Census Information:

This is the first census record for Benjamin Fletcher.

This is the 1881 Census Report for Noah and Sarah Fletcher, Ben's parents, when they lived at Coedpenmaen Road, Pontypridd. Noah was probably working for the Glamorganshire Canal Company as a Lock Keeper.

 

Name Age Occupation Where born Noah Fletcher 32 Lock Keeper Pontypridd Sarah Fletcher 29 Wife Merthyr Emma Fletcher 06 -- Eglwsylian Benjamin Fletcher 04 -- Eglwsylian Ann Mary Fletcher 02 -- ''

This is the 1891 Census Report for Noah and Sarah taken on 5th April 1891 when they lived at the Canal Cottage, Cwmbach, Aberdare. They have now moved to Cwmbach and Noah has had promotion to a Canal Foremen. Note that Sarah, his wife, has had four additional children since the 1881 census ten years previously. South Wales was a prosperous area at this time. The coal mining and iron and steel industries employed large numbers of men. Work was relatively easy to find. There were several coal mines near to where Ben lives in which he could have been working.

However, trade on the canals was declining. The faster steam trains were replacing the slower canal barges which carried the coal and iron from Merthyr and Aberdare valley to be exported through the port at Cardiff.

 

Name Age Occupation Where born Language spoken Noah Fletcher 42 Canal Foreman Pontypridd W/E Sarah Fletcher 38 -- Troedyrhiw, Merthyr. W/E Emma Fletcher 16 Dressmaker Pontypridd E Benjamin Fletcher 14 Coal Miner '' E Annie Mary Fletcher 12 Scholar '' W/E Sarah Fletcher 10 Scholar '' W Ruth Fletcher 07 '' '' W/E Daniel Fletcher 05 '' '' W Noah Fletcher 03 '' Mountain Ash W

NB. W= Welsh, E= English