Eliza and Hannah milks 28 ewes on the Clift

Early summer heralds a busy time on the farm as a letter from Sill reveals.

 Overton Gower

May 21^st 1879

Dear Brother

We are all quite well except Jane.  She has been suffering very much in the tooth-ach.  The weather is very mild and sultry and makes everything look like summer.

We have a very fair prospect of a good crop of apples, and pears, there is plenty of blossom.  The cattle and the 1 yr old colt went to Muzzard last Saturday.  We have not one this year the white face colt we are going to keep and he does a good deal of work and has eaten a good deal of oats the other we are preparing for wool fair the second day of July.  We are thinking to wash the sheep on Saturday.  Eliza and Hannah milks 28 ewes on the Clift and they are to have eight more tomorrow we have 57 lambs and have about half-a-dozen more young ewes to have lambs we only lost one and sold four late thanks to the young draper’s perseverance.

Mother was to Swansea on Saturday and Frank intends to stick at the drapery.  Today the trial is to come off about the Mary Stenhouse George Gibbs and 7 or 8 of Rossily people for and against him went to London yesterday.

We have just had a band playing before the door this evening the second this spring I should think a sign of poor times.

I had a couple of craks with the gun to day, the first since you were home and killed four pigeons.  I have not seen many rabbits on the clift this year.  Hoping this will find you in good health.

I remain,

                   Your affection. Brother

                             Silvanus Bevan

George Bevan sends his kind regards to you and hope you will envite him to your wedding.

The Mary Stenhouse

March 10

Dear George

We received your letter this morning & find you have got our complaint at Llandudno had colds, I have been giveing Treacle & water to Eddy, Robert & Ellen tonight.  Eddy is very fond of it I have had a very bad cold for nearly a week.  Sill is much Better but was not able to sow the wheat captain Stevens did it for us.  We are very busy prepareing for spring work as it will soon be time to sow oats & plant Potatoes.  Harriet has told you about your Grandfathers Bull breaking loose you will see an account of it in the Cambrian the womman was not much hurted.  Mrs. George Gibbs of Porteynon is gone to Liverpool today about the Salvage of the Mary Stenhouse if you see an account of the Trial in any newspaper send it for your Father to read there is great talk about it here.  I believe Mr Gibbs & the Pembrey Steam tug claims 450£ it is uncertain how much he will get the Trial comes off tomorrow Dear George I have no more paper to write more to night Harriet & your Father are playing Draughts & Frank is just come in from seeing the sheep we have 11 lambs we have not lost one 11 has come since yesterday morning.

                             With kind love from your affect.

                                                Mother

The Mary Stenhouse, a Liverpool ship carrying 350 tons of pig iron, ran aground at Rhossilli on the evening of Tuesday February 11, 1879.  The ship's boat was launched with nine members of the twenty strong crew on board, including the master's wife, Mrs Hedgecock, but it capsized before reaching the shore.  All ten people on board were drowned.  The remaining crew members were rescued safely.  Lloyds Agent, George Gibbs (Ann's cousin) sent the tug Hero to go to the aid of the Mary Stenhouse, which later the following day was towed to Swansea.