Thomas Thomas (1848 -   and Eliza Thomas nee Evans (1852 -  

THOMAS, the second son of Samuel and Ann Thomas, was born on 4th May 1848 at Blaengwnynolwyn,Llanwrthl, Radnorshire . He married Eliza, Evans was born 1852 in Llandeilo, Carmarthan.

The 1881 census shows Thomas resident at 21, Station Terrace, Treherbert Ystradyfodwg, Glamorgan, along with his wife Eliza, and daughter Elizabeth Ann, a seven year old scholar. (born 1874 in Treherbert) There was also a lodger in residence named Abia Joy, an engine fitters labourer. 

The 1891 census shows the family still at the same address with the addition of two boys and two girls

Thomas occupation is shown as a Train Driver. 

The 1901 census shows they had moved to 61 New Street, Ferndale in the Rhondda and there was a further addition to the family

So in total THOMAS and ELIZA had two sons and four daughters

To give an indication of the type of area that the family lived in, a 1917 Government Commission noted that unlike other UK coalfields that have fairly level or gently undulating (wavy) surfaces the South Wales coalfield

".. used to be spoken of as the "hills" but of more recent years "the valleys". They are for the most part extremely narrow, with inconveniently steep sides, some of them indeed being so narrow at some points that there is scarcely space enough on the level for main road and railway in addition to the river itself. Nevertheless, it is into these valleys, shut in on either side by high mountains that the mining population is crowded, and it is in this same narrow space, and often right in the midst of the dwelling house that the surface works of the collieries … have been placed … Streets run along the length of the valleys in monotonous terraces, instead of radiating from a common centre."

The density of population was extremely high. In 1911 in the Rhondda, 23,680 were crammed into each square mile – by far the highest density in England and Wales where the average was 618 per square mile. Ferndale was typical of the valleys, and was and still is the largest valley town and main shopping centre in the Rhondda Fach.   

It is believed that Thomas also lived at Sengenydd the scene of one of the worst Pit disasters this country has experienced

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I would like to acknowledge the help and assistance that has been provided by my Dad's cousins Ray Hobbs and Dennis Hobbs With the information that he has passed on to me, we now have a far fuller picture of our ancestors. Without Ray's commitment and enthusiasm this would not have been possible. This help was, and still is, greatly appreciated