Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - Chains at Penarth Dock - Macey, Mules and Wallace Family History . . .

Although John Street is a terrace of small houses, numbers 8 and 9 are a little larger, with big bay windows. William and Eliza therefore showed enterprise in the newly growing community by opened up a small shop and tea room in the front room of number 9 (Slater's Directory). This was no plate glass window affair, just a front room that served friends and neighbours. They also had a lodger to help pay the way. He was John Honeyman, a Chief Officer on the ship ‘Excellent’, based in Sunderland.

In 1878, they moved around the corner to 3 Maughan Terrace. William was still working as a coal tipper and Elizabeth opened up the front room as a ‘coffee room’ (Business Directory). This was because Maughan Terrace had many seaman’s lodgings on the opposite side of the road and most transient sailors had money to spend during their short time ashore.

In 1881, they were recorded as living there with their 6 surviving children and Minnie Wards (aged 19), a local girl who worked there as a ‘servant’.

Elizabeth died in 1882, aged just 39 from complications caused by giving birth to her 12th child. She was buried at St Augustine’s Church.

Slater’s Directory’ dated 1882 refers to the occupants of 3 Maughan Terrace as ‘Males, W., eating house keeper’. It had miss-spelt Mules. Perhaps William stayed home for a few months to look after the 6 surviving children. The ‘coffee room’ was now doing food as well for the many sailors who lodged nearby.

Less than a year after the loss of his first wife, William found happiness again. He married Elizabeth Mathews. William went back to work as a coal tipper. William affectionately called Elizabeth ‘Mother’.

By 1890, William had moved his new wife and growing second family from 3 Maughan Terrace along the street to number 14. There were 12 living there, William and his wife, 7 children, and 3 boarders. His new wife also uses the front room as a ‘tea room’. How she managed with space is not known.