This Day In Welsh History

Welsh Author Dorothy Edwards Born This Day in 1903

2012-11-09T22:02:00.001-08:00

From the Wikipedia:- "Dorothy Edwards (18 August 1903 – 6 January 1934), was a Welsh novelist of the early 20th century.

Edwards was from Ogmore Vale in South Wales. She was educated at Howell's School for girls in Llandaff and at Cardiff University. She was politically active, working for socialist and Welsh nationalist causes, but wrote in English. She was also a talented amateur singer. On 6 January 1934 she threw herself in front of a train near Caerphilly railway station. She left a suicide note stating: "I am killing myself because I have never sincerely loved any human being all my life. I have accepted kindness and friendship and even love without gratitude, and given nothing in return."

Edwards wrote a short story, "The Conquered," which was included in A View Across The Valley (an anthology re-claiming female Welsh nature writers)."

A Review of "Rhapsody" - Dorothy Edwards ( Parthian/Library of Wales )

"I am killing myself because I have never sincerely loved any human being all my life. I have accepted kindness and friendship, and even love, without gratitude and given nothing in return." Cardiff Times 13th January 1934

So read the suicide note found on Dorothy Edwards' body after her tragic death in January 1934.

This fine collection of short stories amply demonstrates why, had she lived longer, she might have gone on to become the Welsh Chekhov. Each one is a finely crafted gem although none of them could count as cheery companions for a vacation trip. Many of her characters demonstrate the same eerie and unsettling sense of detachment from their own lives which is evident in the suicide note quoted above. They are frequently consumed with a passion for music which seems to act as a surrogate for genuine emotional attachments. Their enthusiasm for the "life of the mind" seems to preclude and eclipse meaningful human relationships.

It was fashionable in the early 70's to evaluate artists and authors in terms of psychological diagnostic categories and many including Sylvia Plath and even Dylan Thomas were labeled as schizoid by literary critics of that era.. However flawed such critical practices may be the label does seem to throw some light on both Dorothy Edwards and many of her characters.

In the first of these tales, the eponymously titled Rhapsody George Everett is introduced in the following terms:- "His face wore a curious expression, as if he were listening all the time to something intensely illuminating but scarcely audible, or as if he were experiencing some almost intolerably sweet emotion, and he seemed to be imploring you 'Please don't interrupt me for a moment; it will soon be over.' Later in the book after his wife's death his reaction to this tragic event is characterized thus:- " Everett behaved at her death very much as he had behaved when she was ill. He was vaguely sorry for her, but he did not altogether understand what was expected of him."

This collection, which includes three stories not published or excluded from the original 1927 edition, abounds with characters who are similarly emotionally crippled or repressed.

As Christopher Meredith says in his excellent introduction to this Parthian/Library of Wales edition:- " Fashion for re-readings according to various theories have helped critics to rediscover her from time to time, but I believe that Dorothy Edwards is a great deal more than an interesting literary case. She's an important, utterly original modernist. Whichever way you read her, she's the extraordinarily accomplished author of powerful and suggestive fictions."

In echoing these sentiments I can only add that as an avid fan of the short story genre these must rank amongst the finest I have read in many years.

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For the morbidly curious the approximate site of her tragic death can be viewed in the Google Map linked below. Railway Terrace and the "Allotments" ( Community Gardens ) referred to in the "Cardiff Times" article linked above are still there. To the best of my knowledge there is no plaque to mark the spot. Perhaps there should be?

Google Map

Who Was That Masked Welshman - Lone Ranger Born This Day ( February 11th ) 1855

2012-08-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

OK so "The Lone Ranger" is a fictional character but the fact remains that he is probably based on John Reynolds Hughes whose life and exploits are recorded in "Border Boss" ( see link above ).

John Reynolds Hughes whose family were of Welsh descent was born in Illinois on February 11th 1855. Dafydd Meirion, writing in Welsh Cowboys and Outlaws observes that.:- "Hughes grandparent had left Wales for America and his father, Thomas Hughes, had visited Wales twice to see his relatives."

"Border Boss" is essential reading for anyone wanting a detailed account of Hughes' adventures. John Reynolds Hughes single-handedly tracked and subdued two gangs of murderous cattle-rustlers before deciding to do it professionally and joining the Texas Rangers. After that his career reads like a history of the old Wild West. He knew them all:- Butch Cassidy, Judge Roy Bean, Pancho Villa, Pat Garrett, Billy the Kid, John Wesley Harding etc. Not only that but he survived to tell the tale. After his retirement he lived in Austin, Texas where he died in 1946 having reached the ripe old age of 91.

And the Lone Ranger connection?

"The famous western writer Zane Grey spent some time with Hughes while he was on the job. Later, his friend Grey wrote the famous book The Lone Star Ranger and dedicated it to Hughes and the Texas Rangers. It is written that his book was also the basis for the character of radio and movie fame, the Lone Ranger. Thus, some have concluded the Lone Ranger was based on the life of John R. Hughes."

( Quoted from SIPES Houston http://www.sipes-houston.org/story_behind_the_photo.htm )

This Day in Welsh History, March 10 1945 - Bridgend and WWII

2011-03-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

The town of Bridgend in South Wales may seem a little remote from the main action in World war II. But on this day in 1945 a dramatic escape from the Island Farm POW camp in the town took place and for a short while 84 senior German military officers were roaming the Welsh countryside. Nearly all were subsequently caught having made it in a few cases as far as Birmingham and Southampton.

From the Wikipedia :- "Island Farm was a Prisoner of War Camp (Camp 198) on the outskirts of the town of Bridgend, South Wales. It hosted a number of Axis prisoners, mainly German, and was the scene of the largest escape attempt by German POWs in Britain during World War II. Near the end of the war it became known as Special Camp XI. The list of former inmates includes many senior SS military leaders, who were awaiting extradition to the Nuremberg trials."

Bridgend was also important during WWII for other reasons. It was the site of a massive ordnance factory at Brackla, just outside the town, which at peak production employed 40,000 workers, making it the largest single production plant in British history.

From the Wikipedia :- "Until 1936, the 900 acres (3.6 km2) of land occupied east to west by the Bridgend Industrial Estate, Brackla and the Brackla Industrial Estate was farm land. In 1936, noting the building propensity of war by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime, the British Government agreed creation of two new Royal Ordnance Factories, including one at Bridgend on the site of what is now Bridgend Industrial Estate. Needing to store munitions, they eventually dug eight long shafts under Brackla Hill, connecting it to two new ROF's on what is now Brackla Industrial Estate. Both facilities were connected to the Great Western Railway South Wales Main Line, with the line to the Barckla facility running along what is now Church Acre. At its peak, ROF 53 employed some 40,000 people, and was the biggest single factory in Western Europe."

Once World War 2 ceased main operations, ROF 53 stopped production at the end of 1945, and closed completely by the end of 1946. The land was sold to property developers, with that north of the railway developed as a housing."

The Mimosa lands in Patagonia, this day in 1865

2010-07-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

This is an image of the monument to the Welsh in Puerto Madryn. Wikimedia Commons

From the Wikipedia:- "The idea of a Welsh colony in South America was put forward by Professor Michael D. Jones, a Welsh nationalist non-conformist preacher based in Bala who had called for a new "little Wales beyond Wales". He spent some years in the United States, where he observed that Welsh immigrants assimilated very quickly compared with other peoples and often lost much of their Welsh identity. He proposed setting up a Welsh-speaking colony away from the influence of English. He recruited settlers and provided financing. Australia, New Zealand and even Palestine were considered, but Patagonia was chosen for its isolation and the Argentines' apparently generous offer of 100 square miles (260 km²) of land along the Chubut River in exchange for settling the still-unconquered land of Patagonia for Argentina.

Towards the end of 1862 Captain Love Jones-Parry and Lewis Jones (after whom Trelew was named) left for Patagonia to decide whether it was a suitable area for Welsh emigrants. They first visited Buenos Aires where they held discussions with the Interior Minister Guillermo Rawson then, having come to an agreement, headed south. They reached Patagonia in a small ship named the Candelaria, and were driven by a storm into a bay which they named "Porth Madryn" after Jones-Parry's estate in Wales. The town which grew near the spot where they landed is now named Puerto Madryn. On their return to Wales they declared the area to be very suitable for colonisation.

The permanent European settlement of the Chubut Valley and surrounding areas began on July 28, 1865 when 153 Welsh settlers arrived aboard the converted tea-clipper Mimosa. The Mimosa had cost £2,500 to hire for the voyage and convert to passenger use, and the fare from Liverpool to Patagonia was £12 for adults and £6 for children, although anyone willing to travel was taken on the journey regardless of ability to pay.The Mimosa settlers, including tailors, cobblers, carpenters, brickmakers, and miners, comprised 56 married adults, 33 single or widowed men, 12 single women (usually sisters or servants of married emigrants), and 52 children. There were few farmers, which was rather unfortunate particularly when they discovered that the attractions of the area had been oversold and they had landed in an arid semi-desert with little food. They had been told that the area was like lowland Wales. At the coast there was little drinking water and the group embarked on a walk across the parched plain with a single wheelbarrow to carry their belongings. Some died and a baby was born on the march, called Mary Humphries. John Williams was the only colonist with any form of rudimentary medical skill.

Once they reached the valley of the Chubut River, their first settlement was a small fortress on the site which later became the town of Rawson, now the capital of Chubut province. The first houses here were washed away by a flash flood in 1865, and new houses were constructed. The floods also washed away crops of potatoes and maize. The rainfall in the area was much less than the colonists had been led to expect, leading to crop failures."

The Mimosa:- "The Mimosa was a clipper ship best known for carrying the first Welsh emigrants to South America in 1865.

By the time Mimosa made the voyage she was already past her prime, having been built in 1853 at Hall's shipyard in Aberdeen. She had not been designed to carry passengers, but had been converted for the purpose. The cost of fitting provisioning and chartering the ship was £2,500 and the passengers paid £12 per adult or £6 per child for the journey.

Before the voyage the emigrants assembled at various points, not always their places of origin, to prepare for the journey, including Aberdare, Birkenhead and Mountain Ash.

Mimosa sailed from Liverpool, England on May 28, 1865 to Patagonia, South America with a group of about 153 passengers with Captain George Pepperell and a crew of 18. Thomas Greene, an Irishman from Kildare, had been appointed as ship's surgeon. They landed on July 28, 1865 and named their landing site Porth Madryn. They were met by Edwyn Cynrig Roberts and Lewis Jones who had already arrived in Patagonia in June 1865 to prepare for the arrival of the main body of settlers.

Their aim was to establish a Welsh colony which would preserve the Welsh language and culture. The proposed site for the colony was in the Chubut River valley. On September 15, 1865 the first town in the Chubut colony was named Rawson, and the settlers went on to build the settlements at Gaiman and Trelew.

The exact number of emigrants who sailed out to Patagonia on the Mimosa remains uncertain. Although one of the original settlers, Richard Jones (Berwyn), maintained a register of births, marriages and deaths for many years, most of these original records were lost in the great flood in the Chubut Valley in 1899.

In 1875 the Argentine government granted the Welsh settlers ownership of the land which encouraged hundreds of others from Wales to join the colony. The colony became known, in Welsh, as Y Wladfa."

Welsh Patagonia on Amazon

Henry Tudor Lands At Milford Haven, August 7th 1485

2010-07-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

From the Wikipedia:- " Henry VII (before accession known as Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond; Welsh: Harri Tudur; 28 January 1457 – 21 April 1509) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor. Henry won the throne when he defeated Richard III Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of England to win his throne on the field of battle. He was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars of the Roses. He founded a long-lasting dynasty and was peaceably succeeded by his son, Henry VIII, after a reign of 23 years. "

Mab Darogan:- "In the lead up to the Welshman Henry Tudor seizing the throne of England by defeating and slaying Richard III at Bosworth Field in 1485, his supporters and the poets of Wales claimed him as Y Mab Darogan, a move that won the future king many supporters in Wales. He landed in southwest Wales and raised the banner of Cadwaladr, a Welsh king often mentioned in the prophecies as returning with Cynan to free the Brythons - before marching through the country to gather recruits on his way to Bosworth. His reign over England was believed by some to be the fulfilment of the prophecy; a belief that he actively encouraged by naming his firstborn son Arthur Tudor.

Henry VII on Amazon

St Davids Day

2010-07-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it...try our 2007 three course St David's Day recipe. More Welsh recipes to come. Follow the links at the bottom of this post to find individual course recipe pages.

Saint David's Day

March 1st is Saint David's Day, the National Holiday of Wales, a day to celebrate for the Welsh and Americans of Welsh descent. In Wales, people celebrate Saint David's Day by attending church services, wearing leeks and daffodils (national symbols of Wales and St. David), holding parades and children's parties in the schools. Saint David, Dewi Sant in Welsh, lived in the 6th Century and is unique among British saints in that a surprising amount of information was recorded about his life. He was probably the son of Usai, the king of Ceredigion, and the daughter of a lord of what would later be called Pembrokeshire and was the student of another Welsh saint, Paulinus.

Dewi Sant was renowned as a teacher who founded monastic settlements and churches in mostly pagan Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. Today, Saint David's Cathedral stands on the site of a monastery he founded in Glyn Rhosyn (Valley of Roses) in Pembrokeshire. The monastic rule of Dewi Sant taught humility, simplicity and asceticism and he practiced these himself: that monks ploughed, planted and tended their crops themselves, without draft animals; that they drank only water and ate only bread with salt and herbs and never meat or beer; that they spent their evenings in prayer, reading and writing; that no member of the monastery had any personal possessions, everything belonged to them all. Dewi Sant's last sermon was recorded as including the words, "Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about.... Do the little things in life," and this phrase, "Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd," ("Do the little things in life") is a phrase used today.

Saint David's Day Menu

Herbed Lamb Chops with Balsamic Glaze

w/ Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Spring Peas

Welsh Pot Bread

Strawberry-Rhubarb Caerphilly Crumble

Paul Potts Welsh Tenor Born This Day in 1970

2009-10-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

From the Wikipedia:- "Paul Robert Potts (born 13 October 1970) is a British tenor who won the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2007, singing an operatic aria, "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's Turandot. Potts was a manager at Carphone Warehouse who also performed in amateur opera from 1999 to 2003"....MORE.

LINKS

The Official Paul Potts Site

Actor and Producer Kenneth Griffith Born This day - Oct 12th 1921

2009-10-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

From the Wikipedia:-"Born Kenneth Reginald Griffiths in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales,Six months after his birth his parents both left Tenby,going their separate ways and leaving Kenneth with his paternal grandparents, Emily and Ernest, who immediately became his mother and father. A lively rugby union scrum-half, he attended the local Wesleyan Methodist chapel three times every Sunday.

Griffths passed the Eleven plus and attended Greenhill Grammar School, where he met English literature teacher Evelyn Ward, who recognised his writing and acting talent. Before leaving school, his headmaster J.T. Griffth suggested that he drop the English "S" from his name as it was an anglicization, which he did from that point onwards." ...MORE.

Griffith appeared in the following movies:-
.
"The Farmer's Wife" (1941)
"Forbidden" (1948)
"Waterfront" (1950)
"The Naked Truth" (1957),
"A Night To Remember"(1958)
"I'm All Right Jack" (1959)
"Snowball" (1960)
"Circus of Horrors" (1960)
"The Painted Smile" (1962)
"The Lion in Winter" (1968)
"The Gamblers" (1970).
"Four Weddings and a Funeral" (1994)
"The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain" (1995)

He also appeared in the 1960's television series "The Prisoner". He made two highly controversial documentaries about the IRA:- "Hang Out Your Brightest Colours: The Life and Death of Michael Collins."

LINKS

Kenneth Griffith on YouTube

Kenneth Griffith on FindaGrave.

R. S. Thomas - Born This Day 1913

2009-03-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

From the Wikipedia:- "Ronald Stuart Thomas (29 March 1913 – 25 September 2000) (published as R. S. Thomas) was a Welsh poet and Anglican clergyman, noted for his nationalism, spirituality and deep dislike of the anglicisation of Wales. He was one of the most famous Welsh poets.

In 1955, John Betjeman, in his introduction to the first collection of Thomas’s poetry to be produced by a major publisher, Song at the Year's Turning, predicted that Thomas would be remembered long after Betjeman himself was forgotten.

Professor M. Wynn Thomas said: "He was the Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn of Wales because he was such a troubler of the Welsh conscience. He was one of the major English language and European poets of the 20th century."

LINKS

Poemhunter - R.S.Thomas on poemhunter.com.

The Literary Encyclopaedia - R.S. Thomas on the Literary Encyclopaedia.

Google Book Search - R.S Thomas on Google Book Search.

The Guardian - R.S. Thomas' obituary from the Guardian. A thoughtful
and insifghtful appraisal of the man and his career.

The Crooked Timber - Short blog post about R.S. Thomas including Harri
Webbs' hilarious parody:- “Ianto Rhydderch, Tch Tch”

R.S. Thomas on Amazon

St Dwynwen's Day January 25th

2009-01-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

January 25th is Dydd Santes Dwynwen, the Day of Saint Dwynwen, the day of the Welsh patron saint of lovers and the broken hearted, the Welsh equivalent of Saint Valentine's Day.

There are several versions of Dwynwen's story, the least violent version is that Dwynwen was a 5th century Welsh princess who fell in love with a prince called Maelon Dafodrill, but unfortunately her father had already arranged that she should marry someone else (in other versions she can't marry Maelon because she's going to be a nun). Dwynwen was so upset that she could not marry Maelon that she begged God to make her forget him. After falling asleep, Dwynwen was visited by an angel, who appeared carrying a sweet potion designed to erase all memory of Maelon and turn him into a block of ice. God then gave three wishes to Dwynwen. Her first wish was that Maelon be thawed; her second that God meet the hopes and dreams of true lovers; and third, that she should never marry. All three were fulfilled, and as a mark of her thanks, Dwynwen devoted herself to religious service for the rest of her life.

Dwynwen founded a convent on Ynys Llanddwyn, which means "island of Dwynwen's church", off the west coast of North Wales, where a well named after her became a place of pilgrimage after her death in 465AD. Visitors to the well believed that the sacred fish that lived in the well could foretell whether or not their relationship would be happy and whether love and happiness would be theirs. Today, Dwywen's island is part of a British national reserve, with miles of walking trails, sandy beaches and the remains of a 16th century Tudor church stand on what is believed to be the site of the original church on the island.

Saint Dwywen's prayer is "Saint Dwynwen, We beseech thee, Comfort lovers whose vision is unclear. Send mending to those with love lost. Protect our companions. In your name, we seek to do the same. In your name, we choose love first. With the love of you, of Mary, and of Jesus Christ. Amen."

People in Wales and people of Welsh descent around the world celebrate Saint Dwynwen's Day by gifting cards, candy and flowers, special dinners, parties and all the same trappings of celebrations for Valentines Day.

Ivor Novello ( Welsh Composer ) Born This Day ( Jan 15 ) 1893

2009-01-11T19:18:00.000-08:00

From the Wikipedia:- "David Ivor Davies (15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951), better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the early 20th century."

"Novello was born at Llwyn-yr-Eos (Grove of the Nightingale), Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, Wales, to the well-known singer and teacher Clara Novello Davies and David Davies, a tax collector. A blue plaque commemorating his birth can be seen on the side of the house. He attended the highly regarded Magdalen College School in Oxford."

( And as much as I hate to bore people with my own personal reminiscences, I'd just like to point out that I lived in an apartment just a few doors down back in the 1980's. Sorry...couldn't resist.)

Here is Cerys Matthews poignant tribute to Ivor Novello's "We`ll Gather Lilacs". Judging by some of the comments on THIS Youtube page a lot of people did not appreciate the humorous nature of her rendition. Shame!

LINKS

Ivor Novello on Wikipedia

Ellis Humphrey Evans ( Hedd Wyn ) Poet, born This Day ( Jan 13th ) 1887

2009-01-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

Ellis Humphrey Evans was born on this day ( Jan 13th ) in Merionithshire He was a poet who used the baedic name Hedd Wyn ("Holy Peace"). He was killed in action at Passchendaele during World War I.

Hedd Wyn from FirstWorld War.com:-

"Hedd Wyn (1887-1917), born Ellis Humphrey Evans, was a sheep farmer turned poet-soldier who was killed during the First World War.

Evans - who chose Hedd Wyn ('white peace') as his pen name - was born in Penlan, Trawsfynydd the eldest of eleven children, and lived for much of his life at Yr Ysgwrn, a hill farm east of Trawsfynydd." MORE HERE

Welsh Poet Hedd Wynn Death At Passchendaele

LINKS

Hedd Wyn at 100 Welsh Heroes

Hedd wyn on IMDB

Hedd Wyn at The Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum

Hedd Wyn at Gathering the Jewels

The Hero by Hedd Wyn ( in his own hand ) From GTJ

Hedd Wyn on Wikipedia

William Williams Pantycelyn: poet, prose and hymn writer Died This Day ( Jan 11th ) 1791

2009-01-08T22:21:00.000-08:00

From the Wikipedia "William Williams, Pantycelyn (also known as Williams Pantycelyn and Pantycelyn) (1717 – January 11, 1791) is generally acknowledged as Wales's most important hymn writer. He was also one of the key leaders of the 18th century Welsh Methodist revival, along with Daniel Rowland and Howell Harris. As a poet and prose writer he is today considered to be one of Wales's greatest writers,...." MORE HERE.

Alfred Russell Wallace ( co-discoverer of the theory of evolution ) Born this Day ( Jan 8th ) in 1823

2009-01-06T16:06:00.000-08:00

Alfred Russell Wallace was born near Usk in Monmouthshire , Wales on this day ( 8th Jan ) in 1823. He was an explorer, naturalist and biologist. From the Alfred Wallace Website:- "His link to Charles Darwin as the co-discoverer in 1858 of the principle of evolution by natural selection would alone have secured his place in history, but he went on to make very many other significant contributions, not just to biology, but to subjects as far-ranging as glaciology, land reform, anthropology, ethnography, epidemiology, and even astrobiology. His pioneering work on evolutionary biogeography led to him becoming recognised as that subject’s ‘father’."

Darwin, Wallace & the role of Plate Tectonics in Evolution

LINKS

The Works of Alfred Wallace on Gutenberg

Alfred Wallace on Wikipedia

"My Life" by Alfred Wallace on Google Books

The Alfred Wallace Website

"Missing Link" an article from "The New Yorker" by Jonathan Rosen

Alfred Russell Wallace on 100WelshHeroes

"The Man Who Wasn't Darwin" an article from "The National Geographic" by David Quammen

Ray Milland, Actor Born This Day ( Jan 3rd ) 1907

2009-01-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

Ray Milland, actor and director, was born at Neath, South Wales on January 3rd 1907.

He starred in over 100 films between 1929 and 1985 including the Hitchcock classic "Dial M for Murder". Ray won an Oscar for his portrayal of an alcoholic in "The Lost Weekend" (1945).

A scene from "The Lost Weekend"

LINKS

Imdb.com

ClassicMovieFavorites

Wikipedia

PureVideo

YouTube

Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

2008-12-31T19:36:00.000-08:00

This is traditionally he time of year for taking stock and looking back over the events of the last twelve months to see what, if anything, was of lasting significance.On November 20th Welsh was used for the first time in a meeting of European Union Ministers. In the words of this BBC article:-

"The move has been hailed as historic and follows years of campaigning for Welsh to be recognised in the EU."

This is great news for all supporters of the Welsh language and, who knows, maybe even worthy of inclusion in our Top Ten Dates in Welsh History page ( albeit that would make eleven of course ). The old Americymru Calendar of which this page is a part is in the process of being revamped and incorporated into this blog. So that old color scheme you see on the page will soon be history.

But what of the future? The event of greatest signicance this year for Welsh Americans must be the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in July. As WalesOnline reported in November:- "Wales will be the only nation featured at the 2009 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, held on the National Mall in front of Congress." This is a historic opportunity for all those seeking to promote Wales and all things Welsh in the USA. I have heard it said that the "live" audience for this event numbers somewhere near one million and that the TV audience is closer to forty million. Thats one helluva "shop window".

Tidbits and Morsels

An old New Years tradition from Caerleon South Wales, a leftover from the Roman occupation that lasted into the 20th century HERE

A letter from Iolo Morgannwg dated Jan 1st 1792 which positively oozes academic elitism and intellectual arrogance. Hugely entertaining. HERE

Sir Anthony Hopkins Born This Day ( Dec 31st ) 1937

2008-12-30T19:33:00.000-08:00

From the Wikipedia:-

"Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh film, stage and television actor. Considered by many to be one of film's greatest living actors, he is arguably best known for his portrayal of cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 The Silence of the Lambs, and its sequel Hannibal. His other notable film credits include The Elephant Man, Dracula, The Remains of the Day, The Mask of Zorro, The World's Fastest Indian, Hearts in Atlantis, Nixon and Fracture. Hopkins was born and raised in Wales, and also became a U.S. citizen on 12 April 2000. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 and was made a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008."

More Here

Break Out the Champagne for Griffith Davies, Born This Day ( Dec 28th ) 1788

2008-12-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

Griffith Davies was a noted Welsh actuary who was born on this day in 1788. Here is his Wikipaedia page:- Griffith Davies

If anyone knows of any other famous Welsh person who was born on this day or any event in Welsh history which occurred on this date please let us know.

Dan Yr Ogof Caves Discovered This Day {Dec 27th} in 1912.

2008-12-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

One of Wales' premier tourist attractions was discovered on this day in 1912. Two local farmers ( Tommy and Jeff Morgan ) first explored the caves by candlelight. They armed themselves with a revolver as a precaution. The caves , which were voted "the greatest natural wonder in Britain" in a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, are now open to the public.

Dan Yr Ogof on Wikipedia

The Official Dan Yr Ogof Showcave Site

Caves Win 'natural wonder' Vote

Owen Morgan Edwards, Born This Day ( Dec 26th ) 1858

2008-12-26T13:40:00.000-08:00

Owen Morgan Edwards (26 December 1858 – 15 May 1920) was a Welsh historian, educationalist and writer. He is often known as O. M. Edwards.

Owen Edwards was born in Llanuwchllyn near Bala, the eldest son of Owen and Beti Edwards. He gives a vivid description of his early education in his autobiography Clych Adgof ("Bells of Remembrance") published in 1906. Llanuwchllyn was then and remains a strongly Welsh-speaking area, but the Welsh Not was in use at the local school and usually found itself round Owen's neck, as a punishment for speaking Welsh.

After studying at Bala and Aberystwyth, Edwards spent a year at the University of Glasgow studying philosophy before studying at Balliol College, Oxford from 1884 to 1887, winning all the University's three main prizes for history. He came under the influence of the Dafydd ap Gwilym Society at Oxford, establishing friendships with other students who later became prominent in Welsh life such as John Morris-Jones and becoming a strong cultural nationalist. He then spent a year on the continent before returning to Oxford, where he was appointed a Fellow of Lincoln College and became tutor in history there and at other colleges. He remained in this position until 1907 .

In 1907 he was appointed as the first Chief Inspector of Schools for Wales under the recently established Welsh Education Department. He took the first steps towards ensuring that the Welsh language was taught in the schools of Wales. He came into conflict with the Central Welsh Board because of his conviction that the new intermediate schools were anglicising influences in Wales and his determination to resist this.

He was also a prolific writer, starting and editing the periodical Cymru in 1892 and Cymru'r Plant for children in 1894, intended to arouse interest among the people of Wales in their own language and history. An English language version of Cymru, Wales, was less successful. He wrote a number of books on Welsh history, notably Cartrefi Cymru ("Welsh homes") which describes visits to the homes of a number of important historical figures, and published the works of other writers in a series of Welsh classics Cyfres y Fil.

Edwards was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Merionethshire following the premature death of T. E. Ellis MP in April 1899. He did not enjoy parliamentary life and did not seek re-election in 1900. He was knighted in 1916 and awarded the degree of D.Litt. by the University of Wales in 1918. Edwards died at Llanuwchllyn in 1920, his wife Ellen having died the previous year. His son Ifan ab Owen Edwards founded Urdd Gobaith Cymru ("The Welsh League of Youth").

Works by O.M. Edwards

This article reproduced from the Wikipedia in accordance with the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Birth of Richey James Edwards , This Day ( Dec 22nd ) 1967

2008-12-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

Richard "Richey" James Edwards was born on this day in Blackwood , South Wales. Richey was the co-lyricist and rhythm guitarist of the Manic Street Preachers. Missing since 1995, Edwards was officially delared "presumed dead" in 2008.

Richey Edwards on Wikipedia

Manic Street Preachers on YouTube

The Manic Street Preachers with Richey Edwards performing "Revol" from "The Holy Bible"

Giant Zombie Cats on the Loose in Wales: First Photographic Evidence..This Day in 1993

2008-12-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

Wales has been plagued by an infestation of "white mountain rats" or "woolly maggots" for many centuries. The recent sightings of giant cats on the hillsides ( 'Zombi Cathod Mawr' in the vernacular ) are believed to be a gift to the people of Wales from the mighty Merlin who has, of course, been sleeping in a cave for 1500 years (approx) awaiting the call to come to the aid of his countrymen. Until now sheep have outnumbered the human population of Wales by a ratio of four to one. It is to be hoped that these figures will improve now that the mutton munching monsters are in the wild.

The "Zombi Cathod Mawr" are mentioned in the Mabinogion and were used by the "Welsh" Celtic tribes ( Silures, Ordovices etc ) in battle against the Roman legions very much in the same manner as Hannibal's elephants. Unfortunately the Romans learned very early on that it was easy to distract the Cathod Mawr by driving flocks of sheep ahead of their legionary formations. This would enrage the Cathod who would disperse in furious pursuit of the sheep thus largely negating their usefulness for military purposes. A legionary commander is quoted by Tacitus as saying:- "Semper in excremento, sole profundum qui variat!!!" , when he first saw Cathod Mawr in battle formation.

The Cathod Mawr were thought to have become extinct some time in the Dark Ages but were obviously sharing a cave with Merlin, Arthur and his Knights, Owain Glyndwr etc etc awaiting the call.

by Iolo Multnomah View my blog

William Floyd - Born 17th Dec 1734

2008-12-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

This road sign signifies the William Floyd Parkway in Suffolk County, New York. William Floyd was one of the signatories of the American Declaration of Independence. He was of Welsh origin. Born on this day in 1734 (Dec 17th), he lived at Mastic Beach now a part of The Fire Island National Seashore.

He was a commander of the militia on Long Island and was elected to represent the State of New York in the Continental congress. His great-grandfather Richard Floyd was born in Breconshire. The family settled in the Province of New York some time in the mid 17th century.

There is some dispute concerning the exact number of persons of Welsh descent who were signatories of the American Declaration of Independence. If one believes the following article the proportion may be as high as 50%. Presidential connection

Here is Charles Goodrich's estimate of his character quoted from "Lives of the Signers to the Declaration of Independence" ( which can be found here and in the Americymru Library here. )

"In his person, General Floyd was of a middle stature. He possessed a natural dignity, which seldom failed to impress those into whose company he was thrown. He appeared to enjoy the pleasures of private life, yet in his manners he was less familiar, and in his disposition less affable, than most men. Few men, however, were more respected. He was eminently a practical man. The projects to which he gave his sanction, or which he attempted, were those which judgment could approve. When his purposes were once formed, he seldom found reason to alter them. His firmness and resolution were not often equaled.

In his political character, there was much to admire. He was uniform and independent. He manifested great candor and sincerity towards those from whom he happened to differ; and such was his well known integrity, that his motives were rarely, if ever, impeached."

November/Tachwedd

2008-12-17T11:42:00.000-08:00


						1
						1. Samhain
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	1. St Winifred's Day 2.Book Review	1.The Chartist March on Newport 2. Matthew Rees (Actor) born this day 1974		1. Donald Houston was born on this day.
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
1. Bryn Terfel (Welsh Bass Baritone) born this day 1965	1. Richard Burton born in 1925	1. Roy Jenkins (politician) born this day 1920.				1. Aneurin Bevan born in 1897
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
			1. Dick Cavett was born on this day.
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
1. Murray The Hump died on this day in 1965	1. Craig Thomas (author) born this day 1942		1.Emlyn Williams Dramatist born this day in 1905. Emlyn Williams on Google Books	1.Wales Millennium Centre opens, 2004.
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November/Tachwedd

November is a month to remember Wales heritage of political radicalism. On the 4th of November 1839 the Chartists marched on Newport in support of their demand for universal male suffrage and other democratic reforms. On the 15th of November 1897, Aneurin Bevan was born. He was the 'father' of the National Health Service in the UK and was recently voted number 1 in an online poll to establish an all-time list of Welsh Heroes. In terms of the Welsh contribution to the arts and popular entertainment November is also a significant month. Richard Burton, Donald Houston and Bryn Terfel were all born in this month.

The Welsh word for November is Tachwedd. Anyone interested in learning the correct pronunciation ( or indeed in learning the Welsh language itself ) will find a multitude of excellent sites online to assist them with this. Some of these are listed on our homepage which can be found here.

The Easy Way to Learn Welsh History

If you were born Welsh or are of Welsh descent then there is something to celebrate ( or comemmorate ) every day of the year. If you are looking to learn Welsh history one day at a time or just looking for an excuse to raise a glass and celebrate on any particular day this section is for you. You will also find the birthdates of many famous Americans of Welsh descent on these pages. Though these pages are intended as a serious resource some of my co-contributors have a sense of humor. Consequently there are a few 'joke' items spread amongst the vast bulk of factual daily entries. We dont think you'll have too much trouble spotting them.

We will also be including the dates of many Welsh and American Welsh festivals, sporting events etc. Bookmark the Calendar for your daily dose of Welsh history ( and occasional nonsense )!

October/Hydref

2008-12-17T11:21:00.000-08:00


						1
						1.DorothyEdwards "Rhapsody" to be republished 2007 Amazon
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
		1. Susan Sarandon Actress of Welsh descent born 1946		1. Ioan Gruffudd ( Actor) born 1973	1. Morgan Jones (Texas railroad builder) born 1839	1. John Cowper Powys, born 1872
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
			1. Actor Kenneth Griffith Born in 1921	1.Paul Potts Welsh Tenor Born This Day in 1970	1. Universal Colliery Disaster this day in 1913	1. Saunders Lewis born this day 1893.
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
				1. Daniel Owen Welsh Novelist born this day 1836	1. Aberfan Disaster 1966
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
		1.1415 Agincourt Away Match v France 2. Saint Canna's Feast Day.	1. First Welsh Mormons arrive in Salt Lake Valley on this day in 1849.	1. Dylan Thomas born this day 1914	1. Cardiff granted city status 1905
30	31

October/Hydref

The Welsh word for October is Hydref. Anyone interested in learning the correct pronunciation ( or indeed in learning the Welsh language itself ) will find a multitude of excellent sites online to assist them with this. Some of these are listed on our homepage which can be found here.

The Easy Way to Learn Welsh History

If you were born Welsh or are of Welsh descent then there is something to celebrate ( or comemmorate ) every day of the year. If you are looking to learn Welsh history one day at a time or just looking for an excuse to raise a glass and celebrate on any particular day this section is for you. You will also find the birthdates of many famous Americans of Welsh descent on these pages. Though these pages are intended as a serious resource some of my co-contributors have a sense of humor. Consequently there are a few 'joke' items spread amongst the vast bulk of factual daily entries. We dont think you'll have too much trouble spotting them.

We will also be including the dates of many Welsh and American Welsh festivals, sporting events etc. Bookmark the Calendar for your daily dose of Welsh history ( and occasional nonsense )!