Gwynfa, Plasyfron, Fishguard

Taken from the Morgan family papers deposited by L Willaims and Davies Solicitors. With the kind permission of Pembrokeshire Archives and Local Studies

This interesting picture shows a proud owner on the threshold of his new home. Around him are the skilled craftsmen responsible for building this substantial house. / Mae’r llun diddorol hwn yn dangos perchennog balch ar drothwy ei gartre’ newydd. O’i gwmpas ma’r crefftwyr medrus we’n gyfrifol am godi’r ty sylweddol hwn.

Gwynfa, Plas y Fron, Abergwaun.

Dyn busnes we William Bateman yn berchen ar gwmni poteli diodydd a golchdy ym Mhlasyfron, ym mhen ucha Hottipass, (wrth i chi ymadael a’r dre’, i gyfeiriad Llanychaer). We ganddo hefyd lais hyfryd ac we galw am ei wasanaeth fel unwadydd mewn eisteddfodau a chyngherddau yn yr ardal.

John Morgan a’i weithwyr we’n gyfrifol am godi ‘Gwyndy’ i Bateman. Masiwnied we John a’i frawd Thomas. Mab i John we John James Morgan wnaeth sefydlu busnes ‘JJ Morgan’ ger y Brodog i werthu nwyddau i adeiladwyr. Am fwy o wybodaeth amdanynt – gwasgwch fan hyn – Teulu ‘Morgan, Fishguard Saw Mills’ family

Mae’r llun hwn yn dyddio o tua 1892. Yn anffodus, cafwyd tân difrifol yng Ngwynfa yn yr 1930au. Yn dilyn hyn, we’n rhaid ailadeiladu y to a chollwyd ambell ystafell yn y llofft.

Newidiwyd enw’r tý sawl gwaith. Bu’n ‘Field Gate’ yn ystod cyfnod y teulu Lloyd Williams yno (prifathro yr ysgol uwchradd) ond erbyn hyn ‘Swn y Coed’ yw’r enw. Heddiw, gelwir y tý sydd drws nesaf yn ‘Gwynfa’.

Yn amser Bateman we’r tir y tu ôl i’r ty yn cynnwys chwarel fach lle cloddiwyd y cerrig ar gyfer y gwaith adeiladu. Yr oedd hefyd perllan i’r dde o’r tý. Erbyn hyn, mae bwthyn wedi ei godi yn y berllan.

Ganed William Bateman ym mis Ebrill 1859 yn Llanarth, Sir Aberteifi. Roedd ei dad, Evan, yn 25 oed a’i fam, Sarah, yn 42 oed. Priododd William gyda Sarah Ann Edwards o Abergwaun a bu iddynt bump o blant. Yng nghyfrifiad 1891 a 1901, disgrifir William fel ‘tanner’ – dyn yn paratoi crwyn i fod yn lledr. Lleolwyd y tanerdý islaw Gwynfa ger chwarel Blaen y Delyn, yn edrych dros Can Abergwaun. Bu farw Sarah, gwraig William, yn 1901. Priododd wedyn gyda Harriet Davies – “PRIODAS. Chwef 10, 1904, yn Nghapel Pentowr, Abergwaun, Mr Wm Bateman, Gwynfa, i Mrs H. Price Davies, o’r Sgwâr, Abergwaun.” Gwraig weddw oedd hi a daeth ei mab a’i merch gyda hi i fyw i’r Gwynfa.

Erbyn 1921, yr oedd Harriet hefyd wedi marw, ac yr oedd William yn byw yng Ngwynfa o hyd yn 62 oed. ‘Mineral water manufacturer’ oedd y disgrifiad ohonno ac yr oedd ei fab, Evan Iorweth yn gwerthu’r cynnyrch a byw gydag ei dad. Roedd mab arall – David Gwilym yn cael ei ddisgrifio fel ‘laundry proprietor’ a Sarah Olwen yn ei helpu. Roedd y tri plentyn yn byw gyda’u tad a’r cyfan yn medru siarad Cymraeg a Saesneg.

Bu William farw yn Ebrill 1937 yn Aberteifi, Ceredigion, yn 78 oed.

Gweithdy ‘John J Morgan’ – Timber and Builders Merchant

The Tannery at Tower Hill

Gwynfa Steam Laundry

Ym mhapur yr ‘Echo fach’, ar yr un dudalen ag yr ymddangosodd yr erthygl am ‘Olchdý Gwynfa’, ymddangosodd erthygl wahanol yn cofnodi dathliad Gwyl Ddewi Cymrodorion Abergwaun. Yn ystod y noson cafwyd unawd gan William Bateman. Rhoddodd ddatganiad o ‘Cymru Fydd’, ac wedyn fel ‘encore’, datganiad o ‘Yr Eos’. Roedd hyn yng ngwydd yr Archdderwydd Dyfed. Yr oedd y Cadeirydd, Syr Evan Jones yn absennol oherwydd colled yn y teulu. Yr oedd deugain o aelodau’r Cymrodorion yn dathlu yng Ngwesty’r Commercial. Hon oedd yr ailwaith iddynt gynnal cinio arbennig ar Fawrth y 1af ers eu sefydliad.

Gwynfa, Plas y Fron, Fishguard.

A shrewd businessman, William Bateman owned a drinks bottling company and a laundry at Plas y Fron, at the top of Hottipass, (just as you leave the town, in the direction of Llanychaer). He also had a beautiful voice and his services were often called on as a soloist at eisteddfodau and concerts in the area.

John Morgan and his team of masons and manual workers were responsible for building ‘Gwynfa’. John and his brother Thomas were both masons. John’s only son, John James Morgan, established the business ‘JJ Morgan’ near Brodog selling building materials. For more information about the family press here – Teulu ‘Morgan, Fishguard Saw Mills’ family

This picture dates from around 1892. Unfortunately, there was a serious fire in Gwynfa in the 1930s. Following this, the roof had to be rebuilt and a few rooms in the loft were lost.

The name of the house was changed several times. It was ‘Field Gate’ during the time when the Lloyd Williams’ family were there (Mr Lloyd Williams was head of the secondary school) but now it is called ‘Swn y Coed’. The name ‘Gwynfa’ has migrated to a dwelling next door to the house in the photograph.

In Bateman’s time the land behind the house was the location of a small quarry where stones for the building work were obtained. There was also an orchard to the right of the house. In recent years, a cottage has been erected in the orchard.

William Bateman was born in April 1859 in Llanarth, Cardiganshire. His father, Evan, was 25 and his mother, Sarah, was 42. He married Sarah Ann Edwards from Fishguard and they had five children together. In the 1891 and 1901 census, William is described as a tanner . The tannery was positioned below Gwynfa near Blaen y Delyn quarry, overlooking Lower Fishgaurd. Here, animal hides were processed to become leather. Sarah, William’s wife passed away in 1901. He then married Harriet Davies – “MARRIAGE. Feb 10, 1904, at Tower Hill Chapel, Fishguard, Mr Wm Bateman, Gwynfa, to Mrs H. Price Davies, of the Square, Fishguard.” She was a widow and her son and daughter came with her to live at Gwynfa.

By 1921, Harriet had also died, and William was still living in Gwynfa at the age of 62. ‘Mineral water manufacturer’ was his given description, and his son, Evan Iorweth worked as a mineral water salesman and lived with him. Another son – David Gwilym was described as ‘laundry proprietor’ and Sarah Olwen helped her brother. The three children lived with their father and all could speak Welsh and English.

William died in April 1937 in Cardigan, Cardiganshire, at the age of 78.