Welsh Journals

to keep out birds, were all renewed in 1931, and paid for from Queen Anne's Bounty. The bells remained in the churchyard near the East window until 1936, because debts on both church schools and Crugybyddar church amounted to well over £ 1,000, which had to be raised by holding garden fetes each year. In 1931, two such fetes were held, one in a field near Crugybyddar Church and one in the vicarage garden. By 1935 the chief debts had been met, but the bells proved a big item because the tower end had to be built up strong enough to carry a turret with the three bells. Stone to match the church had to be found and a stone mason to do the work and this was done at a cost of £ 360. Eventually, on June 2nd, 1935, the opening was performed and the West End dedicated by Dr. Edward Bevan, the first Bishop of Swansea and Brecon Diocese. Tea was provided in a marquee in the vicarage garden. Fetes continued to be held to raise money until 1940 when all debts were cleared. The Reverend Evan Jones was educated at Ystrad Meurig Grammar School and at St. David's College, Lampeter. In 1946 he was made Rural Dean of Knighton Deanery, and in 1954 he became an honorary canon of Brecon Cathedral. He died in February, 1960, age 80 years. III. BEGUILDY CURATES There is no record of the curates from 1776 until the death of one, Rev. John Simpson Lee, M.A., in 1867, at the age of forty-two years. The lady to whom he was engaged to be married erected his tombstone, which is still to be seen in Beguildy churchyard. In 1880 or later, Rev. David Morgan was curate for a few years. He lived at the Gother farm with Richard Harris and had charge of the new church, helping in the parish church on Sunday mornings and evenings. When he left Beguildy, he became curate at St. John's, Builth Road, and from there he was appointed Vicar of Llanstephan. He married a lady from Llanstephan House, a niece of the owner, and in 1927 died there. In 1890 or so, Rev. Evan Davies, a native of Newquay, Cardiganshire, became curate of Beguildy and lived at the vicarage in the curate's rooms, until the death of Rev. Abraham Thomas. At that time the curate moved to Pantycaragl (1893) and lived there until taking another curacy in 1897. He died some seven years later. In 1897, Rev. Richard Robert Jones was curate for two years and occupied rooms at the vicarage. Many years later he became Vicar of Llanganten and visited Beguildy church in 1918 when he was best man at the wedding of his neighbour, Rev. Evan Jones and Mary Elizabeth Harris, whom he had christened in 1897. Rev. Jones did not remain at Llanganten but moved to Carmarthenshire, his native place, where he died in about 1937, leaving a cousin whom he had married late in his life, and one daughter. Rev. Edward Weale came to Beguildy in 1900. He was a Radnor- shire man and after a few years in the parish, married Miss Minnie Pughe Morgan, the Vicar's eldest daughter. It was a double wedding, the youngest daughter, Violet, marrying Rev. Harold Mason, Vicar of Bettws. Rev. and Mrs. Weale lived in Pembrokeshire and had five children. Mr. Weale died in 1932 after a long illness. Rev. and Mrs. Mason lived at Bettws for less than two years, then at