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The Loyal Parys Mountain Volunteers

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by Joyce Hinde

When searching through the Amlwch Churchwarden's Accounts at Llangefni Record Office I was surprised to find an entry of 2/-paid to Lowry Morris, Cerrig Bleddiau as her son was on permanent duty at Beaumaris. Which son I wondered, and what was he doing there?

Lowry was my paternal Gt.Gt.Gt.Grandmother. She had married John Morris, Blacksmith at Amlwch Parish Church on 2 October 1775 and had later baptised four sons and a daughter Mary at the same Church. Mary was my Gr. Gt.Grandmother. Of the sons John was born 1776, William who only lived 2 days in 1778. William 1782, Owen 1793 and Edward 1799. Owen married Ann Evans at Llanwenllwyfo in 1819 and had a large family.

I wasnt to find the answer to my question until sometime later when browsing through the Plas Newydd MSS at Bangor University Library, when I found papers relating to the Loyal Parys Mountain Volunteers.

The Volunteers were formed in March 1797 on the orders of His Majesty's Privy Council at the time of the Napoleonic Wars when there was thought to be the danger of an invasion. There are a number of letters from the War Office and others before the arrangements were finalised. It took some time to enlist the full complement of men and in February 1797 a letter to the Duke of Portland contained a request that although not the usual procedure, the men hoped they might be allowed to reserve to themselves the option of remaining within the County or marching out of it upon any Emergency.

In April 1797 Mr. Price wrote from Mona Lodge, Amlwch, to Mr. Sanderson, that the volunteers met every evening at four-o-clock in a field half way between the town and the mountain and were trained for three hours. Every Thursday in the same field a general meeting was held where they enrolled all who offered. The uniform was blue broadcloth turned up with red, buff coloured waistcoat and pantaloons, likewise turned up with red cord on edging, and plain yellow buttons. In another letter the black hats and feathers were decided on but there seemed to be some trouble getting the right sizes. Mr Price also commented in one letter that "Blue had been decided on because the miners think themselves degraded if they wear a red coat." In 1798 complaints were made at the lack of efficient instructors and of the quality of arms. Pikes were particularly a grievance to the men of the Parys Mountain Corps, they "think themselves degraded by being obliged to carry them."

In 1800 there were two Companies and the Yearly Pay List and Return lists them all. Unfortunately, it only gives names and not addresses so that it is impossible to pick out individuals in many cases, as there are a number of men with the same names. On 19 April 1797, 60 men reported to Beaumaris for training and the same number on 15th May and 6 June. This perhaps explains why Lowry's son was away from home.

THE LOYAL PARYS MOUNTAIN VOLUNTEERS -1st COMPANY.

Captain: John PRICE
Lieuts: George PALMER, John PRICE Junior.
Ensign: John EVANS.
Sgt-Major: John ROBYNS
Sgts: Wm. ROBINSON, John GRIFFITH Jun. John OWEN, Griffith GRIFFITH, John GRIFFITH Sen. Francis MADRYN John ANWYL, John MICHAEL, Richard JONES, Thomas EDWARDS
Corporals: Thomas EDWARDS, John EVANS, John PRICHARD, John LEE, Griffith EVANS, Hugh ROBERTS, Owen ROWLAND
Drummers: Samuel ROBERTS, Thomas ROBERTS.
Fifers: Gabriel BYRNE. William FRAZIER
Privates: John BRERETON Robert BROWN John CURRY
David DAVIES John DAVIES John DUDDING
William DUDDING Thomas EDWARDS John ELLIS
John EVANS Hugh EVANS William EVANS
Richard EVANS John FRAZIER (2) Robert GRIFFITH
Thomas GRIFFITH William GRIFFITH David HUGHES
Hugh HUGHES John HUGHES William HUGHES
John JAMES David JONES Hugh JONES
John JONES (2) Jacob JONES Owen JONES (2)
Peter JONES Richard JONES ROWLAND JONES
Thomas JONES William JONES (5) Benjamin JUDD
Edward LEWIS Robert LEWIS Robert MARSHALL
Samuel MARSHALL William MORGAN John MORRIS (3)
Richard MORRIS Godfrey MORTON John MOSES
James NICHOLLS John OWENS Owen OWENS
Thomas OWENS William OWENS (2) John PARRY
John POWELL Hugh PRICE Samuel PRICE
William PRICE John PRICHARD Morgan RICHARDS
Elias ROBERTS Griffith ROBERTS Hugh ROBERTS (2)
John ROBERTS (4) Owen ROBERTS Henry ROBYNS
David ROWLANDS Hugh ROWLANDS (3) Owen ROWLANDS
David WILLIAMS Hugh WILLIAMS (2) John WILLIAMS 2
Lewis WILLIAMS Michael WILLIAMS Morris WILLIAMS
Owen WILLIAMS (2) Rice WILLIAMS Richard WILLIAMS (3)
Thomas WILLIAMS William WILLIAMS Owen MORRIS
Hugh OWEN John PARRY Henry WILLIAMS
Henry ROBINSON    

(The numbers in brackets = the number of times the name appears)

THE LOYAL PARYS MOUNTAIN VOLUNTEERS 2nd COMPANY

Captain: Vacant
Lieut: Theophilus JONES
Adjutant: Theophilus JONES
Ensigns: Robert PETTERS, Richard BROADHEAD
Sgts: Thomas JONES, John ROBERTS, John HIRD, Elias ROBERTS, Edward HWLE Abraham JONES, John OWEN, Thomas MORTEN, Jacob JONES, Richard WILLIAMS.
Corporals: Griffith ELLIS, George ROBINSON, Jeremiah WILLIAMS, William MORRIS , Samuel ROOSE , Owen LEWIS.
Drummers: Thomas OWEN, John WILLIAMS
Fifers: John ROBINSON, John MORRIS, William MORRIS.
Privates Andrew BOSPEDRICK William CHRISTOPHER Hugh DAVIES (2)
John DAVIES Owen DAVIES William DAVIES
Francis EDMUND John EDMUND Edward EDWARDS
Owen EDWARDS Richard EDWARDS William EDWARDS
Hugh ELLIS Rowland EVANS Thomas EVANS
William EVAIS William FRANCIS Robert GRIFFITHS
William GRIFFITHS Hugh HUGHES (3) John HUGHES (2)
Robert HUGHES William HUGHES William JENKINS
David JONES Elias JONES Griffith JONES
Henry JONES Hugh JONES John JONES (3)
Michael JONES Owen JONES (2) Peter JONES
Richard JONES Robert JONES William JONES
Hugh LEWIS (2) Owen LEWIS (2) William MEREDITH
John MORRIS Richard MORRIS John OWENS
Robert OWENS Thomas OWENS (2) William OWENS (2)
Hugh PARRY (2) Owen PARRY Richard PARRY
William PARY(2) Hugh PETERS Hugh PRICHARD
John PRICHARD John PRICHARD Richard PRICHARD
William PRICHARD John ROBERTS Thomas ROBERTS
Hugh ROWLANDS Richard ROWLANDS William ROWLANDS (3)
William SALISBURY Robert SMALLWOOD Robert STEPHENS
Owen THOMAS (2) Cornelius WILLIAMS Edward WILLIAMS
Henry WILLIAMS Hugh WILLIAMS (2) John WILLIAMS (2)
Lewis WILLIAMS (2) Moses WILLIAMS Owen WILLIAMS
Richard WILLIAMS Thomas WILLIAMS (2) William WILLIAMS (3)
Hugh THOMAS William MORRIS Richard FOULKES

 


 

© Copyright 2000, Joyce Hinde