Glamorgan Lovelucks

Farmer, Port Reve, Kenfig

From the notes of Janet Hearle et al.

Stated in his mother's Will to be the youngest son.

He married Isod, nee Thomas, daughter of Elizabeth and William Thomas and granddaughter of Isod Began on 17th November, 1810 at Maudlam (Story of Kenfig - Evans, P.43)

Maudlam Register also records him as having a "base child" to a local girl named Richard.

The Begans were an old recusant Glamorgan family, persecuted into penury. The earliest Began was Griffin, living c.1234, who married Agnes Esturmi. The Esturmi family came from Normandy with William the Conqueror and gave their name to Stormy Down; they were ancestors of the Dukes of Somerset - Roger Seymour married Maud Esturmi of Chadham, Wilts, in 1394 (Story of Kenfig, P.43).

William was a fairly prosperous farmer of Kenfig, and was Portreeve in 1811, 1819, and 1841. The Portreeve presided over the monthly Courts for the transaction of business, appointed overseers of the poor, and granted licences to inkeepers. In the Borough Accounts on 20th September, 1839 he was paid for "Powder used in rejoicing of the birth of an Heir to Margam Estate" - i.e. Theodore Talbot.

As Edward went away from Kenfig to farm, William who stayed with his father, was appointed executor of his mother's Will, and received the residue of her estate and "effects on condition he pays his brother and sisters or their husbands the respective tokens bequeathed to them as specified". So it would appear that most of the estate was in the form of farm goods and chattels.

Isod bore him nine children, of which one died in infancy in 1804. He made a Will on 20th February, 1857 in which he is described as a farmer. He left £5 each to his children Anne, William, John, Edward, Elizabeth and Mary, to be paid within twelve months of his decease. He left his "Copyhold houses, gardens, lands and appurtenances in the Parish of Pile and Kenfig" and his watch to James. The rest to be divided between Thomas and James, and he wished that the farm he occupied and rented, be rented on behalf of them both and that one was not to have it without the consent of the other. If Thomas got it he was to pay James #100 compensation "for loss of profits and capital invested in the farm". He wishes Thomas and James to maintain their mother "in comfortable circumstances or if she prefer living apart and by herself to allow her the sum of 10 shillings weekly for her support ... also a Bed and bedding and plenty of furniture for a single room which are to be divided between my sons Thomas and James after her decease".

Thomas and James were joint executors.

William died on 4th May 1857, and his estate was valued at £300 by Llandaff Consistory.

Isod died in 1867, aged 81.

He and Isod are buried in a box tomb near the porch of Mawdlam Church, as befitted an important person of the Parish.

Notes by James M. L Portreeve of Kenfig 1811, 1819, 1841 (source: "the Story of Kenfig" by Leslie A Evans)

There is a discrepancy between the date of death above (4 May 1857), and on the MI, and the date give in the Margam PR (4 Mar 1857)

Notes by John Dixon: Will at Llandaff.

Notes from Helen Jones via Harry Schofield: In 1845/6 William Loveluck was entitled to the vote due to owning the lease of Maudlam farm. He was Portreeve (mayor) of Kenfig in 1824/25 and listed as a burgess in 1839.

Notes by James M. L 20-Mar-07: Copy of will at NLW:

FILE - William Loveluck, Farmer - ref. LL/1857/213 - date: 1857 Contents Will. Miscellaneous. Diocese: Llandaf Parish: Pyle and Kenfig. Some or all of the parish name has been supplied from external sources Township: Kenfig County: Glamorgan