forum.ferndale-wales.co.uk

Hiya
My name is Trish and thank you for letting me join this group.

I'm looking for info on my dad's family. My dad George Hampton Cayford b1913 in Bath (but raised in Ferndale) to Robert Cayford and May Cayford (nee Page)
He had two elder brothers Robert (Bob) and Edward (Ted) a sister Edie and a half sister Alice, same father different mother.

I have no idea when the family moved to Ferndale so I'm hoping someone maybe able to help me. I believe they my have lived in Albert St.

My dad was a very private man and never talked about life in Ferndale that much, but I know his father died in around 1926 and he may of been looked after by his Grandparents Lewis and Sarah. Life was tough, of that I gather, and he joined the regular army at quite an early age, after working down the pits at some stage.

Names of cousins I know of are Lily May Bob's daughter, Myra Edie's daughter, my 2nd cousin Dot and my half cousins Hilary and Susan who live in Newport Alice's daughters.

I have never seen a photo of my dad in his younger days and I am wondering if there could be any school photos about, or that of his parents?

It's a long shot but hey, you never know!

Many thanks

Trish x

Hello Trish,

I did a little bit of digging, and I think your Dad's sister Edith was born in Ferndale in 1919 - so it looks like they moved there sometime between your father's birth and her's. =)

Lewis and Sarah Jane were already living in Ferndale at the time - I spoke to another relative of ours, and she said that they moved to Ferndale in 1910 - they're still in Bath in the 1911 census, so I think this means they moved down shortly after it was taken.

Lewis' brother Frederick had also moved down by then - him and his wife, Mary Ann, moved to Ferndale sometime between their marriage in 1882, and 1887, when Frederick was mentioned in a newspaper article.

- Jess. xx.

EDIT/ADDITION:
On Ancestry, there is a WWI service record for Robert Cayford - his address is given as 79 Albert Street Ferndale. The record is dated 19th August 1914, which gives a better indication as to when they moved there! =)

Wow Jess thank you for that info, that's a great help.

So that means Edie was about 7 when my Grandfather Robert died in 1926. So now I need to try and find out when my Grandmother May died, and he married Ethel the daughter of his wife May who she had out of wedlock before she married Robert!

It all sounds a bit 'seedy' but it was to keep the family together and as there were no blood ties perfectly legal. Robert and Ethel went on to have 3 girls I believe the eldest being Alice.

Thanks again Jess

Trish x

I've been having a good think...you may have smelt the wood burning, something my old dad use to say!

My grandfather Robert may have had just had one daughter with Ethel which would have been Alice. Then when my Granfather died Ethel could have remarried and had two daughters. The surname Gadd springs to mind, so does anyone remember any girls with that surname in Ferndale?

Thanks
Trish x

A massive thank you to Jess who messaged me with the info I needed...I should be paying you Jess for doing my research

Trish x

Trish, you said, "it all sounds a bit seedy"! Don't worry, skeletons creeping out of the cupboard during this family research lark is actually quite regular. Added to that, as in my case, you have the solid brick walls of names like 'Evans/Davies'. None of us can imagine what went on the 19th century, and for most of us, our parents never talked about past family anyway. Just enjoy and use your own mind, that is what I do to interpret some of the questionable dates of birth against the date of marriages!