You know Ystradgynlais like the back of your hand...
January 2, 2015 10:59 AM Subscribe
I am seeking locational and historical information on addresses, building use history and genealogy resources about Ystradgynlais, Wales.
The 1881 census gives my Great Grandparent's address as: Board School House 10 Oddfellows Street, Lower Ystradgynlais (Brecon), Glamorganshire, Wales.
1. I googled it and got a nice little white row house on a quiet back street, but it doesn't look anything like a "school house". I want to print and frame it, but don't want to get all sentimental over a wrong address-- I am hoping you will please help me make sure I have found Grandma's house.
2. Please explain the significance, if any, of living in a School House. Why did the census taker even mention it, why not just say 10 Oddfellows Street? Is there some special significance to living in a School House?
3. I am also seeking your best Welsh genealogy resources, and/or any other awesome thing that has to do with Welsh culture and history.
Diolch yn fawr!!
The 1881 census gives my Great Grandparent's address as: Board School House 10 Oddfellows Street, Lower Ystradgynlais (Brecon), Glamorganshire, Wales.
1. I googled it and got a nice little white row house on a quiet back street, but it doesn't look anything like a "school house". I want to print and frame it, but don't want to get all sentimental over a wrong address-- I am hoping you will please help me make sure I have found Grandma's house.
2. Please explain the significance, if any, of living in a School House. Why did the census taker even mention it, why not just say 10 Oddfellows Street? Is there some special significance to living in a School House?
3. I am also seeking your best Welsh genealogy resources, and/or any other awesome thing that has to do with Welsh culture and history.
Diolch yn fawr!!
I'm afraid I have nothing much to aid you in your quest, but just have to let you know that rather unbelievably, Ystradgynlais is the largest town in Powys! Oh, and I have fond memories of taking Cubs there on camp.
Good luck with your research.
posted by car01 at 1:57 PM on January 2, 2015
Good luck with your research.
posted by car01 at 1:57 PM on January 2, 2015
1. I googled it and got a nice little white row house on a quiet back street, but it doesn't look anything like a "school house". I want to print and frame it, but don't want to get all sentimental over a wrong address-- I am hoping you will please help me make sure I have found Grandma's house.
2. Please explain the significance, if any, of living in a School House. Why did the census taker even mention it, why not just say 10 Oddfellows Street? Is there some special significance to living in a School House?
If a building has a specific name, it is still common practice to mention that name in addresses today. Even so, the number on the census return may not actually be the house number but rather represents the sequential number of the house as the enumerator visited. So 10 Oddfellows Street is simply the tenth house that he came to in that street. I think (but am not wholly certain) this was the practice until 1911. So "10 Oddfellows Street" today may not be the house you're looking for.
A quick Googling suggests there were two schools on Oddfellows Street at that time, one Chapel and the other Church. "Board School" suggests to me that this was the Church school. Part of that has been demolished, but another part survives (here, gable end). You really need local help to figure out if this is the right school and whether the surviving part was your family's home. I agree totally with LarryC that if you show an interest in a local area then local historians will give you everything you want and more.
posted by Thing at 2:13 PM on January 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
2. Please explain the significance, if any, of living in a School House. Why did the census taker even mention it, why not just say 10 Oddfellows Street? Is there some special significance to living in a School House?
If a building has a specific name, it is still common practice to mention that name in addresses today. Even so, the number on the census return may not actually be the house number but rather represents the sequential number of the house as the enumerator visited. So 10 Oddfellows Street is simply the tenth house that he came to in that street. I think (but am not wholly certain) this was the practice until 1911. So "10 Oddfellows Street" today may not be the house you're looking for.
A quick Googling suggests there were two schools on Oddfellows Street at that time, one Chapel and the other Church. "Board School" suggests to me that this was the Church school. Part of that has been demolished, but another part survives (here, gable end). You really need local help to figure out if this is the right school and whether the surviving part was your family's home. I agree totally with LarryC that if you show an interest in a local area then local historians will give you everything you want and more.
posted by Thing at 2:13 PM on January 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Looking at old maps of the area might give you some more background. The National Library of Scotland has a site collecting Ordnance Survey Maps of England and Wales between 1842 and 1952. The map covering Ystradgynlais made in 1876-77 and published in 1889 shows two school buildings on either side of Oddfellows’ St. The same buildings appear on the 1903 revision of the map, with the school on the southern side of the street now labelled an Infants’ School, whereas on the 1914 revision (published 1921) of the map, this has become a Sunday School, with the other building no longer labelled as a school at all.
posted by misteraitch at 12:52 AM on January 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by misteraitch at 12:52 AM on January 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I reached out to the group LarryC recommended- waiting to hear back if they can assist with an exact location. Thing confirmed I was on the right street, I just needed to turn around and look behind me. Misteraitch's maps are WONDERFUL and also confirm the street, and I especially appreciate the direct map links from the NLS resource- THANK YOU. They are totally going in the family scrapbook. And thanks car01 for the well wishes... did you go to the Brecon Beacons?
posted by goml at 9:08 AM on January 3, 2015
posted by goml at 9:08 AM on January 3, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
I work a lot with local historians and genealogists, and without fail they are delighted to meet someone interested in their areas of expertise. Just reach out to them.
posted by LarryC at 11:14 AM on January 2, 2015 [2 favorites]