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| Margaret Landeg, granddaughter of Lt.Colonel John Landeg |
| Edward Landeg, Burgess of Swansea- brother of Lt.Colonel John Landeg |
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| Brinwhilach- purchased by Lt.Colonel John Landeg upon his return from India |
| Milsom Street, Bath- Lt. Colonel John Landeg died here in 1808 |
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John Landeg was born in 1742, son of Squire John Landeg of Trewyddfa Issa in Llangyfelach. His mother was Mary Thomas, daughter of William Thomas of Brinwhilach in Llangyfelach.Through his mother John was related to many prominent families in Glamorgan one of whom was the last Earl of Leicester.
As a younger son John had to seek a career beyond his birthplace. He enlisted in the Honourable East India Company's army and there he carved out a most successful career. He rose to the rank of Major and, like many others of his class, accumulated a small fortune. At the same time he fathered several children almost certainly by a native woman of some social standing.His son, also named John, was brought back to Wales and educated as a gentleman at Carmarthen Grammar School.Upon his return to Wales, Major John was awarded the retired rank of Lt.Colonel and settled back in his home parish of Llangyfelach. There he purchased his mother's ancestral home, Brinwhilach.
Colonel Landeg's fortune was used to buy a substantial landed estate along with Brinwhilach itself. He was a partner with his brother Roger in forming the first Swansea Bank. He was chosen as a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant for Glamorgan.
Not content with his life as a major landowner he invested in the Swansea Harbour Trust, The Swansea Canal Company and was an original shareholder in the Mumbles Railway Company.
The Colonel's military experience was utilised during the Napoleonic War when he was given command of the Swansea Royal Volunteers.
Brinwhilach was not a typical Welsh gentry house at the time of the Colonel's ownership. He kept native Indian servant boys, strange pets and surrounded himself with 'bevies' of maidservants. He took charge of two nieces left orphans. One later married his son John. The other ran away to London to become an actress. She later married Frederick Reynolds the dramatist who stayed several times at Brinwhilach.
The Colonel's son John was a great disappointment to his father. Having married the his cousin Sophia he later bigamously married at Chester where he was serving as a Captain in the 22nd Regiment. To confuse matters he,later again,married bigamously a certain Agnes Corbet from Ilfracombe. The children of this 'marriage' form the London Landeg branch.
The Colonel also fathered an illegitimate son, Thomas, in 1794. This son gave rise to the Bettws branch of Landegs from whom the author descends.
After such an interesting life little wonder that the Colonel caused controversy in death. He cut off his children without a penny. He took care of the nieces for whom he clearly cared deeply and the bulk of his fortune was left to a great nephew Miles, son of Frederick Reynolds.
The Colonel's son, John, attempted to discredit the will made in favour of Reynold's son. The whole estate ended up in Chancery where it took over 60 years to be resolved.The legend of the Colonel's fortune has been handed down through many of his descendants and makes him such an interesting character.
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