A Waifs Inheritance

Main Site Index Old Llanfynydd Houses Webmaster

Pantglas Hall

A Waif's Inheritance

An interesting story is related of the funeral of John Jones of Pantglas who is buried in the chancel of Llanfynydd Church. It seems that an illegitimate child had been born to one of his paramours a few years earlier in 1755 – a boy who was six years of age at the time of his putative father’s death. A neighbour of the deceased John Jones, one David Thomas of Bronglyn, had come to the funeral on horseback. Seeing the little boy on the roadside among many spectators of the cortege of the dead squire, he observed that it was a shame for the child to be so neglected. Calling out to a spectator, Thomas had the boy lifted up behind him on his horse, and after the ceremony was over, it was discovered that, according to the deceased gentleman’s will, the Pantglas estate and all other property had been left to the poor lade whose former state had been so pitiable. Richard Jones grew up and became a barrister. He also served the county of Carmarthen as clerk of the peace from 1792 until 1799. He married, on 6 January 1779, Alicia Gratiana, a daughter of Capt. Williams of Brynhafod, a niece and heiress of David Lloyd, Esq., of Berllandywyll estate. She adopted the additional surname of Lloyd and her husband became known as Richard Jones Llwyd. Eventually Berllandywyll was absorbed into the Golden Grove estate.

Many letters written by Richard Jones or Richard Jones Llwyd, as he was later called, have survived. The following extracts will illustrate the social life of the period of his activities at the Bar and in the political struggles and intrigues of the time. Jones Llwyd was a magnanimous person in many ways, and felt gratitude and affection for the kind hearted old farmer who had championed his cause on the day of his father’s funeral. And it is significant that David Thomas of Bronglyn was a welcome visitor at Pantglas and often shared the generous hospitality of Jones Llwyd. It was at Pantglas that David Thomas breathed his last, some twenty-six years after that chill December day when he felt such sympathy towards the young Richard at his father’s funeral.

Jones Llwyd was accepted into gentry circles in spite of the stigma of bastardy, and was also influential in local government affairs. Richard Jones Llwyd died in 1799 and was only 44 years old and is buried at Llangathen. As he died intestate and without heirs, much of his fortunate became forfeit to the Bishop of St. Davids! This included part of Gwaelodymaes, Stangrach, Caerperseli, Caegwyn, Caegwyddau, Plas Llwyd and certain cottages!

Writing to his “Ever dear Alicia” from Haverfordwest, on 12 August 1780 he tells of a Ball given by Sir Cornwallis Maude, and attended by Mrs. Vaughan, Mr. John Vaughan, Miss Pryce of Kilgwyn, Mr. Griff Philipps, Mrs. Davies, the family of Coombe, the two Miss Pembertons, and “all the females of Carmarthen that could beg, borrow or steal a decent gown and clean apron and cap”. Of Lady Maude he said that she was a “divine woman”. “She engages everybody’s attention with such sweetness of manners”. Of her nature he added that “her voice, manner and features strongly indicate a benevolence of heart and a harmony of mind incapable of passion and resentment, tho’ liable to be moved and interested by every object of pity and compassion. Miss Maude . . . is by no means handsome, she has a weakness in her eyes that disfigures and the simetry of her features and complexion are by no means favourable”. The Misses Pemberton “are alike injured in appearance by the projection of the two fore teeth, and want that peculiar ease of carriage and manner that denote an education in the superior ranks of life . . . Mrs. Davies of Penylan did not dance, the only reason I can assign for it is that there was no person whom she thought equal to the honour of being her partner . . . as to the Riff Raff of Carmarthen they were so numerous that it is impossible to send you any account of them. Sir Cornwallis Maude was very attentive to everybody but more so to Mr. Griff Philipps”. Of Admiral Lloyd of Frood he commented that “the condition of the Admiral’s friendship are too severe for any long duration nor is he so faithful to his connections as he should be. Any person who would preserve his friendship must put up with gross ill language, and submit all his affairs and conduct to his sole direction and not pretend to sin so much as to pretend to have an opinion of his own”.

Old Llanfynydd Houses Pantglas Holiday Complex Picture Gallery, Pantglas

Main Site Index Advertisers Index Webmaster