Cruel April

T.S. Eliot, in his 1922 poem, The Waste Land, begins:

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers
...
In my family, April is cruellest month. It is tinged with sadness and memories of Dad's passing, twenty years ago, on 3 April 1992. A life cut too short, by cancer, at age 57. It's difficult to believe that he's been gone so long - so much has happened since - new spouses and partners, the birth of grandchildren, new homes and jobs. Another lifetime, really. But I still feel the pang of someone missing at every milestone that we encounter. I know that he's with us as we proceed on this journey, whispering words of encouragement, telling us not to take everything so seriously, and to cherish the moments that we have with one another. It's always hard to get through the day of his passing, but we do, because he would have wanted it that way.

We also remember his father and our grandfather, William Huxtable Ball, who passed away 6 April 1971. While my memories of Granddad are just glimpses of the past, Dad always talked of him, especially on the day of his passing. The fondness and reverence in which he held his father is deeply embedded in me - a gift from him that I will always cherish. Our time together is short - often cut shorter by cruel diseases like cancer, which has claimed too many in our family.

This year, April is particularly cruel, as we remember Dad's brother, Bill, who passed away 6 April 2011. Living on opposite sides of a country, we weren't there with my cousins and aunt in their hour of despair, but felt the pain and hurt as we marked Dad's passing, in the knowledge that cancer would quickly claim Bill too. My heart goes out to my dear cousins as they mark the first anniversary of the passing of their beloved father. Bill was the last link to Dad - his only sibling and surviving member of his immediate family. Now that Bill is gone, it feels like Dad has slipped away further - but will never be forgotten.

Fondly remembered...

_{Bill, Granddad and Dad, ca. 1949}

Take care, K.

More on the Robert J. Edwards Mystery

Well, I ordered the birth certificates for Robert JH Edwards and Robert J Edwards last week on the 20th of March and they arrived yesterday (28 Mar 2012) from the General Register Office in the UK. To have received them in 8 days in Canada is pretty awesome.

After reading them, I now know that Robert JH is Robert John Huxtable Edwards, son of Robert Edward Edwards and Elizabeth Ball, born on 30 July 1887 in Roath, Cardiff. Robert's father was listed as a telegraph line man. His birth place was given as 37 Crofts Street, Roath, Cardiff:


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This is a street view of his birthplace, which has obviously been redeveloped:


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The other Robert J was Robert John Edwards, son of Robert Edward, coalminer, and Priscilla Dugmore. Robert John was born on 2 May 1888 in Nelson, Pontypridd, Glamorgan, at 11 Long Row:


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Pontypridd is about 18kms from Cardiff. Looking at Robert J's parents, I am becoming more doubtful that he is the Robert Jno shown in the 1891 census with John, Thomas and Charlotte on the farm.

I doubt that Elizabeth's son could be in two places at once, but what if he is visiting with his aunt and uncles and accidently gets recorded as a resident of his home in Cardiff when the census taker comes around? His parents had two younger children at home, including a newborn, at the time of the 1891 census, and Robert may have been staying on the farm while his parents (more likely mother) coped with added responsibilities. I'll keep looking at the Edwards/Dugmore connection too. Any thoughts?

Cheers, K.

Elizabeth Ann Ball and Robert Edwards - 1901

According to the 1901 census, Elizabeth and Robert Edwards were living at 158 Shathuairn Street, Roath, Cardiff. However, I haven't been able to trace this address and think that the transcription of the address may be wrong. They were show as living in the ecclesiastical district of Roath St. Martin. St. Martin's Church in Roath is located on Albany Street. One street behind this main thoroughfare in Roath is Strathnairn Street, which is likely what the census transcription should have shown. This a Google map of 158 Strathnairn Street:


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And this is a street view of their house:


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By 1901, the family had grown. Robert, now a "Foreman Electrician", and Elizabeth, age 35, had 5 children: Robert J H Edwards, age 13, Leonard E, age 12, Henry E (who may be the Ernest E Edwards in the 1891 census), age 10, daughter, Elsie E, age 8, and Harold, age 4. All of the children were born in Cardiff, with the exception of Robert who was born in Penarth.

I suspect that Henry was named Henry Ernest Edwards, but was noted as Ernest E in the last census. I was not able to find a birth registration for Ernest Edwards, but came across a registration for a Henry Ernest in Cardiff in 1891.

Cheers, K.

Elizabeth Ann Ball and Robert E Edwards - Family life and the mysterious Robert J.

By the time of the 1891 census, the family of Elizabeth Ann Ball and Robert Edwards had grown. Elizabeth is shown as "E. Edward", age 24, born on Gower, Glamorgan. Robert, age 27, born in 1864 is shown as an electrician, born in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire.

Along with Elizabeth and Robert were: Robert J., son, age 3, born 1888 in Penarth, Leonard, son, age 2, born 1889 in Cardiff and Ernest, son, age 3 months, born 1891 in Cardiff. C.B. Baily, age 30, single boarded with the family. Their occupation is noted as "Fancy Shop Assistant" - it rather sounds like someone couldn't remember C.B.'s place of work. However, I have found references to "toy and fancy shops" in the Cardiff directories so C.B. Baily could have worked in one of these.

The family was living at 124 Treharris Street, Roath, Cardiff. Roath is a district in the east/north-east of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. Writer, Peter Finch, calls it the "Real Cardiff". The family lived at 124 Treharris Street, Roath, Cardiff:


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And this is a street view of their address:


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So, why have I called Robert J. Edwards 'mysterious'? Well, I initially thought that that "Robt Jno Edwards,nephew", living with John, Thomas and Charlotte Ball on the farm in Little Hill, St. Andrews/Dinas Powys, was the illegitimate son of Charlotte Ball. There have been may stories, always vague, about great-grandfather Thomas' sister having had a child out of wedlock. However, when I discovered Elizabeth's existence, I immediately made the assumption that Robert was Elizabeth's son, hence "nephew" to John, Thomas and Charlotte Ball. Or so I thought...

Upon closer examination of the census entries, Robert J Edward looks to be living with his parents, Elizabeth and Robert, the night the census was taken. So, who was "Robt Jno Edwards" shown in the 1891 census entry for John Ball in St. Andrew/Dinas Powis on the farm on Little Hill? Could they be the same person recorded in two different locations on census day? Are they different Robert J. Edwards? What do you think? I did find two birth registrations - one for Robert John H. Edwards (1888 - Cardiff) and Robert John Edwards (1887- Pontypridd). I've broken down and ordered both birth certificates (this is one mystery that I would love to solve.) I will post once the certificates arrive. Hopefully, they will shed some light on who is who. Your thoughts, comments and suggestions on this or other mysteries are always welcome.

Cheers, K.

Baptist Marriages

After posting the information on Elizabeth's marriage, I was curious about the wording on the marriage certificate when it stated "by certificate". So here is what I have found out about Baptist marriages from the Archives Network Wales:

With the start of civil registration of marriage in the UK in 1837, Baptist marriages were legalised. A Baptist chapel could be used for marriage, if it was licensed for the purpose, and a Civil Registrar was present to complete the legal formalities, together with the minister who performed the marriage ceremony. In 1898, the requirement for the presence of a registar was changed. An authorised person, who need not be a minister, was allowed to act in place of the registar.

Cheers, K.

Elizabeth Ann Ball (1865-1956) - Marriage to Robert Edward Edwards in 1886

On 25 April 1886, Elizabeth Ann Ball married Robert Edward Edwards in the Plassey Street Baptist Tabernacle, Penarth. Elizabeth was 20 years old and had been living at 54 Windsor Road, Penarth with her parents. Her father, William Huxtable Ball, Milkman, was listed on the marriage certificate. The groom, Robert Edward Edwards, was age 24, a bachelor, whose occupation was given as Telegraph Engineer. His residence was shown as 31 Crofts Street, Roath. Robert's father, Edward Edwards, was shown as deceased, a former stone merchant. Elizabeth and Robert were married by certificate in the Chapel by WG (William Gershon) Davies , Baptist Minister. The ceremony was witnessed by Henry and Charlotte Ball, which I think referred to Elizabeth's older brother and mother.

From the little that I know about Robert Edwards from the censuses prior to his marriage, he was born in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, Wales in 1862. This is a Google map showing Welshpool, near the Wales/England border (Shropshire is the neigbhouring English county):


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Information about Montgomeryshire can be found on GENUKI here.

I've been looking for Robert in the 1871 Census for England and Wales have not been able to find him. I did find him in the 1881 Wales census, living with Edward Edwards, stone merchant and his wife, Elizabeth, at 15 Raven Street, Middle Pool, Montgomeryshire, but Robert is shown as "Grandson" - making me wonder if the father shown on the marriage certificate was actually his grandfather.

More mysteries to solve....

Cheers, K.

Elizabeth Ann Ball (1865-1956)

Elizabeth Ann Ball, the eldest daughter of William Huxtable Ball and Charlotte Balment was a complete unknown to me until I received a copy of William's 1927 will which named her as a beneficiary. I had missed the first 62 years of her life by assuming that the census would show the complete family over time. Turns out, Elizabeth did not appear with her family in any of the censuses that included the Ball family. Needless to say, I've learned my lesson to never make 'assumptions'. Once I discovered her existence, I began the hunt to find her past...

Elizabeth Ann was born on 28 October 1865 in Scurlage Castle, Llanddewi, according to her birth certificate. Her father's occupation was shown as "black smith". William registered her birth on 5 December 1865 and J. Gordon was the Registrar.

The next reference that I could find to Elizabeth was on the 1881 census (1871 Wales census returns for Glamorgan which have survived do not include her or the rest of the Ball family). She appears to be living in Swansea as a "lodger" and working as a dressmaker apprentice. She was living with the family of William and Mary Taylor, along with their children, Florence, age 8, and Herbert, age 4 at 35 Westbury Street, Swansea. Also living in the house was Joseph J. Philpin, age 17, a post office letter carrier, from Rudabaxton, Pembrokeshire, Wales. This is a Google Map of their location in Swansea:


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And this is a Google Street view of Westbury Street, Swansea:


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More on Elizabeth to follow.

Cheers, K.