"Whilst tracing my own family tree I came to a dead end that was proving difficult to get around. As one of my other 'occupations' is as a volunteer looking after the telephones on Bardsey Island, I thought 'Why not research the family trees of those who lived on Ynys Enlli/Bardsey Island'?
As the island has only a dozen houses, I thought it would not take too long. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for.
I started by copying out all the Census entries from 1841 through to 1901, at Gwynedd Archives in Caernarfon. That didn't take too long. Then came the interesting task of entering them all into a family history program on the computer.
I've tried a few family history programs, but I eventually have chosen to use Genopro available free to download from http://www.genopro.com/. This program shows all the relatives' ascendants/descendants in a tree and several trees can be shown at the same time side by side. Against each person I added their details from each Census. I was thus able to see when someone 'disappeared' off the island.
The list grew - luckily the program has the facility to search/list by various criteria such as date of birth or spouse etc. This helped greatly to trace those whose surname changed. I've discovered that whole families change surnames from one census to the next.
I then started on memorial inscriptions from the small graveyard on Bardsey. This added not only more information, but one or two more folk. There were still lots of people who just seemed to disappear, so I then started searching the Census information for Aberdaron and the number of people increased! It was easy to spot 'born Bardsey Island' but not all those who lived on Bardsey were born there.
On the Internet I came across a list of all lighthousekeepers from the early 1800s until about 1914 and where and when they served. This added quite a few to my list of those at Bardsey's Lighthouse who had come and gone between censuses.
Whilst I've only so far covered the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses, my list was up to well over 400 people. When printed out the family trees are about 2ft 6in deep and 20 feet across!
Most of my Bardsey family trees are for folk who were there pre-1901, but I have added one tree for the last of the Bardsey families who have a long connection - that of the Evans family who spent the better part of the year at Dynnogoch on Bardsey. Ernest Evans was brought up and started school on Bardsey and now fishes around Bardsey with his son Colin.
Ernest's father Will Evans (1906-1979) also lived on Bardsey until he retired in the early 1970s and moved to Aberdaron with his wife Nell. Whilst entering the memorial information into the computer, I noticed that Will and Nell lived at a house called Bron Foel, Uwchmynydd. I thought "I'm sure that Bron Foel is familiar". Only the week before I had been checking the 1891 Census (which I had just bought on CD-rom) and discovered a Catherine Jones, widow, born Bardsey in 1816 living at Bron y Foel, Aberdaron, with her unmarried daughter Elizabeth aged 21 and grandchildren Janet Jones, aged 12, and John Evans, aged six. I had no other reference to this family in my list of Bardsey folk.
I telephoned the Evans family to ask if Bron Foel was the same house as Bron y Foel - yes was the answer "it is the Evans family home".
John Evans shown as aged six was Ernest's grandfather. He came to the island to live in 1925, bringing his family including Ernest's father - Will. Apparently Will had always said that his ancestors came from Bardsey!
A bit of further cross-checking in my listings and I discovered that Catherine Jones was in my listings as Catherine Hughes, aged 20, single, living on Bardsey in the 1841 Census. This gave me not only her parents but her grandparents, taking me back to 1760/70, giving me eight generations of the Evans family.
Where do the Evans live on Bardsey today? - Dynnogoch.
A discovery like this makes genealogy all the more interesting. But sometimes it can be sad when you come across a gravestone that reads
"Underneath are interred the remains of Thomas Williams of Bardsey Island, Mariner. He perished in the execution of his duty as Master of the Bardsey Light Tender which was wrecked on 30th November 1822. This stone was here placed in testimony of his regard for the memory of departed zeal and integrity by Joseph Goddard Esquire, Collector of H.M.Customs at Caernarvon and agent for the Bardsey Light. Also the remains of Sydney, daughter of the above Thos Wms aged 20 who lost her life on the same melancholy occasion".
It just brings it home how hard life must have been in those days.
I would be interested to hear from anyone with Bardsey connections - who knows, I may have quite a bit of your early family tree already. I'm interested to fill in the early part of the 20th century, before the clouds of time shroud living memory and we become dependent only on the Census.
I'm intrigued to read the latest comments from Rhys Waters, South Gwent: 'My parents have discovered my great great great great great Grandfather, John Nethaniel's grave on Bardsey. I think he was around during the Civil War, but I'm still looking into it.'
The grave is news to me! The little cemetery on Enlli dates from way after John Nathaniel's death. John's wife, Elinor Jones was buried in Aberdaron Churchyard on 18th October 1763 but there's no trace of John's grave.
If anyone would like share there information with me directly, please email EnlliFH@uax.org.uk."
ALSO ON BBC.CO.UK:
your comments
Christine Bingham (nee Hopkinson) Chesterfield Der
I have seen several people on this site who I think are related to us; Jason Parry from Manchester and Christine Graham from Stockport. My sister Shirley & I were Hopkinsons and our relatives Ellen Hughes an ancestor who was perhaps the Queen of Bardsey are on their family tree along with pictures.
Fri Apr 3 09:33:22 2009
Stella Newton, Cambridgeshire, formerly Aberdaron
To set the record straight on the two Love Pritchards, Brennin (king) Love never married & as far as I know had no descendants. My nain Jane Jones Pritchard kept house for him on Enlli. She was the widow of an Enlli man with 3 sons, Trebor, Guto & Samuel & a daughter Kitty. She then married Love Pritchard, the nephew of Brennin Love. They had a son Robin (who died after an accident aged 16) & a daughter Jane(Jinnie). They left Enlli in 1927 to live in Talcen Foel, Aberdaron. Jinnie married a Cambridgeshire man Edwin (Ted) Shipp & they had a son (who died as a baby) & a daughter, myself. So%I, my daughters, and my grandsons are his only descendants.
Fri Mar 6 09:25:48 2009
brent hinchliffe from crewe
My grandmother, Sydney Jones, was Tavern Keeper of the Ship Inn,Aberdaron in the census of 1891. The Griffith I believe to have been my grandfather, born at Aberdaron,a sailor. In later life he became a ship's master. I have tried long and hard to trace my grandfather's maritime career without any success. Can anyone help me? I know he died at Gwalchmai in 1920.
Fri Apr 18 09:37:11 2008
Non Griffith, Criccieth
I believe that Alwyn's father was my grandfather's brother. My mother is now researching her father's ancestors and has discovered that her great-grandmother's brother John Williams was responsible for re establishing the services at Capel Enlli in Remsen NY in 1925. He died in 1927 leaving a wife and two children - Humphrey D and the Rev Jay Gomer Williams.
Thu Mar 27 10:07:24 2008
Alwyn Williams Nefyn
My father was born on Enlli (Bardsey) in 1920, I recall his stories of visiting an Auntie in New York just after world war two. Sadly I do not know her name, I wonder if she could be buried at Capel Enlli in Remsen upstate New York?
Mon Mar 10 10:52:58 2008
Jay Williams, Clinton NY
Are you aware of Capel Enlli located in Remsen in upstate New York? There is a cemetery there with many people identified as having come from Enlli.
Mon Feb 25 10:02:27 2008
Tim Hughes - Black Rock Victoria Australia
Dear Katie - do you have a photograph of the King of Bardsey? He could have been my great grandfather: the Hughes family lived there for close to a hundred years. I went there many times as a child after the war. Also Aberdaron, where my dad owned a farm called Dunvoura. Well I think that's how you spell it.
Wed Feb 13 09:36:02 2008
colin creagh
my uncle was a lighthouse keeper for many years and his family lived with him. some of the children had to be taken to the mainland to be born. his name was allen till of eastbourne sussex. he died 2-3 years ago sadly.
Mon Jul 23 09:44:08 2007
Rowena Evans Australia
There are pictures and stories of Love Pritchard and others from Bardsey on the website rhiw.com. When I was in Pwllheli Grammar School in the '50s Miss Averilda Williams of Bryngwynhoedl, the Domestic Science teacher (Willie Kitch), used to let various pupils come with her for the weekend to her loft on Bardsey, and I and two Elizabeths also had that privilege once. We visited the lighthouse, the ornithology HQ and the chapel, where my friend Elizabeth M Thomas played the organ. Due to problems of wind or tide, we had to land miles away from Aberdaron on Monday morning and walk there to catch a bus. We were pretty late to school that day. In 1965 I visited her again; this time she had a cottage on the island.
Mon Jul 9 09:58:23 2007
Phyllis Pearson, NZ
Wonder if the Rev William Jones of Bardsey was the same W.Jones who married Nancy Baker in 1829 at St Brides Netherwent, Mon, Wales.This William Jones was from Carmarthen, b1801, d1871.
Tue May 8 11:08:44 2007
Christine Graham from Southport
I am one of the many people who have been told that their ancestor was from Bardsey!
In my case I was told that my ancester was the 'Queen' of Bardsey, so I think it is an ancestor who happened to be married to the 'King'.
My last relative born on Bardsey was Ellen Hughes born approx 1784. She was baptized on 21.11.1784 in Aberdaron. She married Griffiths Roberts (born Caernarvonshire) and they eventually settled in Salford, Manchester before 1816. Griffiths Roberts. I would guess that Ellen Hughes was related to the 'King' before John William 1st or! even John William himself.
Does anyone know who the 'Kings' were before John William 1st?
I was told that there was a reference to the old 'King' having died before the 'crowning' of John William 1st in 1826.
I am hoping to visit Bardsey in the summer but would love to know more about its history.
I would appreciate any information anyone has regarding past kings. I saw the crown at the Liverpool Maritime Museum about 8 years ago, it wasn't on show but they got it out for me, hardly the crown jewells but very interesting.
Wed Mar 14 09:40:47 2007
dewi jones from wiltshire
John Williams was my great great great great grandfather. I have inherited his silver snuff box and I wonder if you have any info on the crown of the kings of Bardsey
Tue Nov 28 09:59:44 2006
Iolo - Anglesey
An elderly aunt told me that one of my ancestors was a so called "King of Bardsey." She thinks he was Irish or of Irish descent. Any ideas?
Mon Nov 13 09:31:49 2006
David Taylor from Cobham
In the 15th century Robert Bardsey owned land at Cobham, Surrey, which was given to him by the Abbot of Chertsey. He appears to have a wealthy fishmonger from London with a property in Kingston upon Thames. There is a chapter on Bardsey in my book "An Estate For All Seasons - A History of Cobham Park, Surrey and its owners and occupiers".
Mon Nov 6 10:15:01 2006
Ian Jolly, Bryn-y-Baal, Mold
You are correct - John Williams, the first 'King of Enlli', who was born around 1800, and sadly drowned on 11th April 1841 whilst crossing from Ynys Enlli to Aberdaron. He is buried in the graveyard at Aberdaron church. He was a farmer and 'Bardsey Light Attendant', living in a house called Cristin. He married an Ann Jones from Aberdaron on 31st July 1829. They had five children, the youngest of whom was born only days before his father was drowned. Eventually he too became 'King of Enlli'. He never married and eventually left the island in the early 1900's to spend his last days in the Pwllheli Poorhouse! Only the eldest daughter, Margaret, married and moved to the mainland.
Mon Oct 16 09:43:14 2006
Andy from Buxton
On researching my welsh roots my uncle told me of a 'King of Bardsey island, his name was John Griffith Williams and apparently he died in the mid to late 1800's whilst rowing back from the mainland in a drunken state!!Dont know if anyone else has heard this?
Mon Aug 7 09:25:20 2006
Catherine Owens, Drury, Buckley
My uncle on my mother's side, John (Jack )Kidd, from Pentrefelin, investigated our family tree, and when he died about 18 years ago, it was handed down to myself and my twin sister (Gaenor) nee Lloyd. In it, he had managed to trace back to Love Pritchard (King of Bardsey). The whole thing is a mass of red-herrings and various family trees, but in there somewhere is that line. It may show some of these other connections. Finding this page has made me want to re-investigate. So I will study it and if I suspect that any of the lines might be connected to previous commentors, I will scan and forward to those who are interested. Also for those of you who do not know, up until recently the maritime museum in Liverpool housed King Love's crown together with an interesting display of memorabilia. I don't know if it is still being shown. I haven't been for many years.
Wed May 17 13:41:04 2006
Sian Rees, Hen Golwyn
My great-great grandfather, William Jones who spent most of his life as a corn merchant in Rhyl was reputedly born on Bardsey, although the only evidence I have of this is that on the census returns of 1861,'71,'81 the parish of his birth is given as Aberdaron. William Jones' marriage certificate notes that his father was John Prichard - the patronymic form of naming. My grandmother travelled by train from Rhyl to Pwllheli in the 1920s to visit her "cousin" Love Pritchard. Can anyone help me unravel the mystery of where exactly William Jones was born and how he was related to Love Pritchard? ! Thanks. This has been bugging me for over fifteen years!
Fri May 5 14:28:01 2006
David Pritchard, Ringwood, Hants
My family originated in Aberdaron, and I remember my father who was born in Bangor, often speaking of their connection with Bardsey and King Love-Pritchard. My cousin was a Pritchard-Jones living in Pen y Groes, where his widow still lives. I'm just fascinated and excited by it all. Thank you.
Mon Dec 5 16:10:44 2005
Ceri and Gareth Waters Blackwood,Gwent
Elinor (1693-1766) wife of John Nathaneal of Bardsey was my ancestor. She is buried in Aberdaron Churchyard and the gravestone just said wife of John Nathaneal of Bardsey, so we don't know what happened to him!
.We spent a day on the Island and met Christine Evans, a local historian who was very helpful and interested in this connection. Any more information would be brilliant!We still have cousins in the area.
Wed Oct 26 17:48:24 2005
Marianne Apps from Penmaenmawr
My father lived on Bardsey for sometime. He past away in 1996 at the age of 76. His name was Jean Armand Van Der Bijl. He was a frenchman. Did anyone know him? I Would love to hear from you. He became a teacher later on in his life and taught at St Davids College in Llandudno for 25 yrs.
Sat Oct 8 13:31:06 2005
Ian Jolly, Yr Wyddgrug
It is interesting how many descendants 'King' Love Pritchard had!
He left the island in autumn 1925 at the age of 82 still unmarried and is quoted as saying he 'was looking forward to finding a wife on the mainland' !! His departure from the island made the front page on some of the national newspapers including the Daily Sketch of 20th September 1925 whose headline said "King Love arrives on the Mainland". King Love died the following year still unmarried.
There was another 'Love Pritchard'(born 1880) who was the nephew of 'King' Love (born 1843). The second Love died in 1961. Both are buried in Aberdaron.
Mon Jun 20 12:11:55 2005
Jason Parry from Manchester
My family also carry the story of an ancestor who was King of bardsey.
Love Pritchard does have a startling likeness to my late father Keith Robert parry. Our Parry's were in talacre in the early 1900s. Any info would be appreciated.
Wed May 25 18:40:08 2005
Kate from Ludlow
I read with interest the letter of Katie from Essex. My grandfather was the minister on the island. He was the Rev William Jones. He is shown in the 1891 census as being 37 years old and living in the Mission House. My father was born 2 years later, I think. He was born on the island and lived ther for 12-15 years.
Fri Mar 11 21:06:27 2005
Jaime Evans from Portland, OR, USA
It's very interesting to read some about the Evans family from Wales. I only knew that my ancestors came to America from there and that, well, that's all I DO know. Anytime I try to do a search on the family roots, I come to a halt; realizing that there are far too many Evans' unaccounted for. We all should know where we come from. Too many people are unaware of their roots. Such as myself. Thank you for all the information you've posted.
Fri Feb 4 23:20:28 2005
Iola Coles, Pwllheli
Love Pritchard was my great grandfather.
Mon Jan 24 19:54:25 2005
Katie from Essex
My Great Uncle, William Jones, was the Minister at the church on Bardsey for many years. I have a photograph of him with his 'flock' which includes the 'King' of Bardsey. I can provide a lot more details if required.
Tue Jan 4 17:50:32 2005
