Sweet FA & Murder Stones
Sweet F.A.! That’s grabbed your attention! We will find out the origins of this statement which is commonly used today!
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| Robert William Norman Leyson Memorial St. Catwg's church, Cadoxton, Neath |
After reading last months article, Talking Stones, Heather Davies, from Mumbles, contacted me. Whilst researching her family history and visiting St. Catwg’s Church, Cadoxton, Neath, that she photographed this memorial and headstone.
The memorial within the church is in memory of Robert William
Norman Leyson. R.M.S. Titanic sank
early morning of 15th April 1912, during her maiden voyage from Southampton
to New York. Over 1,500 souls perished, one of whom was 25-year-old Second
Class passenger Robert. Boarding the Titanic
at Southampton, Robert had the intention to join his brother, Leyson Thomas
in New York. Who was Robert? He was the son of a well-known Swansea/Neath solicitor,
Robert Thomas. Like his father, Robert was
a solicitor. At the time of the 1901
Census, the family were listed as living at Bloomfield, Sketty. Today, Bloomfield is a residential care home
established in 1948. By the 1911 Census,
solicitor Robert, who is boarding in London, has listed his occupation as an
engineer.
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| Cable Ship MacKay-Bennett |
Robert’s body was recovered by the MacKay-Bennett. Many of bodies of the second-class passengers who were recovered were embalmed and wrapped in canvas. While those third-class passengers and some second class were buried at sea. In total 116 souls were buried at sea, including Robert.
Within the churchyard is the grave of Margaret Williams. July 1822, 26-year-old Margaret Williams who
hailed from Carmarthenshire was savagely murdered. She had been employed as maid in a local farm
in Cadoxton, falling pregnant she was asked to leave the farm.
The farmer’s son, Llewellyn Richard, who was thought to be
the father of the unborn baby, was arrested on suspicion of murder. The jury, who were listening to the inquest
into the death, could not find enough evidence against Llewellyn. He was then released. Shortly afterwards, Llewellyn, made it to
Swansea and left on cargo boat for America for a new life.
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| Elijah Waring |
A year after the murder, the headstone was erected and bears the inscription of Alton born Quaker, Elijah Waring. The quite chilling and moving inscriptions reads
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| Margaret Williams' grave St. Catwg's church, Cadoxton, Neath |
Elijah Waring, who settled first in Swansea established the
short lived The Cambrian Visitor: a Monthly Miscellany. After Swansea, he settled in Neath. His daughter, Anna Laetitia Waring, was a well-known
hymn writer. This stone well visited today is one of
the last Murders Stones located in Wales.
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| Fanny Adams' grave Alton Cemetery, Hampshire |
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| Fanny Adams |
1867, 8-year-old Fanny Adams, was brutally “murdered” at the
hands of solicitor’s clerk, Frederick Baker in Alton. The murder caused national outcry. Baker was tried and found guilty. He was publicly hanged at Winchester Goal,
1867. Fanny is buried at Alton Cemetery,
and her grave is marked by a Murder Stone.
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| Thomas Bowdler's grave All Saints church, Oystermouth, Mumbles |
The phrase Sweet F.A. was not censored, at the time known as bowdlerisation, derived from Thomas Bowdler. Royal Navy seamen in 1869 used this this phrase, as they were unimpressed by the introduction of the new ration tinned mutton, reference to the brutal murder of Fanny. Sadly Sweet F.A. is also used today and know what that means!
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