Merthyr Memories: The Lamb Inn

by Alun Morgan

Fifty years ago today one of Merthyr’s most famous and iconic pubs, The Lamb Inn, closed its doors for the last time. To mark the anniversary Alun Morgan has shared some of his memories.

The Lamb Inn was located at the corner of Castle Street. Its distinctive black and white façade shared with the premises next door, the very popular B Harris Jones Children and Ladies clothes shop. Both fell, alongside other attractive and historic buildings, to the large-scale town centre redevelopment being undertaken by Merthyr Borough Council in the late 60s and early 70s. Another example of this was the Bee Hive, the cosy little pub opposite the Lamb, run by Mr and Mrs Mittel, Owen Money’s parents.

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The Lamb was one of Merthyr’s best known and popular pubs; it appealed to a very wide age and occupational range, as well as supporters of politics across the spectrum. There was no television nor juke box in the bar so conversation was almost compulsory. Despite the very varying opinions of customers this only very rarely became heated and personal. The Bar was ‘men only’ while women were able to use the cosy Snug and the side room, where there was a rather ancient television.  By the early 1970s the once handsome bar had been somewhat spoiled by removal of a semi-partition and paint that did not blend with the furniture.

‘John the Lamb’. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

However, it still generated a vibrant atmosphere and thirsty customers well-served by the owner John Lewis (John the Lamb) , his son, Peter, Jimmy Ryan, Bert (can’t recall his surname) and Jenkin Powell. Jenkin is widely recognised as one of the greatest footballers to have played for Merthyr FC, he also ran the Brunswick pub. I think John had taken over the Lamb in the early sixties, from Mr Walsh, a very widely respected landlord.

The pub’s reputation extended far beyond Merthyr and a photograph of it formed the cover of an album, The Green Desert by the Hennessey’s; the album featured songs, poems and ballads by Harri Webb, one of Wales’ best known poets and one of the Lamb’s many regular customers. The pub also ran a very good Sunday rugby team, under the experienced guidance of ‘Captain’ Syd Hill. One of its final fixtures was, ironically on a Saturday, in the Gwendreath Valley, Carmarthenshire, accompanied by vociferous travelling support.

The Lamb Rugby Team. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The Lamb closed its doors for the last time on April 1, 1973; it was demolished shortly after. With its men-only bar perhaps it was already out of sync with the way society was developing. Nonetheless it was greatly missed by many. I vaguely recall the editorial in the Merthyr Express of the week after. I think it stated something along the lines of ‘Merthyr is not the same without The Lamb’. Few at the time would disagree.

Does anyone else have any memories that they would like to share? Any Merthyr-related memories will be most welcome. If so please get in touch at merthyr.history@gmail.com

The Dark Side of Convict Life – part 4

by Barrie Jones

Chapter III (continued) recounts Henry’s nine-month probationary stay in Exeter Prison and his attempt at escape.

The Dark Side of Convict Life (Being the Account of the Career of Harry Williams, a Merthyr Man). Merthyr Express, 12th February 1910, page 12.

Chapter III (continued)

In the morning I awoke to learn that I was only to remain there three weeks, when I would be transferred to Exeter Prison, a convict receiving depot, to serve nine months’ probation, to make me fit, as the warder put it, ready for a convict prison. The day came when I was to be escorted to Exeter Prison, and my heart nearly changed places with my brain to think that I was to leave the home of my childhood for three long years, but, as there is a certain amount of courage even in a crowd, I consoled myself with the thought that some day I would be free. A thought struck me, supposing I would have a try to slip the handcuffs off, as they had placed a rather large pair on small hands, with that thought still in my mind, I said to myself, “If I failed to escape on the journey, I would have another try at the prison”. All my determinations were shattered, and I had to pay dearly the price of my attempt. All being ready, I was conveyed to the railway station, where I waved good-bye to my dear old mother, who stood weeping on the platform. I was hurried into the train, and soon I left dear old Wales far behind. In the meanwhile, I was trying to force the handcuffs from my wrists, but without success, as I was too carefully watched to do it with comfort.

A few hours elapsed ere I arrived at Exeter Prison, and once again I had to leave the outside world, Again, I was hurried into the “reception”, where I was supplied with another suit of khaki, but instead of trousers, this time I was given knickerbockers, and after listening to a sermon by the warder, who had trained himself to perfection in bouncing, I was taken up to another part of the prison, and located on a ward, known as A3. It was A1 to me. The cell in which I was confined had a great vent along the wall underneath, the window showing signs that it had been tampered with. I said to myself. “Ah, someone has been having a try to escape here, and I begin where he had left off”, but, I was not going to run my head right into it, for I must, first of all, make observations as to the systemmatical way in which the prison was worked, such as the routine of patrols, night watchmen, and so forth. All went well for about six months, when one day I picked up a piece of sharp iron out on the exercise ground, and, unnoticed by the warder, I swagged it into my cell with me, and for about three months I was picking and scraping underneath the bricks, until at last I managed to loosen six of them, taking care each night to plaster them up with whitening so as to make them look like the whitewashed walls.

I fixed to time to escape for a Saturday night in the beginning of August 1896. About midnight I listened attentively for any sound I might hear in the prison, and, satisfying myself that all was well, I took up my iron, and with my blankets all ready to descend to the ground, I suddenly gave two or three sharp knocks and out fell the bricks, but I scarcely before I had the time to get through the hole, I heard the key of a warder unlock the cell door, and two of them came rushing in, made a dash, and, drawing their kosh (batons) they pummelled me right and left. I offered no resistance, but they kicked and knocked me about, then flung me into the condemned cell which happened to be vacant at the time, and there I was left until the following Monday morning when I was brought before the Governor, who ordered me to be tried before the Visiting Committee for attempting to break out of prison. I was asked if I had anything to say, being the usual matter of form question put to prisoners by the authorities of the prison. I replied that I had not. I, of course, admitted the offence, but asked the magistrates if the officers were justified in using violence towards me in the manner in which they had done, as I made no attempt to resist when discovered. They referred me to the medical officer, and, in short, I was tied to the triangle, and flogged. Three days afterwards I was transferred to Dartmoor Convict Prison.

To be continued…..

Merthyr’s Heritage Plaques: Gwyn Alf Williams

by Keith Lewis-Jones

Gwyn Alf Williams

Plaque sited at Lower Row, Penywern, CF48 3ND

A native of Dowlais, Gwyn Alfred Williams (1925-1995), was a lecturer at Aberystwyth University followed by professorships at York and
Cardiff.

His books on Welsh subjects include – ‘The Welsh in their History’ 1982, ‘The Merthyr Rising’ 1978, ‘When Was Wales?’ 1985 and ‘Madoc: The Making of a Myth’ published in 1979.

He was a Marxist who later joined Plaid Cymru.

He took part in many television progammes of which his series with Wynford Vaughan Thomas, ‘The Dragon Has Two Tongues’
aroused much interest.

The plaque has a mistake in that Gwyn Alf Williams died, not in Cardiff, but in Dre-fach Felindre, Carmarthenshire.

Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

But there is another matter that contributed to that end both for them and other ironmasters too. With the dawn of the railways the public were diffident of investing, and the issue of bonds was a neccessity for the ready obtaining of rails. These were generally issued at discount, say as an example, a bond for £100 for ten tons of rails at £8 per ton. The cost of the rails would be, perhaps. £6, so that the iron master, if in a position to do so, would receive say £100 for £60 worth of his product. Bankers would advance upon the deposit of such bonds, and, in consequence, enough money would be obtained to carry on the same cycle of operations.

It must not be thought that the railway company, on the one hand, or the ironmaster on the other, were dealing in hundreds only. One deal may be for ten thousand tons of rails, and if not able to make and deliver the full amount within the specified time, he contracted with other and, perhaps, smaller makers for some portion. The ironmaster, taking the original contract, would thus become an iron merchant, and pay cash or some other mode of payment as may be arranged. Wages were paid in cash, and it may be that a part was arranged by acceptance.

In order to show the difficulty in obtaining money for the making of railroads, let me remind you readers that the £100 Taff Vale share was for sale at £30 at one time, and it was only some five or six persons who made the Aberdare branch from Navigation to Aberdare – the public declined to take shares, Mr C H James told me – but those who ventured have one of the best railway investments, for it was leased to the Taff Vale Railway Company at an increasing rate, 10 percent being obtained in three years, and so to continue in perpetuity.

 

To be continued at a later date.

Merthyr’s Chapels: Bethania Chapel, Dowlais

Bethania Welsh Independent Chapel, Dowlais

In the early part of the 19th Century, members of the Independent chapels in Merthyr who were living in Dowlais began holding meetings at various houses around the town.

When Josiah John Guest arrived in Dowlais and expanded the Dowlais Works, the population increased to an extent that the need arose for the Independent worshippers in Dowlais to have their own chapel. The old Bethel Chapel became vacant in 1822 so services could be held there on Sunday evenings. Rev Methusalem Jones of Bethesda Chapel in Merthyr was instrumental in starting the cause in Dowlais and he had oversight of the congregation for a time until he had a difference of opinion with some of the congregation and left them. Rev Samuel Evans of Zoar Chapel then took over the care of the congregation.

Within a year however, it was realised that the small Bethel Chapel was not adequate for the congregation, so land was found and a chapel was built in 1823 for the cost of £444 and called Bethania.

In 1826 Rev Thomas Jones, a student from Newtown, was invited to Bethania and was ordained as minister of the chapel on 23 March 1826. The congregation increased rapidly and the chapel was rebuilt in 1827. However, within a short time a serious disagreement occurred at the chapel which resulted in Rev Jones and several of the congregation leaving and starting their own cause; this eventually became Bryn Sion Chapel. Rev Samuel Evans once again took charge of the chapel and stayed here until his death.

Following Rev Samuel Evans’ death, Rev John Hughes was inducted as Bethania’s minister in December 1833. Under his leadership the congregation grew rapidly and in 1838 it was decided to build a new larger chapel and the chapel was rebuilt at a cost of £1000 by Mr Thomas Sandbrook, a member of the chapel.

The re-built Bethania Chapel

In 1849, a serious cholera epidemic broke out in Merthyr with 1,682 deaths in Merthyr and Dowlais alone. In the aftermath of this epidemic, a religious revival occurred and despite its huge size, Bethania Chapel could not accommodate the huge increase in the congregation. It was decided that it would be impractical to build an even larger chapel, so a new chapel was built nearby called Gwernllwyn.

In 1855 a schoolroom was built at Pwll-yr-hwyaid, and this was followed by schoolrooms at Gellifaelog and Caeharris.

Bethania Chapel Caeharris Schoolroom. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive.

In 1883 the interior of the chapel was renovated with a new pulpit and seating costing £1350; and a new organ installed costing £350. In 1886, the vestry was constructed behind the chapel. Major renovations were again carried out on the chapel in 1896 when the main entrance of the chapel was altered and a large porch built, and the chapel was we see it today took shape. These renovations cost £500.

The chapel closed in 1999, but in 2012 the building was renovated by the Victory Church who now hold their services there.