100 years ago at Dduallt

Researching the history of the house we came across this photo of a wedding party at Dduallt on June 24^th 1911. It was given to us by Thelma Butlin, the great granddaughter of Morris and Annie Thomas.  Her mother is Lilian Parry, born in Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1919. 

‘Lilian lived at Dduallt for about a year around 1922 whilst recovering from severe meningitis.  Her grandmother Annie Thomas offered the family her help to enable Lilian to recuperate.  She can still remember some detail of that experience.  Mum remembers that Morris was mainly a sheep farmer, but kept a few cows, pigs and chickens.  He had a field where he grew wheat.  She would also have been a frequent visitor to Dduallt from BF in the following years up to 1927 when Morris died.  She used to go for 6 weeks at a time during school holidays.  Annie Thomas moved on to Bronturnor Uchaf after his death and paid 5/= per year to Lady Inge for that accommodation.’

The photo is in the surroundings of Dduallt at the wedding of Robert Richard Jones to Kate Thomas, the daughter of Morris Thomas. We think the photo is taken from near the corner of the vegetable garden looking up the driveway to the cottage. Morris was the tenant of Major Charles Robert Worsley Tottenham who was a JP for Denbighshire, a JP and Deputy Lieutenant for Merionethshire. Tottenham sold the estate in 1920.

We are taking part in the Dating Old Welsh Houses project funded in part by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

That was 100 years ago today. 7 years ago today was the day we moved in!