The Melting Pot

The Mystery of Dr Gabe – part 2

by Lynette Rees

Merthyr had three large ironworks at the time: Cyfarthfa, Dowlais and Plymouth, and there were many coal pits in the area which would tie in with the fact her husband had been a collier.

These are the facts I could find out about John Bernard Gabe from a 1908 Welsh newspaper:

He’d had a serious illness which had overtaken him eighteen months beforehand, but he had still attended his duties and died the eve before his birthday
He’d never fully recovered from that illness
He’d been ill for two to three days before his death
He’d been out motoring with friends the week before his death in North Wales
He died from congestion to the bowels
He was living in Morriston Swansea at the time
He was a native of Cefn, Merthyr, being the ONLY surviving son of the late Mr. John Gabe.
He died aged 55 years of age
He received his education at London and Cork Universities and become fully qualified at Glasgow University.
He came to Morriston while a young man, as assistant to the late Dr. Henry Davies, whom he afterwards, succeeded.
At the point of his death he was in partnership with Dr. Morgan.
He was patron of the Loyal J. B. Lodge [Order of Shepherds]
He left behind a widow [unnamed] and five chidren sons: Howel, Leslie and Vincent and two daughters Beryl and Thaisa?
His son Howel was completing his studies to follow his father into the medical profession.
The deceased was a brother-in-law of the Rev. T. Sinclair Evans, Swansea

I think this information proves that John Bernard Gabe is not the same person as John Rees Gabe as some people seem to think. John Rees Gabe ended up in Mecklmeurst Square in London. It says in the article that John Bernard was the only surviving son of Rees Gabe which would imply the other Doctor [John Rees] Gabe was dead, but that isn’t so, as the article was printed in 1908 yet, John Rees didn’t die until 1920. So perhaps they weren’t even brothers but related.

Though, I strongly believe that both were brothers, but the one who attended the Miller’s Court murder of Mary Jane Kelly was ‘Joseph’ Gabe, who for some reason changed his name when he turned up in London. Don’t forget he’d been involved in several high profile inquiries that had hit the newspapers, maybe he didn’t want people to know when he moved away. He settled in London with his family at 16 Mecklenburgh Square St. Pancras.

Now the other curious thing about this is that if say, this John Rees Gabe, was nothing to do with John Bernard Gabe [though one heck of a coincidence both are listed as doctors!] then why is there evidence of a John Rees Gabe from Merthyr being with a Rachel M. Gabe. Rachel M. Gabe can be found on the census showing Rees Gabe as her father.

The 1881 Census shows a 27-year-old John B. Gabe as being a General Practioner, LSA, etc born in Merthyr Tydfil but by then married to a woman called ‘Annie’ and living in Llangefelach Road, Clase. Going by the other names mentioned [including his mother-in-law] then his 22-year-old wife Annie, was originally a Rosser by birth. The couple are childless so far in this census. See source here:

Dr. John B. Gabe

1891 Census return for 16 Mecklenburgh Sq, St Pancras:

John R Gabe (Head), 39, born Merthyr Tydfil. Registered Medical Practitioner
Marion LS (Wife), 35, born St Helens, Lancashire
Caroline M (Daur), 10, born London, Spitalfields. Scholar
Winifred A (Daur), 7, born London, Spitalfields. Scholar
Ivor S (Son), 5, born London, St Pancras
Rachel M (Visitor), 23, born Merthyr Tydfil [John’s sister]
Frederick G Foniham (Visitor), 37, born St Helens, Lancashire. Woollen Agent
Ellen F Cobb (Servant), 28, born Plymouth. Domestic Servant

The only thing I can think of that makes any sense is that Joseph [John Rees] and John Bernard were brothers from Merthyr, who trained to become doctors. John Bernard moved to the Swansea area where he married and lived the rest of his life as a successful well-respected doctor. Joseph went to London where he also worked as a Medical Officer as he did at St Tydfil’s Workhouse, but he changed his name! Now why do that? Was it because he came under suspicion for any wrong doings at the Workhouse? Was he either Joseph Gabe or John Rees Gabe or even John Jones Gabe [see later explanation for this.]

I’ve also found mention of the Doctor Gabe at Merthyr returning from Cardiff several times where there was also an Infirmary. Mary Kelly was said to have entered an Infirmary and moved to London afterwards.

Did both Doctor John [Joseph?] Gabe and Mary Jane Kelly know one another before they both set off for London? Did he change his name? If so, why do that? And why was Doctor John Rees Gabe one of the first doctors on the scene when he was known to be a gynaecologist? Why was there an obstetrician there too? In fact, I’ve read reports that state in all, six doctors were present at the scene.

There are more questions than answers, that’s for sure….

And now this afternoon, I just found evidence that the Doctor J. Gabe working at St Tydfil’s was still there on the Board of Guardians in 1881/1882 when John Bernard was registered on the census living in the Swansea, it seems this must surely be John Rees Gabe, except in certain articles the name is referred to as J. J. Gabe and I even found him referred to as John Jones Gabe. It seems unlikely to me there would have been 3 doctors with the name John Gabe working in Merthyr. At that time there were only about 15 Gabes registered in the area.

Curious!

Many thanks to Lynette for allowing me to use this. To read the original article please see

The Mystery of Doctor Gabe from Merthyr

The Mystery of Dr Gabe – part 1

by Lynette Rees

Doctor Gabe, who is reputed to be one of the first doctors on the scene of the final Jack the Ripper murder of Mary Jane Kelly, is one of the persons mentioned, apart from Mary herself, who I find most intriguing of all in the case. Not just because he was born and bred in my home town of Merthyr Tydfil, but because of his movements during that period of time.

Gabe, was reported as living in Merthyr Tydfil, where his father was reputed to be the landlord, Rees Gabe. Now this is where the confusion and mystery begins…there appears to be a Doctor John Bernard Gabe listed as being Rees Gabe’s son of Merthyr. John Bernard Gabe did exist as I’ve found a newspaper clipping of his death, complete with a photograph, [see above].

In the article in the newspaper called ‘The Cambrian -10th July 1908‘, it says that John Bernard’s father was Rees Gabe, but it appears to say John Bernard previously resided in Cefn [there is a Lord Raglan pub which is still operational in Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil.. I have found mention of 3 such pubs, one in Glebeland Street, Cefn Coed and Dowlais] But which one was it really? I’ve also found an article in a Welsh newspaper where Rees Gabe from the Lord Raglan Glebeland Street, had bales of hay stolen and had taken someone on in court for the offence.

Not only is the pub an enigma, so is Doctor Gabe as there is a Doctor John Bernard Gabe mentioned and more often Doctor John Rees Gabe in connection with the case of Jack the Ripper. Now, John Rees makes complete sense as being the son of Rees Gabe as names were often handed down to sons. Yet, on the Census there is only a boy called John and a boy called Joseph that could be brothers who were doctors. There are three other brothers, William age 13, Benjamin 7, and 1-year-old Henry.

Joseph’s age fits best the year John Rees Gabe was born which was said to be around 1852 [he might have been almost 9 when the census was taken so could have been born in 1852.] So was that name changed at some point from Joseph to John?

Also curious is the fact that John Bernard isn’t on that census, though the newspaper report says Rees Gabe was his father. If he was 55 years of age in 1908 when he died, then he was born circa 1853. So was he Joseph? Was there only one year between John Bernard and John Rees? It doesn’t make sense. Of course the one called John on the census there was 6 at the time, which would have made his birth year around 1855, that doesn’t tie in with any dates either.

1861 Census return for the “Lord Raglan”, Merthyr Tydfil

Rees Gabe (Head), 38, born Llangathen, Carmarthenshire. Innkeeper
Anne (Wife), 35, born Llangathen, Carmarthenshire. Innkeeper
Mary Anne (Daur), 11, born Merthyr. Scholar
William (Son), 13, born Merthyr. Scholar
Joseph (Son), 8, born Merthyr. Scholar
Benjamin (Son), 7, born Merthyr. Scholar
John (Son), 6, born Merthyr. Scholar
Elizabeth (Daur), 6, born Merthyr. Scholar
Henry (Son), 1, born Merthyr
Anne Williams (Servant), born Carmarthen Town. House Servant
Mary A Williams (Servant), 15, born Pontypool, Monmouthshire. House Servant

I’ve also discovered a Doctor J. Gabe who worked as a medical officer at St, Tydfil’s infirmary/workhouse in Merthyr Tydfil. A newspaper article mentions him one night working with ‘his brother’. So did Rees Gabe the publican have two sons who were doctors? One called John Bernard and one called Joseph Rees [who later changed his name to John Rees when he arrived in London?]

The Doctor J. Gabe who worked as a Medical Officer at the workhouse/ infirmary seemed to be a colourful character who got involved in certain inquiries held by the hospital board where he came under suspicion of various misdeeds. One was about giving a ward sister a lot of grief, who seemed to dislike him intensely! He was often spoken of as having an extremely bad temper by staff at the infirmary.

To add to his mystery, several Ripperologists have mentioned that Mary Jane Kelly, was at one time living in Merthyr Tydfil herself. Mary was said to have married young to a man with the surname ‘Davies’, but sadly her husband got killed in a pit disaster. [This information is derived from an account by Joseph Barnett, her London lover, who told police this information after her death]. There is a 16-year-old ‘Mary Jane Davies’ listed as residing at the Brunswick Hotel in Thomas Street, not that far away from St. Tydfil’s Infirmary.

Mary, although described as ‘Irish’ is known to have spoken the Welsh language. Her father was said to have worked at the ironworks [again this information came from Joseph Barnett].

To be continued…..

Many thanks to Lynette for allowing me to use this. To read the original article please see

The Mystery of Doctor Gabe from Merthyr

The Dark Side of Convict Life – part 3

by Barrie Jones

Henry’s first taste of long imprisonment was in November 1895 when together with Thomas Lewis and David Davies, his ‘old schoolmate’, he was tried for ‘feloniously and burglariously entering the dwelling house and pawn shop of Samuel Fine, Troedyrhiw’. The assizes Judge, Justice Lawrence, ruled that there was no evidence of burglary against Henry and David Davies, instead they were tried on the second count of receiving stolen property, knowing it to have been stolen. All three offenders were treated the same and they were each sentenced to three years’ penal servitude.

Penal servitude, which had replaced transportation, consisted of separate confinement in silence and hard labour, and was only given in exceptional circumstances. However, theft of property coupled with recidivism, was likely to impose penal sentences. It is likely that Henry and his two accomplices did not realise the full consequence of their sentences, on hearing the verdict they left the dock laughing.

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

Chapter III

One glass too much very often brings with it one step further, for when once a man has met misfortune, it is not a very easy thing to get on in the world. Once he is stamped with the prison taint, it is all up with him. He may, after the first, second, or third time, try to amend his ways, but there are others who make it their business to inform his employers who he is, what he is, and where he has been. This is done chiefly by the police, and what is the result? Well, it can all be put in a nutshell: The unfortunate man’s employers having learned his history, tells him in a mild sort of way that he requires his services no longer. Thus, he is thrown out of honest employment. Is there any wonder then that the poor wretch falls back again into crime?

I was tried at the Cardiff Assizes in the year 1895, having been accused of taking part in a robbery which I knew nothing at all about, and simply because I was found in possession of a certain article, I was deemed guilty, and sentenced to three years’ penal servitude. Even if I had committed the crime, such did not merit the sentence passed upon me. I acknowledged that I was guilty of receiving, but the law takes it that the receiver is worse than the thief. Again, it is not because of the nature of a crime brought against a man that he receives such a heavy sentence, but simply because he has been previously convicted; thus, a heavy sentence is passed upon him on the strength of his previous convictions. I have in mind the case of a man who stood accused of murder. The crime, no doubt, was of a very bad nature, but even if the man had committed the crime the law was not justified in passing the capital sentence upon him for there was not sufficient time allowed for inquires to be made into the state of his intellect. After he was hanged it leaked out that the man was insane at the time. Many a man has been hanged and after his execution the right man has given himself up and confessed to having committed the crime.

After being tried, found guilty, and sentenced to penal servitude, I was escorted back to Cardiff Prison in the “Black Maria”, but before proceeding any further, I will endeavour to give readers an idea of what his Majesty’s vehicle is like. It is something similar to a hearse, or more like a gaol on wheels. There are twelve separate cells in the interior, and they are so small that one has to wriggle himself up like a snake in order to get into them. I sometimes think that if this van could speak, it could tell how it had carried many a murderer to hear his last sermon. The cells at the Town Hall are a little larger, but not very well ventilated. There is netting overhead, giving the prisoners a close resemblance to a pack of wild beasts. The lions at the Zoological Gardens are far better accommodated. I was escorted in this cramped position back to Cardiff Prison, where I was hurried below into a place known as the “reception”, where I was waited upon by a warder, who quickly exchanged my navy-blue serge for a brand new suit of khaki. He afterwards proceeded to weigh me, take my measurement, and take my marks. He was not a bad sort of a man, and always ready with few words of kindness to a poor wretch – for, you know, after a man has been so long in prison, it is considered a very dangerous thing to exhibit any little feeling of sympathy towards him for a kind word under those circumstances has killed many a poor prisoner. He then locked me up, and gave me a bit of good advice to sleep upon.

To be continued…..

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70 years ago today……

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: Merthyr’s Lost Cinemas

Following on from the last post we’ll have look at some of the eleven (yes it’s hard to believe) cinemas that were in the borough in the mid 1900s, but have since been demolished.

Merthyr Electric Theatre

Opened in 1910, it was Merthyr’s first ‘purpose-built’ cinema.

The Electric Theatre. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Palace Theatre

Merthyr’s second cinema, opened in 1912.

The Castle Cinema

Opened in 1929, it was built specifically to show the new ‘talkies’, and was Merthyr’s grandest cinema.

The Cosy Cinema, Penydarren

Opened in 1914

The Victoria Cinema, Dowlais

Opened in 1910, it was Dowlais’ first, and only ‘purpose-built’ cinema.

The Victoria Cinema. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archivepubl

The Oddfellow’s Hall

Built in 1876 as a meeting hall, it housed a cinema for many years.

The Picture Palace, Troedyrhiw

Opened in the 1920s

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The Electric Cinema, Aberfan

The Palace Theatre, Treharris

Opened in 1891 as the Treharris Public Hall, it later became the Palace Theatre.

Do you remember visiting any of these cinemas? If you do, please share your memories.

Entertainment in Merthyr

Youngsters today might be surprised that there was a time, not a million years ago, when Merthyr was a hub of all kinds of entertainment: several cinemas showing a variety of films, plays being performed by both professional and amateur companies at several venues – not to mention live music at several ‘night spots’.

Below is just an example of what was regularly on in Merthyr – all of these adverts appeared in a single issue of the Merthyr Express 70 years ago today, 21 February 1953…

The above is just a small example of what was going on in Merthyr – there was something new happening every week somewhere up and down the borough. How times have changed.

Do you have any memories of going to any of these places? If so, please share any memories with us.

Gelligaer Historical Society History Conference

Iorwerth Price Jones, Trelewis…The Quiet Referee – part 3

At the end of the 1973 season on April 28^th Iory found himself at Anfield, , in a vital end of season game that could see Liverpool become League Champions. As usual Shankley arranged for Meg to get great hospitality and a vital game got underway with Liverpool needing to draw. In an exciting game the match finished goal less and amid great celebrations Liverpool were Champions. Iory was getting changed in the Referees’ room, a special place, off limits to most people, when a knock was heard on the door, it was Bill Shankley.

“Hello Iory” would you like to keep the match ball?” Iory often took the match ball home from games or other memorabilia and he would raffle it for charities back home in Trelewis, his way of giving something back to the village. “Yes please” said Iory, and Shankley said “come with me”

They walked to the Liverpool changing room, a scene of great celebration and excitement and on the sight of Shankley a respectful silence filled the air.

“I want you all to sign this ball for the Referee” and they duly obliged, along with the great Shankley himself. Iory still has the ball to this day and there is a photograph here to prove it.

Note Bill Shankleys signature on the match ball

Iory would often appear on “Match of the Day” but there were no videos in those days so he never could get a copy. He did ask a friend once who worked on the BBC to try to get him one but his mate came back and quoted a small fortune to secure a copy, so Iory never got to keep a copy.

Again Iory was the match referee for Home International matches and during his career he reffed some of the most famous footballers in British history.

The 1974-75 season was to be the last Season in which Iory would referee at the top level, he had reached the age that referees were forced to retire, even though he was still very fit and probably more knowledgeable than at any time during his career.

The first game was up in London at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea and their manager Dave Sexton, it was a league game in the top division, Chelsea v Burnley, a famous name was on the coaching staff ay Chelsea, Mr Dario Gradi who later became a record breaking manager at Crewe.

He was to ref many crucial games that season and again he was busy in Europe, he was well liked and respected for the way he controlled matches, to his credit he only ever sent two players off the field of play, Peter Storey of Arsenal and Billy Bremner of Leeds, both for fighting each other.

Iory was to finish his football league refereeing career down in Devon at St James Park, Exeter, a far cry from some of the magnificent stadiums he had officiated in, but they made him very welcome and put a lovely piece in the match programme congratulating Iory on his services to football as a referee.

The final league game at St James Park, Exeter

Following the end of his refereeing career, Iory was still very fit and still enjoyed a game of bowls and generally keeping himself in good shape.

He was approached by Alan Hardaker, the secretary of the football league, to become a referee assessor for the area, to cover matches in Hereford , Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol etc, local to Iory…this was a special job and often Iory was remain anonymous to the match officials as he marked their performances out of ten, from the stands. He would often know the referees personally, many had run the line for him over the years and were close friends, he still had to mark them fairly but he never said a bad word against them…Iory knew that referees made mistakes, but he also knew that they were honest mistakes and his marks reflected that opinion.

After six years Iory finally give up the job of Referee assessor at the age of 53. He continued his teaching career until he was 62 years old, whilst his wife Margaret had a successful secretarial career at Tredomen engineering offices in Ystrad Mynach, where she worked as a personal assistant to one of the managers.

Once they retired they had more time to enjoy their lives and took to the seas, partaking in many cruising holidays, mainly to the Baltic or the warmer Mediterranean, its something they still both love doing in 2009. They have even sat at the Captains table.

Iory is a very skilful maker of Welsh love spoons and he has made quite a few in his time, he even made one for the Captain of a P & O Cruiser, who was delighted to receive such an unique and personal gift. He has also made a beautiful spoon for his wife. They have a daughter and two wonderful grandchildren who have also enjoyed a trip on a cruise ship in the past.

Iory has often attended local schools or youth clubs to talk about his career in football and he is a very interesting orator. Some of the local children speak in high regard of Iory and I received this from Gary Jones who now lives in Field Street.

Growing up in the high street Trelewis my brother Martyn and I were football crazy; having Iory living on the other side of the street was a bit special. I can remember stopping him on the street and asking where he was refereeing on the following Saturday, we would then look forward to match of the day to see if we could see him.

On a couple of occasions we were invited down to his house to watch the European games with him and his wife Margaret, I am sure they were the first games I ever saw on a colour TV! Speaking with Iory recently about his football memories and achievements, I told him I that I could talk to him about football all night long, his stories are so interesting.

So there you have it, a Trelewis man, who was known throughout Europe by the greats in the football world. Iorwerth Jones the quiet referee

Many thanks to Paul Corkrey for allowing me to use this article. To view the original please go to https://www.treharrisdistrict.co.uk/treharris-areas/trelewis/history/

Iorwerth Price Jones, Trelewis…The Quiet Referee – part 2

To keep fit, Iory would do a lot of road work around the valleys and often run all the way to Dowlais and back, he also attended the gymnasium. Iory was also a keen cricketer and liked playing badminton and bowls; he really was a very fit man, despite his earlier problems with his knee.

On the 20^th September 1967 he ventured into Europe and officiated in Switzerland at a European Cup Winners Cup game at the Stadium Olympique Pontaisen. It was to be the first of many European adventures of Iory. He was also the referee at the Welsh cup final between Cardiff City and Hereford later that season….both John Toshack and John Charles played in that two legged final which Cardiff City won 6-1.

Into 1968 and Iory was 40 years old and into his third season as a top referee, he was making many friends in the football world and was respected by some of the games biggest names, Bill Shankley, George Best, Bill Nicholson to name just a few. He would often travel to games with his wife Meg and they would be greeted by club commissionaires and often Meg would get treated like royalty, especially by Shankley at Liverpool.

Often before matches, Iory would be in a room that was filled with a buffet for him and the linesmen and the press would pop in, people like Jimmy Hill, Brian Moore and Ken Gorman and the press men would often devour all the food before the officials had a chance to get a sandwich, but it was all good fun and Iory had a good relationship with many from the press but he was well aware that not all of them were genuine and he had to be careful at times in what he said.

In September he was abroad again, in the middle with two Welsh Linesmen at his side for another European match, this time in Cologne, his reputation was growing.

A genuine team sheet that Iory still has, signed by the legend Matt Busby in 1969, look at the famous names on the list.

In 1969 he became part of a new refereeing scheme called the elite referees, to cover the most difficult games, another testament to the respect that Iory had earned. He was now classed as one of the top referees in Great Britain, along side other top refs such as G. Kew, W. Gow, Leo Callaghan and Jack Taylor. In October he reffed the famous Benfica and Eusebio and he also officiated a vital World cup qualifying match in Luxemburg.

During 1970 he had the honour of being one of only four British referees chosen to attend an International course of referees in Florence.

He also was held in high esteem in Europe and was chosen to ref behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin, which was an amazing experience in those days. Cameras and secret police everywhere and his interpreter always had to accompany him and his linesmen wherever they went. It was freezing cold there and Iory was seriously considering calling off the game due to a frozen pitch, however he was assured it would be playable. 200 soldiers were sent to the stadium and the completely removed the thick ice and top layer of grass to make the match safe to play, the stadium was full to capacity and Iory claims it was one of the best games of football he ever had the pleasure to referee in.

On the 16^th February 1970 he received a letter from the Association of Football league referees and linesmen, informing him that he had been appointed to the reserve list of referees for the upcoming world cup finals in Mexico. A truly magnificent honour, he was sent a full supply of kit from Slazenger, all red. Unfortunately he never got to make the trip, the F.A.W. decided not to send him over, even though there was a fourth reserve Russian referee sent over by the Russian FA.

July 1970, and the disappointment of not making the trip to Mexico was offset by the fact that once again Iory was appointed to the list of referees for matches of E.U.F.A. competitions for the following season. In November he was appointed to ref the biggest match in round two of the European cup, Athletico Madrid v Calgari, a 1-0 victory for the home side in a game that Iory excelled in.

He often had Welsh linesmen with him on trips to officiate in Europe and on May 12^th 1971, he was awarded the Nations cup match in Berne between Switzerland and Greece, the two linesmen were from Swansea, Tom Reynolds and Trevor Jenkins. June 1971 and once again Iory was appointed for another year to referee European matches.

In 1972, Iory ran the line with W. J. Gow (Swansea) referee in an England v Northern Ireland match at Wembley, some of the superstars that played that day included, Gordon Banks, Norman Hunter, Alan Ball, Rodney Marsh and for Ireland Pat Jennings, Terry Neill , Pat Rice, George Best and Sammy McIlroy

Iory continue to gain plaudits for his quiet but fair approach to refereeing and he continued to get International matches and big games, however he never got to referee an F.A. Cup final, he got very close and short listed but lost out to an English man called P. Partridge and in true Valley fashion he took it on the chin saying “Well it’s only fair really because I have officiated at a Welsh Cup final that the English Final be done by an Englishman”

To be continued….

Many thanks to Paul Corkrey for allowing me to use this article. To view the original please go to https://www.treharrisdistrict.co.uk/treharris-areas/trelewis/history/