The Office has received some interesting accessions this quarter, notably:
Thomas
Stevens of Cardiff Collection, c.1880-1913
(D401)
This photograph album, depicting the interior and exterior of café
establishments, was presented to Thomas Stevens who established his café
business in 1887 at the Dutch Café, 122 Queen Street, Cardiff.
Mr Stevens went on to open a further café, the Dorothy, at 14 High
Street before 1897. The business still held two cafés in Cardiff
in 1949. By 1952, the Dutch Café had apparently closed but the
firm had opened a café at 11 Windsor Road, Penarth. The entire
business disappeared before 1961.
The Dutch Café at 122 Queen Street, from the Thomas Stevens collection (D401)
The Dutch Café at 122 Queen Street, from the Thomas Stevens collection (D401)
Letter
from Daniel and Jane Scurry, Carbondale, Pennsylvania, to Phillip Rees,
Aberdare Iron Works.1847
(D403)
This letter was written by Daniel Scurry, a Welsh emigrant to the state
of Pennsylvania in the United States of America, to relatives living in
Aberdare, in Welsh. Welsh people first began settling in Pennsylvania
during the late 17th century, often fleeing from religious persecution
or rural poverty. The development of the coal and iron industries around
Scranton and Wilkes Barre from the late 18th century - and particularly
during the mid and late 19th century attracted large numbers of skilled
Welsh workers, many of whom originated in the valleys of Carmarthenshire,
Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire, with similar industrial backgrounds.
Anthracite exploitation in the Carbondale area began in 1812 and the first
substantial mine opened in 1831. The recipient of the letter, Phillip
Rees died in 1860, his widow in 1861, both of Aberdare.
Papers
relating to the Mathew Family of Radyr and Llandaff, 1793
(D351)
A volume comprising a survey of estate lands in Llandaff, Canton, Ely,
Llantrisant, Llandough, Michaelston-le-Pit, Peterstone-super-Ely, Radyr,
Coychurch, Merthyr Tydfil, Coity and Cardiff.
Recent Research
A
researcher has found a link between an inquest on an anonymous body at
the Mackworth Arms, Swansea, in October 1816, and the suicide of Fanny
Imlay. The details were extracted from a coroner’s expense claim
included in the Glamorgan Quarter Sessions rolls.
Fanny Imlay was the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, the early advocate
of women’s education and liberation, and half-sister of Mary Shelley
author of ‘Frankenstein’.
CyMAL Grants
The Record Office has been awarded over £28,000 in grants over the next year for projects including:
 |
producing educational resources for schools on the Tonypandy riots and Penrhyn quarry strike (in partnership with Gwynedd Archives Service) |
|
improving access to the Hughesovka Research Archive |
|
promoting Community archives (in partnership with Cardiff Museum Project) |
|
promoting our services through films and exhibitions on conservation, family history and house history |
|
purchase dehumidifiers to improve conditions in the strongrooms |
www.ancestry.com
CyMAL has also given us a subscription to ‘ancestry.com’,
the genealogical website with search facility for British and American
censuses, church registers and vital records. At the moment, due to licence
restrictions, we are unable to provide direct public access to the site,
however staff will be happy to make a search for anyone who would like
to use the facility.
Interior of the Dutch Café at 122 Queen Street, from the Thomas Stevens collection (D401)
The letter mentions
that they had 7 children at the time of writing, but had lost a son
Thomas, aged 14 months in September 1846, who had died of cholera. In
their view he was one of the most handsome children of all, with beauty
exceeding most of the children in the community.
Introduction to the Copy Searchroom
If
you are new to the Copy searchroom - or know someone who would like to
use the facilities - staff at the Record Office can now provide a personal
introduction to the resources in the room.
Find out about the microfiche, the facsimile registers, the indexes and
all the other resources available there.
Half
hour introductions will be given at 10am and 2pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
You will need to book in advance as places are limited.
