One Name Study of Gronow / Gronnow / Goronwy
Friday, October 14, 2011
Monday, October 03, 2011
THE ANGEL WITH THE CENSER. Within a dimly-lighted Church,
All decked with festal flowers,
An Angel stood — on Christmas Eve —
'Twas in the silent hours,
When vesper-prayers were over
And the worshippers gone home,
To wait until the midnight bell
To Mass should bid them come.
The Angel stood with folded wings,
And in his fair, white hand
He held a golden censer bright
Obeying God's command
Not to return to Heaven,
But to wait in patience there
Till he could bring the incense
Of one faithful humble prayer.
by B. M. G R O N O W.
It turned out to be Bessie Marion Gronow (1851-1929) who on the 16th February 1889 at St Peter's, Brighton, by the Rev. Heathcote SMITH, Louis Marie BASINET, youngest son of Mons. Claude BASINET, of St Alan, Chambery, France, to Bessie Marion, younger daughter of Wm. Lettsom GRONOW, Esq., of Ash Hall, Glamorganshire.
Sunday, August 28, 2011

Recently aquired certificates:
Marriages:
William Gronow Dec. Qtr. 1938 Cardiff Vol.11a page 613
William Gronow Sept. Qtr. 1953 Cardiff Vol.8b page 465
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Friday, July 01, 2011

From the publication: Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 12 Part 2: June-December 1537 comes an interesting conversation between Thomas Cranmer & Thomas Cromwell on the 28th August 1537.
'Has twice written in favour of "this poor man," Wm. Gronnow, the bearer, to the lord Deputy of Calais to restore him to his room, but he can get no answer. Begs him to get a bill signed by the King to the treasurers and comptrollers of Calais for payment to Gronnowe of his accustomed wages, and to none other.' Forde, Signed.
It would appear that at this time the lord Deputy of Calais was Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG (died 3 March 1542 Tower of London). History is less clear what happened to his 'bearer William Gronnow[e]. However During his time at Calais, Arthur and his wife had to manage much of their affairs outside Calais by correspondence. Copies of 3,000 of these letters were seized as evidence after Arthur was arrested. They survive to the present day in the Public Record Office, and have become a valuable historical resource for a critical period in English history. Does there lurk among the dusty letters any further insight to the "Bearer" of the Lord Deputy of Calais. I wonder?
Citation 'Henry VIII: August 1537, 21-31', Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 12 Part 2: June-December 1537 (1891), pp. 209-228.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011

"The Association of Graveyard Rabbits"
The Association was named for Frank Lebby Stanton's poem, The Graveyard Rabbit. Although the poem is about superstitions associated with graveyard rabbits, Stanton also establishes that such rabbits have a charmingly intimate knowledge of graveyards and a loving association with the dead. These traits are the motivation of the human beings interested in this group.
My association is mainly for my work on St. Mary's Church Monumental Inscriptions which you can view by clicking on the "Blog Links" tab opposite. But researching a one-name sudy involves visiting so many graveyards & public cemeteries, it could just as much apply to this study.
You can find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/graveyardrabbit
Monday, June 27, 2011
Amusing Bastardy Case at Swansea - The county magistrates (Measrs. J.G. Hall, S.B. Power, and E.M. Richards) sitting in petty sessions at Swansea on Wednesday, were occupied for several hours in hearing a case in which Cecilia Gronow charged William Jones of Morriston, with being the father of her illegitimate child. Mr Woodward appeared for the complainant, and Mr C.H. Glascodine for the defendant. The complainant stated she met the defendant for times in August last year, and one night he had improper connection with her, which resulted in the birth of a child. Mary Jenkins and Catherine Williams stated that they saw the defendant and the complainant together in August last, but Mary Jenkins admitted, in cross-examination, that when she went to tell the defendant that he was the father of the child, she was not sure that he was the man, and when his brother went out, she told him that Cecilia Gronow had a boy for him.Several witnesses were called to prove that the complainant stated that the father of the child was taller than David Jones, and David was taller than William Jones. The mother also said that the father had a moustache, and all the witnesses for the defence swore that the defendant, who is not 18 years of age, never had a moustache. The bench believed that it was a case of mistaken identity, and dismissed the case with costs.
Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales), Thursday, June 26, 1879; Issue 3161.
The boy in question was William Gronow born the 12th May 1879 in Morriston, Swansea. Glamorganshire. His mother Cecilia went on to marry a William Jones in 1900, 21 years after the birth of her son.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Capt. Alan Edmund Harold Gronow
1935-2011
Brian Gronow
1939-2011
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011


Recently aquired certificates:
Births:
Rachel Gronow Dec Qtr. 1844 Llandilofawr Vol.26 page 520
Oenia Gronow June Qtr. 1855 Pontypool Vol.11a page 130
Marriages:
John Grunnow Dec Qtr. 1860 Abergavenny Vol.11a page 128
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

I got in touch with the Livonia Public Library in Michigan to ask about a orbit check with only a year of death available, two days later email arrives with a copy of the newspaper article in full, a day after that an orbit arrives for the persons wife. Both orbits full of information that tie the whole family together and confirm their link to the Gronow family in Cardiff. So I’d like to say a big public thank you to Merrill Wassell the adult services librarian at the Livonia Civic Center Library for all their help.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Births:
Hugh Gronow Dec Qtr. 1942 Neath Vol.11a page 1035
Marriages:
Evan Gronow June Qtr. 1854 Cardiff Vol.11a page 414
William Gronow June Qtr. 1865 Cardigan Vol.11b page 5
John Gronow March Qtr. 1943 Cardiff Vol.11a page 659
Robert W. Gronow March Qtr. 1969 Dudley Vol.9b page 361
Tuesday, March 01, 2011

I downloaded a couple of 'Kindle' books today. "Born on the Craig" & "My Welsh Childhood" by my namesake Colin (Edward) Gronow. Born into 1940's wartime Pontypridd the books illustrate with great feeling the times & adventures of a boy growing up on the "Graig". A couple of funny parts for me were his first day at school, when he met...... [fans of LOST will find this bit amusing] and his Christmas present one year of "Escalado" a horse racing game, which I had myself when a child and still do, somewhere.
So far Colin's ancestry takes him back to about 1680 in the village of Pentyrch {The Ox's Vale}, in the Cwmwd of Meisgyn, Cantref of Penythen (now called the Hundred of Miskin), County of Glamorganshire, South Wales.
You can also visit his "Wales Tourism" website at: http://www.colinswalestourism.co.uk
Sunday, February 27, 2011

The business is run by Andrew Gronow and his Uncle William George, together with Andrew's father John Gronow and his brother Timothy Gronow (responsible for the artwork opposite).
Visit their website at www.gwyntcider.com/gyd/
Births:
William Gronow June Qtr. 1920 Cardiff Vol.11a page 978
Griffith W Gronow Sept Qtr. 1934 Bridgend Vol.11a page 1123
Haydn J Gronow Dec Qtr. 1941 W. Glamorgan Vol.11a page 1657
Marriages:
Elizabeth Frances Gronow Sept Qtr. 1869 Wharfedale Vol.9a page 192
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
As is often the case I was browsing through some online books when I came across "The Roll of the Fallen 1939-1945" of the University of London OTC & STC. privately printed at the Chiswick press London.In it I came across Capt. Robin Louis Gronow Fevez of King's College. I had not come across the name Fevez in my searches so some research was required. Robin Louis Gronow Fevez and his younger brother David Gronow Fevez were the sons of Eugene Leon Fevez, 1865-1936 (a Woolen Merchant, born in Manchester to a French national) and Ethel Gronow Oliver, 1879-1970 (a solicitors daughter from Wimbledon)
Both men died in the service of their country during WW2. Robin a Capt. in the Queen's Royal Regiment died on the 10th September 1943 and is buried in Salerno War Cemetery, Italy which contains many burials resulting from the landings and fighting which took place when Commonwealth and American forces landed near Salerno on 8-9th September 1943.
David Gronow Fevez was a Pilot Officer with 26 Sqdn. RAF who was lost on the 5th June 1940 while flying his Westland Lysander on a tactical reconnaissance misson. He was shot down by Hptman Muller (staffelkapitan) south-west of Abbeville ans crashed near Ercourt at 12.10 hrs.
He is buried in the local church near the middle of the southern boundary of the graveyard.
Both young men are Grt. Grand Nephews of Capt. Rees Howell Gronow of Waterloo fame.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
{1922 -2010}
GRONOW, Margaret Alice sadly passed away on the 12th December 2010, aged 88 years. Margaret beloved Aunt of Nora, Ivor, Carol, Susan, Cyril, Timothy and a loved great-aunt of her many nieces and nephews. The funeral service was held today Wednesday Jan 5th 2011 at 1.30pm at Glyntaff Crematorium Pontypridd.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
4th January 2011
My thoughts and concerns are with the Gronow families in Rockhampton, Queensland Australia which is at the centre of the state's flood emergency, with its 75,000 residents bracing for the Fitzroy River to peak at about 9.4m (31ft).
The families are descended from Francis Sydney Gronow & his wife Margaret O'Shea. My thoughts especially to Grahame & Lyle Gronow & their children, who I had the pleasure in helping them with their family history not so long ago. Rockhampton, 370 miles north of Brisbane and a hub for the farming and coal-mining region, has become the focus for what officials call "biblical" floods affecting 200,000 people in an area the size of France and Germany.
Friday, December 17, 2010
"At Wrexham William Gronnow Price 57 of New Rhos Robin was sentenced to 6 months Imprisonment with hard labour and his son William Edward Price aged 20 to 3 months for stealing fowls from a Farm. The only clue was an unusual label on a whisky bottle which the men had left behind them."
Thursday, November 11, 2010

"We will Remember them"
As the nation comes together to remember those who have died in service of our country and with our thoughts of those men & women who at this time are serving in Afghanistan, I thought I'd include this piece about another Afghan War, this time 1878-1880.
Captain William Lettson Gronow, of the 1st Batallion Manchester Regiment (Late 63rdFoot)
who in the Second Anglo Afghan War from 1878-1880 joined the 2nd division of the Kandahar force, but was not present in any of the more important actions.
William was the son of the William Lettsom Gronow and his wife Catherine Anne Norman.
Born 9th January 1848 - Died 28th December 1903
He retired a Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st Manchester Regt. ( he was also the Grand Nephew of Rees Howell Gronow of Waterloo fame)
Sunday, October 31, 2010

Jane Charlotte Gronow
1852-1907
In 1875 the hospital, known as the Home for Incurables moved to the building in which it would remain for the rest of its existence, on Upper Parliament Street. The home was now run by a General Committee and was 'intended to be a home for women of a respectable class, who are suffering from chronic complaints of an incurable nature. Intake of cancer sufferers was limited as were geriatric cases. Although many patients who entered the home spent the remainder of their lives there, others did improve and were discharged so there was some degree of patient turnover.
After 1885 the home was known as the Liverpool Home for Incurables, a name it retained until its absorption into the National Health Service under the aegis of the South Liverpool Hospital Management Committee in 1948, when it became the Home for Invalid Women. In 1969 after a further change of name the home became Princes Park Hospital. Although it aimed to provide care for younger chronically sick women, increasingly its intake was of geriatric patients. After 1975 the hospital admitted male as well as female patients. The hospital closed in 1986.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
I spent a wonderful week last month down by Newport Sands, a family holiday with research combined. I had wanted to visit the graveyards around Dinas for a while and so when the occasion arose, I took the opportunity to visit the Gronow seafarers of the area, I was not disappointed. From Plas Bach a cottage on the hillside of Moylegrove I travelled to the various local Churchyards & Non-conformist graveyards in the area. Macapela with it’s well kept lawns, by the local villagers a testament to the Master Mariners and ocean going sailors of the area. Gronow graves abound, the children, who are used to searching fruitlessly for Gronow markers, were calling “found one”, “look another” “and another” I have never found so many graves in one place as I did on that morning on the hillside in Dinas.
Just down the road from Macapela towards the sea is Ramah graveyard it’s old iron gates not use to visitors any more, we found more old sailors & their wives. Quite by chance, while out walking the dog one evening on the hills around Moylegrove I came across Bryn Bethel perched high up overlooking the sea. One of the quietest and remote graveyards I’ve had the pleasure to visit. Not had chance yet to index all the pictures, but it was nice to be able to put an image to all the places I had been researching, Newport, Dinas, Cardigan, Nevern & Moylegrove.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Births:
William Henry Gronow Dec Qtr. 1863 Pontypridd Vol.11a page 288.
Sarah Jane Gronow Dec Qtr. 1879 Haverfordwest Vol.11a page 851
William Henry Gronow June Qtr. 1882 Bridgend Vol.11a page 583
Ronald G A Edwards March Qtr. 1920 Bedwelty Vol.11a page 229
Marriages:
William Gronow March Qtr. 1858 Cardigan Vol.11b page 5.
Monday, September 20, 2010

I've spent the last week looking at family trees on a well known commercial website, these "Public Member Trees" are something else! So far I have contacted over 12 'owners', the response so far 1 reply, who in all credit to him has corrected the mistakes within his tree. In the vast majority of cases it seems to be a case of reproduction without verification. I even had and old contact of mine get in touch, giving me her research only to find, yet again information from a 'Public member tree' had found its way into her family tree.
There are too many examples to highlight here, but one I think must be taken to task. There are over 40 trees on this site, with a gentleman by the name of HYWELL GRONOW born 18th February 1757, all 40 trees give the same birth date & marriage date & in most cases same death date. In 30 years research I have never come across him! Most trees say he was born, married & died in Coity, Glamorganshire. Well he is nowhere to be seen in the parish registers of St. Mary Coity, nor have I ever come across him in over 50 parish registers that I have indexed.
So if anyone out there has Hywell Gronow in their tree, and would like to give me the source for his baptism, marriage or death I'll be the first to apologise! once it's been checked & verified of course.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Stuart & Mari's family have lived and farmed in the Gower Peninsula for over 275 years . The Peninsula's richly varied natural environment is renowned for its heathland, limestone grassland, fresh- and salt-water marshes, dunes and oak woodlands. Its mixed geology has given rise to a wide variety of scenery in a relatively small landscape area. Dramatic limestone cliffs, interspersed with sandy beaches and rocky shores, dominate its southern coast. In the north, the coast is low-lying with extensive salt marshes and dune systems.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Births:
Samuel George Gronow December Qtr. 1908 Pontypridd Vol.11a page 558.
I'm just in the process of finishing the extraction of images of the 1911 Census, and can I find the above Samuel? not a sight of him, nor his parents. If anyone has Samuel in their extended family I would love to hear from you.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Births:
David Gronow June Qtr. 1838 Merthyr Tydfil Vol.26 page 351.
Alfred William Gronow June Qtr. 1840 Swansea Vol.26 page 490.
John Gronow Dec. Qtr. 1853 Bridgend Vol.11a page 304.
Marriages:
William Gronow Dec. Qtr. 1853 Bridgend Vol.11a page 708
James Gronow Sept. Qtr. 1859 Cardiff Vol.11a page 297
John Gronow Sept. Qtr. 1915 Pontypridd Vol.11a page 1433.
ARTHUR BROWN (35) , Burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of one Evan Gronow, and stealing therein a coat and waist-coat, his property.
MR. DOUGLAS conducted the, Prosecution.
EVAN GRONOW . I am a shoemaker, of Irongate Wharf, Paddington—On Saturday night, 10th June, at 11 o'clock I was in bed on the ground floor, and was awakened and saw the prisoner pass my coat out at the window—he was three parts in the room, but standing outside—I asked him what he was doing, and he ran away—I went after him, and never lost sight of him—he got behind a cart—I called for help, and Sergeant Tompkins came up he laid hold of him behind the cart—I charged him with stealing a coat and waistcoat—I picked up the waistcoat myself—I have not recovered the coat—the prisoner said he was sleeping on the timber—on the road he said "I had got the wrong shop" and that he had some beer.
THOMAS TOMPKINS (Police Sergeant D 14). I was in Irongate Wharf, I heard some cries and saw the prosecutor and the prisoner dodging round a cart—the prosecutor said the prisoner had stolen his coat—I took him, he said "It is all false, I know nothing about it—I came round here for a sleep"—I said "You arc rather out of breath for sleeping, let us go back and see what it is"—we did so and examined the place, and found it had been opened—on the way back we found" a waistcoat, but not the coat—the prisoner appeared to have been drinking, but was not drunk.
The prisoner in his Defence stated that he was drunk and did not know what had been done.
GUILTY —He was further charged with a previous conviction, to which he PLEADED GUILTY**— Ten Years' Penal Servitude.
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 26 March 2010), June 1876, trial of Arthur Brown (t18760626-272).
Census of 2nd April 1871, RG10; Piece: 7; Folio: 85; Page: 46; No.8 Irongate Wharf, Paddington.Marylebone.London.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Mr Brewer held an inquest on Friday evening, at the Dock Hotel, on the body of Daniel Gronow, aged 60 years, an engine-driver on the Monmouthshire for many years. The deceased came by his death in the locomotive yard, whilst engaged about his engine. He was crushed by the buffers of a truck striking him against one of the engine buffers. A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.
[Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales), Monday, March 9, 1874; Issue 1515]
Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Tony & Iris Gronow
on the occasion of their
5oth Golden Anniversary
[first published in the Media Wales Group on 27th February 2010]
at Llandough Hospital after a short illness.
The funeral was on Friday August 6th at Thorn-Hill Crematorium.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The British Prime Minister has apologised for the U.K.'s role in sending more than 130,000 to the former colonies of Canada & Australia. Britain is the only country in the world with a sustained history of child migration. Only Britain has used child migration as a significant part of its child care strategy over a period of four centuries.
The reality of this policy was to remove children, some as young as three years old, from their homes, from their mothers and fathers, from all that was familiar to them, and to ship them thousands of miles away from their home country to institutions in distant lands within the Commonwealth. Many of these children were removed without their parents' knowledge or consent.
One such young man was Ernest Gronow born in Hendon, Middlesex in 1894. Ernest set sail on the 9th Sept 1909 from Liverpool on the SS Corsican, bound for Quebec. He arrived on the 17th September 1909, his final destination Ottawa, Ontario. He travelled along with 16 other young boys between the ages of 11-15 under the Catholic Emigration Association.
According to the Census taken on the 31st March 1901 Ernest Gronow was a inmate of the Guardians of the poor, of the Hendon Union Schools. [RG13/5336 folio 127. page 4] His birthplace is recorded as unknown. At the same time a Mary Gronow, probably his sister is also in the same institution. I don't know what happened to Ernest or what his life became in Canada, or even if he stayed in Canada, if anyone knows what became of him please get in touch. According to the 1911 Canadian Census a Ernest Gronow was living in Labelle Quebec.
Thursday, February 11, 2010


A trip to Chester Record Office proved very interesting in regards to a very early ancestor. While looking at the Church warden accounts for St. Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester I came across the following entry for Easter 1562-1563 were payments are made for 'kneeling places' by one Richard Gronow.
This is a very good early reference to an Elizabethan Gronow, that I have found. More research is needed to establish the origins of this gentleman.
{The Parish of St.Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester, extends beyond the city boundaries, and includes the township of Gloverstone, which is wholly within the city, and those of Upton, Moston, Claverton and Marleston-cum-Lache in Broxton Hundred, and Little Mollington in Wirral Hundred.}
Sunday, January 17, 2010

Charles Grunnow, Coach driver, Bromborough. Cheshire.
Thursday Spetember 13th before Messrs S.Stitt & F. Thorneley
CRUELTY TO A HORSE.- Charles Grunnow, cab driver of Bromborough, was fined 15s., with costs for working a horse with open sores on it's back. The animal was also in a very weak condition.
(Liverpool Mercury, Friday September 14th 1888; Issue 12693)
A sitting of this court commenced on Tuesday at St. George's Hall, Mr T. W. Baylis, Q.C. presiding.
(Liverpool Mercury, ThursdayOctober 15th 1891: Issue 13658)
Liverpool Police Court
Thursday November 12th, before Mr W.J. Stewart.
Curious Charge of Forgery:
Charles Grunnow of Bromborough, Cheshire appeared in answer to a summons taken out by William Bailey, charging him with forgery. The charge arose out of the sale of a horse by Bailey, who is a horse dealer, to the defendant on August 17th last. It appears that on that date Grunnow purchased a bay gelding from the plaintiff for £18 and the sum of 6s on the spot. A receipt was given leaving a balance of £17 14s. Some time after Grunnow came back evidently dissatisfied with his purchase, and made some arrangements about a black mare. An action was brought by Bailey in the court of Passage for the £17 14s and the jury found for the defendant. The receipt was produced there, and it appeared to have been altered so as to make it seem as though it was in respect to the black mare and not to the geilding the figures £18 and the word "bay gelding" having been scratched out, and the words "Black mare" subsituted. The defendant explained in the Court of Passage that his daughter aged eleven, had written in the words.- Mr Stewart held that there was not a case for a jury, and dismissed the summons.
(Liverpool Mercury, Friday November 13th 1891; Issue 13683)








