Evans, John and Griffith (1830-1917)
Evans, John and Griffith
Hafodwen, Llanedi, Carmarthenshire, Wales; joiner (b.1830-d.1917)
John Evans was the son of Isaac Evans of the Joiner’s Arms, Llanedi. He was born in 1830 and in the Censuses of 1841 and 1851 he was described as a ‘farmer’s son’, although his father was also a capable furniture maker. John Evans married Sarah Vaughan, only daughter of Griffith Vaughan, a furniture maker and smallholder of Hafodwen, near Llanedi, and after Griffith’s death they moved into Hafodwen about 1857. The house and workshop survived until the late 20th century and comprised a dwelling house with workshops housed in the former animals’ accommodation. As well as the main workshop there was a timber store, a ‘turn house’ with treadle operated wheel and a saw-pit. Tools, templates and other material survived in situ. Several notebooks also survive, the first dating from 1853-67 and inscribed ‘John Evans Joiner’. They contain sketches of furniture and parts of furniture, estimates, calculations of time and daily rates for work, which varied between 2 and 4 shillings. Some payments in kind were also recorded. A second notebook covers the period 1858-85 and 1881, and a further daybook covers the period 1875-81. The latter is inscribed by John’s son Griffith Evans, who evidently helped his father in his work. Another of Griffith’s notebooks containing mathematical calculations may be related to his training as an apprentice.
The notebooks reveal the wide range of work undertaken by John Evans. Some was agricultural - ploughing, haymaking, tree felling – and some was building work for local farms and other business. Carts and coffins were made, signs produced and painted, but furniture repair and making was a major activity throughout. A photograph of John Evans himself, together with pages from the notebooks, is reproduced in Bebb (2007), figs 1162-67.
Griffith Evans inherited the business from his father and was succeeded in the early 20th century by his son-in-law Thomas Roberts.
Source: Bebb, Welsh Furniture (2007), I, p. 61; II, pp. 271-79 & 290.
Occupation
Ornamentation/Design