A history blogger is hoping the people of Llangollen can help him fill in missing parts of the puzzle of why a wealthy American-born businessman ended up living and dying in dire poverty in this town over 120 years ago.
Canadian James Johnstone has been delving into the life of James Preston Tompkins who had been a highly prominent and well-off figure in Vancouver in the late 19th century before moving across the Atlantic with his wife.
After coming to live in Llangollen the couple, and their daughter who was born here, fell into destitution and Tompkins eventually died a pauper.
Mr Johnstone has now contacted llanblogger to see if any of our readers can shed any light on what happened in those fateful final years.
He writes: "Though I am currently retired and live in Italy, I run a history blog based in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada and recently uncovered an extraordinary, tragic historical link between Vancouver, BC, and Llangollen that I thought your readers might find fascinating.
"In the 1890s, an American-born man named James Preston Tompkins was a highly prominent, wealthy figure in Vancouver. He and his London, England-born wife Florence Helena Marshall, were local celebrities, heavily followed by the Canadian press during a lavish honeymoon across East Asia and Australia.
"However, in the early 1900s, the couple relocated to Llangollen. While living there, Tompkins was allegedly swindled out of his entire personal fortune. He fell into absolute destitution, ultimately reduced to selling matches on the streets of Llangollen to survive, and died a pauper."
It was claimed he was swindled out of thousands of dollars by a Columbian attorney while his back was turned.
Mr Johnstone adds: "I am trying to track down the Welsh chapter of his life, specifically how he was cheated, where he lived, and where he is buried - likely a pauper's grave in the area.
"If you think your readers would be interested in this local history mystery, I would love to collaborate. Perhaps a short feature on your blog could help connect me with any local historians or residents who might recognize the story or know where the town's historical burial records are kept."
In his history blog Mr Johnstone records that sometime in 1891, the Tompkins family departed Vancouver one last time - and this time it is forever.
He writes: "The family moved to the small town of Llangollen in Denbighshire in northern Wales. In 1897, a daughter, Florence 'Florrie' Helen Tompkins was born in Kingston upon Thames in Surrey, England. She was baptised in Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales on July 7, 1897.
"For a time, the Tompkins family enjoyed an idyllic, privileged existence there until financial disaster strikes the family.
"The Tompkins family were listed in the 1901 Wales Census. It lists their address and Penycoed, which is a road name but also the name of a wooded area on the southeast outskirts of Llangollen.
"If you look at the profession listed for James Preston Tompkins he is listed as a self-employed 'Hawker'. What happened to Tompkins family's former wealth?
"Sometime before or in early April in 1902, James Preston Tompkins passed away at the age of 69 in Corwen, Denbighshire, a small town about 16 kilometres west of Llangollen."
* You can read the first part of James Johnstone's remarkable riches-to-rags story of James Preston Tomkins on his blog at: https://househistorian.blogspot.com/2026/03/1150-haro-street-revisitation-part-1.html
* And if you can help fill in the missing parts of the puzzle, please email us at: llanblogger@gmail.com
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