Our Davis Family - Wales and Australia

Amongst our ancestors was a Davies family that, we now know, lived in the Pembroke area of Wales, UK, in the 1800s:

– The parents, James Davies (b. 1830, Lawrenny, Wales; d. 1904, Pembroke, Wales) and Elizabeth (b. 1824, Amroth, Wales; d. ca. 1870) were married in Pembroke in 1849.

– Their third child, Richard Davies (b. 1854, Yerbeston, Wales; d. 1924, Auburn, NSW, Australia) emigrated to Sydney, NSW, Australia, in 1877. In Australia, Richard and his descendants spelled their surname 'Davis'.

This photo is believed to be our Davies family in Wales: left to right, the father, James Davies holding John Davies (b 1863), Elizabeth Davis (b 1856), James Davies (b 1865), Richard Davies (b 1854), and the mother, Elizabeth Davies.

This photo is believed to be our Davies family in Wales: left to right, the father, James Davies holding John Davies (b 1863), Elizabeth Davis (b 1856), James Davies (b 1865), Richard Davies (b 1854), and the mother, Elizabeth Davies.

Combining forces with Kerry McConnell

We have an old Davis photograph album, passed on to us from our family – a beautiful volume of photos showing our Australian Davis ancestors.

The family tree of this Davis family had been researched in superb detail by another historian in the family, Kerry McConnell. Kerry's research suggested that our Davis family descended from a Davies family in Pembroke, Wales.

In 2004, we visited Kerry and we managed to tie our old photographs to her family tree. All the photographs in our album were of Australian Davis family members – except for the two very oldest photographs. One of these showed a father and mother, with four children (see above), and on the back of the photograph was the name of the photo studio and the words 'Pembroke Dock' – in Wales!

What a breakthrough this was! This photograph confirmed that the ancestors of our Davis family did indeed live in Pembroke, Wales, as shown in Kerry's family tree.

Kerry Mcconnell and Les Dollin studying Davis family history

In 2004, Kerry McConnell (right) and Les Dollin eagerly examined the Pembroke Dock photograph that was a missing link in Kerry's Davis family tree research. Kerry was descended from Irene Minnie Davis, born 1893.

Taking our research to Wales, UK!

In 2012, we (Les and Anne Dollin) planned a trip to the Pembroke area of Wales to further explore the history of our Davies/Davis family ancestors. Our goal was to try to visit as many as possible of the towns and churches connected with the family in Wales.

UK census records revealed that, after their marriage, James and Elizabeth (Betsy) Davies lived in the following places:

– 1851 THORN LANE, YERBESTON, Pembrokeshire, Wales
– 1861 WATERLOO, PEMBROKE St Mary, Pembrokeshire, Wales

After Elizabeth Davies presumably died in about 1870, James married Anne Morris in 1871.

– 1871 2 CHERRY GARDENS, PEMBROKE St Mary, Pembrokeshire, Wales
– 1881 2 LLANION, PEMBROKE St Mary, Pembrokeshire, Wales
– 1891 18 LLANION, PEMBROKE DOCK St Mary, Pembrokeshire, Wales
– 1901 18 LLANION, PEMBROKE DOCK St Mary, Pembrokeshire, Wales

According to these census records, James Davies was born at LAWRENNY, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Richard Davies, the first member of our family who came to Australia, was baptised at YEREBSTON Church on 5 February 1854. His parents, James and Elizabeth were then living at THORN LANE.

Exploring the Pembroke area of Wales in 2012

Our first goal was to try to find the Yerbeston Church, where our Australian ancestor, Richard Davies/Davis had been baptised in 1854.

As we drove through Yerbeston, we glimpsed over a hedge the tower of the old St Lawrence Anglican Church, where Richard had been baptised. We thought the church looked remarkably well preserved. A lady, Jill, who was working in the garden, told us that she had bought the property about eight years earlier and was striving to restore it and convert it to a private residence.

When she bought the property, this 13th Century church had been smothered in ivy and the surrounding graves were buried a metre deep in weeds. Now through much hard work, all the ivy and undergrowth had been removed, revealing the handsome stone church with its dainty bell tower and a quite large graveyard. An architect was helping her restore the building.

The former St Lawrence Church, Yerbeston, Wales

The former St Lawrence Church, Yerbeston, Wales, where Richard Davies was baptised in 1854. Photograph by Anne Dollin.

Jill kindly invited us to look inside. She had preserved and restored much of the interior: the flagstone floors, and the pulpit and lectern. Outside, there was a quaint stone stile over the fence, to help parishioners climb into the church yard. The original baptismal font, which would have been used for the Davies children, lay at that time in a neighbour's yard nearby.

The baptismal font of the former Yerbeston Anglican Church

The baptismal font of the former Yerbeston Anglican Church. Photograph by Anne Dollin.

How wonderful to see this old church, so important to our family history, being so lovingly and beautifully restored by Jill! It was a real treat to visit it.

We asked Jill about 'Thorn Lane' where the Davies family had lived, according to the baptism record. She told us that there was a property called Thorn Farm nearby and maybe the lane was there.

We drove on and found a laneway going down to Thorn Farm in Yerbeston. What a marvellous old set of farm buildings! We asked Ashley, the owner, about Thorn Lane. He thought it was on old cottage just north of his house on the edge of his land. He said he would ask his family if they knew any more about it.

The following day, we called in to see Ashley again and he had some wonderful discoveries to show us! He had found some fascinating old maps. One dated 1852, showed two buildings on blocks of land that he identified as Thorn Lane – and the other, a 1950 map, actually had one of these blocks of land labelled 'Thorn Lane'. Ashley had found the place where the Davies family had lived in 1850!

An 1852 map with 'Thornlane' marked on it.

Ashley kindly showed us an 1852 map with two blocks and some buildings marked on it. He identified this area as the Davies 'Thornlane' farm. Photograph by Anne Dollin.

A 1950 map with Thornlane in Pembroke, Wales marked on it.

Then Ashley showed us a 1950 map which actually had 'Thornlane' (red arrow) marked on it! Thorn Farm can be seen at the bottom of this map. Photograph by Anne Dollin.

But there was even more! Ashley's cousins, Roberta and Dennis, knew about a Davis family who had lived in Thorn Lane. They even had an old settle chair which had come from the Thorn Lane house. Ashley kindly took us to visit Roberta and Dennis, who showed us old photographs, historical books, and a small Bible that had belonged to that branch of the Davis family.

A two-room cottage, similar in design to the Davies home at Thornlane.

Ashley and Dennis showed us this old two roomed Welsh cottage. They said it was similar in design to the Thornlane cottage where the Davies family lived. Photograph by Anne Dollin.

An old settle chair; and St Caradoc Church, Lawrenny, Wales

Left, Les sits on an old settle chair that came from the Thornlane cottage – a chair that had been used by our Davies ancestors. Right, the old St Caradoc's Church in Lawrenny where Richard Davies father, James Davies, had been born. Photographs by Anne Dollin.

Ashley and Dennis then took us for a walk to see an old two roomed cottage behind their farm. This was similar in design to the old Thorn Lane house, they said.

Finally, Ashley took us to Lawrenny, the village where James Davies (b. 1830) had been born. He showed us the medieval era St Caradoc's Church there, with its huge, four-storey high tower.There were several Davis graves in the cemetery.

What fascinating insights Ashley, Roberta and Dennis had so kindly provided for us about the lives of our Davies ancestors in Wales! We really appreciated their help.

Finally, we tried to locate the Llanion cottages at Pembroke Dock, where the Davies family had lived from 1881 to 1901, according to the census records.

Branching off London Road, there was a short road leading down to a railway crossing. On both sides of the road there was a row of identical and adjoining cottages. These were called the Llanion Cottages.

The Llanion Cottages in Pembroke, Wales

These are the Llanion Cottages in Pembroke where the Davies family lived. Photograph by Anne Dollin.

Les chatted to Nigel, who lived in one of the Llanion Cottages. Nigel said these were workmen's cottages. The cottages at the ends of the rows were larger and were for the foremen. One of these was 2 Llanion, where the Davies family lived in 1881.

One of the Llanion Cottages in Pembroke, Wales

Les visits number 2 Llanion Cottage in Pembroke, Wales, where we believe the Davies family lived in 1881. Photograph by Anne Dollin

Nigel said all these cottages were built in about 1864 when the railway was being constructed. Apart from an extension on the back, Number 2 was essentially the same as it had been years ago.

At the end of the street, on London Road, is the First and Last Inn, previously known as the Commercial Inn. Its sign proclaims that it was established in 1873. Had this pub been part of the social lives of our Davies ancestors?

This area of Pembroke Dock is known as Waterloo. This might have also been the area the Davies family lived in at the time of the 1861 census.

So, here too was another remarkable glimpse into the lives of our Davies ancestors during the mid to late 1800s.

Our exploration of the Pembroke Dock area in 2012 had been a huge success! Thanks to the wonderful kindness of many local residents, we gained a deep insight into our Welsh ancestors: their homes, their churches, and their daily lives. Such marvellous memories to take back home with us to Australia.

Details of our Davies / Davis Ancestors
from Wales and Australia

If you are a descendant of this Davies/Davis family from and can offer us any further information, please contact us.

The following information was researched by our family historian, KERRY McCONNELL

Joseph Davies
– grandfather of our Richard Davis Australian ancestor
1786. Pembroke, Wales.

Joseph Davies and Rebecca Griffiths could not write. They signed their names on their marriage certificates with an 'X'.

In 1841 Joseph Davies' occupation was an agricultural labourer, and he was aged 55.

Rebecca Davies (nee Griffiths) was missing from family in the 1841. Did she die after William was born in 1834, in childbirth?

James Davies, born 1830, Pembroke, Wales

First marriage of James Davies
– father of our Richard Davis Australian ancestor

Elizabeth Davies was the first child of Richard Davies and Margaret John (a widow) who were married in Pembroke, Wales, on 04 May 1824.

Richard Davies or Richard Davis, born 1854, Wales.

Two photographs of Richard Davies (known in Australia as Richard Davis), born 1854, Wales, at different ages. The lady in the right hand photograph is probably his wife, Louisa, but unfortunately this part of the image is badly damaged and she is not identifyable.

Richard Davis
– our Australian Richard Davis ancestor
b 05 Feb 1854. Pembroke, Wales, UK.
d 04 May 1924. Auburn, NSW, Australia. Buried Rookwood.

Married Louisa Jane Tweedie
20 Oct 1882, Bethel House, George Street North, Sydney, NSW.

Louisa Jane Tweedie
b 1857. St Leonards, Sydney, NSW.
d 26 Dec 1935. Auburn, Sydney, NSW. Buried Rookwood

Louisa Jane Tweedie was the first child of Edward Tweedie (b 1830, Stranraer, Scotland; d 1886, Sydney NSW) and Caroline Spurrett (b 1837, Bermondsay, London, England; d 1922, Pyrmont, NSW).

Claude Richard Davis
b 18 Apr 1880. Wagga Wagga, NSW. (Registered as Tweedie)
d 26 May 1961. Sylvania, NSW. Buried Kingswood Cemetery.

Edith Maude Davis
b 16 May 1882. Albury, NSW. (Registered as Tweedie)
d 12 Jun 1961. Bankstown, NSW. Buried Rookwood.

Elsie Victoria Barbara Davis
b 22 Jun 1884. Wagga Wagga, NSW.
d 1886. Junee, NSW.

Mildred May Davis
b 23 Jul 1888. Junee, NSW.
d 08 May 1909. Granville, NSW. Buried Rookwood.

James Leslie Davis
b 11 Oct 1890. Junee, NSW.
d 07 Oct 1964. Auburn, NSW. Cremated Rookwood.

Irene Minnie Davis
b 23 Mar 1893. Junee, NSW.
d 24 Dec 1966. Penrith, NSW. Cremated Rookwood.

Hilda Muriel Davis
b 04 Sep 1896. Junee, NSW.
d 11 Aug 1971. Buried Rookwood.

Stanley Richard Davis (AKA 'George' Davis)
b 05 Feb 1899. Junee, NSW.
d 23 Mar 1969. Auburn, NSW. Cremated Rookwood.

Doreen Annie Davis (AKA 'Dorrie' Davis)
b 04 Apr 1901. Junee, NSW.
d 13 Jun 1971. Sydney, NSW. Buried Rookwood.

One of the sons of Richard Davis and Louisa Tweedie paid the supreme sacrifice in World War I:

– Edward Clyde Carrington Davis (AKA 'Joe' Davis) died in France on 31 Aug 1916, aged 20.

Les Dollin Homepage • Links • Contact Us

Our Davis Family in Wales and Australia

Combining forces with Kerry McConnell

Taking our research to Wales, UK!

Exploring the Pembroke area of Wales in 2012

Details of our Davies / Davis Ancestors from Wales and Australia

Our Davis Family
in Wales and Australia

Details of our Davies / Davis Ancestors
from Wales and Australia