On 4th August 1914, at 11 pm Britain declared war on Germany & its allies for it declaring war on France & invading Belgium on 3 August 1914
Within 40 days of the declaration, the first of my ancestors would be dead, having been killed at the Battle of the Aisne in September 1914.
I have found ancestors who died at all the well-known battles of World War One and have created a tributre to their, often, short lives. There is also Lewis F Yardley who died when the RMS Lusitania was sunk in 1915, a link to his tribute & links to those who served but survived can be found within the Military page.
Why Mawddach Dreams?
This site is my personal blog, it features articles and images that relate to me, my interests, my family and my roots.
Historically my family have had strong links with the Barmouth/Mawddach Estuary area of Gwynedd in Wales - so much so that at one time the family was seriously considering moving lock, stock & barrel to Fairbourne.
My Dad was taken to Fairbourne by his mother & father in 1923 when he was just 7 years of age. He remembered travelling there by car, remembered the journey via Kidderminster, Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury, Welshpool & Dolgellau (it was called Dolgelley then). He also remembered the guest house - the property still exists on the corner of Beach Road & Stanley Avenue, although it is no longer a guest house. And he remembered walking across Barmouth Bridge as a steam engine and train chugged across.
I was first taken to Fairbourne in 1960 and I clearly remember the car journey (in Dad's dark blue Canadian Ford Pilot car) straight into the taxi area at the old Great Western Railway's Snow Hill Station, Birmingham (access was off Livery Street) and the struggle down the stairs to the platform with the cases. I was going on holiday with my Mom (Mom & Dad had a newsagents shop so it had to stay open and Dad was elected to run the shop as we went away). Somewhere I still have the metal name tag made on the penny operated punch machine on the platform, whilst waiting for the train. The journey was magical, steam all the way to Fairbourne and that started a 60-year relationship with the area and partially explains my love of steam trains.
Unfortunately, my present circumstances have curtailed regular visits to the Mawddach area, but I am often found to be dreaming of happy days past. And talking to the ancestors whose remains floated across the bay to rest forever in gentle peace at the place they were both at their happiest.
So in reality what else could I call my personal site? The main photo is of the swing bridge section of Barmouth Bridge, looking out from the Mawddach to the sea and Cardigan Bay.
I hope that you find something of interest here - the subjects covered will be quite diverse, ranging from family history through hobbies (past & present) to things and places I like.