| Description | It is full of interesting matter. e.g. there is a good deal about the will of Owen Lloyd in 1665 (see "Endowed Charity Report, Anglesey", 431-443) with its particular benefactions to youths born in the parish of Penrhoslligwy; this Lloyd was a merchant of London, member of the once powerful family of the Lloyds of Lligwy, which came to a rather inglorious close with Thomas Lloyd of Llanidan, to whom Dorsett acted as agent, and whose lands were now owned by Sir William Irby (to whom also, to all appearances, Dorsett was agent). He makes it clear that this Charity was sadly neglected through the death and desuetude of trustess, hopes the Honoured Sir will inquire into the matter, and advocates a reorganisation of the trust under the auspices of the High Courts. He goes on to ask a personal favour in support of his clerical son-in-law; he hopes that certain promotions might bring this son the vicarage of Llanidan (that did not happen, however, as the then vicar lived till 1758, and was succeeded by Henry Rowlands, the younger, of Plas Gwyn; nor is it easy to know which of two sons-in-law he had in mind, one being the Rev. Robert Williams who became rector of Llanystumdwy in 1758, the other the Rev. John Hughes, who became rector of Llanrhuddlad in 1755 (see "Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families by J.E. Griffith (Horncastle, 1914)", 328)). Dorsett has also some informing things to say about labourers' wages in those days - "workers in husbandry are become intollerable in their wages, which very much impaires the farmers profitt". He was the elder Francis Dorsett of that name, a family more associated with Salop and Montgomeryshire than Anglesey; he himself and his wife, according to J.E. Griffith, were buried inside the old church of Llanidan. |