"........who's danced with the Prince of Wales"

  "I've danced with a man, who's danced with a girl, who's danced with the Prince of Wales" was a song written in 1927 by Herbert Farjeon at the height of the popularity of Edward, Prince of Wales

The death has occurred during the week of a well-known resident of Wotton-under-Edge.It was the proud boast of Mrs Mary Caroline Gronow, whose death occurred at Hugh Parry's Hospital, Wotton-under-Edge, that she once danced with King Edward VII.(when Prince of Wales) at Berkeley Castle. Mrs Gronow was in her 94th year. Her maiden name was Nicholls, the family formerly residing at Symonds Hill Farm.

{First published in 'The Citizen' on Saturday April 19th 1930.}

Mary Caroline Robinson Nickolls married Willianm Rhys Gronow on the 28th September 1869 St Mary the Virgin. Wotton-under-Edge.
[TREE 10]
 

Recently Acquired Certificates:

BIRTHS:

Ernest Joseph Gronow December Qtr. 1894 Hendon Vol.3a page 229.

MARRIAGES:

John Grennow March Qtr. 1873 Newport M. Vol.11a page 196.

DEATHS:

William Gronow December Qtr. 1854 Bridgend Vol.11a page 297.

Moonlight Sketches

Up for bid recently was the Antique 1910 Sheet Music Book or Booklet titled "Moonlight Sketches For Piano-Forte" that was compiled by Esther Gronow. It was published by the Whtie-Smith Music Publishing Co. The selections included are To The Firefly, Nocturne, On The Water, To The Stars and Berceuse. As for condition, the cover is about to come off and the sheet music inside is also on the loose side. Someone wrote their name and a date in 1923 on the cover. The place of original purchase was lightly stamped on the bottom. Aside from being loose, the cover and the pages inside are basically in pretty good condition for being over 100 years old. This booklet measures 9-3/8 inches by12-1/8 inches.

In Remembrance:

Daniel Howard Vaughan Gronow

1925-2013

Daniel Howard Vaughan Gronow, son of William & Gwenfron Gronow died peacefully on 16th September 2013, aged 88. So dearly loved and missed by all his family. The funeral will take place in Tamworth on 27th September.

[First published in The Times 21st September 2013]

Soldiers Wills

Many British soldiers who served on the front lines of World War I carried with them a handwritten last will and testament. Often the soldier’s will was kept in his paybook–a booklet that contained identity papers and notes on what the soldier was owed for his service. Many paybooks and the wills inside them were lost in the chaos of war. But it turns out that more than a quarter of a million of these wills have been stored by Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service. They’ve been digitized and made available online. So far only the years 1914-1921 are searchable online.

So far indexed are three Gronow Wills.
GRONOW Arthur,  10th July 1916  Reg.No. 17053

GRONOW Charles, 12th November 1916  Reg.No. 14164

GRONOW Sydney David, 21st January 1917  Reg.No. 2207

In Remembrance:

Joseph Neville Gronow

1946-2013

Sadly on 6th June 2013 at Ty Olwen, Nev, devoted brother of David and John, dear brother-in-law of Anne and Mary, dearest uncle of Matthew, Emma, Katie and Thomas and a dear friend of Anita. He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends. Funeral Wednesday 19th June, Service at Ebenezer Chapel, Dunvant at 1:15pm followed by Cremation at Llanelli Crematorium, 2:30pm. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if so desired to Ty Olwen c/o St James Funeral Home, 31 St. James Gardens, Uplands, Swansea SA1 6DT.

(First published in the South Wales Media Group on 12th June 2013)

Recently aquired certificates:

MARRIAGES

Samuel Gronow March Qtr. 1885 Pontypridd Vol.11a page 411.
Daniel Gronow September Qtr. 1919 Neath Vol.8b page 107.
Thomas D. Gronow September Qtr. 1947 Pontypridd Vol.8b page 1487.
William Gronow September Qtr. 1956 Bridgend Vol.8b page 107.

Gronow Windsor Phillips

In remembrance:

Gronow Windsor Phillips

1936-2013

Peacefully on April 10 2013 at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Gronow of Austin Avenue, Porthcawl; beloved husband of Phyllis, beloved uncle to Beverly, Helen and Maureen. Sadly missed by all his family and friends. Resting at David Wilde Chapel of Rest, Mawdlam, North Cornelly until the funeral on Thursday April 18, service at Gilgal Baptist Church, Porthcawl at 10am followed by service and cremation at Coychurch Crematorium at 11am.

(First published in the Media Wales Group on 15th April 2013)

NIL DESPERANDUM.

 An interesting article published in the "Cardigan Observer, and General Advertiser For the Counties of Cardigan, Carmarthen and Pembroke" dated 30th June 1888.

"Some excitement was caused in the town on Saturday last by a marriage somewhat out of the ordinary rut. The bride, Mary Gronnow, of Quarrel, Brynberian, was only eighty-four, and rather dressy for her age, while the foud bride- groom was some twenty-eight years her junior, and the trials, troubles and other amusements of this mundane existence had passed him lightly by. The bride appeared at the Registrar's Office, where the imposing ceremony was performed, in ancient Welsh costume, including a spotted handkerchief round her head, and clogs on her feet; but, in honor of the occasion, she went direct from the office to the tradesmen, and was rigged out in a fashionable hat, a gaudy-coloured shawl, and a pair of little high-heeled boots. Arrayed in her new habiliments she presented quiite a frisky appearance, and she would doubtless look well in the dusk with the light behind her. I do not know how many times previously the bride had gone through a similar ceremony, but under the most favorable circumstances she cannot expect to repeat it more than half-a-dozen times at the outside, and it would therefore be unkind to blame her for investing in a bit of finery to celebrate the event. But little interest seemed to centre in the bridegroom, poor man and the general opinion was that he was wise in marrying someone old enough to take care of him; but, like most young fellows of fifty-six who marry women old enough to be their mothers, he will have to play second fiddle I am afraid.."

Mary Williams was her name, and she had been previously married to Stephen Gronow a Mason of Pantywdyn, Nevern, Pembrokeshire. The widow Mary would it seem, have married one John Bowen, sadly he does not seem to have enjoyed a long marrage. Mary is again a widow in 1891. Her age may have been slightly exaggerated for the story, she was more likely to be about 74 years of age.

Death in Calcutta

Taken from he Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser, dated 16^th December 1853.

“The Death at Calcutta, of liver complaint, aged 27, Mr Joseph Gronnow, of H.C.S.F. Moozuffer, and late of St. David’s Parish, deeply regretted.

Joseph is possibly the son of Joseph & Martha Gronow of  Cylch Mawr, St. Davids. Pembrokeshire.

A bit of background information about the “Moozuffer” can be found from an Auction lot in Christies, London dated 18-19^th June 1996 Lot 5641.

(29 July) 1852 Second Burmese War  letter headed "From Bombr B. Rodgers...On Board the H.C.S.F. Moozuffer", addressed to Sussex and countersigned by the Commanding Officer and showing transit marks including handstruck "2". Rather stained and reinforced internally, interesting contents include.

 "Immediately I reached Bombay from Calcutta, I was sent on Board the Company's Steam Frigate 'Moozuffer', fitting out for the Burmese Empire or the Rangoon War. The fleet left Bombay on 24th February, sailed to Madras, and joining some more shipping continued sailing to Rangoon, which we reached on the 11th April, which was Easter Sunday. As we passed by at the hour of half past nine, the ship I belong to opened fire with her first pivot Sixty-Eight pound gun, and was continued by the Fleet. We fired for better than 2 hours and a half when the word "Cease Fire" was given. There was afterwards a steady firing kept up from the guns of each ship till the next morning, when the troops landed and stormed the fortifications. It lasted then three days, four days from the time we first commenced. There were several small places taken afterwards till we proceeded to a place called Bassein, where we sailed in about three, and the Action commenced, soldiers on one side and sailors on the other. They took the place about eight. There are but two places more to take, Prome and Ava, the principle places."

In Remembrance

Katherine Mary Gronow (nee Knight)

1955-2013

Suddenly on February 16th 2013 at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Katherine Mary, of Varteg Road, Varteg. Dearly devoted wife and life long friend of David, cherished, loving mam of Simon, beloved sister of John and Colin, sister in law of Sue, Eileen, John, Sandra, Michael and Pat and daughter of Jack and the late Mary and stepmother of Rose and daughter-in-law of Peggy and the late George. Funeral will take place on Tuesday March 12th, family prayers at her home at 11.20am, leaving her home she adored so much for a service and cremation at the Gwent Crematorium where friends are asked to meet at 12 noon. Family flowers only by request, donations if desired for the Heart Foundation. Further enquiries to B.M.Watkins, the funeral home, Varteg, Talywain 772725 / 773883.

Published today in the South Wales Argus.

Recently aquired certificates:

BIRTHS

Islwyn C. Gronow June Qtr. 1923 Pontypridd Vol.11a page 1078

Bronwen Gronow September Qtr.1923 Gloucester Vol.6a page 509.
 
Maldwyn D. Gronow June Qtr. 1929 Poole Vol.5a page 388.


MARRIAGES

William Gronow June Qtr. 1922 Bridgend Vol.11a page 1794

DEATHS

William Gronow December Qtr. 1980 Manchester Vol.38 page 1688 


 

David Lawrence Gronow

Tree 30

In Remembrance:

David Lawrence Gronow

Who died suddenly on Wednesday the 9th of January 2013 in Western Australia. David was the son of Victor David Gronow & Vlada Winifred Herriman. David's Grt. Grandfather emigrated to Williamstown, Victoria Australia in the 1860's.

(First Published in The West Australian on January 11, 2013)

Family Surname Varients

When researching your family history, you might have to look a little bit further for that elusive ancestor. In broad terms a lot of these variants have come about because of the quality of the writers ability to record what they have heard. If the speaker had a regional dialect, or if the scribe was English & the speaker Welsh, then the potential for 'mistakes' became even greater. Fashion also plays it part. Towards the end of the 19th Century some Gronow families changed their surname to Goronwy in a statement of Welsh Nationalism, looking back to the old Welsh spelling.

Over the years the way in which the parish clerk and clergy have recorded the surnames of the parishioners has varied substantially. It was not until the advent of universal literacy that the spelling of surnames became standardised. When the bride and groom could not read, they were not able to insist on a standard spelling of their surnames.

When my Grt.Grt.Grt.Grandfather married the clerk thinking he had misspelled his name crossed it out and re-wrote what he thought it should be.

 However James went on to sign the document in the style he had be brought up to do it & indeed the same way two generations previously had.
Today descendants of those generations still spell their name with 'nn' with virtually all the modern instances belonging to the same family group.

Below you will find a selection of spellings I've come across, during my research, look out for them next time your having trouble locating your ancestor.

Gronnow    Gronowe   Grono Gronew Gronoe Gronou Gronoue Gronos Gronoway Gronnoue Gronous Gronw Groneu Goronow Groan Grohn Grone Gronon Gronus Grounow Grownow Groenow Gronowe Gronons Gronoy Gronwy Gronne Gronnon Gronaw Grona Grony Gronrow Gorono Granow Grenow Gromowa Gronway Grunow Groney Gronna Goronowy Grunnow

DEATH FROM INHALLING SEWER GAS.- William Gronow [sic], an expert drainer, with two other men, commenced to open an old drain, which was supposed to have not been opened for the last forty years, on the premises of Mr George Parker, in the occupation of Messrs. Oaks and Griffiths at Farndon. Starting at the mouth on the 13th of March, where it was shallow, and deepened as they crossed the road to the end of it to twelve feet, W. Gronow [sic] was the principal, and worked at the bottom until the work was finished. He was taken ill on Saturday, March 22nd, and attended by Dr. Parker who pronounced it to be blood poison from sewer gas, until his death which took place on the 26th ult., and he was buried on Sunday.

William Gronnow was born in 1838 in Farndon and buried in St. Chads Church, Farndon Cheshire on the 30th March 1884. William is my 3rd cousin 3x removed.

 It is well known that gases such as ammonia, carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, and sulphuretted hydrogen — which are frequently found in sewer air — are highly poisonous, and have, in consequence, when inhaled, an injurious influence upon health, the degree of which seems to depend on the amount so taken into the system. If the dose is small, then the poisoning is of a mild form ; but if the dose is large, then the poisoning is frequently very acute, and instantaneous death may be the result. It is greatly to be regretted that the statistical information concerning the health of sewermen is generally very incomplete. No proper continuous records appear to have been kept anywhere, and, when required, facts and figures have had to be collected probably years after the dates to which they refer, and that, too, in a somewhat haphazard manner. The results of such enquiries are therefore in most cases- not based upon a proper system of notification, and must be received with a certain amount of caution.

In cases of this kind the death of the workman is frequently instantaneous. He enters the sewer or cesspit and collapses there all at once as if he had been hit by a bullet. Sometimes it has also been observed that the workman has uttered a cry and then had severe convulsive fits, with vomiting and spontaneous secretion of faeces and urine ; foam covered the mouth, and the patient either died at once or remained unconscious for a long time.

John Price Gronow

John Price Gronow was born in 1859 in Jericho, Dinas Pembrokeshire. Wales, the son of John Gronow & Elizabeth Price. born into a seafaring family John was called by the sea from an early age, as Henry Longfellow says "“My soul is full of longing for the secret of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me.”

John married Ann Williams on the 21st March 1882 at the Baptist chapel, Pontardawe, Swansea Glamorganshire. He died the 8th May 1935 at Spring Gardens, Dinas. Pembrokeshire. He is interred with his wife in Macapela Cemetery, Spring Hill. Dinas Cross. Pembrokeshire.

Of his life at sea, He rounded Cape Horn 48 times. Served in the copper ore trade in the brig 'Mary Sproat' of Swansea. The 'Inverness-shire' was dismasted in the Australian Bight but they reached Tasmania. In the wooden barque 'Marquis of Worcester' the coal cargo caught fire off the Horn; ship still on fire on arrival at Valparaiso in 1880. The coal caught fire in the 'Lodore' in 1898 on a passage from Barry to Vancouver, but they discharged at Buenos Aires and returned to Cardiff. On the 'Terpsichore' in 1917 the coal caught fire and she was towed into Rio all ablaze, but eventually repaired. Served on the 'Carnedd Llewellyn' just before she was lost. Served 50 years in sailing ships. Died 8 May 1935. Biography in 'S.Breezes' vol 19, 1934, p226].  Suffered greatly from hiraeth, took Welsh cakes with him which he did not eat, but liked to know they were there.

He was survived by 4 daughters, having lost his only son in 1891 & his wife in 1907.

Recently aquired certificates:

MARRIAGES

Elizabeth Gronow March Qtr. 1856 Bridgend Vol.11a page 482.
Catherine Gronow June Qtr. 1870 Wandsworth Vol.1d page 792.
Margaret Gronow March Qtr. 1874 Kensington Vol.1a page 120.
Adam Gronow December Qtr. 1881 Hendon Vol.3a page 237.
Elizabeth Gronow March Qtr. 1886 Cardiff Vol.11a page 334a.
Joseph Gronow September Qtr.1903 Woolwich Vol.1d page 2343.
Edith Gronow September Qtr. 1911 Kensington Vol.1a page 437.

St. Bridget's, St. Brides Major.

While staying for a few days in Sourtherndown I took the opportunity to visit the Church of St. Bridget in St. Brides Major, & the small hamlet of Pitcot. My interest lies in the progeny of William Gronow & his wife Joan Hardee, although there are no Gronow MI's left in the churchyard I did see some Hardee memorials of a much later date. The earliest Gronow mention is a marriage in 1725.

St Telio's Church, St. Fagans National History Museum

I have been on the road again, this time in South Wales. I had wanted to visit the  Church of St. Teilo's and in particular the Gronow Chapel therein for some considerable time and so a visit to St. Fagans National History Museum was high on the list.

Originally situated outside Pontarddulais. near Swansea and built in stages from around 1100 to 1250. The Welsh place-name Llandeilo Talybont, "the church of St. Teilo at the head of the bridge" refers to the first crossing point of the river with its ancient settlement alongside, near the Roman fort of Leucarum (Loughor), whereas the situation of the old church itself, in a tidal marsh on the river Loughor, gives it its locally known name 'the Church of St. Teilo on the Marsh'.

 Two small transepts or chapels were added to the north and south of the building in the late 14th century, and linked by arches to the chancel. The north chapel was known as the Gronow Chapel presumably after its benefactor. A will of 1559 thus describes ""..one tenement of lands in the occupation of JOHN WILLIAM GROWMOWE" The tenement was called 'Llodre Morte' and is now known as Llandremor in the parish of Llandeilo Tal-y-bont.

 
Some 323 years later & Gronow's were still being buried at St. Telio. This report from a Swansea Newspaper.  

Death of Mr William Rees Gronow.- We regret to have to announce the death of Mr Wm. Rees Gronow, of Swansea, which took place on Saturday. A week ago the deceased left home to spend a few weeks with his wife's friends at Smart's-green, North Nibley, Gloucestershire. He however, caught cold in passing over the Channel, and at the end of his journey had to take to his bed. Congestion of the lungs set in, and the illness was such as to cause great anxiety to his friends. Mrs Rees Gronow telegraphed for Mr. G. H. Gronow, who reached North Nibley on Saturday, but not until his brother had expired. Deceased was connected with her Majesty's Customs at Swansea for about 37 years and for some time acted as chief clerk. He filled the office of churchwarden at St. Mary's Church several times, and was at the time of his death a sidesman. In consequence of his long connection with the town he had made many private friends, and was greatly respected. He was in his 57th Year. The body will be brought to Swansea to-day (Monday) for interment.

Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales), Monday, May 22nd 1882 Issue 4065.William was buried on the 24th May 1882, at the Church of St. Telio on the Marsh, Llandeilo Talybont, to rest with his Mother & Father & six other brothers and sisters.

Annette Victoria Gronow

In Remembrance:

Annette Victoria Gronow (nee Hooley)

1955-2012

Passed away peacefully at home on the 25th July 2012, with her family. Service on the 2nd August at St. Davids Church, Ely Cardiff, followed by interment at Western Cemetery Cardiff.