Among the Welsh miners who were brought to Newcastle’s mines was David Daniel Jones, who emigrated with his wife Mary Anne Jones (nee Davies) and their four young children John (aged 7), Evan (aged 5), Mary Jane (2 years) and Thomas Abel (a baby). The following simple family tree shows who they were, and how they are related to me and my siblings.
David Daniel Jones was born around 1844 in the small town of LLandysul (roughly pronounced as to ‘Clan-disul’) in Cardiganshire, just inland from the south-western coastline of Wales. His parents were John Jones and Rachel Biven. His wife, Mary Ann Davies, was also born in Cardiganshire in the hamlet of Cilcennin (pronounced ‘Kill-kenin’) around 1849. Her parents were Thomas Davies and Mary Evans. The two villages were about 20 miles apart. It is not known how the couple met. Perhaps through church activities?
David and Mary were married in Rhymney (pronounced “Rumny”) in Monmouthshire, near the eastern border of Wales with England, on 30th October 1869.
The British government collected comprehensive census data during the 19th century and I have been able to access these records on-line. As a result, we know that in 1871 the couple (and their first baby John) were living at 47 High Street in Rhymney, sharing the house with a Mr. John Morris and his daughter. The first child, John had been born back in Cardiganshire in 1870, while the second son Evan, daughter Mary Jane, and third son Thomas Abel were all born in Rhymney and the family were living there at the time of their immigration to Australia.