Reverend John Richards & family
Rev. John Richard was appointed Pastor (Parchedig) to the Babell Chapel on 29th September 1896 following a period of 7 years without a full-time minister. The previous Pastor, Rev. Robert Jones, left Babell after 18 months "as the climate disagreed with him".
Rev. Richards was the son of Rev. Thomas Richards a Calvanistic Methodist Pastor from Llansamlet, and served as Pastor at Babell for 18 years until his death in May 1920. He reportedly died from Spanish flu.
John married Lucy Williams in October 1901 and together they raised six children:
- Olivia, born July 1901, who in adulthood was a school teacher at Brynhyfryd School. Olivia died in April 1970.
- Emlyn, born 1905 and died aged 3 in 1908.
- Thomas Glyn, born October 1906,who became a bank official and died in August 1972.
- Cledwyn, born in January 1910 and dies in November 1974.
- Gwyneth, born 1911 and died 1981.
- Trevor, who died in infancy in 1912.
Lucy died on 14 August 1955 and is buried with Rev. John, Emlyn and Trevor at Babell.
None of the Richards offspring married, nor did they have children. Throughout their lives they shared a house, along with their mother, in Torrington Road. The ashes of Olivia, Thomas Glyn, Cledwyn and Gwyneth were scattered on the family grave.
A knitting group making wooden items for Welsh troops at the Babell Chapel. The Rev. John Richards on the right, while his wife Lucy is second left in the second row.
Photo credit: Noel and Alan Cox.
Mrs Lucy Richards and family.
Assumed to be:
Back row, left to right:Thomas Glyn, Cledwyn.
Front row, left to right: Gwyneth, Lucy, Olivia.
Photo credit: Ms Glynis Davies.