Before the Buses

ANTHONY OVERFIELD (1873–1942)

The Overfield family are one of the least known operators of bus services in Abertillery. From 1st May 1923, Anthony Overfield was licensed to “ply for hire” between the Cwm Hotel in Abertillery and Crumlin. After taking delivery of a 14-seater bus later that year, Their route only operated for around 3 years, and was known as the Green Bus Services.

Anthony Overfield was born on 27th July 1873 at Dudley in Worcestershire. He was the son of Joseph Overfield and Eliza née Pinnock who were married on 17th June 1872 at Dudley. Their fathers both worked as Nail Makers, William Overfield (who had been born at Bridgnorth in Shropshire), and Edward Pinnock (who was born at Dudley).

Anthony was a 7 year-old Scholar when the 1881 Census was taken on the night of 3rd April. His family were living at 58 St. James Terrace in Dudley, his 31 year-old father being recorded as a “Horse Nail Maker” (Ref: RG11 Piece 2875 Folio 70 Page 11). His mother Eliza is 27 years-old, and his siblings are 5 year-old William Sampson, 3 year-old Edward, and 8 month-old Joseph.

Anthony is again found with his family at Dudley in the 1891 Census, his occupation being recorded as an “Iron Worker,” while his 41 year-old father is again recorded as a “Horse Nail Maker” (Ref: RG12 Piece 2293 Folio 9 Page 12). This Census also shows that Joseph and Eliza had another son, John, who was born on 13th November 1882 at Dudley. Very sadly, their son Joseph passed away in the spring of 1884, he was 3 years-old. Their final child, another son named Arthur, was born in 1885, but again, very sadly, he also passed away at a very young age, he was just 1 year-old. Shortly after this Census, his mother Eliza née Pinnock also passed away at the young age of 37.

At some point over the next few years, Anthony moved to Monmouthshire, where on 23rd September 1895 he married Harriett née Hodges at the church of St. Illtyd, the parish church of Llanhilleth at the time. They were married in the presence of Mark Bennett and Emily Niblett. Their fathers were named as Joseph Overfield, a Labourer, and Henry Hodges, a Furnaceman. Electoral Registers from 1897 to 1899 give their address as Harcourt Crescent, which was located at Warm Turn in Aberbeeg.

Harriett Hodges had been born on 10th December 1876 at Lydbrook in Gloucestershire. She was the daughter of Henry Hodges and Caroline née Beal who were married on 11th April 1869 at the Holy Trinity church in Drybrook, Gloucestershire. Harriett was just 4 years-old when the 1881 Census was taken, her family at that time living at New Road in Hangaberry, West Dean (Ref: RG11 Piece 5225 Folio 96 Page 8). Both her parents were 34 years-old, her father being recorded as a “Furnaceman at Tin Works.” Her siblings were Amanda Mary (aged 11), Jane Hannah (aged 9), John Thomas (aged 6), and Elizabeth (aged 7 months).

The 1901 Census shows that Anthony and his young family then moved to Dudley where they are found living at Abberley Street, his occupation being recorded as a “Rivet Maker for Tanks” (Ref: RG13 Piece 2747 Folio 37 Page 19). With him are his 24 year-old wife Harriet, and their children Gladys Margery (born 20th June 1896 at Aberbeeg), and William Joseph Henry (born 11th February 1901 at Dudley). They also had another daughter who was born in the spring of 1898, Celestina Isabel, but very sadly, she was just 1 year-old when she passed away in late 1899, shortly before her family moved to Dudley.

Anthony and Harriett soon moved back to Abertillery, where their next child was born, a son named Anthony Charles. Electoral Registers show that initially they lived at 27 Bishop Street, before moving to 44 Castle Street. By 1909, they had moved again to 32 Bryngwyn Road in Six Bells, an address that my parents Arthur and Enid Nixey lived much later on from 1952 to 1966. It’s there at 32 Bryngwyn Road that the Overfield family are found in the 1911 Census (Ref: RG14 Piece 31847 Schedule 218). Anthony is a 37 year-old Coal Miner Hewer, his wife Harriet is 34 years-old, and their children are Gladys Margery (a 14 year-old Domestic), William Joseph Henry (a 10 year-old Scholar), Anthony Charles (born29th December 1902 at Abertillery), Dorothy May (born 2nd April 1905 at Abertillery), Kenneth Leonard (born 24th December 1906 at Abertillery), and their youngest child at this time was Albert Edward (born 16th December 1908 at Abertillery). It appears that when Albert Edward’s birth was registered, his name was entered as Charles. Another child was born several months after this Census, a son named Emlyn Clifford, but very sadly, he was just 1 year-old when he died in late 1912.

The family’s address at the time of the 1921 Census on 19th June was still 32 Bryngwyn Road in Six Bells (Ref: RG15 Piece 26108 Schedule 224). Anthony is recorded as a 47 year-old out of work Coal Hewer with the Powells Tillery Steam Coal Company’s Vivian Colliery at Abertillery. His wife Harriett is 44 years-old, and also with them are their 20 year-old son William Joseph Henry (a Collier’s Helper Underground with the Tillery Colliery Company), Anthony Charles (an 18 year-old Mineral Engine Driver Underground with the Tillery Colliery Company), Dorothy May (aged 16), Kenneth Leonard (aged 14), and Albert Edward (a 12 year-old Scholar). This Census shows they had two more children since the previous Census was taken, Caroline Eliza (born 9th December 1917 at Six Bells), and Victor (born 2nd July 1919 at Six Bells). They also had a daughter Sarah who was born in August 1916, but tragically, she was just 2 days-old when she died.

Electoral Registers show that about a year after this Census, Anthony and Harriett moved to 42 Queen Street in Abertillery where they stayed for a few years. It was while they were living there that Anthony applied for his public service license, as seen in the South Wales Gazette of Friday 30th March 1923:.

Around 6 months later, the South Wales Gazette of Friday 2nd November 1923 reported that Anthony’s new 14-seater bus had been delivered, and that he had asked to be allowed to use his Ford car in the event of a breakdown with the bus. Sadly, his application for the use of his car was declined.

It was a little under 3 years later that the South Wales Gazette of Friday 1st October 1926 reported that “in view of Mr. A. Overfield giving up his service, his licenses should be transferred to the Valleys Omnibus Company at the request of both parties.”

It was about this time that my grandparents Ern and Nance Nixey moved out of 7 Kimberley Road in Six Bells, and Anthony and Harriett Overfield moved in with most of their family. Anthony and Harriett stayed there until at least 1938.

When the 1939 Register was taken on 29th September, it showed that Anthony and Harriet had moved a short distance to Rose Cottage, Wood View, in the Cwmnantygroes area of Six Bells (Ref: RG101 Piece 7434B Schedule 143). His occupation was recorded as an Incapacitated Coal Miner. The 1939 Register also shows that although some of Anthony and Harriett’s children stayed local to Abertillery, others had moved away to various parts of the UK.

In late 1920, Gladys Margery married George Coombes (born 31st December 1899 at Plymouth, Devon). They are found living at 95 Downend Road in the Fishponds area of Bristol, his occupation being recorded as “Fitter (Aero Engines)” (Ref: RG101 Piece 5018H Schedule 135).

In the summer of 1924, William Joseph Henry married Eve née Brooks (born 13th December 1901 at Dudley, Worcestershire). They are found living at 21 Banks Avenue in Kirkby-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, his occupation being recorded as a “Colliery Hewer” (Ref: RG101 Piece 6221B Schedule 157).

In early 1927, Dorothy May married Daniel Stephen Pocock (born 16th March 1906 at Abertillery). They are found living at 7 Kimberley Road in Six Bells, his occupation being recorded as a “Colliery Hewer” (Ref: RG101 Piece 7434B Schedule 248).

In early 1929, Anthony Charles married Winifred née Nuttall (born 12th April 1908 at Kirkby-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire). They are found living in her birth town, their address being given as 56 Gladstone Street, where he worked as a “Colliery Hewer” (Ref: RG101 Piece 6222A Schedule 278).

In the summer of 1930, Albert Edward married Elsie Elizabeth née Flower (born 25th November 1902 at Aberdare, Glamorgan). They are found with Elsie’s widowed mother Esther Elizabeth née Morris at 24 Brookside Row in Cwmtillery, his occupation being recorded as a “Coal Cutter at Colliery” (Ref: RG101 Piece 7432C Schedule 114).

In late 1933, Kenneth Leonard married Ivy Louisa née Clements (born 21st December 1905 at Plumstead in Kent). He is a “Lorry Driver” at the Yoxter Rifle Range in Blagdon, Somerset (Ref: RG101 Piece 7058J Schedule 151). Meanwhile, his wife is found at 1 Sydenham Road in Bristol (Ref: RG101 Piece 4982C Schedule 1). Tragically, Ivy died in early 1941, she was 35 years-old.

In the spring of 1935, Caroline Eliza married Leslie William Terence George Headington (born 12th December 1914 at Abertillery). Along with her brother Victor, they are found at 59 Old Oak Road in Birmingham (Ref: RG101 Piece 5609B Schedule 159). Caroline’s husband is a “Kitchen Hand at Chocolate Factory,” while Victor is a “Storekeeper at Chocolate Factory.”

Several months after the 1939 Register was taken, Harriett Overfield née Hodges passed away on Saturday 30th March 1940 at the age of 63. She was buried at the New Cemetery, Brynithel on Tuesday 2nd April. Anthony survived her by almost two years, until he passed away on Saturday 28th February 1942. He was 68 years-old, and was also buried at the New Cemetery, Brynithel on Tuesday 3rd March.

Credits

The Overfield family crest is by houseofnames.com