I'm looking into my greatgrandfathers family but we believe he was an orphan taken in. He was born in 1903 and in the 1911 Wales census he is listed as living in Brynhyfryd Terrace, Cwm St Paul, Ebbw Vale. This seems to be a kind of poorhouse or school for destitute/orphaned children. Any info would be helpful. I've tried to trace his parents but haven't got much to go on
Jemma

Hi,
There is this birth reg.

Michael Connell Bedwelty 11a 141 Jun.Qtr 1903

Obtaining the cert. might give you more info???

Regards

Sandra

Hi,
There is this birth reg.

Michael Connell Bedwelty 11a 141 Jun.Qtr 1903

Obtaining the cert. might give you more info???

Regards

Sandra

I think you may be looking at the wrong entry? I suspect you looked at the Summary Sheet (which does not give first names) rather than the census image?

There is no Michael O'Connell living at 12, Brynhyfryd Terrace in Waunllwyd, Aberystryth, Ebbw Vale on the 1911 census.
The family living there are Dennis O'Connell (27) and his wife Ruth (29) with their children William John (4) & Thomas (2) and also Dennis' brother Timothy (25) and his wife Ellen (20) with their daughter Mary Ann (9m). All were born in Monmouthshire but "Irish by parentage".
Also, Brynhyfryd Terrace is a normal terrace of houses.

A possibility is the one that Sandra suggested?

In 1911, living at 11 Furnace Row, Aberystuth, Ebbw Vale are Michael Connell (34) and his wife Mary A. (32) with their children Patrick (14); John(11); MICHAEL (9); James (4); Daniel (6m) (but crossed out???) & Thomas (3m).

Aberystruth was in the Bedwellty registration district.

This would match up with the marriage:

1925 Qtr 1: Michael Connell married Elizabeth Butler in the Crickhowell registration district (Crickhowell 11b 125)

So it looks as if Michael used both "O'Connell" and "Connell"?

Thanks Sandra. I'm way overdue a visit to Tredegar so will go and visit the records office. Thanks for your help Jemma

Thanks for the info. I'd had a recollection of Michael being an orphan so that's what probably led me to that conclusion. I'll start looking into Connell now which would explain why I couldn't find the right Michael O'Connell.
Thanks again
Jemma

Jemma,

Don't go to Tredegar!!! They've moved the archive to a new site at Ebbw Vale!

http://www.gwentarchives.gov.uk/

Don't worry I'm staying with my family in Tredegar. Thanks for the advice I'll pop over to Ebbw Vale :)

Hi Jemma, did any of the O'Connell/Connell family live in Dowlais?

Dorothy.

From the Connell connection I've found that they did live in Dowlais. I hope I've made the right connections this time but hopefully I'll go to the records office in March to verify the info I've found. It makes sense to me as there are a lot of common names through the generations. I've just been trying to find out more about the Connell s life in Ireland before they came to Wales. It's mentioned in the 1881 census that Michael O'Connell and Johannah were Irish and that Johannah came from Kerry. I've found marriage records in Kerry for both Michael Connell and Michael O'Connell so think I may be stumped.
Regards
Jemma