John Reardon

     John Reardon was christened on 15 December 1825 at Fornaught, Donoughmore, County Cork, Ireland.^1,2 He was the son of Patrick Reardon and Elizabeth Hennessy. The Reardon family name is alternatively spelled either Reardon or Riordan; both are common spellings of this Irish surname. However, the majority of the English and Welsh historical records spell our family?s surname as Reardon. The Irish name Riordan, from ri "king" and bardan "poet", means "royal poet." In Irish tradition, poets were very highly regarded in any royal household; they acted as scholars, historians and advisors to the king.² John and Margaretmoved to England between 1854 and 1855.¹

John Reardon, age 28, married Margaret Green, age 14 , daughter of Edmund Green and Bridget Mannix, on 15 February 1854 at Fornaught, Donoughmore, County Cork, Ireland.^3,1 Records in Wales list John’s occupation as an Excavator. In England in the 1800s, these kinds of workers were known as Navvies. From the word Navigator, it was a derogatory term that was used to describe those who were employed in the construction of roads, bridges and the widening of canals so that goods could be transported more efficiently. Since many who fled the Irish Potato famine ended up in such jobs, the laborers soon became known as Irish Navvies, even though most were not of Irish decent.¹ In late 1870, or early 1871, John was hurt while working and the family moved to Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales where he and Margaret resided until their deaths. They lived among many other Irish immigrants and attended St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church where five of their children were baptized.¹ John and Margaret, appeared on the Wales Census of 1881 on 11 Court Street, Lower Merthyr Tydfi, Merthyr Tydfil, Breconshire, Glamorganshire, Wales.⁴ According to the Wales Census in 1881, John was a general laborer.⁴ He, 65 years, appeared as Head of Household on the Wales Census of 1891 at Lower Merthyr Tydfi, Merthyr Tydfil, Breconshire, Glamorganshire, Wales.⁵ He died on 17 April 1899 at Merthyr Tydfil, Breconshire, Glamorganshire, Wales, at age 73.^6,1,2 He was buried at Cefn-coed-y-cymmer, Merthyr Tydfil, Breconshire, Glamorganshire, Wales, recorded as Burial Number 2177.^6,1,2