Emily McCormick was born on the 8th August 1858 Emily Nicholls in Gwenap, Cornwall to John Matthew Nicholls and Elizabeth Treague. Her Father John was born in Marizon, Cornwall and Mother Elizabeth (Teague) Gwenap, Cornwall.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries Gwenap parish was the richest cooper mining district in Cornwall and was called the ' richest square mile in the Old World '
Emily McCormick lived a life of much sadness and tragedy as well as happiness and lived to the age of 89 years old.
Emily McCormick was my great grandmother and is buried with her second husband William McCormick in Llanstainffraid church yard, Aberkenfig (Church of St. Bride in the parish of St. Brides Minor).
Born into a farming and fishing family the Industrial Revolution was to make it's unforgettable mark on the Nicholls family, leaving their native Cornwall and centuries old trades. The first record off the family leaving comes with the 1871 Census record.
The 1851 census records Emily's father John Matthew Nicholls, as a 22 year old seaman living with his family at 8, The Beach, St. Ives, Cornwall

St. Ives - Cornwall
By the 1861 census John Matthew Nicholls is married to Elizabeth Teague. The marriage took place at the Church of St. Euny, Redruth, Cornwall on the 20th October 1953.

St. Euny - Redruth
John's father was recorded as a Mariner and Emily's a farmer. John is recorded as a Mariner and they are living with Elizabeth's Mother and Sister in Gwenap and have a son John Henry and daughters Emily and Charity.
The 1861 census shows a big move for the Nicholls family to Port Talbot, South Wales - probably a journey undertaken by sea.
John Nicholls and his son John Henry are both employed by the Cornish family of Vivian's.
History have served the Vivian family well, whilst throughout the World history tells the diabolic and barbaric standards and human greed that the Crawshays of Merthyr Tydfil operated by it's seems to leave the Vivian family somewhat unscathed and almost betray them as great philtratopsis's to the city of Swansea (Abertawe) how unjust and unfair history can be the Vivian's were disgusting greedy uncaring Iron Masters who in modern time would have found themselves imprisoned for corporate manslaughter and never seem to have regretted their deeds.

- Llansantffraid Church, Aberkenfig
-
St. Brides Minor
|

St. Michael's Mount - Marazion
On the 9th November, 1878 Emily married her first husband widower Benjamin Thomas, Benjamin was born the 24th June 1843 to David Thomas and Wife, farmers, Cresswell Quay, Pembrokeshire his first wife Elizabeth died (buried Llangyfelach Church) leaving him with to young children Catherine born 1871 and David 1873.

Cresselly Arms, Cresswell Quay

Cresswell Quay, Pembrokeshire, a hamlet on the river Cresswell (inlet of the Cleddau) with the parishes of Jeffreyston & Carew
Emily and Benjamin had two children John Matthew born 1881 Taibach, Port Talbot and my grandfather Benjamin 1st July, 1882, my grandfather Benjamin was never to know his father - Benjamin Thomas snr. died from injuries sustained at the Cwrt Herbert Colliery, Neath on the 30th March, 1882.
Emily cared for Benjamin and Elizabeth's children as her own and they continued to live with her until they themselves married. On the 2nd February, 1889 Emily married William McCormick (born Tipperary, Ireland) at the Church in Wales Margam Parish Church (Chapel of Ease/HolyCross) Port Talbot.

Chapel of Ease - Margam Parish Church
On the 10th March, 1890 Emily's McCormicks Father John Matthew Nicholls and her brother John Henry Nicholls were killed at the Morfa Colliery and buried in the graveyard of the Chapel of Ease.
A silence fell over the family and little was spoken, the death recorded in the family bible on the same day, the cause and place not told. |
In 2008 I attended an exhibition and memorial in St. John's Church Aberkenfig to the Miners who lost their lives in the Park Slip Mining disaster (Tondu), the gentleman speaking touched on the Cornish who had gone to Taibach as miners and worked in the Morfa Colliery and my interest was aroused, I was going in a few weeks to the theatrical production in Swansea of the Ghost of Morfa Colliery. I started researching on goggle and found the record of a John Matthew Nichollas and John Henry Nicholls losing their lives in the 1890 disaster and much to my surprise was to find that both my great-great grandfather and his son was killed on that day - it was strange to sit through the re-enactment of the tragedy.
The Ghost of Morfa Colliery was performed by Theatr nanog please click this link to read their account
87 Men died in the Morfa Colliery Disaster, Parliament debated it but it was a long time before mine safety become equal to the owners profit if it ever did ! the owner of Morfa Colliery John Henry Vivian turned his yatcht around on hearing on the news, his mine had a bad safety record, he was a ruthless employer, history serves him well better than it should he should be counted with the worse of his day, not many had heard of Tennerife in 1890 but he was sailing there !
please click here for a link to the death roll of the 10th March, 1890.
Since then my Father and I have collected copies of the death certificates from Neath Registry offices, visited Taibach Library to see the memorable plaque, Margam Abbey to view the burial records and put our minds at rest that their bodies were recovered and my father Jack Thomas laid a wreath on the Morfa Memorial which stands in the Port Talbot Steelworks.
After military service with the South Wales Borders in Burma in World War II my father Jack Thomas and his brother Tommy Thomas who served with South Staffs airborne and was a prisoner of war returned to work as a bricklayers, and entered the then Steel Company of Wales in Port Talbot at it's beginning as a bricklayers little did they know that just about daily they passed the spot where their great grandfather and Uncle had been killed. In 2006 their Union which Jack played a prominent role in during his working life and continues today in retirement had organized for the memorial of their fellow working man to be built.
John Cronin of UCATT arrange in November 2009 for Jack to lay a wreath on the memorial and the then Managing Director of the Port Talbot steelworks honoured him with lunch and thanked him for his loyal service to the steelworks - his picture appeared with 'Jack is back' in the Steel News
Was Emily McCormick related to Richard Trevithick - Richard Trevithick invented and built the World's first high pressure steam engine and in 1804 the world's first steam locomotive was born, it took time for this be acknowledged that he was there before Stevenson, but my Father always taught me that it was Trevithick if sometimes it was in peril of getting the best marks in school. Trevithick's mother was Anne Teague born in 1736 born in the village of Carharrack Cornwall so was my family Teague ?
Census records
Census Record for Elizabeth & John Nicholls
1851 Census Record
Elizabeth Nicholls no husband recorded probably at sea the family are living at
8,The Beach, St. Ives, Cornwall
Elizabeth |
born 1804 |
Head |
|
Born Marizon |
John |
age 22 |
son |
Seaman |
Born Marizon |
Elizabeth |
age 17 |
daughter |
|
Born Marizon |
Andrew |
age 12 |
son |
Scholar |
Born Marizon |
Matilda |
age 10 |
daughter |
Scholar |
Born Penzanace |
Catherine |
age 8 |
daughter |
|
Born Marizon |
Rebecca |
age 5 |
daughter |
|
Born Marizon |
Michael |
age 2 |
son |
|
Born Marizon |
Census Records for Elizabeth (Treague) and John Matthew Nicholls
1861 Census Record 34, Carharrack, Gwenap, Cornwall
John Matthew Nicholls |
age 32 |
Head |
Mariner |
Born Marizion |
Elizabeth Nicholls |
age 31 |
Wife |
|
Born Gwenap |
Ann Teague |
age 56 |
Mother-in-law |
|
Born Gwenap |
Emma Teague |
age 22 |
Sister in law |
|
Born Gwenap |
John Henry |
age 5 |
son |
Scholas |
Born Gwenap |
Emily |
age 2 |
daughter |
|
Born Gwenap |
Charity |
age 1 month |
daughter |
|
Born Gwenap |
1871 Census Record
John Matthew Nicholls & Elizabeth Nicholls
15 Groeswen, Brick Row, Taibach, Port Talbot
John Nicholls |
|
Head |
Born Marizion |
Collier |
Elizabeth |
|
Wife |
Born Gwenap |
|
John Henry |
age 14 |
daughter |
Born Gwenap |
Collier |
Emily |
age 12 |
daughter |
Born Gwenap |
Scholar |
Catherine |
age 8 |
daughter |
Born Gwenap |
Scholar |
Elizabeth |
age 3 |
daughter |
Born Taibach |
|
Matilda |
age 6mths. |
daughter |
Born Taibach |
|
1881 Census Record
John Matthew Nicholls & Elizabeth Nichollas living at 1 Greenfield Street, Taibach, Port Talbot
John Nicholls |
|
Head |
Born Marizion |
Collier |
Elizabeth |
|
Wife |
Born Gwenap |
|
Elizabeth |
age 13 |
daughter |
Born Gwenap |
Scholar |
Matilda |
age 10 |
daughter |
Born Taibach |
Scholar |
Eliza A |
age 8 |
daughter |
Born Taibach |
Scholar |
By the 1891 census John Matthew Nicholls and his son John Henry Nicholls had
both killed in the Morfa Colliery Disaster 1890.
1891 Census Record
Elizabeth Nicholls now a widow living at 1 Oak Wood Cottages, Port Talbot
Elizabeth Nicholls |
|
Widow |
Born Gwenap |
|
Matilda |
age 20 |
daughter |
Born Taibach |
Tin Worker |
Rebecca Matthews |
age 21 |
visitor |
Born St.Ives |
Dressmaker |
Census Records for Emily nee Nicholls
1st. husband Benjamin Thomas died of injuries sustained in the Cwrt Herbert Colliery, Neath
2nd. husband William McCommick
1881 Census Record
Emily & Benjamin Thomas are living at 13 Queen Street, Skewen in the parish of Coed Franc
Benjamin Thomas |
age 38 |
Head |
Coal Miner |
Born Creswell Quay,Pembrokeshire
died of injuries Cwrt Herbert Colliery, Neath 13th March, 1882 |
Emily |
age 22 |
Wife |
|
Born Redruth, Cornwall |
Catherine |
age 19 |
daughter |
Scholar |
Bron Aberclydach daughter of Benjamin and 1st wife Catherine |
David |
age 17 |
son |
|
Born Aberclydach Son of Benjamin and 1st Wife Catherine |
John Matthew |
age 10 |
son |
|
Born Margam |
John Henry Nicholls |
age 25 |
brother-in-law
boarder |
Coal Miner |
Born Cornwall Redruth (Emily's brother)
killed 10th March 1890 Morfa Colliery Disaster along side his father. |
Isabella Nicholls |
age 19 |
sister-in-law
boarder |
|
Born Scotland, Renfrew, John Henry's wife |
1891 Census Record
Emily was widowed and has remarried and her surname is McCormick the family
are living at Godra Bryn, Bettw (Bridgend)
William McCormick |
age 32 |
Head |
Coal Miner |
Born Tipperary, Ireland |
Emily McCormick |
age 32 |
Wife |
|
Born Redruth, Cornwall |
Catherine Thomas |
age 19 |
Step-daughter |
|
Born Clydach, Swansea daughter of Benjamin & Catherine Thomas |
David Thomas |
age 17 |
Step-Son |
Coal Miner |
Born Clydach, Swansea Son of Benjamin & Catherine Thomas |
John Matthew Thomas |
age 10 |
Step-Son |
|
Born Margam Son of Benjamin & Emily Thomas |
Benjamin Thomas |
age 8 |
Step-Son |
|
Born Neath - my Grandfather Son of Benjamin & Emily Thomas born after his Fathers death |
William McCormick |
age 1 |
Son |
|
Born Margam |
1901 Census Record
The family are living at Glan Nant Row, Shwt, Bettws, Bridgend
William McCormick |
Head |
age 42 |
Coal Miner |
Born Tipperary, Ireland |
Emily McCormick |
Wife |
age 42 |
|
Born Cornwall |
Elizabeth Nicholls
Emily's Mother |
Widow |
age 70 |
|
Born Cornwall |
John M Thomas |
Syep-Son |
age 20 |
Coal Miner |
Born Margam |
Benjamin Thomas |
Step-Son |
age 18 |
|
Born Neath |
William T McCormick |
Son |
age 11 |
|
Born Margam |
Sarah Elizabeth McCormick |
Daughter |
age 9 |
|
Born Bettws |
James McCormick |
Son |
age 7 |
|
Born Bettws |
Thomas D McCormick |
Son |
age 5 |
|
Born Bettws |
Laura H McCormick |
Daughter |
age 2 |
|
Born Bettws |
Census Record of David Thomas son of Benjamin & Catherine Thomas
living at Fountain Terrace, Bettws, Bridgend
1901 Census Record
David Thomas |
Head |
age 27 |
Insurance Agent |
Born Clydach (Swansea) |
Rebecca Thomas |
Wife |
age 31 |
Dressmaker |
Born Cornwall-Marizion recorded as a visitor on the 1891 census - also cousin to Davidd |
David J |
Son |
age 2 |
|
Born Bettws |
David and Rebecca had three daughters, Rebecca, Catherine & Elizabeth, Rebecca became the Matron of
Hollow Prison London and spent & cared for Ruth Ellis on her last night of life before being hanged - the last
women to be hanged in Britain
Census Record 1881 of Stephen & Rebecca Matthew parents of Rebecca Thomasrecorded as living at Oddfellows Row, Bettws, Bridgend
Stephen Matthews |
Head |
married |
40 |
Coal Miner |
Born Cornwall |
Rebecca Matthews |
Wife |
married |
35 |
|
Born Cornwall |
John Matthews |
Son |
|
13 |
|
Born Cornwall |
Rebecca Matthews |
Daughter |
|
10 |
|
Born Cornwall |
Stephen Matthews |
Son |
|
4 |
|
Born Bettws |
Andrew Matthews |
Son |
|
1 |
|
Born Bettws |
Census Record 1891 of Stephen & Rebecca Matthews Bryn Bach, Bettws
Stephen Matthews |
Head |
married |
51 |
Coal Miner |
Born Marizion Cornwall |
Rebecca Matthews |
|
married |
47 |
|
Born Marizion Cornwall |
Stephen Matthews |
|
|
15 |
Coal Miner |
Born Glamorgan Bettws |
Andrew Matthews |
|
|
11 |
|
Born Glamorgan Bettws |
James Matthews |
|
|
4 |
|
Born Glamorgan Bettws |
John Jones |
Boarder |
|
28 |
Coal Miner |
Born Glamorgan Pontypridd |
Census Record 1901 of Stephen & Rebecca Matthews Green Meadow, Bettws
Stephen Matthews |
Head |
Married |
60 |
Coal Miner |
Born England Conrwall |
Rebecca Matthews |
Wife |
Married |
55 |
|
Born England Cornwall |
Stephen Matthews |
Son |
Single |
25 |
Coal Miner |
Born Glamorgan Bettws |
Andrew Matthews |
Son |
Single |
21 |
Coal Miner |
Born Glamorgan Bettws |
James H Matthews |
Son |
Single |
14 |
|
Born Glamorgan Bettws |
Michael Tellam |
Boarder |
Single |
22 |
Coal Miner |
Born St. Ives Cornwall |
|