David Ffrangcon Thomas and Archibald Davies
Talking Stones……….
This blog moves to St. Nicholas, Nicholaston.
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| St. Nicholas, Nicholaston |
St. Nicholas church is thought to one of several of the Gower churches to have been moved during the Middle Ages a mile inland from the coast to its present location, on the main road from Swansea. The original simply church was rebuilt during the 16th century during the reign of King Edward VI.
1894 the church that stands today had replaced the 16th
century church. The only remaining
masonry that dates from that period can be found is the chancel arch and
southeast corner of the chancel, which contains two arumbries and piscine.
The benefactor of the 1894 works was Miss Olive Talbot, who
devoted much time and money to good works, the works at St. Nicholas was to be
memory to her father, Christoper Rice Mansel Talbot, of Penrice Castle and
Margam Park. The costs of works were in
the region £2000, but sadly, Olive who had been invalid for the last 20 years
of life lived in London didn’t see the results of the work, dying October
1894. The works were completed December
1894.
Olive Talbot was the close friend of Amy Dillwyn. Olive was a teetotaller. Olive not only funded to the works of St.
Nicholas, one of her biggest projects but also funded towards St. Michael
church, Llandaff and the rebuilding work of St. David’s church, Bettws. Olive was buried at Margam Abbey.
Following her death, her sister, Emily Charlotte Talbot,
funded the building of St. Theodore’s church, Port Talbot in her memory and the
also in memory of their brother, Thedore, who was killed in a hunting accident,
1876. The church of St. Michael and All Angels, Maesteg was built as a memorial
to Olive’s generosity.
The two headstones of interest are those of David
Ffrangcon Thomas and Archibald Davies.
Archibald DAVIES
George Davies, 25, and Eva Kneath, 20, were married on 9th
January 1897 at St. James church, Swansea. George’s occupation was listed as a
Mason.
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| 1901 Census |
By the time of the 1901 Census, George, 31, and Eva, 24, were residing at Reynoldston. George was working for himself as a Stone Mason. They had three young children, Archibald, 4; Olive. F., 2 and 5-month old George A. Also present at the property is Swansea born lodge Geoge H. Gordon, 24. His occupation is Gardener (Domestic).
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| 1921 Census |
By the time of the 1911 Census, George and Eva are living at
Grove Hill, Parkmill. Their four
children are Archibald, 14; George Ashton, 10; Edward John, 8 and Albert
Douglas, 8.
Archibald enlisted and joined the army during the First
World War, serving with Welsh Regiment, 6th Battalion. He saw action at the Battle of Loos.
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| Battle of Loos September and October 1915 |
Sadly, the Germans had improved methods, more ammunition,
better equipment and gas, were able to contain the Franco-British attacks. The
British gas attacks failed sufficiently to neutralise the Germans and the
artillery bombardment fell short to destroy the barbed wire and machine gun
nests. The German defensive fortifications couldn’t be overrun by the
British. The British themselves were
trying to mass an army suitable for the Western Front conditions.
26 men from Swansea were killed at the Battle of Loos, most
of them are commemorated on the Loos Memorial.
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| Archibald Davies St. Nicholas credit - findagrave |
His family grave doesn’t have a military headstone due to
the clear inscription.
David Ffrangcon THOMAS
David was born 1910 at Plas-marl, Swansea. He was the son of William Roger and Rebecca
Thomas. David was given the name
Ffrangcon after the singer David Thomas Ffrangcon Davies.
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| 1911 Census |
At the time of the 1911 Census, the Davies family were residing at 28 Bartley Terrace, Landore. William Roger, 35, Accountant. Rebecca, 34. The children were Marion, 6; Josiah Dennis, 4; Annie Eluned, 2 and 6-month-old David Ffrangcon.
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| 1921 Census |
The family are still resident at the address by the time of
the 1921 Census.
By the age of 11, David had begun to learn to play the cello
under the teacher Gwilym Thomas, Port Talbot. Within 2 years, David had won a scholarship to
Cello School of Herbert Walenn, London.
David won prizes at the national eisteddfod at both Pontypool,
1924 and Swansea, 1926. David studied at Royal Music Academy. David became a member of the London
Philharmonic Orchestre and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
During the Second World War, David, served with the army,
following the conflict, David studied at Prague with Pravoslav Sadio and Rafael
Kubelik. David was to have a soloist career, travelling to Australia and the
Far East. David endeavour to form a Welsh orchestra.
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| Burial Register St. Nicholas |
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| David Ffrangcon Thomas St. Nicholas |
David died December 1963, and his ashes are interred at Nicholaston.
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