Evan John Parish Clerk.Aberavon. 1743-1832.

Evan John was Christened at St.Mary`s Aberavon  on the 24th.May.1743. by Thomas John and Nesta  nee Thomas his wife.
Both his father and his mother were of old Margam farming stock, very little is known about his early life, until on leaving school he started his trade as a carpenter, and then at the age of 24 he married Gwenllian Griffith at St.Mary`s Aberavon on the 10th.October 1767, Evan was able to sign the register in a neat and clear hand, while Gwenllian had to make her mark X.

The government of the borough at this time was vested in burgesses and all the ordenary business transacted at monthly courts, extroardinary business being transacted at what were called Halls.
The Portreeve enjoyed the payments from the annual fair and other tolls for beasts passing through yhe borough, one penny for a horse and less for other animals. The total such charges totaled about £6. per year.
99 acres of the borough`s land was shared among the senior 33 burgesses.

My following information regarding Evan John`s terms as an Aberavon Portreeve  comes from  " Mayors and Portreeves of Aberavon and Port Talbot by A.Leslie Evans."

Portreeves of Afan were invariably chosen at a borough court at Michaelmas, when the Constable of Aberavon Castle selected a name from a list of three submitted to him by the jury of burgesses.

Q/S/R/1770A/17   Sacrament Certificate dated 30.Sept.1769.
Evan John of Aberavon Portreeve.

On the 30th. of September 1769 Evan John was elected as Aberavon Portreeve for his 1st term of office
[ Portreeve being the old name given like todays Town Mayor.]
Followed by three more terms in 1769, 1774,and 1779.
By 1784 he had changed his name to Evan Jones, and was again elected as Portreeve in 1784, 1785, 1793, 1805, 1821. 1822, and,1834.

Evans`, wife Gwenllian died in the December of 1786, and on the 28th, September 1788. Evan was at St. Mary`s Aberavon once again for his second marriage, but this time he was using the surname Jones.
Evan Jones [widower] and Margaret Griffith made her mark x.
witness.  Evan Griffith made his mark.   this is the first time that I have seen only one witness.
curate m Rees.
In the same year of 1788 Evan Jones was instructed at a vestry meeting to erect new stocks immediately.
And an entry in the parish records of 1800 show-. Paid Evan Jones for ale,        2-0d.
                    ditto. clerck`s fee, £1-15-0.

The population of the borough in 1801 was only 275. The members of these fifty or sixty families were well known to each other. Evan knew them all personaly.

Another interesting entry in the vestry meeting log is the following for 1805. Paid Evan Jones, clerk`s fee and ale, digging two graves, carrying dead man from seaside £2-6-2.[ evidently Evan was not afraid of a bit of hard work, even at the age of 64yrs.]

I have failed to find details regarding the death of Evans` second wife Margaret Griffiths, but on the 1st of August 1808 evan married wife number three, Jennet Thomas at St.Marys.
Evan of course, signed the register, while Jennet Thomas made her mark X.
Witnesses were Wm. Rees and David Thomas, and the curate was Wm. Rees.
Looks as if this time the curate Wm. Rees also signed as a witness.

1813. New Bible and Praryer Book,  £6-6-0. [ considering that the daily wage of a tradsman at this time was 2s-6d. this seems a very exsessive amount. ].

The following is an extract from the burial register of the church, `Evan Jones Red Lion, Aberavon, 91 years. Buried 1st April 1832. E. Thomas, curate.

Mr. Leslie Evans in his book Some Pirates, Smugglers and Wrecks, gives the following brief accountof the wreck of the sloop DILIGENT on the 7th March 1824 at Aberavon, her loss being dutifull recorded by the vicar of Aberavon in his buriel Register. Captained by W. Henry Crow, and bound for London with an unspecified cargo, she was completely wrecked on the sands, and her destitute crew of seven and two passengers were taken care of by Evan Jones, a former Aberavon portreeve and licencee of the old Red Lion Inn.

J. O`Brien, J.P.  wrote the following account in the 1931/32. Margam and Port Talbot Historical Transactions.
Evan Jones, 1741-1832.
Evan Jones was the parish clerk of Aberavon from 1768 to 1814, a period of 46 years, having succeeded to the office on the death of Thomas Edmond a former clerk. He then signed his name Evan John, changing it to Evan Jones later in life.
Evan was one of the busiest men in the town. He was by trade a carpenter and his services as such were in frequent demand for repairing the church fabric, mending the bier and so forth.
As a burgess he was the owner of three acres of land, and was entitled to graze his horses and cattle on the common land of the borough, besides enjoying other privilages.
He was also the inn keeper of the Red Lion Inn, at which his numerouse freinds and associates met to discuss porochial matters and to enjoy the ale which was then supplied at the vestry meetings to assist the parishioners in their deliberations. Many payments for ale were made to Evan Jones so so the meeting were probably usually held at his house the Red Lion Inn.
His salary as clerk was £1-15s-0d. per annum, but the amount usually paid was £2. for serving the office and ale.
Further evidence of the importance of Evan Jones as an official of the church and a burgess of the town is afforded by the fact that he was common attorny as far back as 1776, and afterwards at various times alderman, portreeve,[ from the list of Aberavon Portreeves gives Evan John for the following years, 1769, 1774, 1779, and as Evan Jones for years, 1784, 1785, 1805, 1821,and 1822. further research to be carried out on these dates.] church warden and overseer. He held each of these offices at several times in his long term as parish clerk.
A citizen who held so many important offices in the borough would naturally be elated on his appointment as portreeve, a position he held with honour on seven occasions. His personal pride was evinced by his signature during each period he held his office, when he proudly signed public documents: Evan Jones Gent., Portreeve`. the term gentleman being reserved for this particular post, which he held for the last time in 1822.
In his capacity as clerk he was a faithful attendent at all the marriage ceremonies. This would bring him into contact with the parents and families of the parish. He was a keen admirer of the fair sex himself and evidently enjoyed the companionship of a good woman and the blessings of the matrimonial state. But in his experience of married life he shared its sorrows as well as its joys. Yet though he lamented the loss of two dear wives - Gwenllian Griffith, whome he married on the 10th October, 1767. and Margaret Griffith, whome he espoused on the 28th September, 1788. In the year 1808, at the well seasoned age of 67. years, he led his third bride, Jennet Thomas, to the altar of St. Mary`s church, where he had witnessed the nuptials and beheld the joyous smiles of so many happy couples.
Evan`s hospitality to his friends and neighbours was no less marked than his kindness to the poor and unfortunate. Generosity was a pronounced trait of his character. In 1824 he received into his house and treated with great attention a shipwrecked crew and two passengers, numbering nine in all, who after the loss of their vessel in a storm were left homeless and destitute on Aberavon sands.
In this year also he witnessed the opening of an important phase in the industrial development of the district, when the Cwmavon Works Company laid a tramway through the town to the Bar of Avan, where the products of their works were exported. The making of this tramway through the streets aroused strong opposition amongst the burgesses. They expressed their indignation at a public meeting and forwarded a resolution to the company. Eventually they consented in order to assist the promoters to develop the trade of the district. Prior to 1834-5 the small cargoes of the period were shipped on the west side of the river, which before its diversion was tidal up to the town.
This notable parish clerk and popular citizen of Aberavon is reputed to have been a bard, in addition to his other accomplishments. His lines were quoted locally down to recent years, but it seems no part of his work had been published. A decendant, Thomas Bleddyn Jones inherited his poetic talent, and displayed his ability in poems of local interest including ` The Margam Bando Boys`.
Evan Jones died in 1832 at the advanced age of ninty one years. He must not be confused with another clerkof the same name who held the office from 1829 to 1844. [ the only Evan Jones that I can find in Aberavon at this time is Evan Jones son of Evan Jones 1741-1832.]. Both lie buried in St. Mary`s churchyard. The latter`s tombstone now stands against the west wall of the porch. [ alas it is no longer there in the year 2001].

Evan John died aged 91 at the Red Lion Inn Aberavon, and was buried at St.Mary`s Aberavon 1st.April 1832.

             Evan John Parish Clerk.Aberavon.

After the death of Evan Jones at the Red Lion in 1832, the Red Lion was left to his grandson John Jones 1791-1866
Seen in the following Census`s.

In 1841.Census. the Red Lion was said to have been in Queen St. later renamed Bridge St, and High St. Aberavon.
John Jones was aged 50 a publican born Glam, his wife Mary was aged 45.with his children as follows -.Mary aged 20, Catherine aged 16, Ann aged 11, Joan aged 7 and Evan aged 2.

1851.Red Lion. High St.Aberavon.
John Jones hd.m. 60 a smith.     Aberavon.
Mary Jones wife. 55.                   Aberavon.
John Jones son.19. a smith.       Aberavon.
Joanah Jones dau. 15.scholar    Aberavon.
Evan Jones son. 12.scholar        Aberavon.

By 1861 son Evan Jones had taken over at the Red Lion Inn.
Red Lion Inn High St.Aberavon.
Evan Jones hd.m. 21. blacksmith.          Aberavon.
Ann Jones wife. 22.                                 Llangonud.
Catherine Foley u/m.17. house servant. Ireland

Next entry near at Butter St Aberavon we find father,
John Jones hd.m. 68.blacksmith        Aberavon.
Mary Jones wife. 65.                           Aberavon.
Thomas Hughes lodger m.22. carter. Neath.

The family grave shown below shows the deaths of the above John and Mary Jones, and also their daughter Catherine.

B113. Aberavon.Headstone good.
In memory of Catherine,daughter
of John and Mary Jones of this
town who died Feb.9th.1845
aged 20 years
Also of the above named John Jones
who died Sept 1st.1866 aged 75 years
Also the above named Mary Jones
who died Nov.23rd.1871 aged 75 years.

Son Evan Jones  born 1839 seen at the Red Lion Inn. 1861 above, died at the Red Lion Inn.High St Aberavon in 1863. and can be seen in the adjacent family grave to the above.

MI.B.112. Aberavon. St.Mary`s.
In memory of Catherine
daughter
of John and Mary Jones of this 
town who died Dec.5th.1823 aged
18.months
Also of John son of the above
named who died Oct.26th.1828
aged 1 year and 8 months
Also of John another son of the
afore named who died Aug.19th
1858 aged 27 years
Also of Evan son of the above
named who died Oct.6th.1863 aged 24. years

And so that brought to the end of the direct male line of the Jones family of the Red Lion Inn after about 96 years.

The Red Lion Inn, was still managed by other family relatives, until about 1883 when yet another grand daughter of Evan John the Aberavon parish clerk became the Innkeeper there.
My notes tell a little about her.

She was a daughter of John Jones 1811-1873 and his wife Ann Jones 1806-1871. both of whom died at the Walnut Tree Inn.Aberavon.

Daughter Ann Jones [ always known as Annie ] , was Christened at St.Mary`s Aberavon on the 14th of October 1846.
She was from a very young age put into the care of her Aunt Joan Davies nee Jones, sister of her mother, who  was the innkeeper at the New Inn, Cwmavon. [ near Coed Park ].  It was there from before 1851 that Annie Jones was brought up my her Aunt, she remained there until her marriage to Edwin Saunders of Cwmavon in about 1883 when they settled at the Red Lion Inn Aberavon.
She remained there until her death on the 4th.of November 1891 aged 45 years, her death is recorded in the Aberavon Burial as having died at the Red Lion Inn, but no grave stone has yet been found.
Her son Gwyn Woodwall Saunders born in 1888, eventualy took over at the Red Lion Inn, before he retired by 1939 to Anel y Mor House,Baglan Road Aberavon.
He had married Elizabeth North daughter of John North the fair ground family, had the swinging boats rides. 
Another story to come on all Aberavon fair families.

Allen Blethyn July.2024.

Of interest to myself is that a family member of mine one Mary Blethyn 1801-1866  born at Neath Abbey Iron Works married in 1822, Evan Jones 1787-1848, he being another grandson of Evan John the Aberavon parish clerk, and one of their son`s was Thomas Blethyn Jones [ who is well documented ].

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Notes
On page 59 of Old Afan and Margam by James O`Brien, J.P. in 1926.
We read the following-:
The small white House that once stood at the cemetery corner in Church, is said to have been a lodge of the castle. It was certainly a quaint structure with its antiquated porch, and its back wall within the cemetery precincts. On the opposite side of the road was a similar house named Castle Green in front of which, built into the boundary wall were steps, which were formerly used as a horse-mount. A portion of the steps still remains [ 1926 ]. The position of these houses at the entrance to the castle grounds would tend to strengthen the tradition that they were occupied by servants of the historic home of the Afan family.
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I think that the Red Lion Inn, stood on the site of the earlest Aberavon Inn, being positioned at the centre of the town near the junction of Upper Church Street and High Street. Also near stood a Wayside Cross.
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Allen Blethyn Sept.2024. [ The Groes School Scholar 1946- 1950]