John Morgan , ‘Cefn-y-Dre’, Fishguard
John ‘Cefn-y-Dre’ Morgan ( 1838-1905), Wallis Street, Fishguard was the father of Thomas and John Morgan who established the Fishguard Sawmills and Joinery Works up till around 1930 when John Morgan ‘s only son John James Morgan took over the running of the business.
John Morgan ( 1838-1905) was born in Llanwnda in 1838 and the eldest of several children of John ( 1811 – 1879) and Margaret Morgan ( 1812 -1895), the youngest son Henry, was born in 1856.
John Morgan was employed as an agricultural labourer at Cefn-y-Dre for nearly fifty years from the late 1850s up till a few weeks before his death in February 1905.
He met his future wife Eliza who was employed as a domestic servant at Cefn-y-Dre and they were married on June 14th 1868 at Hermon Baptist Chapel, Fishguard. They lived in Wallis Street during their married life together and had several children.
Thomas was their first born in 1869, followed by John a year later in 1870, and together with their younger brother Ben, they followed their grandfather’s trade, John Morgan ( 1811-1879), as a stone mason.
John and Eliza also had three daughters, Mary, Margaret Ann who died less than one year old and Martha the youngest child.
Thomas Morgan, the eldest son, worked in the Rhondda area for a short period before returning to Fishguard to work with his brothers John and Ben in the building trade at Fishguard Saw Mills. John James Morgan , only son of John and Mary Morgan , took over the running of the Fishguard Saw Mills and Joinery Works business from the early 1930s.
Mary was the oldest daughter and married Ben Harries in 1903.They lived in Wallis Street and had seven children but three of them died young.
A week before the death of her father , Mary’s husband Ben was severely injured working at the Pier Works, Fishguard Harbour when his right arm was severed and crushed as well as three digits of his left hand, which required an amputation of the whole of his right arm and the affected fingers of his left hand.
Life for Ben and Mary Harries was not easy as employment opportunities for Ben was limited, experiencing periods of unemployment but he was employed for a short time during WW1 at Fishguard Harbour.
John Morgan’s wife , Eliza, had been bed bound for several years with a long standing illness and died in 1908.
Their middle son, John, died in 1950 aged 79 years. His older brother Thomas died in early 1952 aged 83 years ( his wife Ann having died n the early 1930s). Thomas and Ann had three children.
The youngest son, Ben Morgan, married Leah in 1905 and were married for 37 years till his death in 1942.They had no children.
The youngest daughter Martha was twice married, but had no children, she died in 1971.
Mary her eldest sister, was the longest lived of the siblings, dying in 1965 and the grand old age of 91. Her husband Ben Harries, lived for nearly forty years after the Pier Works accident till his death in 1944.
The photographs include the following
1. – John Morgan (1838 -1905) taken from his obituary reported in the County Echo February 16th 1905.2- A group of agricultural workers and domestic servants at Cefn-y-Dre, near Fishguard , late 19th century/early 20th century.
3- Mr. Thomas Morgan ( 1868 -1952)
4- Mrs Mary Harries, with her four children at the entrance to their home, Wallis Street,Fishguard taken around 1911.The youngest child Margaret died in 1912 , shortly after the photograph was taken..
5 – Mr. Morgan Harries with John Richards , grandson of Thomas and Anne Morgan, taken Wallis Street, Fishguard in the 1930s.
Mr. Morgan Harries joined the Fishguard Sawmills and Joinery Works, his uncles’ business, after leaving school in the mid-1920s.
The young John Richards became a teacher and was headmaster of Ysgol Llanychllwydog and later Dinas Primary School.
6- Mrs. Martha Pullen with her nephew John James Morgan and niece Lizzie ‘Toots’ Harries, photograph taken in the 1930s.
To view other Morgan family photos click here
No Comments
Add a comment about this page