More about Evan and Thomas Roberts

Evan and Thomas Roberts were living at Gwynfe, in the parish of Llangadock at the time of the 1871 census. I have not been able to make out the name of the road from the poor writing on census document. At this time, their ages were given as 4 and 1 respectively. Their only sibling shown at this abode, was an elder brother, John aged 6. Their father was Henry Roberts, a collier and their mother was named Margaret.

By the time of the 1881 census, the family had moved to Cwmgarw Road, Upper Brynamman. Their elder brother John was then aged 16 and working as a coal miner. Evan was then aged 14, Thomas was 12 and they were both listed as being scholars.

In 1881, the household consisted of 3 more children. These were David Roberts, aged 10, Rees Roberts, aged 6 and they had a sister called Gwen Ann Roberts, aged only 3.

How terrible a tragedy for the family! What overwhelming pain it must have been for Henry and Margaret to lose, not one, but two of their young sons, so suddenly on that January morning.

The inquest into Evan and Thomas' death was opened at the Gwyn Arms, Brynamman, on Friday 18th January, 1884. Formal evidence of identification was given and the coroner made out certificates for burial. Evan and Thomas are buried at St. Catherine's churchyard in Brynamman with their mother and father. The boys' funeral took place on Saturday 19th January and was performed by the Curate in Charge, John Moriah Jones, who was formerly the minister for Gibea Independent Chapel. He went on to become the vicar of Brynamman in 1889, when the village became a parish.

Part of their headstone translates as: "Dear and beloved they were in life and in their death they were not separated."
The full inscription on the headstone reads as follows:

ER
COF ANWYL AM

EVAN
MAB HENRY A MARGARET ROBERTS
BRYNAMMAN
YR HWN A FU FARW IONAWR 16 1884
YN 17 MLWYDD OED.

HEFYD AM THOMAS, EU MAB
YR HWN A FU FARW IONAWR 16 1884
YN 14 MLWYDD OED.

CARIADUS AC ANWYL OEDDYNT YN EU BYWYD
AC YN EU MARWOLAETH NI WAHANWYD HWYNT

HEFYD ER COF AM MARGARET ROBERTS
A ENWYD UCHOD
YR HON A FU FARW RHAGFYR 3 1898
YN 59 MLWYDD OED
"HYN A ALLODD HON HI A'I GWNAETH"
HEFYD HENRY ROBERTS A ENWYD UCHOD
YR HWN A FU FARW MAI 26, 1907
YN 69 MLWYDD OED

Headstone at St Catherine's Church, Brynamman

St Catherine's Church, Brynamman. Built in 1882. Picture taken March 2006.

The 11th January, 1934 edition of the Amman Valley Chronicle, reported on the Garnant Colliery Disaster to mark the 50th anniversary of the event. Mrs Lake was interviewed by the newspaper, and stated that when the accident occurred, both of the boys parents were ill in bed. Their father was in bed as a result of an accident he had received at the colliery.

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