Gilwern, Monmouthshire

From a miller's son in rural Herefordshire to Managing Director of Gilwern's Silvatone Gramophone Works, Arthur Arkell's life reflects the remarkable industrial changes of the early twentieth century. Together with his first wife, Elizabeth "Bessie" Samuel, whose family were well known in Gilwern, their story offers a fascinating glimpse into local family life, commerce, and… Read more

This account follows James Parry and Mary James of Llanelly Hill, whose lives were shaped by the coal mining industry. Married in 1881, they raised a family closely connected to the collieries, reflecting both the resilience of their community and the dangers of mining, highlighted by the loss of their son Benjamin in 1936. Read more

Grave E92 commemorates the George and Jones families, whose roots lay in Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, before settling in Llanelly. It marks the short life of Samuel George, a parish schoolmaster, his wife Elizabeth (daughter of Thomas Jones, parish clerk of St Elli), and their infant child. The grave reflects a story of strong parish ties, service,… Read more

The story of the Rev. Arthur Griffiths, long-serving Rector of Llanelly, whose fifty-year ministry left a lasting mark on the parish and community. Read more

This month we examine the Thomas Jones Parry monument exploring its inscription, design, and historical context. We trace the lives commemorated on the stone and considers what the memorial reveals about public service, faith, and community esteem in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Llanelly Parish. Read more

This headstone records the children of William and Mary Andrew of Gilwern. Their story provides a poignant insight into family life and child mortality in 19th-century Breconshire. Read more

For more than a century and immense social change, the Powell family grocery shops served the people of Clydach. Their story is not merely a family history—it is the story of a community institution woven into village life across generations. This research links with the oral history provided by Jeff Powell and is well worth… Read more