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Note: Richard Llewellyn was born at Abbey Dore on the 9th May 1791 and Christened 6 days later on the 15th May 1791. Richard was the first born of five children and unlike his younger brother Philip, there was no apprenticeship or assistance mentioned towards a trade in the meticulous Abbey Dore records, so it seems he was taught by his father Richard
His younger brother Philip started his apprenticeship in 1808 as a Tailor at only 11 Years 8 Months of age, so we can assume that Richard would have been working and learning at a similar age.
Richard made his mark with an X at his marriage and on his Will, so we can assume he also did not receive the early literary education his younger brother Philip acquired during his time as a Tailor.
We do know that by the time of his death he was known as an Engineer of this Town (Kington) and was a manufacturer of Threshing machines at forefront of their development and he owned two adjoining houses (one tenanted) right in the commercial hub of Kington at Market Place.
This was a remarkable turnaround for a lad raised in Rural Abbey Dore from an illiterate family receiving some charities and Parish assistance for the poor.
What it also clearly shows is that is his father Richard had passed on some specialist knowledge or even mechanical skills growing up in Abbey Dore. To make threshing machines one must have had the ability to run and work the machines so it is a reasonable conclusion that Richard and his father were working on and with threshing machines at Abbey Dore.
<https://amp.en.googl-info.com/46193/1/threshing-machine.html>
A threshing machine or a thresher is a piece of farm equipment that threshes grain, that is, it removes the seeds from the stalks and husks. It does so by beating the plant to make the seeds fall out. Before such machines were developed, threshing was done by hand with flails: such hand threshing was very laborious and time-consuming, taking about one-quarter of agricultural labour by the 18th century. Mechanization of this process removed a substantial amount of drudgery from farm labour
At some point Richard decided to start his own business making threshing machines and the obvious place to head to make a success of oneself was where you already had some business or family connections.
Both Richard and his younger brother Philip would gravitate North from Abbey Dore towards their likely ancestral home of Kington. Kington was some 21 miles North of Abbey Dore and his brother Philip set up as a Tailor only 9 miles west of Kington at Dilwyn.
Richard was not on the Kington 1818 voting list, so we can assume from that he did not own a freehold house entitling him to vote but he still could have been at Kington for 5 or 6 years from say 1812 when he had turned 21.
Threshing machines were invented in the late 18th century and spread in the first half of the 19th century, so Richard was certainly at the forefront of their development and with family connections and a large iron foundry run by John Meredith, Kington was the ideal location.
There were two kinds of threshing machines. A light, portable version used in southern England and large fixed machines built into farm outbuildings, often horse, and later steam powered in buildings called roundhouses. These were more prevalent in northern England, especially Northumberland.
The Kington Parish Marriage Register records on 30 December 1821, Richard Llewellin (x) bachelor Margaret Edwards (s) spinster - both of this parish married by licence. Witnesses: James Parlor (s), Henry Hatton (s).
Marriage witness Henry Hatton was proprietor of the White Lion Inn at 32 Church Street Kington and his son John Hatton would later marry Richards only surviving daughter Mary Ann in 1851.
Henry Hatton's brother Richard Hatton later married Sarah Llewellin the daughter of Nathaniel Llewellin a bootmaker of Kington.
The Hatton relationships proves that Richard had a connection with another Llewellyn family who were already at Kington and that they were also a trade family.
Henry Hatton's father was Thomas Hatton (1753-1799) and was the Clerk of the Parish for many years. Parry's History of Kington states The duties of Parish Clerk and Sexton were performed by the Hatton family for about 115 years, ending in the year 1843.
The Diocese of Hereford Marriage Licence Bond & Allegation records :
29 October 1821 Richard Llewellin (x) of Kington, a maker of threshing machines, bachelor, upwards of 21 years Margaret Edwards of Kington, spinster, upwards of 21 years to marry at Kington. Bondsman: above mentioned Richard Llewellin bondsman: James Prichard (s) of Kington, painter & glazier.
The licence shows that Richard Llewellyn was already running his business prior to his 1821 marriage and that he had quickly established connections of substantial standing in the Town of Kington after arriving from rural Abbey Dore around circa 1815.
His new wife Margaret Edwards belonged to an established trades family in the Town of Kington. Her father John was a Clothier and at least three of her four brothers William, Joseph and Charles were butchers on the High Street.
Either her brother John or a John Edwards born New Radnor, a successful skinner, fellmonger & wool dealer from Bridge Street was named in her brother Charles Will.
The John Edwards, skinner from Bridge Street father was Charles Edwards was from Clun, Shropshire and very likely a relative, so it is quite possible this is where Margaret's family had originated.
Margaret Llewellyn would later be recorded in Parry's History of Kington as one of the 183 Principal persons living in the Town of Kington and her brother William Edward was also recorded.
The fact that Richard married into such a family says a lot about his own social standing and is further evidence that his family had earlier connections to the Town of Kington.
Perhaps Richards father knew the Edwards family of Clun & New Radnor Wales. Perhaps John Edwards being a Clothier helped in getting his brother Philip an apprenticeship as a Tailor at Madley. They were a close family as Margaret's brother William was not only Richards executor but also a witness on the marriage register of his only surviving daughter in 1851.
According to Richard Parry's History of Kington the population of Kington were as follows:
Year - Population
1801 - 2062
1811 - 2312
1821 - 2813
1831 - 3111
1841 - 3139
Although he states the early numbers were very unreliable, the population was steadily growing and being a market town, would have presented plenty of opportunities for Richard making and supplying Threshing machines to the famers and landholders regularly coming to Kington.
Littlebury's 1876 directory on KINGTON states
The trade of the town is chiefly with the agriculturists of the adjoining county of Radnor. (Wales) The market day is Tuesday, considerable business being transacted on that day in eggs, butter, poultry, &c., and is the mart to which the Welsh send their produce, to meet dealers who frequent this town from all quarters.
Richard was not listed in Pigot's Kington Business directory of 1822 although it was not a very fulsome directory at the time or perhaps he was still in the early days of establishing his business.
Records show that Richard was in trouble with the law and was fined at the Court Leet on the 28th October 1826 for leaving threshing machines on the street.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/2d425e25-ba8b-43d1-9060-a5f8527cfa8b
It seems that nothing has changed with local law enforcement and one can only imagine Richards's frustrated words when receiving his fine!
From website <https://anthropoceneobjects.net/portfolio/threshing-machine-england-1786/>
This machinery became widely adopted during the Napoleonic Wars because of labour shortages. While there is some debate about the progression of its adoption in Great Britain, the general consensus is that by 1830 there were roughly over a thousand threshing machines in use in central southern England. While the landowning class tended to view threshers favourably, this was not the case for field-laborers.
The introduction of threshing machines brought much social dislocation. Along with the intensification of enclosure, which privatized the commons and transformed the peasant inhabitants into transient laborers, threshing machines displaced laborers further. Additionally, the period following the Napoleonic Wars saw economic depression and the introduction of harsh Poor Laws. These forces converged to spark the Swing Riots of 1830. Swing was a protest movement that took its most visible form in the destruction of hundreds of threshing machines. Scholars debate whether threshing machines were the major cause or merely focal point of the Swing Riots. Following the riots, 992 criminal cases were tried in 11 different courts held in six different towns in the English counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire. The sentence of death was passed on 227 individuals, of whom only 5 were hanged; 359 were transported to New South Wales or Van Diemen's Land; 254 were jailed, and 2 were fined. While the riots ended in 1831, Carl J. Griffin argues that the Swing movement continued less visibly for at least a decade.
Richard certainly lived in challenging and turbulent times especially in his line of business.
Richard Llewellin, threshing machine maker, was recorded at Market street, Kington in both the 1830 and 1840 Pigot's directory.
1833 Electoral Register: Richard Lewellin was entitled to vote on the basis of freehold house in Market street, Kington. He was a house owner.
Interestingly the 1835 Pigot's trade directory recorded him under both categories, Miscellaneous as a Threshing machine maker and also under Retailers of beer. It is possible that Richard may have entered into some business dealing with Henry Hatton, witness to his wedding and also publican of the White Lion Inn.
Margaret's father John died 12th March 1835 with the Kington Parish Register recording "John Edwards of Market Place 85 years"
He was likely residing with his daughter Margaret & Son in Law Richard Llewellyn at Market Place and the timeline rules out any possibility of him bequeathing the house to Richard.
Richard and his wife Margaret endured the tragedy and heartbreak of losing four of their five children at early ages, 1824 William at 3 months, 1830 Richard at 19 months, 1833 John at 1 day, 1840 Margaret at 9 years of age.
The following is from the Memorial Inscriptions in Kington Churchyard Herefordshire compiled from Parry's "History of Kington" and Duncumb's History:
LLEWELLYN, William, buried 19 Dec 1824 aged 3 months.
LLEWELLYN, Richard, buried 1 Apr 1830 aged 19 months.
LLEWELLYN, John, buried 27 Sep 1833 aged 1 day
LLEWELLYN, Margaret, died Jun 1840 aged 9. (Reg-brd 29 Jun 1840 )
From the National Archives website
<https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/politics/g1/background.htm#:~:text=In%201800%2C%20nobody%20under%2021,no%20MP%20to%20represent%20them>
Deaths of children below the age of five were very high, with many babies dying before their first birthday. Perhaps as many as 200 out of every 1000 babies died. The heavy toll taken on Richard was just too much.
8 May 1841 Hereford Times reads "KINGTON AWFULLY SUDDEN DEATH. On Monday evening last, as Mr Richard Llewellin, machine maker, of this town, was in his shop, attending to his usual occupation, he was seized with apoplexy, and almost instantly expired. The only intimation he gave of being unwell, was immediately preceding the fit, when he complained to his daughter of a pain in the chest. The deceased was exemplary in all the relations of life, and his loss is deeply deplored by his widow, friends, and relations, to whom he was greatly endeared."
Richards gravestone is in the Kington churchyard is a flat marker with a flat cross on top and inscribed as follows: In Memory of Richard Llewellin Engineer of this town Died May 3rd 1841 Aged 51 years and Also of Margaret his wife Died May 10th 1870 Aged 78 years
Parrys : LLEWELLYN, Richard, died 3 May 1841 aged 51. Reg-brd 7 May 1841. The Kington Parish Burial Register has the following: 1841 May 7 Richard Llewellyn of Market Place, 50 yrs.
Richard's headstone records age at death as 51 yet the Kington parish burial register has it recorded as 50 years. As Richard Llewellyn was born 9th May 1791, he would have been only 6 days short of his 50th Birthday.
The Will of Richard Llewellyn of Kington, machine maker Will dated 17 November 1834.
Probate granted 15 June 1841.
Legatees wife Margaret. Children Mary Ann & Margaret (both minors) executors Mr William Edwards of Kington, butcher.
Mr Phillip Llewellyn "my brother" testator placed his mark upon his Will witnesses Richard Parry (s), Thomas Birch (s), Charles Edwards (s) estate sworn under ¹300 [legacy to wife Margaret: house & premises I now occupy + house & premises adjoining occupied by Mr John Thomas, shoemaker, situated at the Market Place in Kington - to have until the children Mary Ann & Margaret are 21, then divided between them.
Wife Margaret then to have a ¹10 annuity. Administration of the Estate of Richard Llewellyn was granted 15 June 1841 to Margaret Llewellyn, widow, relict & residuary legatee the executors William Edwards & Philip Llewellyn having renounced the burthen of executorship.
bondsman: Margaret Llewellyn (s) of Kington, widow.
bondsman:Thomas Ashley (s) of Lyonshall, builder.
bondsman: James Pearce (s) of City of Hereford, gentleman.
1830 Pigot's directory had John Thomas Boot & Shoemaker in Sunset Street Kington.
1840 Pigot's directory had: Thomas (William) Ashley of Lyonshall in the district of Kington Timber Merchant.
The 1841 census was held on the 6th June was not one full month since the death of Richard. The enumerator went to Duke Street then to nine houses he listed as Bull Ring Richard's widow Margaret was the 4th such house.
Margaret was with her 15 year old daughter Mary and a 20 year old Caroline Phillips.
There were then 2 houses called Market Place with Lloyd families and then one more house in Duke Street with a Lloyd family and then the Talbert Inn the final record in Schedule 2 of the Kington census.
Based on the 1845 Tithe map (apportionment 1843) Margaret can only have been living at Market Place where Richard had been running his business and in the same house as bequeathed to her in his 1834 Will.
The 1841 census listing of Bull ring is likely a local name referring to where the sport of bull baiting was carried out in earlier times. Parry's History of Kington referring to the Market Hall area, states in 1841 - the town weighing machine was erected nearly on the ground where the Bull-ring was originally fastened to a stone in the pitching and where the old machine stood
Margaret had been bequeathed two adjoining houses in Market place.
As the mentioned tenant John Thomas shoemaker had obviously moved out by 1841, the preceding household with a 40 yo Mary Morris (Laundry) 37 yo Richard Francis (Ag lab) & 20 yo Philip Weal OR the following house, with a 61 year old Jane James (Laundry) was also owned by Margaret.
The apportionment shows the Fields 1002 which encompass all Market Street / Place were bundled together as no Tithe was payable. They are recorded as owned by John Lloyd & Others and occupied by Mrs Watson & others. Margaret Llewellyn must have been one of the other owners.
In 1851 Richard's 55-year-old widow Margaret was still at Market Place Kington. The enumerator went to Duke Street and then to Market place were the Stone family lived and right next door was Margaret Llewellyn with her daughter Mary Ann & Son in Law John Hatton.
In the 1861 Kington census the Enumerator went to the Police station (116) then to 4 Market square houses (117 -120 ) the Stone family dealers in glass & China were at 117, the Walker family (occupation Servant ) at 118 and then 65 YO widow Margaret Llewellyn with her 73 yo unmarried brother William formally butcher and James Francis 18 yo boarder from Carmarthenshire Wales an Attorneys clerk at 119.
Lindsay Walker a descendant of wrote in April 2021 in 1861 your William was living with Margaret Llewellyn next door to my 3xg grandmother and grandfather Mary Anne and Joseph Walker on Market Square. Mary Anne was the sister of John Edwards, skinner etc of Bridge Street.
The Walkers would no doubt be living in the other House bequeathed by Richard Llewellyn and now owned by Margaret Llewellyn nee Edwards further proving the Edwards relationship.
The Evans family (occupation Dressmaker) were at 120 and then there were 4 more houses in Market Place recorded before coming to Duke Street (South Side)
Margaret Llewellyn was still residing at Market place at her death in 1870.
She was recorded in Parry's History of Kington as one of the 183 Principal persons living in the Town of Kington. Her Brother William Edward was also recorded. The population of Kington in 1841 was 3139 people.
There is now a Llewellin road in Kington that runs into Hatton Gardens where they say the old Hatton timber yard once stood.
Richard and Margaret's only surviving child Mary Ann married John Hatton in 1851 and went on to have nine children over 17 years from 1852 to 1869.
Mary Ann's second born child in 1853 was named Richard Llewellyn Hatton in her father's memory.
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