Whilst preparing social media content for LGBTQ+ history month I came across the Welsh County LGBTQ+ timelines. Scanning the Newport timeline, one individual caught my eye – Amelia Vella. The timeline wrote how Amelia’s mother, Fanny Vella, was in the Abergavenny Asylum. Knowing that we hold this collection at Gwent Archives, I started to explore. Little did I know this would lead to the discovery of a rich, three-generational story showing how we can follow stories through the archive.
The first generation
I was able to find Fanny Vella, Amelia’s mother, in our Pen-y-Fal collection, twice. This collection, on the old Abergavenny Asylum from 1852 to 1982, includes patient case record books detailing admitted patients and their care. My search widened when Fanny’s family history noted that her father, Amelia’s grandfather, George Klein had also been a patient at Pen-y-Fal. George was born in 1827 in Frankfurt, Germany and was admitted into Pen-y-Fal in 1879 where he was a patient until his death in 1895. His admission notes state George had suffered an attack in 1862 of hemiplegia, likely a stroke, and was paralysed on the right-side of his body.
Interestingly, his notes also include a anonymous statement noting “he is a very violent man […] I have witnessed acts of violence committed by him”.[1] George’s violent nature was significant as his notes include that he was admitted to Pen-y-Fal “from [the] town hall Newport being lodged there under a warrant for assaulting his wife”.[2] The Town Hall in Newport had cells attached and is likely George was waiting for trial when he was admitted to Pen-y-Fal.
Prior to his admittance to Pen-y-Fal, it seems George had travelled with his wife, Jane Gibson and five children to Newport, likely drawn by the potential of work at the Newport Docks. In the census from 1861 and 1871, George’s occupation is listed as a Ship Brothers Clerk, Ship Broker and Interpreter and at this time the family were living very close to Newport Docks, in Pillgwenlly.[3] The nineteenth-century was a period of huge growth for Pillgwenlly, and Newport, with the growing demand for a local port to transport coal and iron from the South Wales valleys. This century saw the extension of the Monmouthshire Canal to Newport and Pillgwenlly, as well as the development of numerous docks in Newport – Town Dock (1842), Inner Basin (1858), Alexandra Dock (1875), and South Dock (1893).
The second generation
George and Jane married in 1853 and had five children – Sarah Jane (1854), Cornelia (1855), Helene (1857), George (1858) and Fanny (Amelia’s mother) in 1861. George’s paralysis seems to have impacted his ability to find work as the year following his attack the whole family were admitted into Newport Union workhouse.
I was able to find Fanny and her four siblings throughout the Newport Workhouse records on several occasions.[4] Once admitted, the family were seemingly split up. Fanny’s eldest sister, Sarah Jane, was admitted to Pen-y-Fal on 27th June 1863 where, from her notes in our collection, it’s clear she was a patient until her death in 1904. Fanny’s two other older sisters, Cornelia and Helene, were both admitted to Caerleon Industrial School – the school attached to Newport workhouse for children admitted to the workhouse – where they stayed for six to seven years until they left for ‘service’ in 1870 and 1871.
Knowing we also held a collection on Caerleon Industrial School, I was able to find Cornelia and Helene, as well as Fanny and George in this collection. Fanny was admitted to Caerleon Industrial School, on 29th July 1973, and was there until she left for ‘service’ on 30th August 1875. The three sisters were sent to various employers including Mr Rees, a farmer in Cardiff, Mr Blackmore, a surgeon in Cwmbran, and Mr Powell, a collector in Newport.
Fanny’s older brother George, was admitted to Caerleon Industrial School in July 1872. As I was searching for George in our collection, I discovered sadly his story had a particularly tragic ending. A year after being admitted, he was sent to the service of Mr Hunt, a flannel manufacturer in Abercarn. Only a week after arriving at the factory, the Cwm Carne Reservoir burst after heavy flooding in the area and nine people died at the factory, including George. Not only was this tragedy covered in several local newspapers, but we hold the memorial card for this disaster in our collection.[5]
The third generation
In 1879, at 17 years old, Fanny Vella married Francis Vella, a 31-year-old who lived in the street next to Fanny. Fanny went on to have 11 children between 1880 and 1902, including Amelia – the eldest. I was struck by Fanny’s records from Pen-y-Fal, which noted (after being admitted in Sept 1898) her attack had lasted 20 years and that she was “very peculiar in her behaviour from time to time during the last 20 years” – correlating almost exactly with when Fanny married and started having children.[6]
A month prior to Fanny being admitted to Pen-y-Fal, her eldest daughter, Amelia, disappeared. Amelia left Newport in August 1898 disguised as a sailor and was escorted from the ss. Blaenavon in Grand Canary after having passed as a member of the ships’ crew, and as a boy, for almost two voyages. I was able to find Amelia’s story in numerous newspapers with several including sketches of Amelia in both a sailor’s apparel and a dress and one even interviewing Amelia herself. I found it particularly interesting, for our theme of LGBTQ+ history month, that newspapers also reported on Amelia’s time as a servant for Captain Morgan and how Amelia had told Mrs Morgan she wished she was a boy and how Mrs Morgan had dissuaded Amelia from wearing boy’s clothing.
Similarly to the previously generation, I also found Amelia and her siblings in the Newport Workhouse records on several occasions. Importantly, in August 1898 Amelia’s parents were admitted to Newport workhouse with five of Amelia’s younger siblings. When they were admitted, Amelia’s father was listed as a Donkeyman – overseeing a small steam engine on a ship. One newspaper which noted Amelia’s story wrote how her father was out of work due to disruptions of the coal war and how one reason Amelia went abroad was to get money to help her family, especially her mother, as her father was out of work.
It has been amazing to follow the journey of this family through our collection – all from Amelia’s presence in the Newport LGBTQ+ timeline!
Top image credit: Tredegar Wharf and Dry Dock c. Early-20th century, Gwent Archives
Bec Howarth is Community Engagement Assistant at Gwent Archives, a county archive in Ebbw Vale, South Wales which covers the counties of Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Newport, Blaenau Gwent and parts of Caerphilly. They were preparing social media content for LGBTQ+ history month when they came across the Welsh County LGBTQ+ timelines. Scanning the Newport timeline, one individual caught their eye. The timeline wrote how Amelia Vella’s mother, Fanny Vella, was in the Abergavenny Asylum. Knowing that Gwent Archives hold the Pen-y-Fal collection, Bec started to explore; little did they know, this would lead to the discovery of a rich, three-generational story.
[1] Gwent Archives: D3202/40/3 Pen-y-Fal Males Case Book 1876-1879
[2] Gwent Archives: D3202/40/3 Pen-y-Fal Males Case Book 1876-1879
[3] Class: Rg 9; Piece: 1766; Folio: 46; Page: 49; GSU roll: 542864 in Ancestry.com. 1861 England Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005 and Class: RG10; Piece: 5347; Folio: 115; Page: 49; GSU roll: 848446 in Ancestry.com. 1871 Wales Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004
[4] Ancestry.com. Gwent, Wales, Workhouse Registers, 1833-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry Operations, Inc., 2024. Original data: Workhouse (Board of Guardians). Ebbw Vale, Gwent, Wales: Gwent Archives.
[5] Gwent Archives: D1566/4 Flannel Factory Memorial Card c1875
[6] Gwent Archives: D3202/41/8 Pen-y-Fal Females Case Book 1899-1900
Welsh translation
Wrth baratoi cynnwys cyfryngau cymdeithasol ar gyfer mis hanes LHDTC+, sylwais ar linellau amser LHDTC+ Siroedd Cymru. Wrth edrych ar linell amser Casnewydd, tynnodd un person fy sylw – Amelia Vella. Roedd y llinell amser yn dweud sut roedd mam Amelia, Fanny Vella, yn Seilam y Fenni. Gan wybod ein bod y casgliad hwn yn Archifau Gwent, dechreuais archwilio. Prin yr oeddwn i’n gwybod y byddai hyn yn arwain at ddarganfod stori gyfoethog, dros dair cenhedlaeth sy’n dangos sut y gallwn ddilyn storïau drwy’r archif.
Y genhedlaeth gyntaf
Llwyddais i ddod o hyd i Fanny Vella, mam Amelia, yn ein casgliad Pen-y-Fâl, ddwywaith. Mae’r casgliad hwn, ar hen Seilam y Fenni rhwng 1852 a 1982, yn cynnwys llyfrau cofnodion achosion cleifion sy’n manylu ar gleifion a dderbyniwyd a’r gofal a gawsant. Ehangodd fy chwiliad pan nododd hanes teulu Fanny fod ei thad, tad-cu Amelia, George Klein, hefyd wedi bod yn glaf ym Mhen-y-Fâl. Ganed George yn 1827 yn Frankfurt, yr Almaen a chafodd ei dderbyn i Ben-y-Fâl yn 1879 lle bu’n glaf hyd ei farwolaeth yn 1895. Mae ei nodiadau derbyn yn dweud bod George wedi dioddef achos o hemiplegia yn 1862, strôc yn ôl pob tebyg, a chafodd ei barlysu ar ochr dde ei gorff.
Yn ddiddorol, mae ei nodiadau hefyd yn cynnwys datganiad dienw sy’n nodi “he is a very violent man […] I have witnessed acts of violence committed by him “.[1] Roedd natur dreisgar George yn arwyddocaol gan fod ei nodiadau yn cynnwys iddo gael ei dderbyn i Ben-y-Fâl “from [the] town hall Newport being lodged there under a warranting for assaulting his wife”.[2] Roedd gan Neuadd y Dref yng Nghasnewydd gelloedd ac mae’n debyg bod George yn aros am ei achos pan gafodd ei dderbyn i Ben-y-Fâl.
Cyn iddo gael ei dderbyn i Ben-y-Fâl, mae’n ymddangos bod George wedi teithio gyda’i wraig, Jane Gibson a’i bump o blant i Gasnewydd, wedi ei ddenu yno, yn ôl pob tebyg, gan y potensial o weithio yn Nociau Casnewydd. Yn y cyfrifiad o 1861 a 1871, rhestrir galwedigaeth George fel Clerc Brodyr Llongau, Brocer Llongau a Chyfieithydd ac ar yr adeg hon roedd y teulu’n byw yn agos iawn at Ddociau Casnewydd, ym Mhilgwenlli.[3] Roedd y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg yn gyfnod o dwf enfawr i Bilgwenlli, a Chasnewydd, gyda’r galw cynyddol am borthladd lleol i gludo glo a haearn o gymoedd De Cymru. Yn y ganrif hon ehangwyd Camlas Sir Fynwy i Gasnewydd a Philgwenlli, yn ogystal â datblygiad nifer o ddociau yng Nghasnewydd – Doc y Dref (1842), y Basn Mewnol (1858), Doc Alexandra (1875), a Doc y De (1893).
Yr ail genhedlaeth
Priododd George a Jane ym 1853 a chawson nhw bump o blant – Sarah Jane (1854), Cornelia (1855), Helene (1857), George (1858) a Fanny (mam Amelia) yn 1861. Mae’n ymddangos bod parlys George wedi effeithio ar ei allu i ddod o hyd i waith oherwydd, yn y flwyddyn wedyn, cafodd y teulu cyfan eu derbyn i wyrcws Undeb Casnewydd.
Llwyddais i ddod o hyd i Fanny a’i brodyr a’i chwiorydd trwy gofnodion Wyrcws Casnewydd ar sawl achlysur.[4] Ar ôl cael eu derbyn, mae’n ymddangos bod y teulu wedi cael eu rhannu. Derbyniwyd chwaer hynaf Fanny, Sarah Jane, i Ben-y-Fâl ar 27ain Mehefin 1863 ble mae’n amlwg o’i nodiadau yn ein casgliad bod hi wedyn yn glaf hyd ei marwolaeth yn 1904. Derbyniwyd dwy chwaer hŷn arall Fanny, Cornelia a Helene, i Ysgol Ddiwydiannol Caerllion – yr ysgol a oedd yn gysylltiedig â’r wyrcws yng Nghasnewydd ar gyfer plant a dderbyniwyd i’r wyrcws – ac fe arhoson nhw yno am chwech i saith mlynedd nes iddyn nhw adael i fynd i ‘wasanaeth’ yn 1870 a 1871.
Gan wybod bod gennym gasgliad am Ysgol Ddiwydiannol Caerllion, llwyddais i ddod o hyd i Cornelia a Helene, yn ogystal â Fanny a George yn y casgliad hwn. Derbyniwyd Fanny i Ysgol Ddiwydiannol Caerllion, ar 29ain Gorffennaf 1973, a bu yno nes iddi adael i fynd i ‘wasanaeth’ ar 30ain Awst 1875. Anfonwyd y tair chwaer at wahanol gyflogwyr gan gynnwys Mr Rees, ffermwr yng Nghaerdydd, Mr Blackmore, llawfeddyg yng Nghwmbrân, a Mr Powell, casglwr yng Nghasnewydd.
Derbyniwyd brawd hŷn Fanny, George, i Ysgol Ddiwydiannol Caerllion ym mis Gorffennaf 1872. Wrth i mi chwilio am George yn ein casgliad, darganfyddais yn anffodus fod yna ddiweddglo arbennig o drasig i’w stori. Flwyddyn ar ôl cael ei dderbyn, cafodd ei anfon i wasanaeth Mr Hunt, gwneuthurwr gwlanen yn Abercarn. Dim ond wythnos ar ôl cyrraedd y ffatri, torrodd Cronfa Ddŵr Cwmcarn ar ôl llifogydd trwm yn yr ardal a bu farw naw o bobl yn y ffatri, gan gynnwys George. Nid yn unig y cafodd y drasiedi hon sylw mewn sawl papur newydd lleol, ond mae gennym y cerdyn coffa ar gyfer y trychineb hwn yn ein casgliad.[5]
Y drydedd genhedlaeth
Yn 1879, yn 17 oed, priododd Fanny Vella â Francis Vella, dyn 31 oed a oedd yn byw yn y stryd nesaf i ble roedd Fanny’n byw. Aeth Fanny ymlaen i gael 11 o blant rhwng 1880 a 1902, gan gynnwys Amelia – yr hynaf. Cefais fy nharo gan gofnodion Fanny o Ben-y-Fâl, a nododd (ar ôl cael ei derbyn ym mis Medi 1898) bod ei thrawiad wedi para 20 mlynedd a’i bod hi’n rhyfedd iawn yn ei hymddygiad o bryd i’w gilydd yn ystod yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf – sy’n cyd-fynd bron yn union â’r adeg y priododd Fanny a dechrau cael plant.[6]
Fis cyn i Fanny gael ei derbyn i Ben-y-Fâl, diflannodd ei merch hynaf, Amelia. Gadawodd Amelia Gasnewydd ym mis Awst 1898 wedi’i gwisgo fel morwr a chafodd ei hebrwng o’r ss. Blaenafon yn yr Ynysoedd Dedwydd ar ôl pasio fel aelod o griw’r llong, ac fel bachgen, am bron i ddwy fordaith. Llwyddais i ddod o hyd i stori Amelia mewn nifer o bapurau newydd gyda sawl un yn cynnwys brasluniau o Amelia mewn dillad morwr a ffrog ac un hyd yn oed yn cyfweld ag Amelia ei hun. Roedd yn arbennig o ddiddorol i mi, ar gyfer ein thema o fis hanes LHDTC+, fod papurau newydd hefyd yn adrodd am gyfnod Amelia fel gwas i’r Capten Morgan a sut y dywedodd Amelia wrth Mrs Morgan ei bod yn dymuno ei bod yn fachgen a sut roedd Mrs Morgan wedi ceisio darbwyllo Amelia i beidio â gwisgo dillad bachgen.
Fel y genhedlaeth flaenorol, cefais hyd hefyd i Amelia a’i brodyr a’i chwiorydd yng nghofnodion Wyrcws Casnewydd ar sawl achlysur. Yn bwysig, ym mis Awst 1898 derbyniwyd rhieni Amelia i wyrcws Casnewydd gyda phump o frodyr a chwiorydd iau Amelia. Pan gawson nhw eu derbyn, rhestrwyd tad Amelia fel Donkeyman – un oedd yn goruchwylio injan stêm fach ar long. Dywedodd un papur newydd a nododd stori Amelia sut roedd ei thad allan o waith oherwydd tarfu’r rhyfel glo ac mai un rheswm pam aeth Amelia dramor oedd cael arian i helpu ei theulu, yn enwedig ei mam, gan fod ei thad allan o waith.
Mae wedi bod yn anhygoel dilyn taith y teulu hwn trwy ein casgliad – y cyfan o ganlyniad i bresenoldeb Amelia yn llinell amser LHDTC+ Casnewydd!
[1] Archifau Gwent: D3202/40/3 Llyfr Achosion Dynion Pen-y-Fâl 1876-1879
[2] Archifau Gwent: D3202/40/3 Llyfr Achosion Dynion Pen-y-Fâl 1876-1879
[3] Dosbarth: Rg 9; Darn: 1766; Ffolio: 46; Tudalen: 49; GSU roll: 542864 yn Ancestry.com. Cyfrifiad Lloegr 1861 [cronfa ddata ar-lein]. Lehi, UT, UDA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005 a Dosbarth: RG10; Darn: 5347; Ffolio: 115; Tudalen: 49; GSU roll: 848446 yn Ancestry.com. Cyfrifiad Cymru 1871 [cronfa ddata ar-lein]. Provo, UT, UDA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004
[4] Ancestry.com. Gwent, Cymru, Workhouse Register, 1833-1957 [cronfa ddata ar-lein]. Lehi, UT, UDA: Ancestry Operations, Inc., 2024. Data gwreiddiol: Y Wyrcws (Bwrdd y Gwarcheidwaid). Glynebwy, Gwent, Cymru: Archifau Gwent.
[5] Archifau Gwent: D1566/4 Cerdyn Coffa Ffatri Gwlanen c1875
[6] Archifau Gwent: D3202/41/8 Llyfr Achosion Menywod Pen-y-Fâl 1899-1900
