The following article appeared in the Welshman newspaper on the 3rd April 1863, page 4
“Our obituary of today contains the death of Mr. John Davies, the Carmarthen hall keeper. His death was no doubt accelerated by a cold which seized him when the alterations were being made in the hall. Indeed, to every one who saw the unprotected state of his dwelling during the whole of last winter, it is a matter of surprise that he lived so long. During the 26 years that Mr. Davies held his office, he discharged its duties to the satisfaction of the magistrates, and of the public, being ever kind and obliging in his manner to all; and it is pleasing to know that during his illness he was visited by several magistrates, and that in recognition of his merits as a diligent and faithful public servant, the Court of Quarter Sessions recently voted him an addition of £5 to his salary. During his long and painful illness, his duties were efficiently discharged by his youngest son, who is anxious to succeed to the office of his father in order to be able to maintain his now aged mother; and it is probable the magistrates will appoint him at the next Quarter Sessions”
Following on from the death of John Davies the previous week – on the 10th April 1863 The Right Honourable the Earl Cawdor – Lord Lieutenant of the County expressed his concerns about the unfinished work to the Shire hall and of the conditions that John Davies had to endure and put up with during the renovation work, and why it was taking so long to complete the work. Sir John Mansel who was attending the meeting, who oversaw the restoration work explained to His Lordship that a sum of £103.00 had been kept back for the painting and decorating of the hall after nearly three years of works being undertaken. Clearly the Lord Lieutenant was not impressed.
On the 3rd July 1863 James Davies ( son ) was indeed officially appointed hall keeper of the Shire Hall on the recommendation of Colonel Sir John Hamilton a local dignitary with an exceptional military background and relative of the celebrated Lady Hamilton- mistress of Admiral Nelson. Interestingly, the Chairman of the Thomas & Elizabeth Mayhook Charity – Richard Goodridge reveals that his late father Stan was appointed the last ever Hall keeper of the Shire Hall in 1975, a position he held and loved for 18 years until his own retirement in 1993.
The headstone of the Davies family was found buried, face down in the soil during renovation works of the cemetery five years ago and was placed for safekeeping in an upright position alongside the rear wall of St David’s Church itself next to the store shed where it remains. It is hoped one day to have it erected along the cemetery wall with the other headstones. Sadly the inscription has began to deteriorate but a description is given below. It appears that apart from Mr John Davies and his wife Mary, it seems that other members of the family were also buried together in the same plot but the inscription is too worn to read.
Headstone inscription
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
JOHN DAVIES
KEEPER OF THE SHIRE HALL OF THIS TOWN
FOR 26 YEARS
WHO DIED MARCH 29TH 1863 AGED 67
ALSO MARY WIFE OF THE ABOVE
WHO DIED APRIL 28TH 1872 AGED ? YEARS
Colonel Mansel had to endure the wrath of the Lord Lieutenant over the length of time it was taking for the repairs of the Shire Hall.
