Welsh Journals

family that this was so. In Mont Coll. Vol. 37, Mr Thomas Powell (father of the film critic and historian of the British Film Industry-Miss Dilys Powell) discussed this tradition and claimed the old half timbered house, Cilgwrgan in the parish of Llanmerewig as the family seat. The basis of this claim has already been discussed in Mont. Coll. Volume LVIII Part 1. One is on much surer ground by the mid 18th century. In the register of St Mary's, Newtown, one finds numerous entries relating to a Powell family-indeed families, of master shoemakers bearing the first names, Richard, William, Thomas and, to a lesser extent-Matthew, in successive generations. One of them-William Powell, a master shoemaker married Bridget Peters in the old parish church by the Severn on 6th February 1740. They had a large family-Thomas baptised on the 11th June 1741 (about whom, more later); William baptised on the 13th March 1742, buried 28th April 1743; Elizabeth baptised on the 31st October 1744, buried 23rd November 1765; Margaret baptised on the 17th September 1746; Bridget baptised on the 21st September 1748, buried 26th November 1762; William baptised on the 10th March 1750; Richard baptised on the 14th June 1753 (about whom, more later); Mary baptised on the 22nd April, 1756, buried 23rd August 1757. Of the eight children of William and Bridget Powell, four died in childhood and nothing further is known of Margaret and the second William. Thomas, the eldest and Richard the youngest son, survived and had successful careers-the former in the Church and the latter in the Army. Their father William Powell, the master shoemaker, was buried at St Mary's on the 3rd May 1777, while the mother Bridget survived him twenty two years and was buried on the 17th June 1799 in the same churchyard. The first born Thomas was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, where he matriculated on the 26th March 1763 at the age of twenty one.4 Subsequently, he was vicar of Forden from 1778 to 1794, chaplain of Montgomery gaol and tutor to the family of Viscount Hereford, owner of the Nantcriba estate in the former parish. He died unmarried during the lifetime of his mother and was buried at Montgomery on the 14th March 17955 aged fifty three. The Rev. Thomas Powell left an interesting and informative Will6 which, to some extent, helps to explain subsequent events relating to his brother Richard, the father of Thomas Powell the Chartist. The vicar devised a number of legacies: £ 5 to the poor of Montgomery Parish. £ 5 to the poor of Forden Parish. 5/- to each prisoner in Montgomery Gaol at the time of his death. £ 20 to be laid out on good security, the interest thereof to be used by the chaplain of the gaol to purchase coal or other fire fuel to be distributed annually amongst the prisoners about Christmas time. £ 30 and (by codicil) an additional £ 20 to his housekeeper, Mary Parry. Bequests to the children of his friend and executor William Davies, Malster, Montgomery Bequests to his four godsons-William, son ofC. T.Jones, gent; Robert, son of Thomas Jones of Lower Garthmyl, gent; David, son of William Whalley, gent; and, Joseph, son of Edward Davies of Rhydwyman, Montgomery. 4 Foster's — Alumni Oxon. 5 Montgomery Parish Burial Register. 6P.R.O. P.C.C. Prob 11/1259.