forum.ferndale-wales.co.uk

Does anyone remember, or have any information about, families called Porter, Dudson or Francis, who lived in Ferndale between the early 1900's and 1940's?

My great-grandmother was Jessie Dudson (nee Porter). She was one of 12 children. Her siblings were: Jane, Alec, Maggie, Johnnie, Mina, Dick, Mary, Lizzie, Nancy, Bob and Bella. (I know that Bella is still alive and living in Wales).

Jessie married David Dudson and they had four children: Dora (my grandmother, born in 1910), David, Alec and Rachel (died in childhood). Jessie ran a shop in Ferndale, from the front room of her house on Taff Street.

Dora married Vivian Francis (a miner at Ferndale Colliery) and they had two daughers: Sybil (my mum) and Lynda. They moved to Coventry for Viv to work in Coventry Colliery, in the late 1930's or early 1940's. David and Alec also moved there. My mum (then Sybil Francis) was sent back to Ferndale to live with Jessie when Coventry was being bombed, and stayed there for a while after the war ended. She went to Ferndale School. After my great-grandfather's death, Jessie also moved to Coventry.

I'd love to have any information about the families and their descendants.

Thank you.

Kay Mercer

This may not be much help, but I remember the 'Dudson' family had a shop in Commercial Street, Blaenllechau and was certainly there up to around the 1959/1960 time - I delivered papers in the village and remember the name.

Brian

Thanks, Brian. That's really interesting. I'm assuming Dudson isn't a common name, so they probably are related to my great-grandfather.

Thank you.

Kay

Hi Kay

My Father's family surname is Francis, but I think Vivian would be from an entirely different line unless he had Pitt as a middle name. All the males in our family were given Pitt as a second christian name going back 4 generations.

Hope you make progress

John

Hi John

Thanks for the reply. Sorry - I haven't checked here for a while. I don't think his middle name was Pitt, but will check. Thanks again.

Kay