Welsh Affairs: Morgan and Potter Families of Glyntawe

Mr Stuart Davies has kindly given me some results of his research on the Morgan and Potter Families of Glyntawe, Y Garth, Maesyfron and Craig y Nos. My great grandfather William John Potter was a limeburner who lived in Patti Cottages, Penwyllt. He was the son of David Potter, also a limeburner, born in 1829 in Worth in Sussex, and Rachel Morgan, registered as having been born in the District of Llywel near Aberhonddu (Brecon). Rachel was the daughter of William Morgan and Anne Watkins of Glantwyni, Glyntawe. Rachel’s uncle was Morgan Morgan, who purchased Craig y Nos out of chancery, probably form Acptain Rice Davies Powell of the Indian Army. Together with his eldest son William, Morgan Morgan sold the house to the great operatic soprano Adelina Patti, Order of Merit of several countries. Anne Watkins was the younger sister of Mary Watkins, who married Morgan Morgan. My great great gradnfather William Morgan descended from the Gentry, the Portrey-Gough family of Neuadd Ynyscedwyn, Ynyscedwyn Hall, in Ystragynlais. This family descends from the Norman Aristocratic Aubrey Family of the eleventh century as does the Havard Family. The Aubrey Family were Earls Marshall of France. Both Aubrey and Havard were knights of Bernard de Neufmarche en Lions, second cousin of William 1st of England and Normandy. The precise and accurate relation between William and Bernard is given in the excellent biography by Kerry Pendergast on www.aias.us, “The Life of Myron Evans”. They both descended from Richard II (The Good), Duke of Normandy. Ystradgynlais is the birthplace of Sir Goronwy Daniels, sometime Principal of UCW Aberystwyth, who married the honourable Valerie Lloyd-George, grand-daughter of David Lloyd-George, Earl of Dwyfor. It is also the birthplace of Dr Rowan Williams, the present Archbishop of Canterbury, who has written a preface to a new volume of poetry by my predecessor on the Civil List for Wales, Vernon Watkins (1906 – 1967). The latter was to become the Poet Laureate, but sadly died before he could take up the post. He worked on the enigma code at Bletchley Park, and originated from Maesteg. He edited a selection of letters by Dylan Thomas, as is well known. Two Morgan brothers discovered the enormous Dan yr Ogof cave system, now the Welsh National Cave Centre. My grandfather was William Evans, a railway labourer who lived and raised his family in a tiny cottage, a quarter part of “Y Grithig”, just across the river Tawe from the Castle. He married Gwenllian Potter, who was sadly drowned in 1943. She was my grandmother, but I was born in 1950. Gwenllian was the daughter of William John Potter of Callwen (born 1857) and Hannah Potter (born 1857).