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People from the past

William Yalden is thought to have arrived in Llanelli around 1784 and tradition suggests he established an iron foundry in the Wern district.

Hampshire County Council Local Studies Information Section suggest that a marriage allegation may refer to a relative of the William Yalden who came to Llanelli and it is most likely that the family originated in Lovington. An entry in the Registry of the Bishop of Winchester shows that William Yalden of Lovington in the parish of Easton, gentleman, aged 20 and a bachelor, married Elizabeth Wade of Winnall aged 20 and a spinster, on 19 September 1715.

An extract of a map of 1791 shows Lovington just north west of Ovington, with Mr Yalden as a noted landowner. By the time of the 1874 map, Lovington appears as a farm rather than a place. It falls within a detached portion of Easton parish, although it is situated much closer to Ovington.

A little to the north of Lovington Farm on the 1874 map Yalden Farm is marked but the name does not appear on later maps.

Easton village was just north and just east of Winchester. A book Monumental Inscriptions in Sixty Hampshire Churches, by D S W Gibson, published in 1958, includes a reference to Ovington Church with an inscription in the porch to William Yalden Esq., Recorder of the City of Winchester who died on 21 August 1771 aged 53. The Will of William Yalden described as ‘of Llanelly and Lovington’  was proved in 1810.

Between 1805 and 1807 William Yalden was a party to deeds relating to lands in the counties of Carmarthen, Pembroke and Glamorgan.

A report in The Cambrian newspaper of 1810 shows that a small sloop belonging to Messrs Pemberton and Yalden carrying lime from Mumbles to Ilfracombe was destroyed by fire as a result of water penetrating the lime. The incident was thought to be suspicious and not completely accidental.

The Yalden Family

Around 1770 William Yalden (1753-1810) married Anne Serle (1750-1825). When Anne died at the age of 70 she was described as of "Town". Their children were:

Anne Yalden (1782-1863), who in 1812 married Richard Janion Nevill (1786-1856).

Mary Martha Yalden, born circa 1775.

William Yalden, born circa 1771, married Martha (no other details). Their children were:

William Yalden of Felinfoel, born 1820 and died at Vauxhall in 1821 aged  8 months.

George Yalden of Vauxhall (1821-1874). He was Rector of Twynell, Northants from 1850-74.

Caroline Yalden (1785-1829) married John Roberts (1785-1830) of Bryncaerau  in 1805. They had a daughter, Frances Elizabeth Roberts who was born circa. 1806 and died in 1832.

William Yalden died in 1810 but his family continued to live in Llanelli as shown in the parish records. His wife Anne died in 1825 at the age of 75.

The trade directory of 1811 makes no mention of the Yalden family but they must have been active in business circles in Llanelli because there was an agreement between William Yalden, Richard Janion Nevill and Nevill Broom who entered into a partnership in the timber trade in 1824. The directory of 1830 mentions the firm of Yalden & Company as Iron Founders.

The Voters List of 1834 mentions a William Yalden of Vauxhall but the entry is crossed through with a note that he had no vote.

By 1835, Yalden & Company had become Yalden & David and during 1840 Elias David, one of the partners, died aged 63.

In 1842 Richard Nevill, son of Richard Janion and Anne (Yalden) Nevill took over the iron foundry of Yalden & David. One source indicated that Richard Nevill junior was the nephew of the co-owner of the Wern Iron Foundry. If this were so then he would have been the great nephew of William Yalden who is said to have established the foundry in 1784.

The trade directory of 1844 confirms that ‘Richard Nevill junior of the Wern’ was the new owner of the Iron Foundry & Engineering Company.

Baptisms

6 August 1820

WILLIAM, Son of William & Martha YALDEN of Felinfoel, Gent.

19 July 1821

GEORGE, Son of William & Martha YALDEN of Vauxhall, Gent

Marriage

6 October 1805

By Licence. Vicar Jeremiah Davies

JOHN ROBERTS of this Parish, Bachelor and CAROLINE YALDEN of this Parish, Spinster

Witnesses: Charles ? Griffiths & William Yalden

Burials

27 March 1821

WILLIAM YALDEN of Vauxhall, aged 8 months

2 July 1825

ANN YALDEN of Town, aged 75 years

Registry of the Bishop of Winchester

William Yalden of Lovington in the Parish of Easton gentleman aged 20 married Elizabeth Wade of Winnall, aged 20 spinster on 19 September 1715.

Monumental Inscription Porch of Ovington Parish Church

William Yalden Esq., Recorder of the City of Winchester died 21 August 1771 aged 53.

Alumni Oxonienses Foster

George Yalden first son of William of Llanelly, County of Carmarthen, gentleman, CHRIST CHURCH

matric 11 December 1839 aged 18

BA 1843

Rector of Twywell, Northants, 1850 until he died in 1874