BIRTH: 5th September 1856, at Glascoed (probably Panta House).
FATHER: John Pitt, a Stone mason (born 1812) from Culkerton in Gloucestershire. John was born John Poole, although for some reason had changed his name by the time he appeared in the records in Monmouthshire in 1851. Died 9th August 1865 at Rose Cottage, Glascoed.
MOTHER: Sarah Davies. Born circa 1829 at Llansawel, Monmouthshire. Died 13th January 1901 at Rose Cottage, Glascoed.
SIBLINGS: Full siblings: Sarah Ellen Pitt (1854 to 1948), William John Pitt (1859 to 1945), Alice Ann Pitt (1862 to 1933), Thomas Jesse Pitt (1864 to 1928).
Half siblings, via Step-father James Williams: Baby boy Williams (born and died in 1868), Alfred Williams (born 1869), Rachel Kate Williams (1871 to 1932).
Occupation(s): At Pontypool Town works: Labourer at Ironworks (1871), Tinplate doubler (1879 and 1881), Tinplate Shearer (1891, 1901, 1911). James was an active member of the Workmen’s Welfare committee. Later he was worked part-time as a Grocer and Insurance Agent.
WIFE: Mary Ann Arnold (1857 to 1935), of Beech Farm and later Upper Cwm.
MARRIAGE: 3rd November 1879 at St. Mary Street Chapel, Newport, Monmouthshire.
CHILDREN: Annie (b. 1880), William (1882-1960), Eva (1885-1885), Edwin (1885-1970), Ede (1888-1965), Stanley James (1889-1890), Arnold John Pitt (1890-1959), Alfred Ernest (“Ernie”) (1897-1963).
DEATH: 29th May 1929 at Pontypool & District Hospital. James died of cystitis and an enlarged prostate.
BIOGRAPHY
Henry James Pitt was born on 5th September 1856 at Glascoed, the son of John Pitt and Sarah Pitt (nee Davies).
The family lived at Panta House and moved to Rose Cottage in approximately 1862. James, as he was always known, is my Great-Grandfather.
James’ father John Pitt, a master stone mason, died of smallpox at the age of 53, on 9th August 1865 at Rose Cottage. James’ mother, Sarah, re-married three years later. Her new husband, James Williams, was a labourer from Glascoed. The family continued to live at Rose Cottage – with the Pitt children all keeping their surname.
James had a little cameo court appearance as an 11 year old, where he gave evidence in a colourful case from May 1868, which involved his mother’s lodger, James Williams. “James Pitt, son of Sarah Pitt, a widow, said he saw Mrs. Lewis pelting Williams with clots, &c., from her meadow, on which occasion Philip Lewis went to fetch a shovel with which he threatened to strike Williams. The latter had not a gun.” By this point James may well have started to take on a step-father role to the Pitt children. James Williams was to marry Sarah later in the year (October) and had already fathered her soon to be born child.
James entered work at “The Foundry” probably as soon as he was legally allowed to work.
James married Mary Ann Arnold, a Glascoed girl, at Pontnewydd, Cwmbran in 1879. James was active in union and chapel life, working as a shearer at the Foundry. James was a deacon and trustee at Zion Hill Baptist Church, in Pontnewynydd. Later on they became entrepreneurs, opening a grocer’s shop at Mill Road and then at Fowler Street, Pontnewynydd. James also worked as an insurance agent, which involved weekly trips on the steamer to Weston-Super-Mare to travel to the insurance office.
James and Mary Ann had eight children.
The first, Annie was born in 1880, married Fred Brown and moved away to the Rhondda and then Bargoed. By the time their youngest son, Ernie, my grandfather, reached secondary school age, they were doing well enough in life to send him as a day pupil to West Mon school in Pontypool. He went on to become the first Head teacher of Grofield Secondary Modern school in Abergavenny.
James and Mary Ann must always have considered Glascoed to be home. Their two children, Eva and Stanley, who had died in infancy in the 1880s, were buried at Mount Zion Baptist chapel in the village.
Their grave, first used when Eva died as a baby in 1885, became the final resting place of their parents. James died in 1929 and Mary Ann six years later, in 1935.
NOTES FROM CONVERSATION WITH EDITH CLYDE PURNELL (nee Brown): 19/03/1994
Clyde was brought up by James & Mary Ann Pitt, of Pontnewynydd. She was sent to them originally, as a baby, because she had a medical condition, that required treatment at Pontypool Hospital. After she recovered, she was wanted back by her parents (Fred & Annie Brown – Annie was James & Mary Ann’s eldest child) – at this point I believe her parents lived in the Rhondda valley. There was a disagreement about this – eventually James & Mary Ann won the day and brought Clyde up themselves.
Clyde remembers working in her grandparents’ grocery shop. She remembers her Grandparents with great affection & love. She described the Pitt family as a very GOOD family. She idolised James Pitt – he was described as a lovely, good man – she recalled how in his work as an Insurance Agent, he had to go to Weston-Super-Mare every Wednesday on the “Steamer” – and took Clyde with him every week. She kept telling me how Mary Ann was “the most beautiful girl in the Glascoed” – and a very kind, good woman.
She recalled that her Great-Grandfather, Richard Arnold, was in fact a farmer in his own right, and NOT a Labourer – he had to give up the Farm after going blind. She remembers visiting him -every time he met her, he would beckon her over, feel her head, face & shoulders and say “My, how you’ve grown”, and comment on the rate of her growth. She commented how everyone in Glascoed seemed to be related to each other!
Other things she told me included that Mary Ann’s sister, Aunt Nell (Ellen), lived at the first farm on the way into Glascoed – she married Reg Perrott. They were buried next to James & Mary Ann. She also mentioned that Mary Ann’s (four) sisters were buried in a vault by Mary Ann’s grave at Glascoed.
Records
Census:
1861 – Panta House, Glascoed.
1871 – Rose Cottage, Glascoed.
1881 – The Tump, Panteg.
1891 – 5 Mill Road, Pontnewynydd.
1901 – 5 Mill Road, Pontnewynydd.
1911 – 5 Mill Road, Pontnewynydd.
1921 – 5 Mill Road, Pontnewynydd.
