The Ynys Gifftan Family circa 1911
Back row: Mary Williams (mother), David, Robert, Hugh Williams (father) Front row: Hugh and Sarah
Hugh Williams came from Glan-y-wern, Talsarnau, and his wife Mary, nee Griffith before she married, was a maid at Brynbwyd, Llanaber. The two were married in 1891 and as Hugh Williams was a quarryman, they moved to live to Glanpwll, Blaenau Ffestiniog. They lived there for about 9 years. Robert Griffith Williams their eldest son was born in Glanpwll in 1899 and in 1900 or 1901 they decided to move to Ynys Gifftan to farm. Hugh Williams was still working at the quarry but had a serious accident there and lost his leg. Despite the seriousness of his injury Hugh Williams returned to his work at the quarry. Responsibility of running the farm then went largely to Mary his wife. In 1901 a second son David was born, then in 1903 their daughter Sarah and in 1905 their third son Hugh Thomas Williams.
Robert and his brother David accompanied their father to work in the quarry. The youngest son, Hugh Thomas Williams went to work on a farm in Dyffryn at the age of fifteen. In 1925 Robert Griffith Williams married Betty Morris, Hendreclochydd, Llanaber where he ran the farm with John Morris, Betty's father. Robert died in 1935 at the age of just 36 on his son John's birthday, aged just ten. Within years John met Pegi – who had links with Talsarnau. Her parents Thomas and Annie Hughes kept a grocery store opposite the "Ship Aground" pub from 1931 to 1937. (Is this a reference to the shop where the Post Office used to be or to Ty Anarferol across the road?). In 1937 there was a flood and damage was done in the dining kitchen and in the "stores". (I wonder if these are different floods to the Tidal Wave that happened in 1927?).
They then moved to keep a shop in Llanbedr where John and Pegi met. At the time of the war Pegi was a nurse in the "evacuation nursery" for children "Service Personnel" at Glyn Hall (is this Glyn Cywarch – Lord Harlech?) for four years. Another connection is Annie Edwards, later – Annie Jones, wife of Wil Jones of Talsarnau. She was a cousin to Pegi. She used to teach at Ysgol Maenofferen in 1927 and later became a teacher at Ysgol Brontecwyn from 1944 until 1961 when the school was closed. She then moved to Ysgol Ardudwy, Harlech.