The birth of John Henry Nott is registered in Dec 1850, reference Swansea 26 563.

He is baptized on 13 Nov 1850 - the record shows his parents as George & Mary Nott of Swansea, Gardner.

George Nott is listed at Cwmdonkin House on the 1851 Census. He is 34 years old, a gardener employing 4 men, born in Torquay, Devon. He is there with his family:

Wife Mary, aged 37, born ?Llananwell? Monmouthshire
Son George, aged 7, born Swansea Glamorgan
Daughter Sarah, aged 6, born Swansea Glamorgan
Son John Henry, aged 5 months, born Cwmdonkin Glamorgan
There is also a servant, Eliza Evans, aged 15.

The location of Cwmdonkin House can be guessed at from the following sequence:

• It is preceded by: Glanmor, Cwmgwyn Farm, Pantygwydyr House, St Helen’s Gate
• It is followed by Bryn(y)mor and Rose Hill.

George Nott Snr. is living at West Cross, aged 70, a farmer with his wife Elizabeth (69) and daughter Elizabeth (33, farmer’s daughter) - all born Devon. His other daughter Emma is now married - she is listed as Emma Ace living at 21 Singleton Street, head of the household, aged 33, born Devon, Treyney? With Samuel (2) and Uarath (1) and a servant Mary Lloyd (15). Her husband Thomas Ace was a mariner so most probably was at sea.

George Nott is listed as living at the “Gardeners Arms”, Cwmdonkin Gardens. He is 47, a master gardener employing 2 men 1 boy and 2 girls, born Torquay. He is with his wife Mary, 44, and children George (17, Gardener), Sarah (15), John Henry (14), Mary Elizabeth (6), also his sister-in-law Rachel Jenkins (41, born Llanvihangal Monmouthshire) and James Henson - a servant born in Spain!

The next house listed is Rose Hill.

George Nott’s father is listed at Graig Cottage, aged 80, a gardener, born Kenn Devon. He is with his wife Elizabeth, aged 70, born Devon Exeter.

George Nott’s sister Emma Ace is listed at 2 Paxton Street with her husband Thomas Ace (42, Master Mariner, born Mumbles) and children Samuel (12), Varath (11) and William (10).

From The Cambrian, August 19th 1870:

Swansea Police News: Saturday, before N.P. Chapman, J.T. Jenkin and J.T.D. Llewellyn.
“Damaging a fence: John Nott Jnr. Residing at Notts Gardens, was summoned by Mr Harding of the Strand, charged with having committed wilful damage to a fence.
Mr Smith was the prosecution; Mr Clifton was defense.
Mr Harding occuppies a farm adjoining the defendant’s father.
“The question was one involving the right to certain land on the prosecutor’s side of a boundary fence and on which the defendant was alleged to have been trespassing at the time the wilful damage was committed.”
Evidence from Thomas Summerville and John Peake (employees of Mr Harding): on Sat July 16th they went to watch the boundary hedge.
John Nott: “the late Mrs Crole occuppied the land before him and Mr Harding had never repaired the boundary fence, except on his own side”
“Daniel Evans said that when Mrs Crole left there he understood that the fence belonged to the Graig, and Mr Nott always repaired it. Evan Johns had occuppied the land of Mr Harding previous to the prosecutor and he had impounded certain horses for trespass over that particular fence”.
There was further evidence to show that the prosecutor kept the fence in repair and trespass proved. Fined 10s + 2s 6d damages and costs, altogether £3 3s. The money was paid.

George Nott is now listed at “Terrace Road, Nott’s Gardens, Cwmdonkin” - next to the “House of Mercy Cwmdonkin” and Hill Farm.

George Nott is listed as 55, a gardener of 10 (0r 14 - hard to read) acres, born Torquay. He is living with wife Mary (53, born Llanfihangal Monmouthshire), children George (27, potato merchant), Sarah (25), John Henry (20, plumber), Mary Elizabeth (17) - all born Swansea.

The marriage of John Henry Nott to Martha Griffith is registered in Swansea in Sept 1872.

George Nott is listed at Terrace Road on the 1881 Census - he is listed following Penlan. He is 66, born Devon, a gardner. Living with him are his daughter Sarah (aged 33, born Swansea), his sister-in-law Rachel Jenkins (aged 62, born Monmouth) and his granddaughter Florence Emily Nott (aged 4, born Swansea).

George Nott Jnr. is living at 3 Edward Street, Swansea. He is 37, a green grocer, living with his wife Sarah (age 36, born Sketty), their daughters Beatrice M. (aged 6) and Lillie Annie (aged 2) and also a servant Catherine Mitchell (age 60, born Bideford Devon).

John Henry Nott is living at 6 Humphrey Street, Swansea. He is age 30 and a plumber. He is with his wife Martha (30), daughter Gertrude (7), sons George (5) and John Henry (3), daughter Edith (2) and son William (3 mo).

Mary Elizabeth (25) is with her husband Benjamin Morris Williams (26) and children Ada (2) and Arthur (5m) at 158 Gorse Lane.

George Nott’s widowed sister Emma Ace is living at 3 Paxton Street, aged 65, born Torquay.

The Swansea & District Directory of 1887 has the following entries for the Nott family:

p. 110: Nott, G. market gardener, Terrace Road.
Nott, G. potato dealer, 3 Edward St
Nott, G. potato merchant, Railway Arches, broad quay (R. Leonard & Co. also listed at that address)
Nott, J.H. plumber & gasfitter, Railway Arches, broad quay and 6 Humphrey St.

It is also possible to trace the whole of Terrace Road from Mount Pleasant:
Morgan, R = market gardener
Daniel, Edward, Rosehill
Nott, G. = market gardener
Williams, Wm. = park keeper
Jenkins, Thomas = gardener
Refuge for Fallen Women
Ridd. John = Bryn Mill parkkeeper
Cwmdonkin Park
Walters, James, Penlan.
Thomas, Iltid, Glanmor.

George Nott is listed at “Notts Gardens”, between Penlan (occuppied by William Walters) and Terrace Road. Cwmdonkin Shelter is two doors down (formerly the House of Mercy).

George Nott is 70, a widower, a gardener. He is living with his daughter Sarah (36, Housekeeper), sister-in-law Rachel Jenkins (68) and another gardener assistant.

Son John Henry Nott (plumber and gas fitter, aged 40) is living at 17 Nicholl Street, Swansea with his family - wife Martha and children George, John Henry & others.

From the Council records that are held at the West Glamorgan Archive Service (reference TC4 / Parks / 2 (Nov 1904-Jan 1911)):

In December 1910 there was a proposed extension to the nursery ground at Cwmdonkin. Mr J.H. Nott “possessed a piece of land adjoining the nursery ground” which he was prepared to lease on the same terms as the land occuppied by the nursery. About 1 acre, to be leased for 10 years at £8/acre/annum.