Sarah Evans was born at Llanvetherine, near Abergavenny, in approximately 1815. Little is currently known about her early life, although she was living at Monkswood by 1834 when she married Daniel Roberts of Lower Wernhir, Glascoed. The marriage took place by licence at St. Mary’s Church, Usk on 26th May 1834.
Daniel belonged to the Roberts family of Lower Wernhir, one of the more substantial farming families in the district. Following their marriage, Sarah joined him at the family farm and they were living there when the 1841 census was taken. The couple raised a large family and can be traced through several decades of local records.
Their eldest known child was Mary Ann Roberts, who also appears in later records as Maria or Marian. Her age on the census returns suggests that she was born in approximately 1834 and may even have been expected by the time of her parents’ wedding. Other children included William, Sarah and Ruth Matilda, all born whilst the family were living at Glascoed. By the time of the 1861 census, Naomi L. Roberts and Hezekiah Roberts had joined the household. These younger children were born after the family’s move into Llanbaddock parish.
The family moved from Lower Wernhir to Hendrew Farm, Llanbaddock, where they were living by 1851. Daniel farmed there for many years and Sarah would undoubtedly have played an important role in both the household and dairy operations of the farm.
A particularly attractive glimpse of Sarah’s character appears in a report published in the Pontypool Free Press relating to Good Friday 1860. Although the article centres on other events, it contains a warm aside regarding Sarah’s hospitality. Such small details are rare in nineteenth-century records and help bring individuals like Sarah to life in a way that census returns and parish registers seldom can.
I believe Sarah may also have been involved in local agricultural competitions. At the 1862 Usk Farmers’ Club Show, a Mrs Roberts entered the competition for the best sample of butter. Whilst it is impossible to be certain that this was Sarah, it would certainly fit with her position as the wife of a prominent local farmer and with the skills expected of a successful Victorian farmer’s wife.
Sarah was widowed when Daniel Roberts died on 27th July 1863. He was buried at Llanbaddock parish church. Sarah survived her husband by nearly thirty-eight years, witnessing enormous changes in both agriculture and village life during the Victorian period.
She died on 7th January 1901 and was buried at Monkswood Parish Church. Interestingly, she was buried in a different churchyard from her husband. Whether this reflected family connections, personal preference, or practical circumstances is not known. Having been born at Llanvetherine, married at Usk and buried at Monkswood, Sarah’s life linked several Monmouthshire communities, although the greater part of her adult life was spent amongst the farms and families of Glascoed and Llanbaddock.
