The Stevens Family

1871 saw an influx of English railway labourers into Rhymney and Bute Town - all seeking work on the extension of the LNWR which would link Rhymney to the Merthyr Tydfil to Abergavenny line that follows a steep gradient through The Clydach Gorge. Railway building required large gangs of men to physically cut through the land and then to lay the heavy metal rails - it is incredible to image this being done without the help of JCB's and other machinery.

Whilst many labourers travelled alone in search of work, there were also families that moved together across the country - the Stevens Family are one such family, and the birthplaces of the 11 children illustrate the efforts taken to maintain employment.

In 1871 we see William Stevens as the head of the family living at No 30 Bute Town. He is aged 49, a Labourer on the Railway from Southampton. His wife is Harriet aged 36 from Truro. In searching www.ancestry.co.uk it appears that William married Harriet Keast on 19^th June 1853 in Truro. In 1851 (and 1841) it appears that William was living with his parents, William and Grace, in Portsea Town where he worked in the Brass industry, whilst a 16 year old Harriet was living with her parents in Truro. So how did they meet?

Whilst we cannot be certain, we can summise that William moved to Cornwall to work on the West Cornwall Railway which reached Truro in August 1852. This set the pattern for their lives.