Lewis, William, grocer and draper of Abersychan business and family papers 1859-1944
GB0218.D3725

Summary Information

Repository
Gwent Archives
Title
William Lewis, grocer and draper of Abersychan, business and family papers, 1859-1944
ID
GB0218.D3725
Date
1859-1944
Extent
1.0 not recorded
General Physical Description note
(576 items)
Language
English

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Biographical/Historical note

Thomas Lewis, grocer and draper, built Glansychan House at Abersychan, Monmouthshire, in about 1863 and it served as his home and business premises until his death. He had a number of siblings including Alfred Lester Lewis and Benjamin Lewis (1855-1897). Thomas's son, William Lewis (1846-1933) continued the business. William Lewis and his wife Annie had three children, William Lester, Thomas Ewart and Esther Annie. He retired from Abersychan in 1913 and continued to deal in shares and property. His daughter, Elsie Annie, married Ronald Gus Williams.

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Scope and Contents note

Papers of the Lewis family of Abersychan, 1859-1944, including personal papers of William Lewis, 1859-1932; Benjamin Lewis, 1891-1904; William and Annie Lewis insurance documents, 1886-1932; papers relating to William Lewis's shares, 1891-1921; Williams family papers, 1920-1928; papers relating to Glansychan House, 1863-1931; papers relating to properties in Talywain, 1884-1923; Abersychan, 1903-1933; Newport, Monmouthshire, 1913-1918; Garndiffaith, 1899-1944; deeds and documents relating to properties in the manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn, 1879-1903; provisional valuations of land, mainly in Abersychan, 1913-1915; miscellaneous, 1913-1922.

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Arrangement note

Arranged into the following: Thomas Lewis family document; William Lewis personal and business papers; Benjamin Lewis personal papers; William and Annie Lewis insurance documents; William Lewis shares; Property, Glasychan House, Abersychan; Property, Talywin; Properties, High Street, Abersychan; Property, Station Street, Abersychan; Property, 32 Fields Road, Newport; Properties, Garndiffaith; Properties, Copyhold leases in the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn; Properties, provisional valuations for Abersychan; Property, provisional valuation for Garndiffaith; Property, provisional valuation for Pontnewynydd; Properties, provisional valuation for Talywain; Property, provisional valuation for Twynyffrd; Properties, provisional valuations, correspondence; Williams family estate papers; General.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Gwent Archives

Conditions Governing Access note

Usual conditions apply

Conditions Governing Use note

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Accruals note

Accruals are not expected

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Source not recorded

Appraisal note

All records deposited at Gwent Record Office have been retained.

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Controlled Access Headings

Family Name(s)

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Other Finding Aids note

Hard copies of the catalogue are available in Gwent Record Office and the National Library of Wales.

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Collection Inventory

Thomas Lewis, Family Document 

 D3725/1 Receipt concerning the estate of Thomas Lewis 1888 

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William Lewis, Personal and Business Papers 

 D3725/2 Apprenticeship indenture of William Lewis 1859 

 D3725/3-6  Correspondence 1890-1932 

 D3725/7 Year book of the Abersychan Urban District Council, including personal accounts for William Lewis at end 1897-1898 

 D3725/8-9 Account books for money owed and paid by Mr. James James 1897-1900, 1902-1903 

 D3725/10 Equitable change between Mr. Alfred Lester Lewis and Mr. William Lewis 1903 

 D3725/11 Particulars of the cost of extinguishing the manorial incidents for property in Abersychan and Twynyffrwd [c. 1930] 

 D3725/12 William Lewis’s shop, advertisement [n.d.] 

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Benjamin Lewis, Personal Papers 

 D3725/13 Clothing bill paid by William Lewis 1891 

 D3725/14-17 Correspondence 1891-1904 

 D3725/18 Death certificate of Benjamin Lewis 1897 

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William and Annie Lewis, Insurance Documents 

 D3725/19-63 Receipts from Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company for the premiums on William Lewis’s insurance policy 1886-1932 

 D3725/64-71  Bonus certificates and a covering letter from Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company for William Lewis’s life insurance policy 1888-1929 

 D3725/72-164 Receipts from Wesleyan and General Assurance Society for the premiums on Annie Lewis’s life insurance policy 1882-1932 

 D3725/165-192 Bonus certificates from Wesleyan and General Assurance Society for Annie Lewis’s life insurance policy 1889-1931 

 D3725/193-228 Receipts from Prudential Assurance Company Limited for the premiums on William and Annie Lewis’s joint life insurance policy= 1890-1930 

 D3725/229-242 Bonus certificates from Prudential Assurance Company Limited for William and Annie Lewis’s joint life insurance policy 1906-1930 

 D3725/243-244  Income tax schedules ‘D’ and ‘E’ and application for payment of house duty and land tax, with receipts from Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company, Prudential Assurance Company Limited and Wesleyan and General Assurance Society, financial years 1903/4 and 1905/6. 1903-1904, 1905-1906 

 D3725/245-257 Letters of acknowledgement of payment, an annual valuation statement, notices of renewal dates for life insurance policies and bonus notices from Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company, Prudential Assurance Company Limited and Wesleyan and General Assurance Society 1890-1932 

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William Lewis, Shares 

 D3725/258 The Hanbury Assembly Rooms Company, Limited, prospectus 1891 

 D3725/259-271 Share receipts 1891-1916 

 D3725/272-295 Correspondence to and from William Lewis relating to shares 1891-1921 

 D3725/296 Interim dividend on preference shares from Palmer and Company, Limited 1892 

 D3725/297-298 Report and balance sheets from The Hanbury Assembly Rooms Company, Limited 1893-1894, 1894-1895. 

 D3725/299  Memorandum and articles of association of the South Wales Crown Soap and Candle Co. Limited 1892 

 D3725/300-302 Mortgages of shares in the Abersychan Gas Company 1896, 1906, 1910 

 D3725/303-304 Correspondence relating to the annual accounts of Palmer and Company, Limited 1898 

 D3725/305-307 Notice of an extraordinary general meeting of Palmer and Company Limited, with a covering letter and proxy vote form 1898 

 D3725/308-309 Letters to William Lewis from other shareholders in Palmer and Company Limited, relating to the extraordinary general meeting 1898 

 D3725/310 Great Western Railway flyer, publicising excursion tickets to London 5 Jul 1898- 13 Jul 1898 

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Property - Glansychan House, Abersychan 

 D3725/311 Agreement for building a house and shop at Abersychan. 1. Mr. Thomas Lewis of Abersychan, grocer and draper. 2. Mr. J.F. Williams of Pontypool, builder. £1,260, will within the space of nine months next after the date hereof in a good and workmanlike manner well and substantially build at Abersychan a dwelling house and shop according to the plans and specification prepared for the same and signed by both parties. Receipts for money paid by Mr. Thomas Lewis, 30th October 1863 to 5th October 1864. 30 Oct 1863 

 D3725/312 Specification for building a house and shop at Abersychan. 1. Mr. Thomas Lewis of Abersychan, grocer and draper. 2. Mr. J.F. Williams of Pontypool, architect and builder. Specifications for the work to be completed by the excavator, the mason and bricklayer, the slater, the carpenter and joiner, the smith, the plasterer and the painter and glazier. The general conditions say that nothing in the specifications may be changed, unless there is written authorisation by Mr. Thomas Lewis. [c.1863] 

 D3725/313  Counterpart lease of shop, house and premises at Abersychan. 1. Mrs. Annie Lewis, William Lewis, Daniel Moses, William Maliphant, Thomas Ewart Lewis, William Lester Lewis and Elsie Annie Lewis. 2. James Winstone, George Jenkins, Thomas Morgan, Job Pennalls, Isaac Carter, Henry Wall, Nathaniel Wyles, Lewis Hayward, Thomas Frankham, Thomas Williams and Henry Brown. £120 yearly. All that dwellinghouse, shop and premises known as Glansychan at Abersychan (excepting the premises now leased to the London City and Midland Bank Limited) to hold the same unto the lessees for twenty one years from the twentieth day of August, 1913. 1 Sep 1913 

 D3725/314 Option to renew lease of Glansychan House, Abersychan. 1. Mrs. Annie Lewis, William Lewis, Thomas Ewart Lewis, William Lester Lewis and Elsie Annie Williams. 2. David Robertson Mitchell of Glansychan House, Abersychan, physician. £120 yearly. The grantors agree with the grantee that the grantors will on the written request of the grantee, made three calendar months before the expiration of the term granted by the lease, grant to him a lease of the premises comprised in the lease for the further term of ten years from the expiration of the said term at the same rent and containing the like covenants and provisoes. 21 Oct 1925 

 D3725/315 Draft assignment of leasehold premises situate and known as Glansychan House, Abersychan. 1. Dr. D.R. Michell of Newquay, Cornwall, physician and surgeon. 2. Mrs. A.M. Warren of Glansychan House, Abersychan. £120 per annum. Transference of the lease of Glansychan House from Dr. D.R. Mitchell to Mrs. A.M. Warren for the remaining term of the lease providing that the rent of £120 per annum continues to be paid. 29 May 1930 

 D3725/316 Schedule of deeds and documents relating to Glansychan House, Abersychan, deposited at Lloyds Bank Ltd., Newport, 1931. 1931 

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Properties - Talywain 

 D3725/317  Lease 1. Mr. W.H. Pratt, iron founder and Mrs. L.A. Pratt of Mynyddisllwyn. 2. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan, grocer and draper. £16 yearly. Lease of two cottages and premises at Talywain, adjoining the Golynos Inn for a term of ten years commencing 1st October 1888. 19 Jan 1884 

 D3725/318  Lease 1. Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co., Limited. 2. Mr. John Jones of Abersychan. £21 yearly. Two cottages with gardens and a parcel of land near Abersychan known as Waterloo Field Cottages and Waterloo Field respectively. Leased for the term of ten years and one month from 2nd February 1885 to 25th March 1895. Lease transferred from Mr. John Jones to Mr. William Lewis 2nd August 1892. 14 Dec 1889 

 D3725/319 Draft agreement 1. Mr. John Jones of Abersychan. 2. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan. £22. 10s. 0d. yearly. Transferance of lease on Waterloo Field and Cottages from J. Jones to W. Lewis. 7 Oct 1892 

 D3725/320-355 Correspondence relating to Waterloo Field and Cottages 1892, 1923 

 D3725/356 Underlease 1. The Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co., Limited. 2. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan, merchant. £21. 10s. 0d. yearly. Land and cottages marked on plan at Talywain for the term of twenty one years. 11 Jul 1893 

 D3725/357-364 Correspondence relating to Talywain Farm and land near Old Lion Place 1893-1920 

 D3725/365-374 Receipts 1893-1914 

 D3725/375  Deed of covenant and indemnity. 1. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan, provision merchant. 2. The Abersychan Urban District Council. The District Council agree to repair the boundary wall of Manor Road, Talywain, adjoining the property of William Lewis, when necessary, and William Lewis agrees to carry out the upkeep of the wall after it has been repaired. 22 November 1898 

 D3725/376-382 Correspondence relating to land leased from the Park Estate Office 1898-1918 

 D3725/383-390 Correspondence relating to Manor Road 1898-1918 

 D3725/391-392 Newspaper cuttings relating to Manor Road 1898 

 D3725/393  Lease 1. Mrs. Annie Lewis of Abersychan. 2. Mrs. Thomas Frewen Pugh of Talywain. £11 yearly. A shop, garden and premises situate and being number 9 Commercial Street, Talywain for the term of twenty one years. 1 Jul 1899 

 D3725/394 Acknowledgement of tenancy. 1. Mr. Alfred A. Williams, Park Estate Office, Pontypool. 2. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan. £1 yearly. Two plots of rough land and old mine rubbish tips. 27 Mar 1900 

 D3725/395 Mortgage of copyhold hereditaments and premises at Talywain, for securing the sum of £100 and interest. Between Mr. Charles Thomas and Mr. William Lewis, 1913. 1913 

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Properties - High Street, Abersychan 

 D3725/396  Contract (including the common form conditions of sale). 1. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan and Mr. Henry Lewis of Taffs Well near Cardiff. 2. Mr. H.H. Haden of Pontnewynydd, accountant. £1,600 (£193. 12s. 0d. deposit). Sale by auction of two properties owned by the late Mr. Thomas Lewis. The first property is a dwelling-house and business premises, warehouse, stable etc., in High Street, Abersychan, and is described in some detail. The second property is a dwelling-house and business premises in High Street, Abersychan, adjoining the first property. Both properties are copyhold of the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn. 26 Jan 1903 

 D3725/397-416 Correspondence relating to No. 53 High Street 1912-1933 

 D3725/417 Draft lease. 1. Mr. William Lewis of Glansychan House, Abersychan. 2. Mr. James Walker of Abersychan, contractor. £16. 5s. 0d. yearly. Lease of the old Salvation Army Hall with adjoining coal yard in High Street, Abersychan, for the term of fourteen years, with the option of renewing the agreement for a further six years. 20 Apr 1913 

 D3725/418-419 Plans of part of Abersychan High Street 1913 

 D3725/420 Lease 1. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan, provision merchant. 2. Mr. William Philip Thomas of Abersychan, chemist. £20 yearly. All that dwelling-house, No. 52 High Street, Abersychan, for the term of twenty one years. 9 Aug 1913 

 D3725/421 Increment value duty, notice of assessment and notice to pay duties 1914 

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Property - Station Street, Abersychan 

 D3725/422  Draft lease. 1. Mr. William Lewis of Abersychan, merchant. 2. Mr. William Thomas of Abersychan, bootmaker. £13 yearly. Lease for a dwelling-house (unnumbered) in Station Street for the term of sixteen years. 13 Jun 1903 

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Property - 32 Fields Road, Newport 

 D3725/423 Draft lease 1. Mr. William Miles Blackburn of Holly Bank, Newport, gentleman. 2. Mr. William Lewis of 32 Fields Road, Newport, retired merchant. £45 yearly. Lease of all that messuage and premises known as 32 Fields Road, for the term of five years. 13 Sep 1913 

 D3725/424 Letter from William Blackburn notifying William Lewis that the rent of 32 Fields Road would increase to £52 yearly from 24th June 1919, 1918. 24 Jun 1919, 1918 

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Properties - Garndiffaith 

 D3725/425-465 Correspondence relating to land rented from the Marquess of Abergavenny 1899-1944 

 D3725/466-470 Receipts for rent paid by William Lewis to the Marquess of Abergavenny 1901-1915 

 D3725/471-478 Correspondence relating to the widening of Cwmavon Road 1922-1923 

 D3725/479  Plan of proposed improvements to Cwmavon Road [1922] 

 D3725/480 Case for counsel to advise relating to action taken over a claimed breach of contract involving a piece of land at Garndiffaith, [n.d. 1935]. [1935] 

 D3725/481 Opinion relating to above case 1835 

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Properties - Copyhold leases in the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 

 D3725/482 Receipt for the surrender of copyhold lease, for £9. 17s. 6d., from Mary Allen and others to the steward of the manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 1879 

 D3725/483 Receipt for the surrender of copyhold lease, for £9. 13s. 9d., from William Herbert and others to the steward of the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 1884 

 D3725/484 Receipt from Edwin Love to William Lewis for the sum of £1 following the sale of property 1886 

 D3725/485 Receipt for the surrender of copyhold lease, for £9. 10s. 6d., from, James Flood to the steward of the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 1887 

 D3725/486 Receipt for the surrender of copyhold lease, for £12. 3s. 0d., from, John Allen and others to the steward of the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 1889 

 D3725/487  Receipt for the surrender of copyhold lease, for £12. 5s. 10d., from, Thomas Parry and wife to the steward of the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 1894 

 D3725/488 Receipt for the surrender of copyhold lease, for £28. 13s. 0d., from, Mr. David Davies, to the steward of the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 1896 

 D3725/489-498 Correspondence relating to the copyhold lease of Charles Love, Edwin Love, Joseph Love and Catherine Clark, in the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn 1896 

 D3725/499 Letter to William Lewis from Le Brasseur & Bowen, solicitors 1896 

 D3725/500 Bill from Le Brasseur & Bowen for £5. 19s. 3d. 1896 

 D3725/501  Notice of enfranchisement from Arthur Vizard, deputy steward of the Manor of Wentsland and Bryngwyn, to William Lester Lewis 1896 

 D3725/502 Letter to William Lewis from D. Davies 1899 

 D3725/503 Receipt for the costs of covenant to surrender for the sum of £10 1903 

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Properties - Provisional Valuations for Abersychan 

 D3725/504 Provisional valuation - No. 10 Club Row 1913 

 D3725/505 Provisional valuation - near Rising Sun, Cwmavon Road 1913 

 D3725/506  Provisional valuation - near Rising Sun, Cwmavon Road 1913 

 D3725/507 Amended provisional valuation - near Rising Sun, Cwmavon Road 1913 

 D3725/508 Provisional valuation No. 3 Factory Lane 1913 

 D3725/509 Provisional valuation - No. 4 Factory Lane 1913 

 D3725/510 Provisional valuation - No. 5 Factory Lane 1913 

 D3725/511 Provisional valuation - No. 6 Factory Lane 1913 

 D3725/512 Provisional valuation - No. 7 Factory Lane 1913 

 D3725/513 Provisional valuation - No. 8 Factory Lane 1913 

 D3725/514 Provisional valuation - No. 24 High Street 1913 

 D3725/515 Provisional valuation - No. 25 High Street 1913 

 D3725/516 Provisional valuation - No. 26 High Street 1913 

 D3725/517 Provisional valuation - No. 28 High Street 1913 

 D3725/518 Provisional valuation - No. 29 High Street 1913 

 D3725/519 Provisional valuation - No. 30 High Street 1913 

 D3725/520  Provisional valuation - No. 31 High Street 1913 

 D3725/521 Provisional valuation - No. 32 High Street 1913 

 D3725/522 Provisional valuation - No. 51 High Street 1913 

 D3725/523 Provisional valuation - No. 52 High Street 1913 

 D3725/524 Increment value duty - No. 52 High Street 1913 

 D3725/525 Increment value duty - No. 52 High Street 1913 

 D3725/526 Provisional valuation - No. 53 High Street 1913 

 D3725/527 Provisional valuation - No. 63 High Street 1913 

 D3725/528 Provisional valuation - No. 64 High Street 1913 

 D3725/529 Provisional valuation - No. 65 High Street 1913 

 D3725/530 Provisional valuation and covering letter - No. 66 High Street 1915 

 D3725/531 Provisional valuation - Glansychan House, No. 134 High Street 1913 

 D3725/532 Provisional valuation - No. 17 Lewis Street 1913 

 D3725/533  Provisional valuation - No. 18 Lewis Street 1913 

 D3725/534 Provisional valuation - No. 19 Lewis Street 1913 

 D3725/535 Provisional valuation - No. 20 Lewis Street 1913 

 D3725/537  Provisional valuation - No. 16 Station Street 1914 

 D3725/538 Provisional valuation - No. 11 Upper Club Row 1913 

 D3725/539 Provisional valuation - No.’s 1, 2 and 3 Waterloo Road 1913 

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Property - Provisional Valuation for Garndiffaith 

 D3725/540 Provisional valuation - land on Cwmavon Road 1915 

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Property - Provisional Valuation for Pontnewynydd 

 D3725/541 Provisional valuation - Liverpool Exchange, No. 15 Hill Street 1914 

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Properties - Provisional Valuations for Talywain 

 D3725/542 Provisional valuation - No. 13 Commercial Street 1914 

 D3725/543 Provisional valuation - premises in Commercial Street 1914 

 D3725/544 Provisional valuation - land on Church Road (near station) 1913 

 D3725/545 Provisional valuation - garden at the rear of Mr. T.A. Pugh’s house 1915 

 D3725/546 Provisional valuation - land on Waterloo Road 1914 

 D3725/547 Provisional valuation - land on Waterloo Road 1914 

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Property - Provisional Valuation for Twynyffrd 

 D3725/548 Provisional valuation - Railway Side 1913 

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Properties - Provisional Valuations - Correspondence 

 D3725/549-569 Letters from the Inland Revenue 1913-1915 

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Williams Family, Estate Papers 

 D3725/570 Will and probate of Richard William of Richmond House, Clytha Square, Newport, leaving all his goods to his wife, Emma Gascoigne Williams, and his three sons, Ronald Gus, Edward Herbert and Frank Idris Williams. Will dated 2nd June 1916 and probate granted 2 July 1920. 1920 

 D3725/571  Deed of partition 1. Ronald Gus Williams of Newport and Leonard Arthur Wallen of Newport, solicitors. 2. Benjamin Aubrey James of Newport, merchant. 3. Henrietta Mathilda Jenkins of Blaina, Mary Winifred Wallen of Blaina, Amelia Martha James of Blaina and Florence May Wallen of Freshwater, near Cardiff. 4. Emma Gascoigne Williams of Newport and Ronald Gus Williams of Newport. Premises: 1. No.’s 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 Lancaster Street, Six Bells, and No.’s 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 and 68 Meadow Street, Llanhilleth, assigned to Benjamin Aubrey James. 2. No.’s 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 Lancaster Street, Six Bells, and Nos.’s 59, 61, 63, 65, 67 and 69 Meadow Street, Llanhilleth assigned to the Wallens. 3. No.’s 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 Lancaster Street, Six Bells, and No.’s 48, 50, 52, 54, 51, 53, 55 and 57 Meadow Street, Llanhilleth assigned to the Williams’s. Recites: 1. Letter of administration for the estate of James Wallen, 24th November 1908. 2. Deed of family arrangement between William James Wallen, Leonard Arthur Wallen, Henrietta Mathilda Jenkins, Mary Winifred Wallen, Amelia Martha James and Florence May Wallen, 1st October 1928. 3. Deed of appointment between Benjamin Aubrey James, the Wallens, the Williams’s executors and the trustees, with the trustees being appointed to be trustees of certain leasehold premises in place of the Public Trustee, 16th November 1928. Two schedules of deeds at end. Applications for official searches included. 17 Nov 1928 

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General 

 D3725/572 Copy of the Pilotage Act 1913 

 D3725/573 Certificate of posting of a registered package 1922 

 D3725/574 Advice of delivery of an inland registered letter 1922 

 D3725/575 Note about compensation on a structurally unfit property [n.d.] 

 D3725/576 Map of Mynydd-Ddu (Grwyny Fawr Fishing) [n.d.] 

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