Hi everyone 🙂 I am new to this site! I'm here because of my ancestors of North Wales... most of whom were labourers in the slate quarries in the Snowdonia area. Maybe I can help solve the mystery of the brick inscription that SimonRL has uploaded - see:
🔗229[linkphoto]229[/linkphoto][/link]
🔗94813[linkphoto]94813[/linkphoto][/link]
My great-grandfather William Owen (1896-1973) was born in Llanberis and at 15 years old was a 'Chwarelwr' ('Quarryman') along with his father Owen Owens (1870-1934), who was from Anglesey. They lived in a stone one-storey stone long-barn called Pen y Bwlch, which means "top of the pass" - as it is right at the top of Llanberis pass. The cottage was also called 'Pen Bwlch Groes' and 'Pengwaith' and is sadly now in a ruinous state. You can find what remains of the place on Google Maps using these co-ordinates: 53°07'09.7"N 4°09'23.4"W (53.119361, -4.156504)
William was one of eight children, whose younger brothers were called Robert (born in 1900) and Owen Emlyn (born 1902). I didn't know much about Robert at all, like when he died or what he did, until... I found these photos on this website! Thank you so much for uploading them SimonRL ;D
So (presuming this is 'our' Robert)... it looks like someone has carved his name, address, and date of birth and death into this stone in memoriam. The question is, did he die here?
I do know that their sister Ellen ("Nellie") Owen (born in 1901) had a tragic accident when she fell down a slate quarry as a young girl and, although she didn't die, was severely disabled for the rest of her life as a result.
Can anyone tell me, is Cefn Du the name of the slate quarry near Pen y Bwlch? Or what the name of the quarry near their house was called?
My great-grandfather Owen Owen's father was also called Robert Owen (1849-1917) from Ceidio in Anglesey, and he also lived at Pen y Bwlch. He was a quarryman too until in his later years when he became the local postman in Llanberis!
My great-grandmother Jane Owen's (1870-1949) father, William Owen Williams (1845-1933) from Gwalchmai in Anglesey, was also a slate quarryman who lived at a house called 'Caegwyn' (or Cae Gwyn) in Llandwrog, Caernarfonshire, where she was born. Her grandfather on her mothers side was called Robert Roberts (1804-1883) from nearby Llanwnda - also a quarryman - and there are many more in my family...
Does anyone else here have Quarrymen ancestors in the area?