Possible Horniman Quaker Family Link To 17thC South Wales

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Horniman/Hernaman

Linked to Robert Horniman (1736-79) There is a local tradition that early members of the Horniman family lived in Carmarthenshire before 1700. (See also:G2G Tree House Question: The Quaker Horniman Tea Trading Family Origin Puzzle)

Y Gardde History of Horniman Ownership

Gardde - St Clears

The four storeyed house stands on the Main road (High St) to Laughrne. A stone in the front wall bears the inscription PRM Anno Dom 1647 but there is an older tablet now undecipherable. Gardde was built by the Horniman family who were exporters of dairy products out of the port of St. Clears, the river - seen from the back - being tidal. Three miles south, boats reached the estuary at Laugharne & open coastal waters. Since the roads were barely useable, produce destined for Bristol & London could be transported more quickly & safely. The advent of tea-clippers brought fame for the family as tea blenders.

By 1740, the owner occupier of Gardde was one John Phillips Esq. who had married Rachel. daughter of Evan Bowen, Glanduad, Pembs. He died before 1766 when Rachel is described as a widow. Their only child & heir, Alice Maria Phillips (born 1747) married when only 19 years old in Dec 1766, David Jones, eldest son & heir of Evan Jones, Cydweli. They lived at Treforris & Maesmawr; he died in 1785 aged 40, leaving 7 children. The ultimate heiress, Anne Jones of Plwmp-Coch near Cydweli married Huw Williams who was her junior by 25 years. There was some legal difficulty and in 1842, Williams had to institute a law sut which he won. Thus he & Anne moved to Gardde. In 1853, he became Recorder of St Clears, a position of authority he held until his death in 1874*. Anne had died in 1861 aged 90.

During his time as Portreeve of St Clears, William set up a market hall, still intact today, & found on the hill descending to the town traffic lights. But it was his involvement with Chartism & as a figurehead of the Rebecca movement which brought an end to the evil tyranny of toll-gates in West Wales, and which established him as a giant of social reform.

Huw Williams (the grandfather of the 1930s actor Huw Williams and (today) great-great grandfather of Simon Williams) was a solicitor working out of Carmarthe. Ostensibly respectably above leading hoards of terrifyingly disguised & rampaging Rebeccas & burning toll-gates but the regularity with which he acquired relatively comfortable penal sentences for the few who were actually apprehended, & his obvious authority in matters known only to insiders, lead many to name him as mysterious Rebecca, “herself”.

Evidence the Herniman family were establish as sea-going traders in Haverfordwest, Pembs at the time of Gardde's construction in St Clears, Carmarthenshire.

• https://journals.library.wales/view/1277425/1290525/72#?cv=72&m=112&h=herniman&c=0&s=0&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F1277425%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=-473%2C569%2C3635%2C2165

Will of Mathew Heriman 1710 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire

• See also 1733 Mge of Jane Herniman to John Richards both of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.

Marriage of Jane Herniman to John Richards