Richard Bowen

Richard Bowen was my great grandfather. He was a tenant farmer at Kilgetty Farm for many years, like his father John Bowen 1793 - 1882. John farmed Ffynnoncyll at Cyffig (Ciffic etc.,) a 400 to 600 acre farm (the size varied from census to census). John and his wife Elizabeth Bowen (nee Horton 1796 - 1869) had 10 children and no fewer than 57 grandchildren all born between the 1830’s and the 1860’s.

Richard and his wife Mary (Mair) Bowen (1841 -1901) had 12 children (6 of each) one of whom was my grandfather William Bowen 1870 - 1931 (who died before I was born).

Richard Bowen was a Choirmaster for many years. His obituary published in the Western Mail in February 1932 mentioned the following,

Cold Blow Nonagenarian - Passing of well known resident (Richard had retired from Kilgetty farm to Cold Blow, where he ran a small shop).

“We regret to record the death on Friday 5th February, of one of the oldest inhabitants in Pembrokeshire, in the person of Richard Bowen, of Cold Blow, who was in his 97th year.

Born at Ffynnoncyll, Cyffig, on May 12th 1835, he was one of a large family and received his early education at the academy of the late Rev. W Davies, at Rhydceisiaid, Llanginning.

Mr Bowen had a great love for music, being a well known choir conductor and winner at many eisteddfodau. He was for many years a faithful member and supporter at Bwlchgwynt Baptist Church. Many are the tales he used to relate of his doings of his choir called (Cor Dick Ffynnoncyll).

Altogether he was a most interesting man, with a vivid memory. He was never more pleased than when relating his escapades at surrounding fairs, which were most amusing.He remembered a fair held regularly at Tavernspite.
He married a sister of the late G. Phillips of Moor, Whitland, she pre-deceased him 30 years. After his removal to Kilgetty Farm (he had previously farmed Waungron with his brother farming next door)he did a lot of good work for music at both Longstone and Sardis Churches (he and some of his family are buried at Sardis).

The article did not mention that he was one of the first councillors elected to the Tenby Council. Nor that he was a most convivial man, noted for his strength (as were many of his sons) and the ability of his horse to find the way back home to Kilgetty farm, regardless of the condition of the passenger.

I have a photo of Richard taken in 1929 at the farm that is entitled 5 generations, he would have been about 93 years of age at that time, the same age one of his grandchildren, my own father, Benjamin John Bowen when he died in 2009.

Ffynnoncyll ('hazel tree by the spring' or vice versa) today is run as an organic meat internet operation and a very large new “farmhouse" has been added, next to which an industrial unit processes orders. It is known as Hazelwell farm and the Short family are the owners. They have a Farm Manager living in the original farmhouse.

Several generations later, this aptitude for music perhaps appeared once more when, a certain Welsh tenor, Kenneth John Bowen was born in 1932 in Llanelli. He sang in many countries and was regarded as one of Britain's finest singers of his generation (he is/was my 3rd cousin). He sang at Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, Rome, Paris, Venice. Barcelona and the USA.

In later life he was the Musical Director of the London Welsh Chorale from 1983 to December 2008.In 2003 he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Music by the University of Wales. He retained his vocal powers into his 80’s and died aged 86 in 2018.