by Annette Edwards.
Frances Stocker was born about 1790 in Marchwiel, she was the daughter of David Stocker and Margaret Evans. On 24 August 1815, the North Wales Gazette published an article about the Meeting of the Wrexham Agricultural Society. Amongst the awards given was one “To David Stocker, of Marchwiel, for having brought up ten children to industry without parochial assistance, 3s. 3s.” David died in 1841 aged 84 and Margaret in 1843 aged 86.
In 1811 Frances married William Rowland in Marchwiel and by 1841 they are in the Nag`s Head on Mount Street, two sons Thomas 20 and William 19 are with them.
On 8 February 1848 son William, a brewer married Sarah Frances Elizabeth Barlow the daughter of James Barlow, the iron master.
Their son Thomas, a brewer had married Ann Dorothy Barlow on 10 March 1851 at St Jude`s Liverpool. Ann Dorothy was classed as a minor, she was 19; her father was James Barlow an iron master, her mother was Sarah Hughes.
James Barlow had iron works in Abenbury in 1841, but he and his large family were living in Holt Street. James 37 Iron Master, Sarah 35, children Sarah 15, John 14, Mary 12, James 11, Ann D 9, Matilda 8, Sarah 7, Georgina 4, Benjamin aged 1. James Barlow died in 1856.
The two brothers had married sisters.
Only William and Frances are at the Nag`s Head in 1851.
William Rowland died in early 1857 aged 61 but Frances was still running the Nag`s at the age of 70. The pub was part of the brewery buildings.
In 1863 there was a great of work being planned for the railways and a lot of excitement in Wrexham when Thomas Rowland received a telegram from the House of Commons.
EXTENSION OF THE WREXHAM, MOLD, AND CONNAH’S QUAY RAILWAY TO WHITCHURCH. On Thursday last a telegram, posted by Mr. Thomas Rowland, of the Nag’s Head Brewery, on front of the Town Hall, in this town, informed the public of Wrexham that the bill for extending the Wrexham, Mold, and Connah’s Quay Railway to Whitchurch and other places, had passed the ordeal of the House of Commons Committee. The news, notwithstanding the merry tones of the church bells, was thought by many to be too good news to be true. Friday morning however, brought confirmation strong” in the shape of a letter from Mr. Devereux Pugh to Mr. Rowland, which at once dispelled all doubts and shed a ray of sunshine over the minds of those who have long hoped almost against hope to see Wrexham favoured with the advantage of two systems of railways, and to see two ways to London.
Wrexham Advertiser 9 May 1863
By 1871 Thomas and Dorothy had moved to Grove Park, he was still a brewer, but Frances had retired from the pub and was living with him and his family.
Ann Dorothy died there on 3 August 1877 she was only 45, she had 10 known children.
Frances Rowland died on 14 January 1880 aged 90.
Click above image to enlarge
By 1881 Thomas had retired from the brewing business and was still in Grove House.
In November that year he was elected mayor for the second time.
“THE ELECTION of Mr Thomas Rowland as Mayor of Wrexham comes very opportune in connection with the new railway movement affecting the town. Mr Rowland was one of the original members of the Town Council, and sat continuously from 1857 to 1872. He was elected Mayor in 1808, and filled the position with considerable distinction. He has on several occasions given evidence in Parliamentary Committees, and is thoroughly ac- quainted with the various railway schemes that have been brought forward affecting the town. This year it appeared peculiarly necessary that the chair should be filled by a gentleman who had this experience and know ledge, and in Mr Rowland’s appointment the want is satisfactorily met. Mr Rowland is also one of the few members in the Council who had the painfully practical duty cast upon them of trying to manage our Sewage Farm, and who must have ever felt deeply grateful to Colonel Jones for relieving them ot the burden. As a difficulty has now arisen between the Corporation and the gallant Colonel, we have no doubt the newly elected Mayor, with a lively remembrance of the former state of things, will spare no effort in arriving at a satisfactory solution of the difficulty, and this is more likely to be successful from the fact that his Worship is acquainted with the whole history of the question. Mr Rowland has not only the ability but the time to serve the town, and we hope he will have a useful and pleasant year of office.”
Wrexham Advertiser.
On 23 December 1887 his daughter Florence died aged just 20 and two years later Thomas died on 19 January 1889 aged 69.
“Two of the past Mayors of Wrexham have just died within a few hours of each other. On Tuesday night Mr Thomas Rowland, of Oakland, who was mayor in 1868, and again in 1881, died at his residence at the age of sixty-eight. Mr Rowland was for many years in business as brewer, and started what is now known as the Wrexham Brewery, owned by Messrs W. F. Soames and Co. On Wednesday, about eleven o’clock, Mr Thomas Painter, who was elected mayor in 1859, died at his residence in Grosvenor-road, at the advanced age of eighty one. Mr Painter was formerly in business as a printer in the town. He was a borough magistrate, and at one time took a prominent part in the town affairs, as did Mr Rowland, but both gentlemen had been in failing health for some years. The deceased gentlemen were churchman and Conservatives.”
Cambrian News.
“Mr Thomas Rowlands, Oaklands, Wrexham who was twice, Mayor of Wrexham, was buried at the New Cemetery, Wrexham, on Saturday afternoon. In accordance with the deceased’s express wish, the funeral was a private one, only members of the family being present”.
Wrexham Advertiser.
Researched by Annette Edwards. February 2019. Gravestone photograph Graham Lloyd.
Grave ref: Wrexham Cemetery J-02778
