Andrew family home page

Mary Sophia Owen, born 1896 Swansea

Mary Sophia Owen was the youngest child of George and Mary Owen and was born at the

family home of 10 Middleton Street, St. Thomas on the 24^th. April 1896. Despite having the

Christian name of Mary, her mother, she was known by her second name Sophia or Sophie, the

name of her grandmother. She would have attended St.

Thomas School in Kilvey Terrace - a huge collegiate style

building built in 1898 to replace the older schools in both

Foxhole Road and Morris Lane.

Nothing is known about her childhood or teenage

years and no photographs have survived. However, when

she was 20 she became pregnant and gave birth to a little

girl on August 4^th 1917, later Christened Mary Owen.

Unfortunately nothing is known about Sophia’s partner but

Mary would grow up to marry Daniel Andrew.

About 20 months after the birth of her daughter Mary,

Mary Sophia Owen married George Henry Marshall, a

mason's labourer from 9 Symmons Street, Swansea. They

continued to live in Symmons Street and their three

children were born there, although out of convenience

Mary Owen continued to live at 60 Kilvey Terrace with her

grandparents, George and Mary Owen. The family lived at

Symmons Street until the Second World War when they

moved to Kilvey Terrace. Initially they moved in to 60

Kilvey Terrace but later took up lodgings further down the street at the home of a Mrs. Fisher,

believed to be No. 37. They lived in two of the basement rooms and had two bedrooms on the

top floor. They stayed there until about 1960 when they moved to 5, Clyro Court, Winch Wen.

This was one of the post war, sheltered housing schemes for pensioners and was a cul-de-sac

of small bungalows supervised by a warden. In 1969 the couple celebrated their golden wedding

anniversary.