The Christening Gown

by

Gwenllian

On February 5^th 1901 my grandparents Joesff Collins Jones and Agnes Griffith were married at Holyhead. Josepff was a lighthouse keeper at the time, but went on to become a harbour pilot at Holyhead. The following February the first of their thirteen children was born. He was Owen John and he would be the first of the babies in our family to be christened, in the beautiful little christening gown that my grandmother bought.

"Agnes and Owen John, 1902"

Lizzie, Martha, Maggie, William Isaac, Ella, Joseff, Tecwyn, Cynfelin, Elfyn, Gwyneth, Edith (mam) and Glenys who was christened in 1928 were also christened in it. (NB William Isaac and Cynfelin, followed in their father’s footsteps to become harbour pilots at Holyhead )

All the children of the next generation were also christened in the robe, and it was at this time that the christening gown took it’s first trip overseas. My uncle Joseff who was a whaler and seafarer met and married a South African girl named Doreen and their daughters were christened. It then came back to Wales and in November 1954 at St Cybi’s church Holyhead I was christened by my father who was a curate there at the time.

"Gwenllian, 1954"

Over twenty years later, in December 1977 our son Sion Rhys, was baptised by his grandfather at St Gwynhoydl’s church, Llangwnadl. Two years later our daughter Sera Rhiannon, was also christened in the same little gown.

The next time the christening robe was used  was in 1995, when it took another trip abroad and Daniel Pye was christened in the Anglican Church on Magnetic Island, Townsville, Australia, and then his sister Rebecca Gwyneth Pye was christened at Yungaburra Anglican church, Atherton tablelands, Nr Cairns, Queensland, in February 1998.

Nearly a hundred years after the christening gown was first used, our grandaughter Gwenno Mai, was baptised by her great grandfather, Canon Robert Williams, on the 18^th of June 2000, at Llanfaelrhys church, in the same christening robe, that has been used for every generation in our family to date, and will hopefully still be used for generations to come.

"Gwenno and her Godmother  Sioned, 2000"

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