Ceredigion Cattle Farmers: Welsh Drovers and London Cow House Keepers

Introduction

These notes relate to research into the circumstance of William Williams, a dairyman born abt 1837 in Blaen Pennal, near Aberaeron - Aberystwyth in Cardiganshire. William moved to London, ending up at 179 Bow Road, London as a city dairyman; he died of smallpox aged 44; his wife was Catherine Jones. They were married on 10 Aug 1869 at the Calvinistic Methodist Church Tabernacle, Aberayron. William Williams was residing at Fynonwen, Blaenpennal, Cardiganshire; father John; Catherine Jones 21 yrs, was at 8 Albert St Aberayron. Catherines brother Daniel became a sea captain.

The life of many hill famers in Wales (particularly cattle, but also sheep) revolved around the annual drive to the markets, mostly in Kent. So much so, that often the Welsh garrons (on which the drovers rode) were also sold, and the drovers walked home, taking over three weeks for the return journey. Family income was supplemented by knitting woolen stockings in Wales, taking parcels of them on the cattle drives, and selling them in the Kentish Fairs2. Unlike in Scotland, where, for the most part, the highland drovers were an independent trade from the farmers or crofters, in Wales many farmers and farm-hands spent their summers in the droving trade. The cattle in question were small and black, termed Welsh Runts; they were probably similar to the Irish Black cattle; note that Belted Galloways are similar in size, and they too subsist on poor pasture, and survive adequately outdoors in cold, wet weather.

City Dairies and Cow Houses

It is also reported that moving from Central Wales to set up a Town Dairy in the Home Counties, particularly London, was not uncommon4.The Williams family, 179 Bow Road, most likely attended the Mile End Welsh church (Calvinistic Methodist); one of the few in London not called a "chapel".              

Williams family members - specific records

William William's spouse was Catherine Jones, listed in the 1881 census as being born at Abersys. There is an Abersycir, near Aberbran and Cradoc3, between Llandovery and Brecon; this is on the Drove Road from Blaen Pennal to the South-East and about 30 miles from either Blaen Pennal or Tregaron. or . . - perhaps Abercych, Pembrokeshire, 5m from Cardigan. She was probably born in Aberayron, Apr-Jun 1851 ref 27 5.She had brothers Jenkin, Daniel & Thomas.

Richard Colyers book 1 on cattle drovers has the following information relating to a Jenkin Williams of Derigaron 1.1 , near Tregaron: in the section headed 'Drove Routes through CGN and CMN' on page 93 1.2 -- (There is a Calvinistic Methodist Church at Derigaron)

"....cattle converging on the town (Tregaron) were gathered in Pen Pica, the enclosure lying behind the present Talbot Hotel, whence they were driven across the Tygwyn Fields towards Cwmberwyn, the first 'halt' on the route. Besides being frequently mentioned in the itineraries set out in the Jonathan accounts, Cwmberwyn 1.3was used as an overnight station by the sheep drover Dafydd Isaac during the early years of the present century. Moreover it was from the farm of Cwmberwyn that Jenkin Williams (the dealer of Deri-garon) would look back upon Tregaron and declare somewhat uncharitably:

       "Mae Tregaron fach yn mwgi          Dear Tregaron is smoking
       Nid oes fater ta hi'n llosgi        It matter's not that she's burning
       Os bydd newydd drwg ar gered        If there's bad news about (on the road)
       Yn Nhegaron cewch ei glywed        It's in Tregaron you'll hear it. "

References

Note - Many Welsh books - on trades, travels and social history, owned by GENUKI Genealogists - are part of a "Welsh lookup exchange", whereby specific information within the books can be extracted and sent by email   - see http://home.clara.net/tirbach/AWdata.html