Francis Andrew baptised 1863, Swansea
Francis Andrew, was born to James and Mary Jane Andrew
on the 26th. October 1863. He was their seventh child and
their fourth son and was born in the brand new houses in
Nicholl Street, where the family lived at that time. (There is
no record of the house number.)
He was born when the Victorian Age was well under way. A
time in which Swansea's population grew rapidly in size
through inward migration and saw the Town become the
world's leading metallurgical centre. Like his elder brother
James, Francis became a journeyman painter, a trade also
followed by his two younger brothers William and Sydney. A
speciality of them all was painting wood grains of various
woods. The natural grain would be faithfully reproduced
onto any base making it look as if it was actually made of
wood. They each specialised in different woods and most
probably recommended each other to prospective clients. A
fifth brother Joshua, became a stone mason.
Francis, whilst working at a colliery site near Pentrechwyth,
met his future wife Sophia David. (How did he transport his
paints, brushes and ladders?)
on the 26th. October 1863. He was their seventh child and
their fourth son and was born in the brand new houses in
Nicholl Street, where the family lived at that time. (There is
no record of the house number.)
He was born when the Victorian Age was well under way. A
time in which Swansea's population grew rapidly in size
through inward migration and saw the Town become the
world's leading metallurgical centre. Like his elder brother
James, Francis became a journeyman painter, a trade also
followed by his two younger brothers William and Sydney. A
speciality of them all was painting wood grains of various
woods. The natural grain would be faithfully reproduced
onto any base making it look as if it was actually made of
wood. They each specialised in different woods and most
probably recommended each other to prospective clients. A
fifth brother Joshua, became a stone mason.
Francis, whilst working at a colliery site near Pentrechwyth,
met his future wife Sophia David. (How did he transport his
paints, brushes and ladders?)
She was about fourteen years old, the second surviving daughter of Daniel and Sophia David,
whilst Francis was seventeen. She used to take her father's lunch up to the mine for him, and it
was on one of these occasions that Francis and Sophia first met. Francis and Sophia were
married on the 29th. January 1885 at the Swansea Register office.
whilst Francis was seventeen. She used to take her father's lunch up to the mine for him, and it
was on one of these occasions that Francis and Sophia first met. Francis and Sophia were
married on the 29th. January 1885 at the Swansea Register office.
The only four surviving
children of Francis and
Sophia Andrew. From
the left they are:
Daniel James
Mary Jane
Francis Brinley
Walter
QUICK LINKS
William Andrew,
1731
William Andrew,
1763
John Andrew,
1792
James Andrew,
1828
Francis Andrew,
1863
Daniel Andrew,
1885
Daniel Andrew,
1913
Colin Andrew,
1953
Philip Andrew,
1774
Joseph Andrew,
1804
Francis Bennallack,1806
Daniel David c.
1823
James Mock,
1804
William Owen,
1805
William Owen,
1828
George Owen,
1849
Mary Owen,
1896
Mary Owen,
1917
Joshua Short,
1803
William Andrew,
1867
Sydney Andrew,
1870
Thomas Avery,
1807
Belsen
1945
Map of central
Swansea in 1878
