Village Worthies - Past and Present
John Jones, Greenfields, Dre-fach Felindre

This article was sent to Peter Hughes Griffiths by Yvonne Evans who was brought up in this house called Greenfields but has lived in Canada for most of her life. Greenfields is the first house after Meiros Hall when travelling towards Bethel Baptist Chapel. JOHN JONES was Yvonne Evans’s great grandfather.

This gentleman was born in 1850 and died in 1942. He was a master Tailor and Cutter.  A tailor sewed and prepared cloth together – a cutter measured the client and cut the material to his requirements. Suits, costumes, jackets, breeches, all came out of JOHN JONES’ workshop.  He made the ‘Hunting Pink’ for the Master of the Hounds who lived in the mansion, now a ruin, in the estate at the end of the village towards Henllan (Llysnewydd). No doubt he made some of the black, long skirted riding habits for the ladies who would have ridden side-saddle.

JOHN JONES was a tall man, a great reader, one of the few who took a newspaper and read it from cover to cover. He was a councillor and a devoted churchman, being a Church Warden at St Barnabas for many years.

In his middle years he had this house GREENFIELDS built. Special stones were selected at the Preseli Mountains and carried across to Drefach from the quarry by horse and cart. Many a journey had to be made, for Greenfields was a fair sized house capable of housing not only his family but workrooms for his business. He employed three apprentices. You must remember that the Mills were in full swing, and Drefach Felindre was a boom town where hundreds of people found employment.

Serge was the fashion then, dark blue serge suits for the men and the same for costumes to fit the ladies. ‘Two Piece’ I think they call them now.  I had such a suit myself and remember the tailor made costumes that the women wore – those who could afford a ‘made to measure’ garment. No one went casually dressed to Church or Chapel in those days.

His daughters all ‘ held the needle’. One or two were milliners, designing and making hats, for  every woman wore a hat. Especially to a place of worship, so there was a good sale for hats.

JOHN JONES’ grandson still has the flair. He emigrated to Canada and is a furrier in Winnipeg.

Gradually a picture of the village of long ago becomes clearer as we add piece by piece. Now JOHN JONES’ grand-daughter Mrs Griffiths (Yvonne Evans’ mother) lives at Greenfield. She is rightly proud of the house and of her grand-father JOHN JONES.

JOHN JONES had a narrow escape during the First Word War.  Visiting Canada, he endeavoured to return by the LUSITANIA, but the ship was full, and he had to return by an earlier sailing. The LUSITANIA, as we know, was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland on her voyage home.    (Note by Peter HG – On the website ‘Stori Fawr Drefach Felindre’ we have the story of  TEULU GLANBARGOD A’R LUSITANIA.   Mary Hanna and her husband  Ernest Thomas were drowned on the Lusitania when sailing home to see their family at  Glanbargod, Drefach Felindre.  Glanbarod is the house opposite Greenfield in Drefach.  It was such a co-incidence that John Jones did not sail on the Lusitania while the family of his neighbours did and lost their lives.)
 
We are grateful for this interesting and informative article from a new contributor, Mr O T Davies, the son of a Minister at Bethel Drefach (Rev. Tom Davies) and look forward to any further articles he may have for us.
(There is a correction in writing at the bottom stating ...   “There is an error in the above article. It was Uncle Tom – Leslie Vancouver’s Dad that made Fur Coats and not Dac’s grandson as stated. Mum.)  (Yvonne also says – “Dac (John Jones) as I called him lived with us in Greenfield. I remember him dying at the age og 94. His grave is in the Church Cemetry (St. Barnabas)”                
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