The first person that I found named on records in my possession as being at Ty coch was William Jones. He paid an annual rent of £13 per annnum to Capel Hanbury Leigh, in 1823, 1824 and 1829.
By the 1831 land tax returns, a Thomas Jacob had taken over the tenancy. I don’t know anything more about him.
Families that farmed here in the census years were:
The Jayne (1841 and 1851), Goodenough (1861), Jenkins (1871), Williams (1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911) and Price (1939) families.
The Jayne family
The Jayne family were the tenants at Ty Coch at least from 1841 to 1851 and probably longer. They had moved by census night 1861.
The Hanburys also lived at a house called Red House in the 1841 census - I am not sure whether it is the same residence. My assumption is that they were late additions to the census, having been missed on the initial visit. Census enumerators, especially in the early years did have the habit of naming houses using their own judgement - so if another house in the village was Red, they may well have just written “Red House” just to distinguish it from the neighbouring properties.
John Jayne (1810-1877) was born in Llanfrechfa and was the Head of the Household in 1841 and 1851. He was married to Mary Williams of Trevethin (1815). I’m not sure when Mary died, but it was after they moved on from Ty Coch, between 1861 and 1871. My best guess from burial registers is that she died in the June Quarter of 1868 … the ages seem to tally. This would need to be confirmed by somebody purchasing the birth certificate. The Jayne family were at New House (“Ty Newydd”) by the time of the 1861 census and John was still there in 1871, but by now was a widower.
The Goodenough family
The next residents were the Goodenough family - Joseph and Rachel and their children. Joseph, born circa 1816, was from Somerset (from the village of Rode). His wife Rachel, born circa 1816, was a Monmouthshire girl, from Llantilio Crosenny. He was a farmer of 50 acres. The birthplaces of their children indicate that they had moved around a bit before settling in Glascoed around 1853. Emily was born in Cardiff (circa 1842), Frances (“Fanny”) at Pontypool (born Oct-Dec Quarter 1845), Edwin at Llanfrechfa (born Oct–Dec Quarter 1849). The other children were all born at Glascoed: Ellen (born Jan-Mar Quarter 1853), Eliza (Apr-Jun Quarter 1854) and Charles (born Jan-Mar Quarter 1857). They had certainly moved in by the time of the 1861 census and moved on by 1871.
Joseph Goodenough was accused of having an improper relationship with Hannah, the wife of Philip Lewis in 1865, although this was not accepted by the court as far as we can tell. He was appointed as the District Surveyor for Panteg in the mid-1860s, so I assume that he had left Glascoed for Panteg by this point. He was living in Panteg with his family in 1871, according to the census.
The Jenkins family
The next family that I am aware of at Ty Coch is that of John and Emily Jenkins. The Registers of Electors show John as registered to vote at the property from 1868 to 1876. The 1871 census tells us more: John was born in Trevethin around 1829/30. His wife, Emily was 13 years younger and hailed from Cardiff. Interestingly she was not new to the farm … she was actually the daughter of the previous tenants, Joseph and Rachel Goodenough. Their 5 year old son John had been born at Goytre and their daughters Rachel (3 years old) and Elizabeth (10 months old) were both born in Glascoed.
The Williams family
We then see some stability in tenant, as the Williams family moved in around 1878. James Williams was registered to vote as a tenant at Ty Coch from 1878 to 1929. He was also there for the each of the censuses from 1881 to 1911 along with his family. James was born around 1850 at Llanfrechfa Lower. His wife, Elizabeth, nee Jenkins was born at Llanddewi Fach somewhere between 1852 and her christening at that parish church on 30th March 1856. Their first child, Annie, had been born in Llanddewi Fach although some censuses indicated Glascoed. The other children William Henry (circa 1878), Ellen (circa 1881) and Herbert c. (circa 1889) were all born at Glascoed.
From 1909, William Henry Williams was listed as a lodger on the electoral roll and was entitled to vote. In 1922, Elizabeth, William Henry and Annie were listed along with another individual - Ronald William Jenkins. Ronald was actually Elizabeth’s nephew. In 1929, Elizabeth and William Henry were the only other voters in addition to James at TyCoch.
The Prices
The 1939 National Register shows a new Farmer - William T. Price, born 3rd April 1883 and his wife Margaret J., Born 1st April 1882. Their son Raymond G. was a Dairyman - born 12th July 1919. Florence I Knowles (nee Chater, born 17th July 1913) and an unknown other person (possibly another farm servant?) round out the household.
RECORDS
CENSUSES:
1841 and 1851 - John & Mary Jayne and family.
1861 - Joseph & Rachel Goodenough and family.
1871 - John & Emily Jenkins and family.
1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 - James & Elizabeth Williams and family.
1939 - William and Margaret Price with their son Raymond.
The Registers of Electors (various years between 1832 and 1929) show the following residents:
John Jenkins (1868 through to 1876).
James Williams (1878, 1879, 1889, 1909, 1922, 1929). In 1909, William Henry Williams was listed as a lodger. In 1922, Elizabeth, William Henry and Annie were listed along with another individual - Ronald William Jenkins. In 1929, Elizabeth and William Henry were the only other voters in addition to James at Ty Coch.
