Dinner, Driving and Discovery

After our visit to Dinas Powys, we braved the roads and returned to Cardiff  - mind you, not by the route that we had intended to take. We never seemed to take the same road twice - driving on the opposite side of the road completely turned around my sense of direction and orientation. After a few missed turns and exits, we made a hasty retreat to our hotel to change and to meet another set of my cousins and their mother for dinner in Cardiff Bay.

Luckily, we chose to walk - so my map skills were back on track.  It was a lovely, warm and sunny evening, perfect for a walk and another adventure. When we reached the forecourt of the Millenium Centre, we stood for a moment scanning the crowd milling about.

Wales Millenium Centre - Cardiff Bay

Much to my delight, I saw my cousin waving to us. We had been found! After hugs and introductions, we walked over to a  wonderful Italian restaurant  and ate dinner on a balcony overlooking Cardiff Bay. We talked like old friends and it really felt like being 'at home' again. The meal, like the company and conversation, was perfect. To this day, my husband still talks about the spaghetti carbonara that he had that night. After a drink at a nearby pub, we said our good-byes and headed back to the hotel.

Originally, we had planned on driving to South Molton and Filleigh to visit the home of my Ball ancestors in Devon as a day trip. I soon realized that there was so much to see in Wales and decided to go to the Gower for the day to explore the area where my great-grandfather had been born.  The day started out rainy and wet, but after a stop in Mumbles, the sky started to clear. I loved the windy narrow roads, but always jumped when we rounded a corner and passed vehicles going in the opposite direction. We landed at Rhossili just after lunch as the sun was coming out.

The area was, in a word, breathtaking. The view of the bay and Worm's Head was spectacular. It truly is an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty".

Worm's Head, Rhossili

We walked along the promontory taking it all in - we even got to some sheep grazing on the cliffs and hills in the park.

On the way home, we stopped in Scurlage, the birthplace of Thomas, my great-grandfather (1875-1941) and I had a quick walk around, trying to imagine what life would have been like in the late 19th century Gower.

Scurlage

We also passed the road to Reynoldston, the home of William James Ball (1858-1922), the eldest son of William Huxtable (1837-1927), whose life had a tragic end in the Brigend Asylum.  Every bend in the road told a story and the place names seemed all very familiar.

As we neared Swansea, we managed to get lost in rush-hour traffic, but eventually made it back to Penarth. We dropped by the home of my cousin (with whom we had dinner the night before) and he gave us a fascinating tour of the town where our family lived. The clouds had rolled in again, lending a perfect sombre backdrop to St. Augustine's Church where my 2x great-grandparents, William and Charlotte Ball are buried.

St. Augustine's Church, Penarth

We walked along the beautiful Penarth pier (which was still under renovation) and saw many more sight where family lived, worked and played. Knowing my fascination with the BBC series, Gavin & Stacey, my cousin happily pointed out several exteriors and landmarks which appeared in the show, including a church hall in which his mother's aunt had been married. Our evening ended with a quick visit with my cousin and his family and yet another unknown route back to Cardiff.

Penarth Pier

All in all, another perfect day.

Cheers, K.

Acts of Genealogical Kindness Keep Me in Awe

St. George's Church, Reynoldston, Wales

After a particularly busy month at work and a frightening tumble down some stairs at home (no broken bones thankfully, only bruises and a few bumps on my head), I started catching up on my home email to find some lovely photos of William James Ball's church and home in my inbox.

The photos were sent by a very kind soul who had connections to Reynoldston as a child and contacted me after I posted the story of William's stay and death at the Glamorgan Asylum. She also attempted to find William's grave in the Church cemetery, but found that the headstone had sunken below the grass and was no longer visible.

I can't tell you how much the photos brightened my day.  Thank you, Vivienne. I am always in awe of the generosity and kindness of people in the genealogical and local history communities.  I promise that I will pay it forward.

Cheers,
K.

Wedding of William James Ball and Mary Shepherd - 1879-1880

One of the best things about writing this blog is that I get to meet (in the virtual sense) many kind and generous people. One such person is Vivienne. She had seen my posts about William James Ball and his stay in the Glamorgan Asylum. As a former Reynoldston resident, she contacted me and shared her childhoood memories of seeing William and Mary's former home on St. George's Terrace and the Ball burial plot in the local cemetery.

Vivienne also sent me a reference to a blog entitled "Dear George" written by Frances Bevan, which examines the correspondence between George Bevan, who left home at age 15 to begin an apprenticeship in his uncle’s ironmonger’s shop in Llandudno, and his family in Gower. Their correspondence carried on for over 50 years.

Vivienne pointed out that the marriage of William James Ball and Mary Shepherd was mentioned in the letters of late 1879 and early 1880. The first reference to the couple can be found in a letter dated 15 Dec 1879 The second reference to William and Mary's wedding is found in a letter dated 26 Oct 1880.

I was really excited to see the references and want thank Vivienne for all of her insight and memories of Reynoldston and Gower.

Cheers, K.

William James Ball - Statement of Death, 10 Jan 1922

William's struggle with his health, both physical and mental, ended on 10 January 1922, at 11:55am. Th details of his passing were recorded with succinct detail on the Statement of Death. It noted that William was 63 years old, male and a widower. His usual address was 2 St. George's Terrace, Reynoldston. The cause of death was Bright's Disease, of an unknown duration. The contributory cause of death was listed as "Mania". A post mortem ascertained the cause of death and no unusual circumstances, including injuries, surrounding his death were noted.

I often have thought about William and the long stretches that he spent at the asylum - how lonely and frightening it must have been. While visitors are not noted in his records, I hope that he was not forgotten by family and friends.

Many thanks go to the staff at the Glamorgan Archives in Cardiff for their permission to use William's photographs and their assistance with obtaining the records.

Cheers, K.

William James Ball and the Glamorgan Asylum, 1921

On 22 October 1921, William James Ball was admitted to the Glamorgan Asylum at Angleton for a fifth and final time. His re-admission noted "Recent Mania" as the primary diagnosis. His daughter, Mabel (Charlotte) Ball, of 140 Plassey Street, Penarth, was listed as his closest relative. Mary, his wife, had passed away in 1919. His intake states that William was "talkative, restless, sleepless , violent at times, roams about night & day & is quite unable to care for himself." His most recent episode began a week prior to his admission. He had been reported as "alright" up until then. He was frail physically and doctors noted his laboured breathing.

The notes for 23 October 1921 mention that William's thinking continued to be deluded. He told his doctors "that he makes lots of money in his room, but won't divulge the secret." William is described as mischievous, "goes through a lot of antics". Staff note that he was fairly well, although suffering from bronchitis. His condition remains much the same through the notes dated up to 3 December 1921. His kidney functioning was noted as being abnormal and had been for some time.

On 4 January 1922, the doctor noted that William was steadily deteriorating, restless and fairly weak. William's suffering came to an end on 10 January 1922. The entry for that morning reads "He died this morning at 11-55". The following day, a post-morten examination was held. The last notation in the file reads "Died".

With his passing, William's anguish and unhappy life ended. It is difficult to believe that he was admitted a total of five times over twenty years and spent much time in care.

Regards, K.

William James Ball and the Glamorgan Asylum, 1914

On 21 December 1914, William James Ball was re-admitted to the Glamorgan Asylum for a fourth time, with the notation "Recent Mania". He had been living on St. George's Terrace, Reynoldston, Gower, with wife Mary. He was 56 years old and his most recent episode had lasted 2 weeks. His general health was noted as "fairly strong".

William's medical certificate notes that he was talkative, restless, and irritable. He had roamed about the country and did not sleep, tumbled furniture and utensils in his house, was somewhat incoherent in his conversation and unable to take care of himself. The doctor noted that William "kept alright" from his discharge in August 1911 until two weeks ago.

On 22 December 1914, the doctor noted that William was "restless, garrulous & incoherent; talks in an exalted manner, goes thru a lot of antics." William's restless seemed to slow for a brief period in February, but by 5 March 1915, he was noted as being "restless, noisy, garrulous & interfering". The notes on his condition continue in much the same fashion until July 1916.

On 18 Septemer 1916, the doctor noted that William had "apparently reached his normal mental level, he was to-day discharged on four weeks' trial.

On 16 October 1916, William was discharged as "Recovered".

Cheers, K.

William James Ball and the Glamorgan Asylum, 1910 - Part 2

William's third stay in the Glamorgan Asylum was marked by a slow recovery. He made little progress by early May 1911. His condition was noted as being restless and talkative and he refused to do much work on the ward. By June, William started to show some improvement - he seemed "brighter" and had taken more interest in things and had done "a little ward work". In July, it was noted that his improvement was maintained. The notes of August 1, 1911 state that he was "quiet, rational, well conducted and appears to have reached his normal mental state; works in the stores".

On 12 August 1911, William was discharged. He had gained 14 lbs during his stay. He had been at the asylum since 12 September 1910 for a complete year. The last notation for this stay - "Recovered".

Cheers, K.

William James Ball and the Glamorgan Asylum 1910 - Part 1

On 12 September 1910, William James was admitted for a third time to the Glamorgan Asylum for "Recent Mania". He was still living at 2 St. George's Terrace, Reynoldston with his wife, Mary.

His physical health was noted as "fairly strong", but doctors noted an incomplete inguinual hernia. William told his doctor that he was very low and depressed. It was noted that William talked incessantly about placing a two hundred weight on his stomach and "he sees in the Echo [newspaper] that is wife is dead". However, Mary was very much alive. He also complained of the Post Office doing him out a large sum of money due to him and that people want to get rid of him to get his money.

The notes of 13 September 1910 indicated that William was "moderately nourished", his hair grey, irides light blue, pupils normal, breathing harsh and expiration prolonged. Again, it was noted that his knee jerked in an exaggerated fashion. His general state was described as restless, garrilous, and incoherent. He still maintained that people were out to get his money and land and he was going into parliament soon, along with exalted ideas of himself and his power.

To be continued...

Cheers, K.

William James Ball and the Glamorgan Asylum, 1907

On 2 July 1907, William James Ball was re-admitted to the Glamorgan Asylum. Now aged 49, his readmission was labelled "chronic mania". William had continued to reside at 2 St. George's Terrace, Reynoldston, Gower, with wife, Mary.

The doctor noted that William talked incessantly, "rambling on about the salvation of the world, the devil, his departed friends, removing mountains in the sea, his own posessions of great wealth and property, his elevation to the Bench, and his taking Stouthall or Cyfarthfa Castle to reside in."

His physical exam revealed that he was "fairly nourished". His hair was grey, irises light blue, but the left pupil was larger than the right. Both eyes were regular and reacted normally. It was noted that William frequently mistook the attendant to be his cousin. He was restless and unable to sleep. He talked of how he was closely related to royalty, and how he would distribute his great wealth "for the good of widows and orphans."

His medical notes from mid July to mid October describe his unchanged state of restlessness and agitation. However, on 15 October 1907, it is noted that William is "considerably improved, quiet & makes himself useful, somewhat childish, irresponsible & doesn't seem to trouble much about his position." The entry for 1 Jan 1908 says that he "continues as at last note".

The last entry, dated 15 Feb 1908, states "Was today discharged as Recovered". Presumably, he went home to Reynoldston and his wife Mary.

Cheers, K.

William James Ball and the Glamorgan Asylum, 1902 - part 1

On page 525 of the admission register for the Glamorgan Asylum, a photo of a tired man, weary from emotional and physical exhaustion, appears. Under the admission number 9007, with the notation "acute melancholia", the story of of William James Ball and his many stays at the asylum begins.

William was first admitted to care on 18 Nov 1902. His hometown was recorded as Gower, and his next of kin was listed as Mrs. Mary Ball, Reynoldstone, near Swansea. He was 45 years of age, a retired postman. This episode was noted as a "first attack", with a duration of 4 months, and "not under proper care & control".

The notes state that he was "rambling and incoherent in his talk occasionally; crying without obvious reason; says everyone is against him; that his father and brother wanted to kill him; and that his mother (who is dead), was here last night." He had been in the postal service in Swansea Valley for 30 years, and was known as a "steady man", but had not worked since July. There is a curious story about William leaving Reynoldston five days prior with a horse and his determination to go to Devon "to show the people what he could do". He apparently gave the horse to a Dr. Aurley in Newport, who saw him 3 days before his arrival at the asylum.

His father, William Huxtable Ball, and brother - possible Henry or John, heard of his "doings" and took him to Penarth and had him admitted to the Union, where he was very restless and could hear his mother talking to him. It is noted that he slept little.

William's notes go on to say that he was a native of North Devon and that he was the elder of 6, the rest alive and well. The doctors noted that he was poorly nourished and weak. He was 5' 2" in height and weighed 8 st and 6. His hair was grey, eyes light grey, with pupils equal and active. He appeared normal, except for a 'knee jerk in slight excess'. He was "depressed and emotional" and believed that two men in Gower were persecuting him for years, and that his brother wanted to murder him. His memory for recent events was noted as being not very good.

Photo courtesy of the Glamorgan Archives. Used with permission and many thanks.

To be continued...

Cheers, K.

William James Ball and the Glamorgan Asylum

A few weeks back I posted information about William James Ball, 1858-1922, eldest son of William Huxtable Ball and Charlotte Balment. His sad and tragic tale ended with his death on 10 January 1922, at the age of 63, in the Glamorgan Lunatic Asylum in Angleton.

With the assistance of the staff of the Glamorgan Archives, I have been able to obtain his asylum admission records. The records detail his 5 admissions to the facility between the years of 1902 and 1921. Photographs of William, taken upon his admission, accompany the medical notes and observations. The records are, needless to say, fascinating, compelling and disheartening as they chronicle the mental, emotional and physical deterioration of an ordinary man - likely no different than an ancestor, close relative, family member or anyone of us.

I will share William's story, but am very cognizant that early 20th century terminology, such as "lunatic" and "imbecile", reflected language and values of that time, not of our contemporary understanding of mental health and wellness. I will not use those terms to describe him personally, but will quote his records accurately as written. I hope that no one will take offence. It is obvious that William suffered from a debilitating mental health issue. What exactly was his modern diagnosis, I will not hazard a guess, as I am not qualified to make those judgements. I only hope that I can retell his story with compassion and sensitivity.

Cheers, K.

A lovely coincidence

After a few days away with my family for March Break, I returned to find the latest edition of the "Glamorgan Family History Society" journal in my mailbox. Much to my surprise, there was an article "Asylum Records at Glamorgan Archives" under the "News from the Glamorgan Archives" feature. Having recently posted information about William James Ball, 1858-1922, who died in the county asylum, I took this to be an omen that I should write away to see if I can find out more out his condition and stay. After my post about William James, I had made a mental note to do so sometime in the future, but something tells me that I should get onto it now.

I will keep you posted on developments....

Cheers, K.

Death of William James Ball (1858-1922)

William's incarceration at the Angleton Asylum continued for many years. In early 1919, his wife, Mary (Shepherd) Ball, passed away in early 1919 in Reynoldston, Glamorgan, at the age of 75. She was buried on 27 Feb 1919 in the St. George Church cemetery in Reynoldston.

Was William aware of his wife's passing? Did his daughter Mabel Charlotte visit her father or keep in touch with the facility's staff? We may never know.

On 10 January 1922, in the County Asylum, William James Ball passed away. On his death certificate, his age is noted at 63, and his address/occupation was listed as "of 2 St. George's Terrace, Reynoldston, Gower, Swansea, C.B., a Pensioned Letter Carrier". The cause of death is given as " Bright's Disease, duration unknown, (Mania) P.M. Certified by D. Finlay, M.D.". The informant was Mabel C. Ball, daughter, 140 Plassey Street, Penarth. The death was registered on 14 January 1922, by Margaret Davies.

William was buried on 14 January 1922, presumably with Mary, at the St. George (Anglican) Cemetery in Reynoldston.

Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would describe acute or chronic nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys). It is typically denoted by the presence of serum albumin (blood plasma protein) in the urine, and frequently accompanied by oedema (swelling due to fluid retention in the body) and hypertension (high blood pressure). I suspect that Bright's Disease was a later diagnosis which hastened his demise. The exact nature of his mental illness is not discernible from his death certificate.

Such a sad end. I wonder how his father, William Huxtable Ball, would have felt to have lost a son. It must have been very sad.

Take care, K.

Glamorgan County Lunatic Asylum

After learning about Wiliam James' incarceration in the Glamorgan County Lunatic Asylum, I was curiuos to find out more about the facility.

According to the Archives Wales catalogue, the asylum was opened in November 1864 in Angleton, Brigend. Prior to the hospital's opening, a number of patients were accommodated at an asylum in Briton Ferry at the County's expense, as early as the 1840's. The Angleton facilitiy was run by a committee appointed by the Glamorgan Court of Quarter Sessions, a body responsible for judicial matters and civil administration. Initially, 350 patients were housed at Angelton, but it soon became apparent that the facility was inadequate to meet the demands made upon it.

In 1887, a new building was erected at Parc Gwyllt, Bridgend. The Glamorgan County Council inherited responsibility for the administration of these two institutions in 1889. The name was later changed to the Glamorgan County Mental Hospital. A third hopsital (Penyfai) was later built to deal with admissions. The hospitals became part of the National Health Service in July 1948. The three buildings were called Morgannwg Hospital, with Angelton being renamed as Glanrhyd Hospital (the name it still retains), and Parc Gwyllt abbreviated to Parc Hospital. Recent events have led to the closure and demolition of the Parc and Penyfai Hospitals. The only remaining building is Glanrhyd Hospital, which was the original asylum built in 1864. It is currently administered by the Bridgend and District NHS Trust. The records of the hospital are found at the Glamorgan Archives.

This is where the Glanrhyd Hospital is located:


View Larger Map

And this is a photograph of part of the hospital (© Copyright John Finch and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence):

The facility has undergone some recent redevelopment and information about the current facility can be found here

Cheers, K.

William James Ball (1858-1922) .... continued

William's story is continued in the 1901 census, where we find William, Mary and Mabel still living in Reynoldston, Devon. By this time, William is age 44 and he is a rural postman. Mabel has reached age 19 and works as a dressmaker. Mary is now 58, according to the census entry.

By 1911 there are many sad changes for William and his family. According to the 1911 census, William is a patient in the Glamorgan County Lunatic Asylum in Angleton, Brigend. His infirmity is listed as "lunatic" in the census. He is shown as a retired postman, whose first language is English. Wife Mary, age 67, still resides in Reynoldston and is living on St. George's Terrace. Daughter Mabel now lives in Penarth with her grandfather, William Huxtable Ball at 18 Railway Terrace. She was a dressmaker and about 29 years of age.

What brought on William's condition? Was it hereditary, accidental, a result of stress or tragedy, or a disease that he developed? I can't but imagine how awful it would have been to have been living in such an institution. I also think of the sadness that it would have brought to his father - knowing that his eldest son would likely live out his days in an institution such as this.

Take care.

Cheers, K.

William James Ball (1858-1922)

The eldest son of William and Charlotte Ball, William James was born on 4 March 1858 in Bray Town, High Bray, Devon. William lived in Devon for his early life, then moved to Scurlage Castle, Glamorgan, Wales by 1861. As the 1871 census for Glamorgan is not available, the first glimpse of William is a first quarter 1880 marriage registration to Mary Shepherd. They both appear in the 1881 census in Reynoldston, Glamorgan. This is Google map of Reynoldston, located about 2.4 miles north and slightly west of Scurlage:


View Larger Map

This is a street view of Reynoldston:


View Larger Map

In 1881 census, William is age 23, and a blacksmith, like his father. Mary's age is 36, making him 13 years his senior. Her birthplace is Oxwich, Glamorganshire. No children are listed in the household.

In the 1891 census of Wales, their address is Frogmore, Reynoldston. Frogmore likely refers to a cottage or house. William is shown as age 33 and his occupation is "Post Man". Mary is age 46. A daughter, Mabel Ball is age 9, and her birthplace is listed as Frogmore, Reynoldston.

More on William James to follow.

Cheers, K.

Charlotte Balment - Marriage 1857 and first born 1858

Charlotte Balment and William Huxtable Ball were married in the Parish Church in High Bray, Devon on 5 August 1857. Fathers of the wedding couple were identified as John Ball, tailor and William Balment, mason. Witnesses to the wedding were William Baer and Louisa Jane Ball. Louisa was William's younger sister, born 1839-1840. Charlotte signed the register with an "X" meaning that she could not likely neither read nor write.

The identity of the first witness, William, is another research task, added to my list. I am always curious to know if they are related to family, neighbours or other kinds of acquaintances. Once I have more details, I will be sure to post the information.

This is All Saints Church in High Bray where they were married:

Charlotte gave birth to William James Ball in March of 1858. The date of the entry is difficult to read, but I think that the date reads "4th". The next few years brought many changes to the Ball household, including a new home in Wales. More on that in my next post.

Birth of another son, John Ball and the 1861 Wales Census

The change of the decade brought many changes to the family of William Huxtable Ball. I could no longer find him in Devon. Knowing that Thomas Huxtable had been born and raised in Wales, I decided to search the 1861 Wales Census. I did find a birth registered in January-March 1861 index which showed that a John Ball had been born in Gower, Wales. Then, I found William Huxtable Ball living with Charlotte, William James, age 3 and John Ball, age 2 months, in Scurlage House, Llanddewi, Gower, Glamorgan in the 1861 Wales Census.

Where is Llanddewi? Well, it is a parish is located 14 miles west and south of the town of Swansea in the County of Glamorgan, in south Wales. The population in 1861 is noted as 149. This is a map of the area:


View Larger Map

GENUKI also offers a number of map links to view the area. I suspect that the family lived closer to what is modern day Scurlage.

Here is a street view of Scurlage and the countryside surrouding it:

View Larger Map

What pushed or pulled William and his young family to Wales, I am not sure. It could have been the lure of a job, steady work, family ties or the influence of friends. Whatever it was, it started a new chapter in the history of the Ball family.

Cheers, K.

Birth of son, William James Ball (1858-1922)

William and Charlotte became parents to William James Ball on 4 March 1858. William James was born in Bray Town, High Bray, Devon. His father's occupation is listed as "Blacksmith Journeyman". The birth was registered on 13 March 1858 in the registration district of Barnstaple Union.

William Huxtable was a blacksmith for many years. You can read more about the history of blacksmithing on the Appalachian Blacksmiths Association website.

Cheers, K.