The Pen Wal Story

My childhood involved frequent visits to Wales - and, in particular, a house called Pen Wal , a few miles east of the village of Newborough.

We are unsure when Pen Wal first came into the family, though it looks likely that "our side" married into the Jones family, who lived there in 1901. There may, however, have been an earlier link via David Jones's wife, Rebecca. Maybe we'll never find out!

The house itself is a farmhouse, with a room either side of the stairway. At some time, a lean-to was added on the side, which became the everyday living area, together with a kitchen and WC. Even in the late 1970s, there was no upstairs bathroom: chamber pots were the order of the night!

On my first visit there, I can remember a very old man, whom I had to call Taid, Welsh for grandfather. I later found this was David Jones, born 1885, who died aged 80 in 1965. a picture of his gravestone is on the right.

On later visits, I can remember Taid's daughter "Aunty Lizzie" and her brother Robert (Bob). Lizzie was a widow who moved back to the house after her husband died. The house at that time was like a time warp, with pictures of long-dead relatives on the walls and an amazing sampler by a Laura Prichard, aged 10, in 1855.

I have happy memories of Anglesey summers where Lizzie served up strawberries and cream, and played and sang along to a piano in her parlour.

Lizzie died in the early 1990s, but fortunately, I was already interested in family history. Months before Lizzie's death, my wife Liz and I were on holiday in Caernarfon, with son Jack, then six months. By a twist of fate I spoke to a chap removing the mobile home next to ours, and it turned out to be Lizzie's grandson, Gwyndaf. Having established that Lizzie was well enough for a visit, we popped in to see her. Later, Lizzie wrote to me explaining how our families were connected - the link had been lost in time on our side.

Our common relative is Robert Williams, born Conway, 1845, and pictured right with his second wife, Margaret. See main Williams page for Robert in the 1881 and 1901 censuses.

Robert, a labourer/railwayman, married Laura Prichad (Prichard) of Bodedern - the creator of the Pen Wal sampler, picture on right. They had four sons, Edward, Robert, Owen and John, and a daughter, Margaret Alice. I believe Margaret Alice (1882-1959) was Lizzie's mother.

On Laura Prichad's death, Robert took on Margaret Williams as housekeeper, and they later married. Their two daughters included my grandmother, Anne Ellen.

1901 CENSUS FOR PENWAL
(all born Newborough)

David Jones, head, 60, potato and carrot dealer, own account
Rebecca, wife, 60
Jane, daughter, 21, mat maker at home
Mary, daughter, 19, mat maker at home
David, son, 17, carter at home
Maggie Roberts, granddaughter, 13

1881 CENSUS FOR PENWAL

David JONES 40, Farmer Of 2 Acres Of Land Buys & Sells Mats &c  bornLlanfihangel, Anglesey
Rebecca JONES 40 born Llangeinwen, Anglesey, Wife (Farmers) 
Catherine WILLIAMS 15 born Llangeinwen, Anglesey, At Home As Domestic & MatMaker (Rebecca’s dtr by previous marriage)
Owen JONES 8 Newborough, Anglesey, Scholar 
Maggie JONES 6 Newborough, Anglesey, Scholar
Eliza Jones 4 Newborough, Anglesey, Scholar
Ellen JONES 2  Newborough, Anglesey,
Jane JONES 1 Newborough, Anglesey, Wales

NB: it is believed that Rebecca’s maiden name was Roberts. Matmaking using local marram grass was a major industry in Newborough.