The owners of a Cardiff shipping firm, they were of Huguenot descent. They came from Jersey, where they inter-married with the Le Moignans, who in the 1850s began shipping to Cardiff potatoes grown on the Morel farm. A series of partnerships culminated in one between Philip Morel (1841-1908) and his brother Thomas Morel (1847-1903; mayor of Cardiff 1899) in c. 1867. This dealt in the Brazilian trade, exporting coal and importing Spanish iron ore. The Morels inter-married with the Gibbs family originally from Portland, Dorset; both families were closely involved with Trinity Methodist Church, Penarth. Thomas married Susanna Gibbs (1843-1910) and Philip married her sister Martha Gibbs (1844-1933), both from a WM family originally from Portland. Their brother John Angel Gibbs (1849-1884) was employed by the Morels as a clerk, but subsequently became a partner. Family ties were further strengthened by the marriage of his son John Angel Gibbs II (1880-1917) to Thomas and Susanna Morel's daughter Gladys Morel (1880-1952); their son was John Morel Gibbs (1912-1996), Vice-President of the Conference in 1958. A new company, Morel Ltd., formed in 1948, was liquidated in 1956.

Entry written by: DCD
Category: Person
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