Volunteers’ Choice
Part 1: Meinir
My favourite item in the Museum is the Whisky Bottle that has come from the Stuart. This ship was shipwrecked at Tŷ Mawr near Llangwnnadl in 1901. What makes it amazing to me is the story behind the scenes – that the local people went down to the beach and ‘acquired’ a share of the spoils ! Also, this was a remarkable shipwreck because there was not a single loss of life, and it was a calm day ! Strange! The rumours are that the crew had been enjoying the cargo on board the Stuart, and that was the reason for the shipwreck!
Part 2 : Elinor
The ships' portraits are my favourite item by a mile as they tell the history of ships and mariners, local and deep sea.
Part 3: Gwerfyl
My favourite artefact at the museum is a photograph. It’s an image of a family posed proudly outside their home. There’s a father, a mother, four sons and what must have been a very welcome daughter. The four sons stand surrounding their sitting parents while the daughter stands between her mother and father with her hands resting confidently on their legs. It’s an intimate photograph, the father relaxed, the mother maybe itching for the camera to do its job so that she can get on with her work and with such a family, there was probably always much work to be done.
We know who they are – and where they are.
The father is Captain William Jones Evans and this has been his home all his life. He was born here, in 1845, as was his father, John Evans. His grandfather, another John Evans had also lived and farmed here. The house is Tir Bach, Pistyll, a fine old house down a track on the left going from Nefyn to Pistyll. From one side of the house, the scene toward Trefor is glorious as is the view the other side to Porthdinllaen. And of course, there’s always the sea to look out to.
William Jones Evans left Tir Bach to go to sea when he was a very young boy, about ten years old and served his apprenticeship on various vessels, ships such with names as Susan & Ellen, Velocity, Profit & Loss. These ship names occur over and over when reading the histories of other mariners of the area.
He gained his Mate certificate in 1866 and his Master’s Certificate in 1870 so was a fully-fledged and experienced Sea Captain when he married Margaret Owen in 1888. She was of the Pistyll area too, being a daughter of the farm of Gwynys.
Their eldest son was John Evans, born 1888 and rather than farm or go to sea, John became a school teacher. He is found in 1939 living at Glyddyn Mawr, Y Ffor, with his wife Mary whom he’d married in 1923.
Owen was William and Margaret’s second son, born in 1890 and he’s the son who remained home to farm. He lived at Tir Bach, unmarried, until his death at Gallt y Sil Hospital, Caernarfon in 1973.
The third son, William, born in 1892, has left little or no trace of his story after leaving Tir Bach.
Griffith Owen Evans was the final son in this family, born in 1894 and he became a shop assistant at the Post Office in Abersoch until World War One interrupted everyone’s lives. Griffith enlisted in the army and served as a Private in the Labour Corps and 548th Agricultural Company where he is listed as a driver. In 1928 he married Mary Gertrude Williams. In 1939 they were living in Pendorlan, Abersoch where he worked as a commercial supervisor. Griffith died in 1953, Margaret in 1970.
The final child of the family was Margaret, born in 1896. She didn’t marry until late in life, when she was 49 years old, having looked after the household in Tir Bach for her brother Owen. Her husband was Robert John Griffith, a widower from Llannor and they married at Penmount Chapel, Pwllheli in 1946. Margaret died in Eryri Hospital, Caernarfon in 1956 and was buried in Nefyn. Her husband joined her ten years later.
Fy eitem mwya hoffus yn yr amgueddfa yw llun, llun o deulu, mam, tad, pedwar mab ac un ferch, yn sefyll ac eistedd o flaen eu cartref. Mae’r tad yn edrych hollol gyffyrddus ond ella bod y fam braidd yn ddiamynedd gyda’r busnes tynnu llun gan bod ganddi ddigon o waith i’w wneud.
Y ty yw Tir Bach, Pistyll a’r tad yw Capten William Jones Evans. Buodd ei daid, John Evans, a’i dad, John Evans arall, yn byw a ffarmio Tir Bach am flynyddoedd cynt ac yma ganwyd William, ei chwiorydd, Catherine a Mary ac ei frawd John.
Lle bendigedig yw Tir Bach gyda golygfeydd tuag at Porthdinllaen ac at ochrau Trefor, heb son am cael y mor o hyd mewn golwg.
Gadawodd William ei gartref yn ifanc iawn, tua deg oed, i fynd i forio. Dysgodd crefft y morwr ar longau o’r enw Susan & Ellen, Velocity, Profit & Loss a llawer o rai eraill. Mae enwau’r llongau yma yn gyfarwydd i rhywyn sydd yn darllen hanes hen longwyr yr ardal.
Part 4: Dilys
My favourites at the Museum are ever changing! I would often choose the film especially on a cold and wet afternoon. But I'm also fond of being in the cafe area when there are interesting people enjoying refreshments and we can discuss and share our heritage together. On a quiet afternoon I love looking at the old photagraphs that have been digitally enhanced, but the most interesting item is still to come....(to be continued)
