Overview
The property now known as “The Lilacs” was up until the mid-20th century, known as “Poplar Tree Cottage”, “Poplar Trees” or similar names. It was one of two semi-detached properties that were separate dwelling places.
The two Poplar Tree Cottages were certainly semi-detached cottages by the nineteenth century. I don’t know whether they were originally built as such.
In 1841, both Poplar Tree cottages were inhabited by members of the Jacob family. After this point, different families were in the two cottages, although even in 1841, the cottages were inhabited by two separate households.
I have named them Upper Poplar and Lower Poplar for ease of reference, but the only census they were referred to by these names is the 1851 census. Nowadays, “Upper Poplar Tree cottage” is known as “The Poplars” and “Lower Poplar Tree cottage” is known as “The Lilacs.”
Facts and Figures
Year of Construction
Not known. Certainly prior to 1841.
First Recorded Residents and year
Ann and Ann Jacob, 1841.
Residents at time of the 1851 census
William and Mary Jacob and family.
Location
“The Lilacs”/ Lower Poplar tree cottage, is the closer of the two cottages to Glascoed Lane, found at the entrance to a track which leads up towards Pantau Bushes and what was Pantau/ Panta House.
Residents
Ann Jacob and … Ann Jacob!
The two residents, aged 60 and 20, at the time of the 1841 census, were both named Ann Jacob. One was aged “60” and the other aged “20.” Ages on the 1841 census were famously rounded up or down to the nearest 5 years. I imagined that they were mother and daughter, although this is an assumption. I see from Llanfihangel Pontymoile church records that an Ann Jacob was baptised on 25th June 1820, and was the daughter of John and Margaret Jacob. So my assumption is probably wrong. Perhaps Ann senior was in reality, Ann Junior’s Grandmother? This is rather hard to prove without further research.
Ann Jacob (“of Glascoed”) is included in the burial register at Llanfihangel Pontymoile church. This Ann was aged 76 and was buried on 22nd January 1847. I assume that this is the elder Ann Jacob. I do not know what became of Ann “Aged 20.”
William and Mary Jacob
William and Mary Jacob, parents with three young children, had taken over the tenancy by 1851. Mary had a child, William Price (born about 1841) from a previous relationship or marriage, prior to her marriage to William in 1846. Three further sons and two daughters were added to the family by 1858 (John, Keziah (Keasy), Miriam, James and Theophilus)
William was a labourer and farmer of 4 acres in 1851 and a general labourer in 1861. On the later census, William Price was working as “Tending Masons”. I assume that this would have been for John Pitt, who lived just along the lane at Panta House, the only Mason in the village – although others lived in the surrounding area.
In 1871, William was still a labourer. Mary and the two youngest children, Miriam (aged 16) and Theophilus were at home. The 12 year old Theophilus was already working, as a Labourer at the Brickyard.
William died just before Christmas, 1874. His death was reported by the County Observer on 2nd January 1875:
“SUDDEN DEATH.—Mr E.D. Batt, coroner, held an inquest on Monday last, at the Horse and Jockey Inn, Llanvihangel Pontymoil, touching the death of William Jacobs, a roadman in the employ of the Panteg Local Board. On the 22nd instant, he went to work, under the instructions of Mr Joseph Goodenough, to cleanse the roads, &c., and, feeling violent pains internally, returned home. Medical aid was sent for; but Jacobs died before Dr. Williams could arrive. On examination of the body, Dr. Williams found that one of the intestines had penetrated another, and caused inflammation and death; and a verdict to that effect was returned by the jury.”
This must have been a huge shock for all concerned. William would have been aged 64. He was buried at Llanfihangel Pontymoile Parish Churchyard.
There is an entry concerning a Mary Jacob in the 1878 Mount Zion Church meeting minutes – I imagine that this was Mary of Lower Poplar Tree Cottage. The church “that Mary Jacob be excluded from Communion and fellowship in this Church in consequence of Committing Adultery”. Presuming that this is the Mary Jacob referred to, she was not married herself at the time and I imagine rather lonely. I wonder what the story was; I certainly don’t want to judge her.
Mary and her son, the wonderfully named Theophilus were still at the cottage in 1881, and Miriam’s son William Watkins (from her marriage to Oliver Watkins in 1876) was staying. I don’t quite know what happened between Oliver and Miriam, but in 1881, Miriam was in domestic service and I couldn’t find Oliver.
In late 1881, this entry in the Mount Zion Church minute books simply states: “It was unanimously agreed that Mary Jacob be excluded for false statements”.
Mary Jacob died in May 1882 and was buried at Llanfihangel Pontymoile Churchyard on 8th May 1882, presumably with her late husband William.
Theophilus and Harriet Jacob
Theophilus Jacob married Harriet Williams, the daughter of John and Mary Williams of Pentwyn in 1882. Pentwyn was just down across the fields from Poplar Trees Cottages.
The 1891 census finds Theophilus and Harriet living at Lower Poplar Trees cottage. They lived there until Harriet’s death in early 1901 and had no children to my knowledge. At the time of the 1901 census, Theophilus was a widower, although this didn’t last long! He married Rachel Griffiths in the July-September Quarter, 1901. They had two daughters (Mary Elsie born c. 1902 and Gertrude c.1904) both born at Glascoed.
The Register of Electors in 1909 shows that Theophilus was still at Lower Poplar Trees.
By the 1911 census, they had moved to 16 Old Bailey, Pontymoile, Pontypool. Theophilus was now working Picking out in the Pickling Department at the Galvanizing works. He had been working at the Steel and Galvanizing works at the time of the 1891 and 1901 censuses too – I assume with the same employer.
A next door neighbour moves in: Florence Rowlands and Edward Porch
By 1911, the Porch family had moved into the Cottage.
Edward Rees Porch and Florence Rowlands had married in the Summer of 1909. Florence had been living though at Upper Poplar Trees in 1891. Her Uncle David and his sister, Elizabeth (who was probably Florence’s mother) must have heard that the tenancy next door had come up so the timing was perfect. I assume that they took up residence in 1909.
Edward (born around 1884) was from Beckington in Somerset and worked as a Builder’s mason.
Edward and Florence were still at the cottage at the time of the 1921 census. Their nephew, Ted Gill from Battersea was also living with them.
They were both on the 1922 Register of Electors although were not registered voters in 1929.
Through some digging, I found a copy of an article in the Somerset Standard that sheds some light on their story.
The 16th October 1931 edition includes a death notice:
“PORCH.- At Coventry Hospital, on the 7th of October, Edward Rees Porch (Dick), younger son of the late James Porch, late of Hillside Cottage, Beckington, Bath, aged 46. Interred in Beckington Churchyard.”
And also an obituary:
“DEATH OF MR E.R. PORCH
Residents of Beckington heard with regret of the death of Mr Edward Rees Porch at the age of 46 years, in Coventry Hospital. His death took place on Wednesday of last week, following an operation, after an illness lasting nearly six months. A son of the late Mr and Mrs James D. Porch of Beckington, deceased was a mason by trade, and he left Beckington in 1907. He was a former member of the Church Choir.
The funeral took place at the Beckington Parish Church on Monday afternoon, the Rector (the Rev. E.I. Gilliam) officiating. The mourners were:
Mr and Mrs J. Porch (brother and sister-in-law, Mrs Kerry (sister), Mr Edward Gill, of Frome (nephew), Mrs C. Porch (cousin), and Mrs Sadler (neighbour). The inscription on the breastplate was: “Edward Rees Porch, died October 7th, 1931, aged 46 years.” There were numerous floral tributes from the following: Sister Maggie and Rose; Jim and Dolly; Doris, Essie and Ernest; Cousin Joe and Family; and Mrs. Wingrove and Family. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr R. Randell of Beckington.”
My assumption is that Florence and Edward had separated in the intervening years between 1922 and Edward’s death. This seems to me to be the most likely explanation for Florence’s omission from the funeral report.
Florence remarried within weeks of her husband’s death. She married Alfred Price in the Pontypool area, within weeks or months of her husband’s death. They married in the December quarter of 1931, which is either in October, November or December 1931. They moved in next door – to Upper Poplar Tree Cottage, with Florence’s mother Elizabeth Rowlands.
1939: A new beginning. Richard Morgan.
In 1929, a Henry Morgan was the registered voter at Poplar Tree Cottage. I believe that this was Lower Poplar Tree cottage.
The 1939 National Register displays that Richard H. Morgan, a “Roadman” working for “Government C”, was living at the cottage. His date of birth was 15th July 1885, so he was a contemporary of Florence next door. The Register shows that he was married, although the person who was living in the cottage with him has her name scored out. It may be his wife or possibly a child or Grandchild of theirs. I imagine that Richard H. Morgan and Henry Morgan (from the 1929 Electoral Register) are the same person.
We learn from this 1988 article concerning a dispute over the use of common land at Glascoed that the resident at Lower Poplar Tree Cottage, by then known as “The Lilacs,” that in the 1920s and earlier tenants had reportedly used the adjoining Common y Fal (2.757 acres) to graze sheep. This must be the Porches. We also learn that The Lilacs had been sold to the resident in 1958 (Mr Roy William Davies) by “his predecessors called Jones.”
I once met Mr Davies, when trying to find out where Panta House had been situated. He was a very friendly chap with a deep local knowledge of the area. So in ending this account (for now), I am happy that the Lilacs found a good custodian in Mr Davies – we will leave the cottage in his care.
Records
Registers of Electors
- 1889 – Theophilus Jacob.
- 1909 – Theophilus Jacob.
- 1922 – Edward and Florence Porch.
- 1929 – Henry Morgan (or he living at Upper Poplar Tree cottage instead)?
Censuses
- 1841 – Ann and Ann Jacob.
- 1851 – William and Mary Jacob.
- 1861 – William and Mary Jacob.
- 1871 – William and Mary Jacob.
- 1881 – Mary and Theophilus Jacob.
- 1891– Theophilus and Harriet Jacob.
- 1901 – Theophilus Jacob and his housekeeper, Ada Davies.
- 1911 – Edward and Florence Porch.
- 1921 – Edward and Florence Porch.
- 1939 National Register – Alfred and Florence Price.
Other records
1988 – Dispute over use of Common y Fal Common. Mr Roy William Davies named as resident at “The Lilacs.”