Winter tasks

Overton

Wednesday

My dear Brother

We are very busy just now the thrashing Machine is in Overton so there will be a little more Life than normall but it is very cold on the men working it.  Tell Uncle the Machine he sent me is working very well.  I have done a lot of work with it.  Sill is well getting on with his short hand. 

I will write in a few days and tell you a little news.  I have another letter to write of great importance and it is getting late.  We are all quite well

Good night

                    I remain your

                    Aff. Sister Jane Bevan

have you forgotten Ellen’s pin holder

 The family prepare for Christmas and yet again it is disappointing news.  Uncle cannot spare George to return home for the second year in succession.

Overton,

December 15th/79 

Dear Brother

 I am glad to hear you are getting on so well in your large shop and I hope you will soon be an independent tradesman.  Times are very dull here so perhaps you will be able to send us a few Cheques now and then.

 I suppose you are not coming home to spend the Christmas.  So I may wish a Merry Christmas and happy new Year when it comes.

We are going to have some grand times here there are going to be several weddings among which are Mr William Ball and Miss Mary Shepherd.  There is going to be a Christmas tree at Horton and Magic lantern entertainment and refreshments in the evening.  So you see you will miss it all by not coming home at Christmas.

We are to have the usual tea meeting at Port Eynon at New Years day.

The machine works very very well Jane has done a great deal of sewing with it since it came.

It is very fine calm wheather here now all our horses have been very bad but they are getting better now.  We have thrashed out all the barley & wheat with the steam thrashing machine.

I have not time to write more so I must conclude

          with love from all

          I remain

                    Your Affect: Sister

                              E. Bevan

There is no news good night

Overton

Nov 4^th Monday

My dear Brother

I am going to by a knife for Eddy he is very wishfull to have one and I promised him yesterday to write today he has been asking ever so many times to day if I am going to see George and bring him a knife. Robert took his to the smith to have a hole put in the handle and he split the handle.  

Mr. George has opened a night school and Sill has joined.  James Bevan is Captain of a Barque called the Mouener and sailed today for Cape de Verd, George Stevens is going with him.  They are in trouble about Capt. Jones of Horton and Capt. Frank Gibbs of Port eynon.  They have been 2 weeks longer than some vessels sailing from the same place.  

We are all quite well.  Father is just as usuall.  Father wished me to say that we received a letter from Uncle to day.  We have been rather bussy to day do not forget to send the knife.  There is no news good night

from Your aff.

Sister Jane Bevan

Paraffin 10d per gall

Cardiff

Oct 30 1879

My dear Cousin

In answer to your last note I have to say that Mr Thomas does not intend having a new hand as the one he thought of having (a relative of his) remains on, I should have written at once but he has only lately decided, if there is any opening in the neighbourhood I shall certainly let him know.  I think Messrs Cross Brothers St. Mary St are in want of one or two hands, some of theirs have been dismissed lately I know, perhaps your friend had better write there.

I am sorry dear cousin that I have been negligent as regards corresponding with you, however we are now in more comfortable apartments and have better facilities for writing etc.

I am getting along very nicely our shop is much improved and enlarged since I came here, it is not one of the first class shops but we do an immense trade.  You may imagine when there are sometimes more than 500 customers served in one day we are now 11 counter hands and have an apprentice coming on next Monday, we cut things very fine down here.  Paraffin 10d per gall, cut nails 1½ on everything which comes in there is a certain discount put on & we have to stick to our price, which saves us no end of barney, especially with foreigners & Irishmen they often go out without purchasing, but invariably come back again for the goods so we loose [nothing] in the end.

I like Cardiff, much better than Swansea and I am sure you would too, the only objection I have is to the long hours, I hear that next month we are to fined for all mistakes.

How I hope you will write me soon for I know nothing of Llandudno news, who of my old friends are still there what sort of a season have you had, have you had all your money in etc

From your affectionate Cousin

R.J. Bevan

Share your kind regards to Uncle Aunt Florence George Hedley Jeni Arthur Miss Perry, Miss Symonds the Franklands all the Jones family & all the rest

Sill - off to see the world!

Jane’s period of illness lasted many weeks - once recovered she writes this newsy letter to her brother.  

Overton

Oct 6^th 1879

My dear Brother,

We have been looking out for a letter from you for some time now it is coming to fine weather now we have finished hearvest we finished Saturday. 

I was down to Port Eynon yesterday afternoon. It was ten weeks since I was down before.  I did not stay to meeting the Minister from the Mumbles was there and Father thought I should get a cold coming home we have given up going to the wells it is to cold.  I am going to Sketty to stay with Aunt Harriet for a little while on Wednesday.

Poor Capt. Stevens is very ill.  Sill is thinking of going to see the world a little on Saturday. George Bevan of Horton is talking of going to London William Bevan of Horton & John Austin Bevan have been in London. John has been there for more than twelve months at work and Wm about six in last and do you not think it will be a good Job if they stay there.  Wm Stevens intended going but his Father is so bad that he has given up the thought. 

When is Uncle & Aunt coming here the apples are very scarce the few we have is so small. I suppose they have none at Castle. We have not seen any from there for a long time.  John Silvanus Bevan have been down to Uncle George Gibbs for a week.  He went a way Saturday; he has 9 months more to be at sea before he can try to pass. George Bevan of the Ship has had a narrow escape he was ship wrecked near Liverpool you will see it in the paper.

Capt. & Mrs Jones of Horton is in London the boys will not want for company if they go.

Good night hoping you are all quite well I remain Your Aff. Sister Jane Bevan

Picture postcard view of Sketty Road, Swansea

John Austin Bevan never returned to the Gower to live.  In the summer of 1881 he married Jane, Fry, who at the time of the census taken earlier that year was working as a barmaid at the Latimer Arms in Walmer Street, Marylebone, just a stones-throw from John’s home in Fitzroy Street.  In 1901 John and Jane are still living at 32 Fitzroy Street with their children Herbert 15, Roland 12, Ada 6 and four year old John Edgar.  John has his own building and decorating business and describes himself as self-employed.

Rowland Bevan - Esquire of Oxwich

By the early 17th century the Elizabethan Oxwich Castle, built by the wealthy Mansel family, stood empty.  The southern range was converted into a farmhouse leased to tenants and by the end of that century it was home to the Bevan family.

Rowland Bevan - Esquire of Oxwich made his will on his deathbed on April 19, 1760.   After the usual preamble he begins by apportioning his lease held land to his son Richard.

I give and devise unto my Son Richard Bevan all that Tenement of Lands which I hold by Lease called Oxwich Green and also two Fields of Closes of ground which I likewise hold by Lease situate within the parish of Penrice and called by the name of Brimehill unto my son Richard Bevan during the Term of the said Leases.


Richard's inheritance also included £150 'together with two Beds and their Appurtenances one chest and Table and three Chairs and also two horses four Oxen four cows and twenty sheep.'


Rowland then turns his attention to his daughter Elizabeth the wife of William Button who receives 'that house at Penrice which I hold by Lease To hold the same unto her during her Life in as large and ample Manner as Ann Davis Widow now holds the same.'  She also receives £150.

Rowland makes provision for his grandchildren.  To the boys Edward, Samuel, Thomas, Philip, Richard and Rowland Hancorne, Francis, Samuel and Rowland Bevan, he leaves £50 each to be paid when they reach the age of twenty one, adding 'I likewise order the Interest of the said Several Legacies of ffifty pound to be paid by my Executor from the time of my decease at the Rate of four pound per cent per annum towards the Education of my said Grandsons.' Another grandson, also called Rowland Bevan and the son of Francis Bevan, does rather better and receives £500.


The Hancorne sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, receive slightly less - £40 - as does Jane Bevan, but with the same conditions and that the interest also goes towards their education.

Rowland appoints Lewis Tucker and his brother Thomas Bevan to be Overseers of his last Will and Testament.  His last bequest is to his servant Ann Guy who receives the sum of thirty pounds and the use of a cottage and garden in Oxwich then occupied by Philip Harry.

Having signed his will in the presence of witnesses, Rowland obviously has second thoughts about the money left to his Hancorne grandchildren and adds a codicil - 'my Will is that the said Several legacies shall be paid them respectively when they shall be put to any Business or occupation.'


The Will was proved at London just over a month later with administration for all the Goods Chattels and Credits going to Rowland's sole executor, his son Francis.

Sill's mouthtache causes concern

Overton Gower

Aug. 27^th 79

Dear Brother

I am sorry there is not much news, these dull times, or else I should write oftener.  The weather has been very wet and stormy, yesterday, and today, and I do not think we shall have any corn to cut before about the week after next.  There is a good rising of straw about here but I am afraid it will be badly filled.  We have been burning a little lime at Crow tor kiln and Thomas Ace has been almost smothered carrying it away this stormy weather but we finished it today.

I was to Swansea on Monday with Capt. Stevens, brake and one of Mr Beynon’s and one of our horses meeting the new Minister and his family he has three children and two other grown up persons besides his wife come down, so I expect they are pretty tight in the house at Horton.  I have not heard him preach yet. W.P. Ellis is his name.

Saunders and Mr Shepard was up here to tea on Monday evening.  Rowland has been down for about ten days he went away with me on Monday.

I have had one of those Sniders Rifles, there is a great number of them in the country 6/6 each from Sheffield so when you come down don’t forget amunition John Tucker was complaining that Rowland was using all his amunition so bring plenty of your own.

Mother is going to write in a day or two but when you send the parcel please to send one of your little 10/6 clocks and if you was to make me a present of a good razor I should be very thankful as my mouthtache wants a little trimming rather badly.  Father, Hannah, Harriet, Ellen, Robert, Edmund, George and John Overton was to Swansea last Friday week and along with Frank had their portraits in a group.  I enclose one card.  Hannah is going to write to Florey and send her one in a few days.

Jane is not very well she has been ill for about a fortnight not able to come down stairs having dreadful pain in her head but she is much better now.

Hoping this will find you quite well and all my Cousins & Uncle & Aunt.

          I remain

                   Your affection: Brother

                             Silvanus Bevan

Unfortunately George’s copy of the photograph has not survived.

10 years penal servitude

Castle Square

Aug 14 1879

Dear brother

I am quite well and I hope you are the same.  And I hope you have not forgotten me here.  I wrote to you a little time ago and have not received an answer yet if my letter was lost I cannot blame you but if on the contrary you received it and have been paying to much attention to the young Ladies lately to answer it back I shall give you a good reprimanding and 10 years penal servitude.

I saw Rowland this morning and he share my views of the case he is coming home for his Holiday and is going down to Killay by train and is going to walk home.  I was home last Saturday week and I am going home in the harvest time for a weeks Holiday.

                   From Your Affectionate

                             Bro. F. Bevan

P.S. Please write to clear your self of those grave charges

                                                Good night