The Scurlock family tree
I am at present digitising some of the Alcwyn Evans Manuscrips held in the Library, a collection of invaluable manuscripts by a man who was described as ‘the living encyclopaedia of Carmarthen’.
Alcwyn Caryni Evans was born in Carmarthen in 1828, and was a well respected schoolmaster and a highly industrious antiquary who studied the genealogies of the ancient families of South Wales, especially the town and county of Carmarthen. Whilst researching the contents of these manuscripts I was interested to see a fairly large section on the Scurlock family of Carmarthen, as my great grandmother was called Mary Scurlock and lived near Carmarthen.
My cousin Diana?
It was a complete coincidence that whilst reading an article in Sgrîn, the S4C readers magazine a few days later, that I noticed an article about the programme ‘Perthyn’, partly filmed at the Library, that researches the family history of members of the public. The article goes on to mention Ceri Griffiths, who was researching his family history, and trying to establish a link between his family and Princess Diana. The family in question was the Scurlock family from Rhydargaeau near Carmarthen.
From reading the article, and the information contained in the Alcwyn Evans manuscripts, it is obvious that the Scurlock family of Carmarthen were a rich and influential family in the Carmarthen area, with Royal links. However, there is a 70 year gap between this Carmarthen Scurlock family and ‘our‘ Scurlock family. The programme ‘Perthyn’ which will be broadcast on the 15 June at 9pm aims to close this gap and establish a link.
So, if you see someone walking around the Library wearing a tiara…