AbergelePost reader Juliet Roberts is researching her family tree and has asked for help from other readers. I’ll let her explain in her own words:
“I wonder if you might be able to point me in the direction of someone who may be able to help be locate an address…given as Abergele in the early 1900s? Ann and I are trying to trace our family tree and are curious to find where our grandparents lived at the time of their marriage. The Address given is Pen y Ffordd Cottages near Abergele. There does seem to be a very similar address now but I dont know if it’s the same place. Any advice would be greatly appreiciated.”
If you have any information that might help Juliet, please add them using the Comments on this page. Thanks.
Pen-y-fford was the name of two adjoining cottages on the Abergele to Rhudlan road about a mile and a half from Abergele town, they wer a few yards to the east of the Toll Cottage where the old A55 met the A547. One of the cottages was demolished when the A547 was straightened about twenty years ago. The cottages are shown on the 1832 OS map sheet 116 to the present day. Hope this helps.
I agree with Brian’s comments. Here is an extract from the book “Abergele, The Story of a Parish” by Ellis Wynne Williams which you might find interesting. It’s from the section on Education in the area.
“The third school was held in a cottage at Penyffordd, near the TollBar, promoted by the Rector of St George”
I don’t know if it was in the buliding still there or the one that was knocked down. Thought you’d be intersted to find it was a school at one point. In an Inspectors report from1847 it had 13 boys and 11 girls, all under the age of 10.
Thank you chaps!
Brian…..where might i be able to find a copy of said map? My grandparents lived there in 1915. i believe my grandfather was a farm labourer.
David……i must look out for that book. do you think I’d be able to find it at the local library?
Wow, great to get such detailed info from Brian and David. Thanks both. Good luck with your continuing research Juliet.
the house with the same address today if on the opposite side of the road to the toll house, quite close to the cottage my family will of lived, though obviously not on the same spot. Thanks again for your help.
Most old OS 1″ sheets may be obtained from Cassini Publishing Ltd at http://www.cassinimaps.com The sheet title is Denbigh & Colwyn Bay.
The modern 1:50,000 OS Landranger sheet is No. 116 can be found in almost any shop selling maps or direct from Ordnance Survey.
The cottages were both on the north side of the road, i.e. the oposite side to the toll-house, so they would have been the same as your Family lived in.
The present occupant of the remaining cottage may have more information than anybody and I am sure a letter to him will not go unanswered. I will pass contact details on to Gareth Morlais in the next few days.
Thanks for that map info, cottage confirmation and for sending the owner’s name and address which I’ve just forwarded to Juliet Brian.
Thanks Gareth, I have been reminded that the OS map sheet numbers that I quoted earlier only apply to the modern licenced reproductions and the current Landranger Series; the original one inch sheet covering the area was No. 108 “Denbigh”
Juliet,I don’t know if the library has a copy of Ellis Wynnes book but it’s always worth a try. I got mine from Amazon, I’ve just checked and they have four used copies for sale.
Thank you again Brian. Gareth Has forwarded that address to me. that is the same as i found on google maps. I may well write to the current owner and see what he might know.
David….I shall look on Amazon now! thanks. x