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Post by poppymack on Mar 22, 2014 16:32:02 GMT
Hi - I am researching a friend's family history and have just discovered that her grandfather, William Johnston, was resident in South Minera in 1935 (this info taken from his brother's death certificate whereby William is the informant). His occupation was probably as a gamekeeper. Would anyone have any idea as to where he may be working or know any more information on the family's time in Wales. William Johnston (born 1898 Berwickshire, Scotland) married to Janet (nee Minto) with at least one child James Johnston born 1923.
Thanks
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Post by eluned on Mar 22, 2014 17:15:56 GMT
Hi and welcome poppymack You may wish to check out the thread at the link below. link
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Post by poppymack on Mar 22, 2014 19:11:34 GMT
Thank you that makes very interesting reading. This info has also jogged some family memories & it appears that William was a gamekeeper on Minera mountain. Apparently there is a picture of him & a local policeman by a crashed plane - the crash site reputed to be Minera mountain.
Strange to think he may have been witness to a meeting of Churchill & Goering.
Thanks
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Post by tominera on Mar 27, 2014 10:28:21 GMT
Hi, I remember Jimmy Johnson living on Minera Mountain in The Gamekeepers cottage in the early forties and he had a sister Pam who went to Minera school--she was born about 1934 ish. He visited Minera about 30 years ago approx.? and called in my mothers house. He asked her about all sorts of people he had known in Minera during his early life. He did not leave an address as far as I knew and sadly my mother passed away sometime ago so I cannot enlarge on what I have said. The only remaining landmark for the cottage is a Rhodedendron bush and some old bits of ruins such as stone foundations. They are alongside the left hand side of the road which goes from New Brighton(Minera) to Worlds End and then Llangollen---about 2 miles from Minera end. Regards Tom
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Post by poppymack on Mar 31, 2014 11:28:04 GMT
Hi Tom - thank you for getting back to me. James Johnston died in 1998 but I have passed on this info to Pam and she was very interested.
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Post by tominera on Apr 2, 2014 18:51:55 GMT
Hi, I have found at least three references to Keepers Cottage in the late Clifford Davies's books and booklets--as they are all very similar, I will just put one on here from the Booklet named MINERA, BWLCHGWYN & COEDPOETH-----"KEEPERS COTTAGE. South Minera." " The Lodge at South Minera was actually in the parish of Esclusham Above. It was the home of one of the gamekeepers for Sir Watkin Williams Wynne. It stands on the highest part of the mountain road after climbing the hill from Pool Park or the Sychnant. The ruin of the keepers cottage which is on the left side of the road as descending the hill to Gwter Siani. The Johnson family lived there until the bombs began falling in 1940. The two children, Jimmy and Pam used to walk the two miles each way from there to Minera School each day. All that remains now, after sixty years or more, is the rhodedendron bush that grew in the garden. The military used the mountain for training purposes during the war and it was the American soldiers who used the house for target practice and who finally destroyed it. Some bullet holes can still be seen in the stone rubble that remains." I would just like to add that all of us youngsters at the time were always told that the keepers cottage had received a "Direct Hit" by a german bomb, but I am sure Cliff would have had more knowledge than me regarding this matter. ---Tom
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