David John Edwards 1881 - 1958
David John had been born in Aberdare in 1883. He was a coal miner but had also served in the South Wales Borderers during both the Boer War and the Welsh Regiment during the First World War. He was born into a typical coal mining family – His father John and his brothers Edward, John and Henry Samuel worked in Werfa Colliery which was on the hillside of Abernant just outside Aberdare. Aberdare had become a booming coal town in the 19th century due to its abundance of coal and iron ore. The population had exploded and there were many pits and iron works. However, the family had wanted to keep him in school as he had shown much promise. He preferred to join the army and in 1899, lying about his age he left home to join the army. This was against everyone's wishes. His Short Service record shows he joined up on January 31st 1899. He is described as 5ft 5inches in height and 135 pounds in weight. He had a tatoo of an anchor on his left forearm and a birthmark on his left flank. The record then shows that in May of the same year, 4 months later he was discharged. Just a month earlier Joan Edwards (David's mother) died (apparently of a broken heart) and so it was just a month later that he was discharged. This must have been a very difficult time. David's WW1 records cannot be traced but he worked for many years as a coal miner in Brittania and Penallta Collieries. Conditions and dangers in which the miner worked underground were always bad and South Wales was one of the most dangerous coalfields to work in because of its difficult geological conditions and its
gassy deep mines. Major accidents were all too common and the effects of dust on the health of the miners was not officially recognised until much later. In fact Joan's uncle – David Watkins was killed in a accident at Werfa Colliery in 1930. His death was reported in the Aberdare Leader on 25 Oct 1930 - “his body was found lying between his horse and a tram – he suffered a fractured spine and later in Aberdare Hospital. The verdict was “accidental death”. Amongst the mourners at his funeral was David Edwards, Joan's father. David John was married to Jane Green (from Darlaston) on August 1st 1909 at St Gwladys Church, Bargoed and they lived at 9 Ruth Street. The marriage got off to a difficult start as Jane's family did not want her to be married. She had promised to marry someone in the Midlands (rumour - “his father owned a pearl button factory”). Jane was given the money by her brother to go back home - but she preferred to spend it on a wedding dress instead!
By 1911 they had moved to 18 High Street, Fleur de Lis near Blackwood, Monmouthshire and had their first child, Beatrice Maud. They went on to have 5 children in total with Joan being the youngest – born on 3rd October 1925. David was a sociable man and loved to visit the pubs, or the “wrecker” as Jane referred to it – he often called in on his way home from the colliery . If he had been paid then unfortunately much of his wages went on beer – this caused many fierce arguments as money being extremely tight in their lives. When David John did not return home from work, Jane had been known to take his dinner down to the pub and throw it at him. Although a miner for most of his working life, David John was a very intelligent man. At some point when Joan was little her Dad won the News of the World crossword. In the 1920's and 1930's the News of the World was the largest selling newspaper with a circulation of about 3 million and the prize for winning was £500 – the equivalent today of about £15,000. Instead of spending wisely, David went out and bought new clothes for his family, gave some money to his wife Jane and then went on a “bender” - disappearing for some time, eventually returning with no money.
Joan was born in 1925. David and Jane lived in Fleur de Lys until about 1958 when they moved to Caerphilly Road, Senghenydd to live with Mary, David's sister.
gassy deep mines. Major accidents were all too common and the effects of dust on the health of the miners was not officially recognised until much later. In fact Joan's uncle – David Watkins was killed in a accident at Werfa Colliery in 1930. His death was reported in the Aberdare Leader on 25 Oct 1930 - “his body was found lying between his horse and a tram – he suffered a fractured spine and later in Aberdare Hospital. The verdict was “accidental death”. Amongst the mourners at his funeral was David Edwards, Joan's father. David John was married to Jane Green (from Darlaston) on August 1st 1909 at St Gwladys Church, Bargoed and they lived at 9 Ruth Street. The marriage got off to a difficult start as Jane's family did not want her to be married. She had promised to marry someone in the Midlands (rumour - “his father owned a pearl button factory”). Jane was given the money by her brother to go back home - but she preferred to spend it on a wedding dress instead!
By 1911 they had moved to 18 High Street, Fleur de Lis near Blackwood, Monmouthshire and had their first child, Beatrice Maud. They went on to have 5 children in total with Joan being the youngest – born on 3rd October 1925. David was a sociable man and loved to visit the pubs, or the “wrecker” as Jane referred to it – he often called in on his way home from the colliery . If he had been paid then unfortunately much of his wages went on beer – this caused many fierce arguments as money being extremely tight in their lives. When David John did not return home from work, Jane had been known to take his dinner down to the pub and throw it at him. Although a miner for most of his working life, David John was a very intelligent man. At some point when Joan was little her Dad won the News of the World crossword. In the 1920's and 1930's the News of the World was the largest selling newspaper with a circulation of about 3 million and the prize for winning was £500 – the equivalent today of about £15,000. Instead of spending wisely, David went out and bought new clothes for his family, gave some money to his wife Jane and then went on a “bender” - disappearing for some time, eventually returning with no money.
Joan was born in 1925. David and Jane lived in Fleur de Lys until about 1958 when they moved to Caerphilly Road, Senghenydd to live with Mary, David's sister.