James Rees (1860 - 1945)

Born 1860 in Burton Pembrokeshire

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1945 at about age 85 in Milford Haven

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Biography

James Rees 1860 – 1945

James Rees was the son of John Rees a blacksmith from Spread Eagle Hasguard. His mother, the wife of John was Lettice Howells, and she was born the same year as her husband John, and just a short distance up the road at Sandy Hill.

James Rees of Hill Mountain the son of John and Lettice Rees was baptised 4th November 1860 at Burton parish church Pembs. It is not known exactly when James and his family moved to Marloes, but John Rees, James’s father died in 1863. It is unlikely that James had any memories of his father.

At the age of 11 James, along with his elder brother Isaac, is living at home with their widowed mother in Marloes. The Census for that year (1871) does not give the exact address. Some eight years later James married Ann Davies of Nolton, on the 6th July 1878 at Marloes parish church. One of the witnesses is Louisa Davies, Ann’s sister.

At the time of the 1881 census James and his family were living in Marloes, yet again the address simply lists the address as Marloes. With Ann and James at that address are two of their nine children at the address. These are William Henry (b 1879) and John (Jack) Walter (b 1880). Also at that address are Ann’s sister Louisa Davies (b 1861), and her niece Caroline Davies (b 1881). According to family legend it was probably about this time that James acquired the nickname of “Jimmy the Crow” on account of the fact that he had to be up with the crows early in the morning to walk to Milford Haven, were he worked. Which is quite a walk, some four of five miles depending on the route he took.

His walks were reduced in 1891 when he is recorded as living in Herbranston. Which is only a mile or so away from the Docks at Milford. With James and Ann at that address are seven of their children, these are William Henry, Jack, Martha (b1883) Sarah Letitia (b 1885) Fredrick (Freddie b 1887) Mary (b 1889) and George (b 1891).

By the time of the 1901 census the family had reduced a little, but grown a little. The 1901 census gives their address as Clay Bridge. Which is still standing. At the family home with James and Ann are, five of their younger children, Sarah, Mary, George, Benjamin (b 1892) and the youngest Lilly (b 1896). In the 1901 census James (age 41) was the head of household in Herbrandston, Pembrokeshire, Wales.^[1]

James and his family are still at that address in 1911, and only two of their children are at the family home, these being Sarah and Lilly. According to people that knew Sarah, they said she had funny turns on the full moon. I don’t think she turned into a Werewolf. But I think they meant she suffered from epileptic fits of something similar. The condition was not fully understood at the time, so poor Letitia was kept out of the public gaze as much as possible, and never got to marry the man of her dreams.

James’s wife Ann died 11th March 1926, and was buried 15th March that year, and was buried at Thornton Municipal Cemetery, Sarah was to die two years later in 1928, aged just 43 years old. She was also buried at Thornton in the family grave.

James can be found in the hamlet of Liddeston, just outside Milford Haven. He is recorded as being born 18th October 1859. If his date of birth is accurate then James would have been twelve months old when baptised. James is also recorded as being a labourer, so it appears that he was not a pensioner as most would have been at his age, it also implies that he was fit and able to work. With him at that address is his son Fredrick J T, or Freddie as most called him? Also at the family home is a granddaughter of James Lilly M Rees who later married James B Howells in 1941.

James Rees died 5th November 1945 and was buried at Thornton Municipal Cemetery along with his wife Ann, and their daughter Sarah. Freddie was also buried in the family grave sometime later.

It is worth noting that when James was born the internal combustion engine had only just been invented, and it is unlikely that he saw a motor vehicle until the about 1910, but when he died the atomic bomb, electricity, radio, and TV had all been invented. I often wonder if he understood how they worked, or was it the equivalent of Quantum Physics to the average person today.

According to those that knew James, they said he was a kind easy going man, but others were afraid of him, on account of his outspoken views. He wasn’t the sort to suffer fools lightly. And often used what I call correctional therapy. He sounds my kind of man, you knew were you stood with him, no pretense or falsehoods, he just told it as it was.

He was a bit of a drinker in his early life, but then got religion big time in later life. And took to preaching, and making many a man become god fearing, or at least Jim fearing, as he took it upon himself to act as god’s representative on earth. And Physical put the fear of god into those unlucky enough to encounter his wrath, Jim’s not god’s .

Jim took a dim view about drink and the time he wasted in his youth, anf the evils it brought, and as a result he wouldn’t have the stuff around the house or tolerate any of his children drinking. Regardless of the age.

My friend’s father Charlie Barrah, who was the same age as my grandfather Ben, and lived at Liddeston farm, just down the road from James. Often found my great uncle Freddie in a state of alcoholic bliss. Poor Freddie suffered bad with shell shock and would as often as not get drunk on pension day. And in the process would lose his artificial leg. Charlie would carry Freddie and the leg home and as quietly as possible, and try and get him (Freddie) into the house without his father finding out. Charlie was a big man, but preferred not to be about when Jim found Freddie.

Written and updated 28th April 2017

Sources

1. ↑ 1901 Census: "1901 Wales Census"
   Class: RG13; Piece: 5128; Folio: 47; Page: 1; ED, institution, or vessel: 10; Household schedule number: 1
   Ancestry uk Record 7815 #32754931 (accessed 16 September 2023)
   James Rees (41) head of household in Herbrandston in Haverfordwest registration district in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Born in Burton, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

1860 Baptism at Burton parish church Pembs 1871 Census Marloes Pembs UK 1878 Marriage at Marloes Parish Church Pembs UK 1881 Census Marloes Pembs UK 1891 Census Herbranston Pembs UK 1901 Census Herbranston Pembs UK 1911 Census Herbranston Pembs UK 1939 Registration. The Cottage Haverfordwest R D. Rural District 1945 Death Record. Haverfordwest District Pembs UK Input by senior family members