Cherry Orchard

The Edwards family

Successive generations of the Edwards family lived at the property for at least a century – quite possibly more. This makes it one of the houses with the longest tenured families that I know of in the hamlet.

In 1841 the head of the household on census night was James Edwards, a shoemaker who had lived in Glascoed from the early 19th century and possibly since his birth c 1780. His wife Ann had been born as Ann Jones. James and Ann had at least four children, including Leonard, James, Thomas and Ann.

James died in 1843, and was buried at Llanfihangel Pontymoile churchyard. The family, however continued to live at Pentwyn.

1851 census: The widowed Ann was the head of the household at Pentwyn, being described as a “farmer of 5 acres”. Ann’s son Thomas and his wife “Mary” (actually Maria Edwards) were also living at Pentwyn.

Ann died in February 1857 and was buried with her husband at Pontymoile church.

1861 census: Thomas and Maria were by now farming at “Pentwyn” – and had expanded to 14 acres. They had 3 children by this point – Ann, James and Leonard. We know that they had cherry orchards on the land.

Tragedy strikes: In 1862, Maria fell from a tree while picking cherries and broke her back. She never truly recovered and four months later, died, leaving Thomas to bring up the children alone. He never re-married.

By the time of the 1871 census, “Pentwyn” was re-named “Cherry Orchard” – whether as a more accurate description or in tribute to Maria, I don’t really know. Ann was a housekeeper and Leonard was also living at home. Thomas had “No occupation” at this time. James had left home to work as a Servant with Edward and Rachel Morgan, a couple in their 60s who ran a farm at Glascoed.

The 1881 census sees the whole family back together, although not for many years longer, since Thomas died in 1883. Thomas still had no occupation (I wonder whether he had any health issues that stopped him from working), with Ann still  a housekeeper. Both James and Leonard were labourers.

Thomas died in April 1883 and was buried at one of the churchyards in Usk parish – I wonder whether this was Glascoed – on 29th April 1883.

James married Florence Davies Morgan in late 1883. Florence was the daughter of Emmyra (Myra) Davies and Henry Morgan. You can read an interesting account of the affiliation (paternity) case concerning Florence’s parentage in the Usk Observer (1862). Emmyra’s parents were Jesse Davies and Eliza (nee Pritchard) from Lower Cwmhir.

By the time of the 1891 census, James and Florence already had 5 children (Beatrice, Thomas, Annie, Maria and William) and Florence’s half sister, Maud Stone was also at Cherry Orchard on census night, employed as a nurse/ domestic servant. James was working as a farmer and as a labourer at the Steel works.

In 1901, James and Florence were still at Cherry Orchard, with 8 children. James, the younger had left the family home and was working as a Cowman at Beech farm. Beatrice, Annie, Maria and William had now been joined by James, Elizabeth, Florence and Gertrude. Sadly, they had lost another child, Ethel, who died aged 6 weeks in January 1900 in the previous decade.

In 1911, many of the family were still at home. Thomas and James (junior) were both “Farmer’s sons working at home” and James (senior) was now a Farmer and Market gardener. Annie (now aged 23) and Gertie (aged 15) were at home and two new children had appeared – Alfred, (aged 9) and Hilda (aged 2), Hilda being a very late child in the marriage, born in 1908, as confirmed by a member of her family, Dena Roach.

Dena also informed me that Annie Edwards (her Great Grandmother) married Edward Roach in July 1911 at Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, then moved to London, where she died in 1967. Annie and Edward had one child, Ivor Roach (1913-1989). Ivor married Ethel Osborne in 1938 and had one child.

James and Florence continued to live at Cherry Orchard for many years after this. They were still there on the 1929 Register of Electors.

Florence died on January 28^th 1932 and was laid to rest at St. Michael’s churchyard in Glascoed aged 69.

The National Register of 1939 shows that James was now a retired farmer and had taken in several lodgers. His date of birth was given as 21st December 1857.

James died on July 23^rd 1941, aged 82 years and was buried with his wife Florence at St. Michael’s, Glascoed.

According to Dena, Hilda married Frank Bradley at Usk Parish Church in 1930, and lived at Cherry Orchard until her death in 1953. Frank sold the property out of the family in 1953.