight to the possibility that she is Ann Rees of Steynton, in the nearby parish of Steynton aka Stainton. Both parishes are now part of the urban area of Milford Haven. But then they were a collection of little villages, soon to be joined together in an urban mass. The Death of Thomas Hyland Sadly the marriage was not to last more than four months, when Thomas drowned and was buried later that same year, aged only 24 years old. His burial took place 3rd November 1797 at Hubberston parish church Pembs. The not only records the date of the funeral but the cause of death and his location in the east end of the churchyard. Seven Years Down the Line It was to be some seven years later before Ann married for a second time. She married Benjamin Evans 20th May 1804 at Hubberston parish church Pembs. Both signed, and the witnesses were Joseph and Elizabeth Jenkins. The marriage entry also records the fact that Ann was the widow of Thomas Hyland. Which if read out aloud would have dampened the occasion a little. Hopefully the vicar was not that tactless. 1841 Census Ann and Benjamin can be found on the 1841 census for Hubberston parish Milford Haven. Benjamin is recorded as a joiner, and with him and Ann at the family home area two of their children. These are Benjamin (b 1818) and John (b 1826). The other two children Elizabeth and Ann are not at the family home. Mystery Man at the Family Home Also recorded on the 1841 census at the family home is William Evans born 1816. But as yet I have no idea as to the relationship of William to Benjamin and Ann. I have not found a baptism for any other children of Ann and Benjamin in the Milford Haven area. It is possible that he is either their son, or he is a relative of William. Another alternative is that he simply a lodger with the same name. But until more evidence comes to light he remains the mystery man. The Death of Benjamin and Ann As yet I have not found a death or burial of Benjamin, but there is a burial of Benjamin Evans who died aged 57 (b 1785) and was buried 5th January 1841 at Hubberston parish church. But this cannot be our Thomas as he is entered on the 1841 census which took part in June of that year. I only include the burial, so as to rule it out as our search for our Benjamin However I have had better luck finding Ann. There is a burial of Ann Evans of Spike Lane Hubberston died aged 73 who was buried 16th May 1849 at Hubberston parish church Pembs. Allowing for a slight margin of error this will put Ann’s date of birth as 1776, which is pretty close, being only five years out.  The Children of Ann Rees and Benjamin Evans. 1.      Ann Evans 1809 Hubberston 2.      Elizabeth Evans 1811 Hubberston 3.      Benjamin Evans 1818 Hubberston 4.      John Evans 1824 Hubberston Possibly the Son of Ann Rees and William Evans 5.      William Evans circa 1818 the Hubberston area

Mary Rees 1771 Steynton Married William Corke / Cork 1763 Mariner For the Children of Mary Rees and William Corke, see; Chapter Two

Baptism of Mary Mary Reece (Rees) was the daughter of James Rees and his wife Elizabeth Griffith, and was baptised 27th July 1771 at Steynton parish church Pembs. Marriage and a brief account of their Children Mary Rees married William Corke 1st November 1791 at Hubberston parish church Pembs According to the baptism records William and Mary had at least six children. Two boys named Joseph and two boys named John. The other two children were William and Elizabeth. All the children were baptsied at Hubberston parish church Pembs. Which is now part of modern day Milford Haven. 1st Child William 1793 mariner and rope maker The first child was William Corke, and he was baptised on the 8th April 1793. Young William went on to marry Phoebe Charles of Milford Haven in 1820. At that stage of his life William was a mariner and both he and Phoebe spent some time in Ireland, at in Cork When he returned to Milford haven he had a change of occupations and was recorded as being a rope maker. The couple went on to have at least four children Mary Ann and Eliza both born around 1824 in Courtmacsherry Ireland. The other children are Hester aka Ester (b 1826) and James the youngest (b 1828) The two Johns The second child of Mary and William was 1st John Corke was baptsied 22nd May 1795 at Hubberston parish church, just one day after his birth on the 21st.  We know that poor little John had a short life, and he must have died before 1815, because William and Mary had another boy named John, who was baptsied that year and like his elder brother sadly died a short while later. The six child of Mary and William was 2nd John Corke was the youngest child of William and Mary Corke, he was also the second boy to be named John. The first John was born in 1795, and died sometime before 1815, when the second John was baptsied at Hubberston parish church Pembs. Sadly like his namesake he was not to survive into adult hood and was buried aged just nine days old, at Hubberston parish church. The two Josephs The fourth child of William and Mary was 1st Joseph Corke he, was born in October 1798, and was baptsied 11th November that year at Hubberston parish church. Sadly Joseph died just two months later and was buried Christmas day (25th December) that very same year. The fifth child of Mary and William was the 2nd Joseph Cork who was baptized 6th March 1808 at Hubberston parish church Pembs (two weeks old). Joseph went on to marry Dorothy Edwards of Milford Haven and the family moved to Liverpool, and had at least eight children, some in Milford the others in Liverpool. 3rd Child Elizabeth Corke Elizabeth Corke was 3rd child and only daughter of William and Mary Corke, was baptised 14th August 1796 at Hubberston. Elizabeth married James Merchant and lived in the Milford Haven area. The couple had at least six children. Some of whom moved to Cardiff and Pembroke Dock. Elizabeth also cared for her father in his old age. The 1841 Census and beyond We know from the 1841 census that Mary and William lived in Hubberston, and that William was a mariner aboard the vessel Speedwell. It does not say if it is a merchant or naval vessel. There was a customs cutter by that name operating around the Irish Sea area at that time. But I think that one in particular was not in service at the time of the 1841 census. I need to research the ships of the Haven in more detail before I can shed light on that vessel. At the time of the 1841 census, Mary’s age is entered as 72, putting her date of birth as 1769, and making allowances for the rounding up or down of the age by five years, it pretty much a fit. Also at that address is their daughter Elizabeth Merchant and two of their grandchildren, Mary Merchant (b 1828) and William Merchant (b 1831). Elizabeth’s husband James is not at the family home, and is possibly at sea, at the time of the census. Beyond the 1841 census I have not found anything regarding Mary or William. This includes burials. It is possible that the couple moved, or their deaths have not yet come to light.   The Children of Ann Rees and William Corke. See Chapter Two 1.      William Corke 8th April 1793 Hubberston Milford Haven 2.      1st John Corke  22nd May 1795 Hubberston  Milford Haven 3.      Elizabeth Corke 14th August 1796 Hubberston Milford Haven 4.      1st Joseph Cork 11th November 1798 Hubberston Milford Haven 5.      2nd Joseph Cork 6th March 1808 Hubberston Milford Haven 6.      2nd John Cork 8th October 1815 Hubberston Milford Haven

James Rees circa 1740 Labourer from the Steynton area Married 1770 Roch parish church Pembrokeshire Elizabeth Griffith circa 1740 from the Roch area Background to James and Elizabeth Rees It is not clear when or where James was born, it is stated on the Bann’s and marriage register that he was from Steynton. But as yet there is no record of his birth, despite the fact that the records for Steynton go back to the 1600’s.  This leads me to think that James was born in a neighbouring parish, such as Freystrop Johnston or Rosemarket. There are several Rees families in Freystrop area, and there is an outside chance they are related, but as yet no hard evidence has emerged, to back up this theory. Elizabeth Griffith was possibly born in the parish of Roch, and although the records go back to 1677 there is a gap at of ten years roughly corresponding to the estimated date of her birth. There is a slim chance that her birth was recoded on the bishop’s transcript. This is a copy of the yearly accounts of the parish to the Bishop, if it still exists she might be listed, but there was no standard system, so it might just be a list of the number of births berths etc. The Marriage at Roch The couple married on the 21st October 1770 at Roch parish church, and James place of residence was given as Steynton. As previously stated this may not be his place of birth, but simply his residence, at the time of the wedding. The Banns were read in both parishes, i.e., Steynton (aka Stainton) and Roch. Old Steynton The old parish of Steynton stretched from Haverfordwest to present day Milford Haven, which at the time of James and Elizabeth’s marriage was nothing more than a small village that rapidly expanded in time to become an important port on the West coast of Wales. I will not go into too much detail about Milford’s development as that has been extensively cover by many a good book. Getting back to the Steynton of 1770. Steynton was a large parish that started roughly at the bottom of Merlins Hill in what is the modern day parish of Merlins Bridge. Back then it was the parish known as the Hamlet of St Thomas. Running south from Haverfordwest its adjoining parishes were Johnston, Rosemarket and Llanstadwell. To the west it’s adjoining parishes were, Lambston, Haroldston West, Walton West, Walwyns Castle, Robeston West, Herbranston and Hubberston. Since then the parishes have changed and are now called Communities rather than parishes. Most of what was Steynton is now Tiers Cross Community, which is bounded by the community of Camrose to the north, Merlins Bridge, Johnston and Rosemarket to the east. The new community of Tiers Cross stops at the old parish church of Steynton, and is bounded to the South by the modern day urban area of Milford Haven, which includes Hubberston, although they think of themselves as the Independent Republic of Hakin. To the west the old parish names have disappeared, and Robeston West is now part of Walwyns Castle Community, whilst Walton West and Haroldston West are how part of the Havens Community. Their Four Children The couple appear have their first daughter Ann baptised at Johnston in 1771. Which was used as a sub parish of Steynton at the time. This was in part due to the long walk involved to get to your parish church, which about that time was not an option. You were expected to attend. The couple then appeared to have moved into the parish of Steynton as the other three children were baptised at that parish church, from 1773 through to 1774. All four children are baptised using the English form of the surname, Reese, rather than Rees. This was common in those days as most of the parishioners could spell, read or write, and had to take the word of the vicar or curate, and once he got it into his head it should be spelt one way that was it. The four children are Mary baptsied 1771 at Johnston, Ann was baptised 1774 early in the year and her brother James was baptised later that year. There was no attempt to record the actual date of birth so all we have to go on is the baptism date. The fourth child was Thomas who was born in 1776. Where they lived We can only guess where the family lived, but there are clues from the census returns of Thomas Rees the fourth son of James and Elizabeth. The 1851 census records his place of birth as Harbeston aka Herbranston, and the 1861 census has his place of birth as Steynton. Added with the fact that Thomas and his wife Eleanor lived in St Ishmaels at the time of the 1841 census. We can assume that the family lived in that general area. Plus the fact that both of Thomas’s elder sisters married and settled in Hubberston, adds weight to my theory. Death of James and Elizabeth Despite an extensive search of the parish recodes in the area of West Pembrokeshire, in and around the Milford Haven area, through to the Havens, I have no further details regarding James and Elizabeth, with the exception of a burial in 1827 at Marloes parish church, of a James Rees of Nash Wood Marloes, aged 75, putting his date of birth as 1752. But there is not enough evidence to claim him as our James. The Children of James and Elizabeth Rees circa 1740 1.      Mary Rees 1771 Johnston Married William Corke Hubberston. 2.      Ann Rees 1774 of Steynton Married Benjamin Evans Hubberston. 3.      James Rees 1774 Steynton 4.      Thomas Rees 1776 Steynton Married Eleanor Furlong 1778 St Ishmaels

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My name is Keith and on this blog I will be posting information about Pembrokeshire Family groups and places in Pembrokeshire.