Henry Seymour Berry – The Melting Pot

“Dorothy”

by Laura Bray

They say the past is a different country and many of us bemoan the seeming madness of some of the Health and Safety restrictions we live under, but in a less regulated age, we can occasionally wander and wonder.

Such an example would be the Opera “Dorothy” performed 100 years ago today (27^th October 1923) at the Theatre Royal by the Merthyr Amateur Operatic Society – and oh that Merthyr could field such a society today!

Anyway, “Dorothy” is a comic opera is three acts with music by Alfred Cellier and a libretto by B.C. Stephenson. The basic story involves a rather dissolute man who falls in love with his disguised fiancée and it became very popular amongst audiences, opening in London in 1886 and running for 931 performances, making it, at the time, the longest-running musical theatre production in history. It toured in Britain, America and Australia and enjoyed numerous revivals until at least 1908 and so it is easy to see why it was popular with amateur theatre groups. Indeed “The Times” described it, in 1908, as “one of the most tuneful, most charming, and most shapely of English comic operas”.

The Merthyr Amateur Operatic Society clearly did a splendid job of performing it. The review in the Merthyr Express announced that the scenery was “amongst the finest ever seen on the local theatre stage”, the costumes were “almost perfect”, the makeup “really good”, and, as for the singing, it was “magnificent”, reflecting the great choral tradition of the town. In fact, there was no part of the cast and crew not mentioned in his praise, from the performers, to the orchestra, the producer and musical director, and the officials of the society.

But notwithstanding that names sold papers, the Express also reports that the opera played to packed houses each night; that on the Saturday evening, hundreds were turned away; and that an additional matinee performance was added and tickets given to over 100 “inmates from the workhouse”. So, perhaps in this case the praise was well deserved.

The highlight of the opera was clearly Act 2, described as a “masterpiece”, greeted with “thunderous applause”, as the audience prepared for a scene depicting the a hunt and the meeting of the hounds. Not for the Merthyr Amateur Operatic Society puppets, cut-outs or toys. Oh no! They had the foxhounds from the Gelligaer and Talybont Hunt, loaned to them by the Master of the Hunt (who was Seymour Berry’s daughter) Miss Eileen Berry. Imagine now, trying to put on an opera, to packed houses, with the local foxhounds on stage! Health and Safety would have a field day!

The photo in the paper (of poor quality now, but below) shows about a half dozen hounds, looking remarkably relaxed, on the stage with the cast.

The interesting thing about all this is that it does not seem unusual to have working dogs on stage. The Bwllfa Hounds from Aberdare appeared in a theatrical production in the Gwyn Hall in Neath at about the same time. It was truly a different time.

I wonder what the dogs themselves thought of the “thunderous applause” and their nightly performance in Act 2! And I wonder how many were not beautifully behaved on stage…..

Merthyr Central Library

by Carolyn Jacob

A ‘flourishing’ library existed in the Merthyr Tydfil Parish from 1846, although it consisted of only two dozen volumes collected by Thomas Stephens and Charles Wilkins. The books were originally for their ‘conversational club’ and believed to have been in the Temperance Room behind the Merthyr Market. Gradually a number of libraries developed in Merthyr Tydfil, Abercanaid, Aberfan, Dowlais, Penydarren, Thomastown, Treharris, Troedyrhiw and, outside the Parish, Cefn Coed. The ‘central’ library was located in the Town Hall from 1901 but transferred to two vacant shops in the Arcade by 1907. By 1918 The Arcade Library had a reference section and a sizeable number of books. In 1930 the Corporation had to find new premises for the Library and moved to 136 Lower High Street at an annual rental of £100. The Library was known as the Town Reading Room and both this library and the Thomastown Library closed in 1935 when the new Central Library opened.

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The Central Library, in a fine renaissance rectangular style, is a protected grade II historic building, it was purpose built and has always been a library. It was placed on vacant ground, given by the Council, which was once the site of the former St David’s School. The foundation stones were laid in 1935 and the building completed using money from the American Steel millionaire, Andrew Carnegie. The Carnegie Trust donated £4500 on condition there was an adequate book fund and that a properly trained and competent Librarian be appointed.

The Library was designed by Councillor T. Edmund Rees (of Messrs Johnson, Richards & Rees, architects of Merthyr) and built by Messrs Enoch Williams and Sons, contractors of Dowlais at a cost of £8,500. The exterior is in an Arts and Crafts Modern style with Portland stone, hipped Cumbrian slate roof swept to wide eaves. An attractive feature is the large central doorway and Tudor arch in moulded surround to entrance. The interior has a panelled wooden entrance-hall, although sadly the original oak wood, which is a wonderful feature of this building, was painted during refurbishment in 2011. The stained glass as you enter the building commemorates the Urdd National Eisteddfod which was held in Merthyr Tydfil in 1987. The building was opened in 1936 by the Mayor, Lewis Jones who became the first borrower of a book from Merthyr’s new Library.

The first librarian, Mr E. R. Luke received a salary of £330 a year and not only spoke Welsh fluently but he also had a working knowledge of French, German and Latin. Merthyr Libraries have always provided a free library service for residents and visitors. The new library was a great success and the number of registered borrowers rose from 1400 in March 1936 to 10,765 by February 1940. As a child the historian Gwyn Alf Williams made ‘daring raids into alien territory in Merthyr Library’.

In 1946 Merthyr Tydfil became the first Authority in Wales to appoint a woman as Borough Librarian and an English woman at that – Margaret Stewart Taylor. She also became curator of the Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and was a remarkable local historian. Miss Taylor wrote 23 books on a wide variety of topics, a classic work on library cataloguing and classification, biography, local history such as ‘The Crawshays of Cyfarthfa’, travel writings based on her own experiences and romantic fiction set in a fictional town which was a thinly disguised Merthyr Tydfil. She compiled and edited ‘Fifty Years a Borough, 1905-1955’ to commemorate the incorporation of the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil. She set up a school library service and established local history as important in both the Library and the Museum. Margaret Stewart Taylor demanded high standards from her staff and would personally inspect the library shelves to make sure the books were all in strict order. A book incorrectly shelved would be left in the middle of the floor.

The Plaque on the exterior of Merthyr Tydfil Library by the doorway is dedicated to Richard Lewis, (Dic Penderyn). At the time of the 1831 Merthyr Rising he was a miner in Merthyr Tydfil. He was charged with feloniously wounding Donald Black of the 93^rd (Highland) Regiment. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. Despite a petition of 11,000 names for his reprieve, he was hanged at Cardiff on 13 August 1831. His last words on the scaffold were reported to be ‘O Arglwydd, dyma gamwedd’ – ‘O Lord, what injustice’. He is buried in Aberavon. Later in the century another man confessed to the crime for which Lewis had been hanged.

There is also a plaque on the front of the Central Library dedicated to Ursula Masson, who was born Ursula O’Connor in Dowlais, and became a leading Welsh academic and writer who worked closely with Jane Aaron and Honno Press/Gwasg Honno, the Welsh Women’s Press, on the imprint Welsh Women’s Classics – to bring back into print the works of forgotten Welsh women writers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Outside the Library, the Statue and Plinth to Henry Seymour Berry are Grade II Listed monuments. The statue stands at the centre of a semicircular forecourt in front of the Library, and it was designed by W. Goscombe John RA and erected in 1931. It consists of a bronze figure in full robes with a cocked hat in the crook of his left arm and a parchment grasped in left hand. The inscription:

Henry Seymour Berry, Baron Buckland of Bwlch, Hon. Freeman of the Co. Borough of Merthyr Tydfil.
Born 1877 – Died 1928.
Erected by public subscription.

There are recent plaques attached to the statue to mark the achievements of his two younger brothers. James Gomer Berry, Viscount Kemsley and William Ewert Berry, Viscount Camrose.

Christmas in Merthyr Tydfil A Hundred Years Ago – part 2

Christmas a hundred years ago would have been a more religions event than today.

Both chapels and churches would have special services and carol singing on Christmas Eve and the family would turn out for a service on Christmas Day itself. The timing of the Christmas dinner might depend on what was known about the preacher and how long his sermons usually took. Chapels would attract with wonderful singing and many other festive events. In 1922 the annual Bethania Eisteddfod took place on Christmas day with a splendid attendance and a keen competition. Penywern Chapel also held an Eisteddfod which was very popular. The Bryn Sion Eisteddfod was an enjoyable event on the afternoon and evening of Christmas Day and a good gramophone with excellent records were a modern addition. There was also an Eisteddfod in Bethesda Chapel on Boxing Day. The time-honoured practice of carol singing was an important tradition, especially in a town such as Merthyr Tydfil with its many choirs of all kinds. The carol singing was especially popular when it consisted of popular Welsh carols.

Following Christmas day Frank T. James delivered a talk in Cyfarthfa Castle on the Romans in Merthyr Tydfil.

Christmas is all about family gatherings. However, whereas today the celebrations are often centred around the presents and multimedia, in the 1922s Christmas was much more home-made entertainments and taking advantage of time not spent working. A hundred years ago there were an amazing number of social events for people to attend in the Merthyr Tydfil area on Christmas Day itself. Football games were played and for many it was a good opportunity to go to the cinema. All the many cinemas in Merthyr Tydfil put on a special Christmas programme. The Merthyr Electric Theatre changed its programme after Xmas to present a new programme on Boxing Day. The Palace had a continuous show on from 5.30 with a special matinee on Boxing Day at 2.30. The Penydarren Cosy opened Xmas Day at 2pm with ‘Moth and Rust’ starring Sybil Thorndike.

A fancy- dress masked carnival and fourth annual whist drive and carnival was held at the Drill Hall on the 30^th of December in aid of the National Institute for the Blind

There were many differences between Christmas a hundred years ago and today. For instance, there was no Royal Speech as in 1922 the Royal Xmas Day Speech had not yet started. In fact, November 1922 was the date of the founding of the BBC. In Merthyr Tydfil weddings took place on Christmas morning. This might seem odd these days but a hundred years ago Christmas was seen as a good time to get married as it was a day when the family would be free from work and able to enjoy the celebrations.

D Jones Dickinson Factory in Dowlais. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Christmas, as always, was a time for children but in 1922 it was an occasion to make sure children were well fed and schools opened on Christmas day to assist with this. In 1922 500 children attended the 42nd annual Christmas breakfast at Abermorlais School. Children were given tea, bread and butter, currant and seed cake and so on. There was carol singing and a Father Christmas. On leaving each child was given 4 buns, 2 oranges, 2 apples and something to read. All this was paid for by businesses and individuals in the town. D. Jones Dickinson of Dowlais contributed 56 pounds of cake. On Christmas night, teachers, older pupils, and former scholars gathered together for tea and a long programme of singing and recitations. Winter sales, such as that of R.T. Jones, did not start until 5th January.

There were many friends of the poor in Merthyr Tydfil. Christmas would not be Christmas without remembering the Merthyr Workhouse and trying to give its inmates a good day to enjoy when their worries could all be forgotten. ‘Keeping Christmas’ was important, and the Merthyr Express editorial expressed the feeling that people in Merthyr will celebrate Christmas as in past years. However, ‘There will be, nevertheless, a number of people, many more than we like to contemplate, without the means at their command of keeping the anniversary as could be wished. There is ever a great warmth of generosity in our midst which never fails to respond at these times with the means for assisting the less fortunate fellow members of the innumerable human family to do honour to the day’.

Over the Christmas period in 1922 there were 278 men in the workhouse, 195 women and 59 children. It was regarded as important that these all be given a good day and everyone was expected to participate in the general festivities of the season. On the festive day breakfast was served in the Workhouse at 7.00. Mr Morgan attended as Father Christmas and played the organ in the dining hall before he also visited the wards for the old and infirm dressed as Santa Claus. The dinner provided by the Guardians was roast beef, pork, potatoes, vegetables, and plum pudding, served with sparkling water. Oranges and apples were handed out to all. John Morgan again ‘ kept the diners in roars of laughter with his jovial fun’. It was his 29th appearance at this annual treat. The Rev Pugh and many of the Guardians attended. The Salvation Army played selections of music in various parts of the Institution and the Infirmary Dining Hall, Infirm Wards and other areas were very nicely decorated by the staff.

A plan of the Merthyr Workhouse in the 1800s

In Dowlais the inmates of Pantyscallog House were all treated by Dr Stuart Cresswell to his usual gift of two geese for Christmas Dinner. Tea and special Xmas cake was served in the afternoon. Each male inmate received 1 oz of tobacco and a new pipe and females who used snuff were given some. A rocking horse and toys were donated for the children and so were cakes and pastry, chocolates, and sweets. Magazines for the inmates were also donated by the Guardians and local people in the town, such as Mr Howfield and Mr Rubenstein. On Boxing Day the two large trees donated by Mr Seymour Berry and heavily decorated with toys were stripped and children were given the various items. The wealthier citizens of the town were expected to ensure that poorer members of society enjoyed Christmas treats and in 1922 there was a real element of sharing and helping others.

Captain Nelson Morris Price C.B.E., J.P.

by J Ann Lewis

A Merthyr Express headline 60 years ago today, on 18 August 1962 read “Captain Nelson M. Price: the Man Who Stopped a King is Dead”.

The headline referred to an event in 1936 during the visit of King Edward VIII. Captain Price had organised an unofficial parade of his former colleagues in the old Fifth Welsh Battalion in front of the Castle Cinema. As the procession passed, the Royal car stopped, and Captain Price told the King “These men want you to see them, in the hope that you may be able to bring new industries to the Borough so that they may find work”. The King got out of the car, to the astonishment of his ministers, and spoke to the 52 men on parade. The King again departed from the official programme and paid a visit to Dowlais, and it was there that he made the famous remark, “Something must be done”.

Nelson Price was born on 22 May 1892 near Bethesda, North Wales, and when he was quite young, his family moved to Dowlais, settling in Broad Street. Within a few years however, his father died, leaving a widow and eight children.

Nelson volunteered for service on 4 August 1914, the very day that the First World War was declared. He served in Gallipoli, Egypt and Cyprus before being discharged as no longer being fit for service, and he returned to working in the collieries, where he had been studying to become a mining engineer prior to the outbreak of the war.

Following the armistice, he decided to become involved with welfare work relating to the war disabled, war widows and orphans. He was a founder member of the Royal British Legion, becoming the first Chairman in the Wales Area. He also worked tirelessly for the War Pensions Advisory Committee, and was appointed Chairman of the North East Glamorgan War Pensions Committee, being acknowledged as an authority on War Pensions Regulations. He was a champion for the War disabled for over 42 years, and his work was recognised when he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1939, Officer of the Order in 1946 and Commander of the British Empire in 1960.

It was during his time as Chairman of the British Legion in Wales, that he was instrumental in negotiating the gift of Buckland House in Bwlch (the former home of Henry Seymour Berry, Lord Buckland) to the British Legion as a home for ex-servicemen.

During his lifetime, Nelson Price was also appointed Chairman of the Merthyr Magistrates, Chairman of the Lord Buckland Trust, Lifetime President and Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Merthyr and District Angling Association. He was also a lifetime member of the Cardiff Athletic and Rugby Club.

At the time of his death in 1962, he was living in Caeracca Villas in Pant, in a house named ‘Cilfoden’ – the village of his birth. His wife Jane Ann survived him by two years.

Caedraw

by Carolyn Jacob

Following on from the last post here’s a potted history of Caedraw by Carolyn Jacob.

Caedraw means ‘the field beyond’, as it was just outside the traditional village of Merthyr Tydfil and a district beside the River Taff. Although in the eighteenth century it was just a field, as soon as Merthyr started to develop an iron industry this area had houses erected on it for workers and it soon became a built up area. Caedraw first started to have houses from 1800 onwards. Streets here included Taff Street, Upper Taff Street, Picton Street and streets with curious names, such as Isle of Wight and Adam and Eve Court. There was once an old woollen mill in Mill Street. This district was bordered by the River Taff and the Plymouth Feeder.

Along the banks of the river as well as a woollen mill there was a tannery, a laundry, a gas works, together with shops and public houses. The Taff was at its most polluted here, having industrial and household waste, together with the black waters of the Morlais Brook, ‘the Stinky’, carrying the filth of Dowlais and Penydarren Ironworks. Thankfully the herons on its banks find the river much cleaner today.

A hundred years ago Caedraw School was multicultural with English, Irish, Italian, Jewish and Welsh pupils. The old Caedraw School was built in 1872 and had some very famous ex pupils, such as the freeman of Merthyr Tydfil and miner’s leader, Arthur Horner. The school was situated by the old gas works.

Caedraw School with St Tydfil’s Church behind. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Because the district was very near to the river Taff, the first laundry in Merthyr Tydfil was set up here but sadly the workers here succumbed to cholera in the 1849 epidemic and this resulted in the Parish publishing a newspaper advertisement to tell people not to boil their water. According to the 1881 census there was a woollen factory between numbers 37 and 42 Picton Street. There were a number of public houses, lodging houses, and a bakehouse in Vaughan Street.

This built up area consisting of lots of small courtyards was very densely populated. The houses themselves were very clean, but small and without any modern conveniences. The old rambling buildings along tightly packed streets of Caedraw became very old fashioned and in need of repair by the 1950s. Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council decided to redevelop Caedraw and build modern flats here to replace the old houses. From 1959 onwards old Caedraw was gradually pulled down but not without a certain feeling of sadness, despite a headline in the Western Mail on 24 April 1959, ’12 Acres of ugliness being razed, Merthyr’s biggest face lift. More than 200 houses, two shops, two pubs and a club were put under the sledge-hammer in one of the biggest redevelopment schemes in South Wales’.

An aerial view of Caedraw before it was redeveloped. Caedraw School can be seen in the bottom right hand corner with the gasworks in front of it, next to the river. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The official opening of the Caedraw ‘Central Housing Redevelopment Project’ was on Thursday 22 April, 1965 by James Griffiths, Secretary of State for Wales. The Caedraw Scheme of 193 dwellings consisted of 66 one-bedroomed flats in the 12 storey point block. There are 64 two-bedroom maisonettes, 24 three-bedroomed maisonettes and 8 bed-sitting room flats in 8 4-storey blocks. The remainder of the accommodation is contained in two 3-storey blocks containing 19 two-bedroomed maisonettes, 9 one-bedroom flats and 3 bed-sitting room flats. The tender of George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. was accepted by the Council in January 1963 and work on the flats commenced four months later in April. The completion date in the contract was April 1965 but the scheme was completed and handed over six months ahead of this date.

Caedraw in 1965 after the redevelopment. Photo from the official ‘Opening’ programme of the Caedraw Project

Each block of flats was named after an important figure in the history of Wales. St Tydfil’s Court (the Celtic Saint buried here), Portal House (Portal wrote the report of the Royal Commission of 1935 into the state of Merthyr Tydfil), Wilson Court (Harold Wilson was Labour Prime Minister when the flats were opened), Buckland House (Lord Buckland a wealthy financier born in Merthyr), Attlee House (Clement Attlee Labour Prime Minister after 1945), Hywel House (Hywel Dda was a Welsh King who had the laws of the country written down), Trevithick House (Trevithick was the first to use a locomotive to transport iron from Penydarren and unwillingly carried passengers too).

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: Pant Baths

by J Ann Lewis

The Pant open-air swimming baths opened in 1937 at a cost of £6,000. The cost was met with a 100% grant from the Special Commissioner for Distressed Areas. Concern was expressed, as the grant only covered the cost of the construction; maintenance had to be provided out of the rates and could prove expensive. When Henry Seymour Berry, Lord Buckland, gave the gift of the Gwaunfarren Baths, it was on the condition that the running cost of it never added to the rates.

Up to 1924, Merthyr had no public baths, other than the privately-owned Turkish Baths in Caedraw. There was also the old Gwaunfarren Open-Air Baths belonging to the Bolgoed Estate that was let out to whoever would rent it. Ultimately, it became derelict and was then abandoned. It was on that site the Gwaunfarren Indoor Baths were built and presented to the Mayor of Merthyr, Councillor L. M. Jones, and opened on 3 July 1924.

The opening day at Pant Baths. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The modern Pant pool was 100 ft long by 40 ft wide and 8 ft at the deepest end, and it was equipped with a 5-metre international diving stage, springboards and a chute. It had 16 changing cubicles for men and the same for women, and a great spectators’ gallery. The Pulsometer Engineering Co. installed the water filtration plant, but the delivery of sand for it delayed the opening. The lowest tender by Enoch Williams & Sons, Contractor, Dowlais, was signed on 28 May 1936.

In the same year, two local men were appointed Clerks of the Works; Thomas Dean of Penywern for Pant Baths , and Reginald McDonald of Gwladys Street, Pant, for the Edwardsville Baths which were being constructed at the same time. They experienced difficulty in obtaining carpenters, bricklayers, and steelworkers, and this, along with extremely wet weather further delayed the work. They eventually employed a foreman, 5 carpenters, a bricklayer and 3 labourers.

The chairman of the Corporation Baths Committee, Alderman Sam Jennings finally opened the baths on 20 May 1937.

Due to bad weather, the attendance was poor in the first few weeks, but picked up during August with 6,624 attending; £67 worth of receipts was taken. Unfortunately, during the warm weather, the tar from the asphalt surrounding the pool got onto the feet of the swimmers and caused discolouration of the water, so they subsequently covered the area with Cullamix (a hard wearing cement mix).

The pool held 180,000 gallons of water, and during the first quarter, ending 30 September 1937, 442,000 gallons had been used.

Pant Baths in the 1970s. Photo courtesy of J Ann Lewis.

It was well used during the warm summer months, and most of the local children learned to swim there, developing deep suntans – long before the dangers of sunbathing were learned. It was a great place for summer picnics, but on hot summer days, the queues to gain entrance were unbearable.

In 1985, and after years of use, the baths were in a shocking condition with graffiti covering the walls and windows boarded up. By July that year, the Council decided to demolish the baths, and accepted the lowest tender, submitted by Collinbourne Construction, for the sum of £5,575. It was advised that items of equipment from Pant Baths be utilised as a standby system at Gwaunfarren Baths.

It was a sad end for a place that had been such an important part of the community for many years.

Pant Baths being demolished in 1985. Photo courtesy of the Alan George archive.

Merthyr’s Chapels: Market Square Chapel

Market Square English Congregational Chapel

By the 1830’s the population of Merthyr was expanding rapidly, so there was need of a place of worship for the English speaking members of the Independent chapels. A group of Scotsmen began meeting in a small room in the Old Foundry in Lower High Street.

On 30 December 1838 a public meeting was held and it was decided to establish an English Independent Church. The foundation stone was laid on 11 June 1840 and the chapel was completed and opened for worship on 4 May 1841. Market Square’s first minister was Rev Edward Griffiths. Rev Griffiths son, Samuel went on to become Prime Minister of Queensland.

Over the years many improvements were made to the chapel including the installation of an impressive organ costing £120 in 1850, and the building of a schoolroom and new vestries in 1877 costing £400.

In 1893, the Christian Endeavour Society which was very active at Market Square Chapel started to hold open air meetings at Caedraw on Sundays, and later Caedraw Board School was obtained for services.At the beginning of Rev S R Jenkins’ pastorate in 1898, the chapel engaged an evangelist, Miss Ward, for a period of twelve months, and promised to build a Mission Hall. For various reasons the building of the Mission Hall was delayed, but it was finally completed and opened on 3 November 1904. The Caedraw Mission became a great success, and a full time missioner was installed there at a fixed salary. It remained an integral part of Market Square until it was demolished in 1961 to make way for the new road being built.

Caedraw Mission Hall in the background of this photo. Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

In 1912, Alderman J M Berry, who was a leading deacon of the chapel was elected Mayor of the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil, and his three sons would go on to be prominent citizens and all three would be honoured with peerages.

Henry Seymour Berry (1877-1928) acquired substantial holdings in steel, coal, transport, printing, and shipping and was made a Freeman of the Borough in 1923 and became Baron Buckland of Bwlch in 1926. William Ewart Berry (1879-1953) and James Gomer Berry (1883-1968) together built a vast empire of magazines, regional and national newspapers, including the Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, and the Sunday Times. Gomer became Baron Kemsley in 1936 and Viscount Kemsley in 1944. He was made a Freeman of the Borough in 1955. William was made Baron Camrose in 1929 and a Viscount in 1941.

In 1938 Market Square Chapel celebrated its centenary; one of the appreciative gifts to the chapel was the installation of a new pipe organ. Lord Kemsley and Lord Camrose had shared their parent’s affection for the church of their boyhood days and made a gift of the organ in memory of their parents.

In 1961 it was announced that the chapel was to be demolished as part of the refurbishment of the town centre, and after many discussions, in 1966 it was decided to build a new chapel. The old chapel was finally demolished in 1969 and the foundations for the new chapel were laid the same year. The new chapel which is now situated in Salmon Street officially opened in 1971. The new chapel was designed specifically so that it could house the pipe organ donated by the Berry family, so the organ was put into storage until the new chapel was built and it could be installed.

In 1972, Market Square became a United Reformed Church, and in 1974 united with Hope Chapel and Trinity Chapel, Merthyr Vale. In 2008, it became apparent that the cost of running both Market Square and Hope Chapels was too high so that it was decided that one of the buildings should be closed. A vote was held amongst the members of the congregation, and it was decided that Market Square should be kept open, and it is one of the few chapels still holding services.

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: Gwaunfarren Baths

Swimming has always been a popular pastime. Up until the late 1880s, however, the only place for anyone in Merthyr to enjoy a swim was in one of the many ponds dotted around the town. These were often dirty and un-hygienic and people would quite often find themselves swimming with goodness knows what.

In 1889, John Vaughan, a local solicitor, secured a piece of land in Gwaunfarren, and opened an open-air swimming pool there. Fed by a channel off the neighbouring weir, and with wooden decking along the pool’s edge, the new pool provided a safe venue for swimming set into the hillside amidst sheltering trees and bushes.

Gwaunfarren Swimming Pool. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

In February of the following year, John Vaughan set up a limited company, ‘The Merthyr and Dowlais Swimming Bath Company Ltd’, to formalise the formation of the new bathing facility. The company was registered with a capital of £800 in £1 shares, “to obtain a lease from Colonel Morgan of the swimming bath at Gwaunfarren, Merthyr Tydfil, for 60 years, at a rent of a peppercorn, when demanded, for the first 21 years, and £3 per annum for the remaining period”.

With this secured, John Vaughan embarked on developing a more permanent site with relevant facilities, and the new Swimming Baths were built by a local builder, Mr Matthew Warlow at a cost of £1,600, and were opened in 1891.

From the outset, the new baths were a success. A swimming club was started and competitions and swimming galas were held regularly at the baths.

One of the regular visitors to the baths, and one of its greatest patrons was David Alfred Thomas (Lord Rhondda), the Welsh industrialist and M.P. for Merthyr between 1888 and 1910. In 1915, Thomas was aboard the RMS Lusitania when it was sunk by German torpedoes, and a number of accounts say that he cited the years spent swimming at Gwaunfarren as a contributory factor in helping save himself from the disaster.

The impact of the First World War was catastrophic on the open-air baths and through a mixture of declining use, neglect of the fixtures and fittings, and even pilfering of parts of the wooden structure, the baths were closed.

Following the war, Henry Seymour Berry, Merthyr’s great benefactor, realising the Merthyr no longer had adequate swimming facilities, paid for a new, indoor facility to be built on the site of the old baths, and subsequently made a gift of the new baths to Merthyr County Borough Council.

The new building, which was built at a cost of over £8,000, was officially opened in a grand ceremony on 3 July 1924.

‘New’ Gwaunfarren Baths. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The baths were refurbished again at a cost of £67,000 in 1979-1980, and they remained open until 2007. The building was subsequently demolished.

Cyfarthfa Fountain

The article transcribed below appeared in the Merthyr Express 100 years ago today…

Fountain at Cyfarthfa Park

FORMAL PRESENTATION BY COL. J. J. JONES

On Tuesday afternoon the handsome water fountain presented to Cyfarthfa Park by Col. J. J. Jones, J.P., Cefn Coed, and his family, was formally presented to the Borough. The weather was exceedingly inclement, and during the whole of the interesting ceremony rain fell heavily, especially when Miss Jones turned on the water.

The fountain is planned with a circular basin 16ft. diameter, from the centre of which rises a circular pedestal 2ft. 6in. in diameter surmounted by three figures carrying a cornucopia, from which a jet of water issues. Around the base of the pedestal are carved dolphins and birds from the mouths of which sprays issue. Four winged cherubs riding on dolphins are placed around the basin, sprays issuing from the dolphins’ mouths. From the water line to the top of the pedestal is 9ft. 10in. A very pretty effect is produced when the fountain is in full play. The work has been carried out in Clipsham stone, a similar stone being used on most of the Oxford colleges.

The work has been executed by the well-known firm, Messrs. Martyn and Co., of Cheltenham. The architects were Messrs. Johnson and Richards, of Merthyr. The fountain work was done by Mr. E. P. Davies, builder, Dowlais.

The Mayor called upon Col. Jones to present the fountain to the park and to the inhabitants of the Borough.

Col. J. J. Jones, referring to the pouring rain, facetiously remarked that he was afraid that the people would be of the opinion that the fountain was a superfluity which they might very well do without. (Laughter.) For some years past his sister-in-law Mrs Jones, his nieces and himself had thought of presenting something useful to the Borough, and their chance fell upon this fountain. They thought that looking at the long connection of the family with Cyfarthfa, that it would be most appropriate to place the fountain in Cyfarthfa Park. (Applause.) He was glad they had the consent of the Corporation to erect it there, and it was with great pleasure that he handed the fountain to the town. (Hear, hear.) He was very glad indeed to have had the great skill and experience of Mr. Richards, the architect, to guide them in selection of the design, and also to carry out the work. He devoted a great deal of time and attention to do it, and he was sorry that an engagement in London prevented Mr. Richards from being present at that ceremony. The firm who undertook the work were to be congratulated upon its neat design and beauty. Col. Jones referred to the fact that during the preparation of the fountain his sister-in-law, Mrs. Jones, had passed away, and Mrs Jones was, unfortunately, unable to attend that day. He therefore, had pleasure in presenting the fountain to the people, and a thing of beauty in the beautiful park. (Applause.)

Councillor Dd Jones, Chairman of the Parks Committee, formally accepted the gift on behalf of the Corporation and the inhabitants of Merthyr. He said he was glad to find they had such men as Col. Jones come forward and help to beautify the park and increase the pleasure of the people. He trusted others would follow in his footsteps. (Applause.)

Miss Olive Jones then, amid applause, turned on the water.

At this stage the Mayor said he regretted the absence of Mr. H. Seymour Berry J.P., who had written to say that he was quite unable to fulfil his promise to attend and take part in that interesting function.

His Worship the Mayor moved a hearty vote of thanks to Col. Jones and his family for their generous gift to the townspeople, and said the people of Cefn, who were outside the Borough, would also be able to appreciate it when they visited the park. The name of Col. Jones’ family would now be enrolled in the history of the Borough, and whenever the present and future generations inspected the fountain, they would always refer with pride to the family who were so well known at Cefn. (Hear, hear.)

Councillor Parry, in seconding the vote, said he appreciated the fountain because it was so near the Castle School, and the scholars would be able to admire the work of the sculptor. (Hear, hear.) It would be an incentive to the scholars to make progress in art, and visitors would, he was sure, also appreciate it very much. The inhabitants of Merthyr would always be grateful to Col. Jones and his family for such a handsome gift. (Applause.)

The proposition was carried with acclamation, and Col. Jones having responded in a few, well-chosen words, an interesting ceremony in the history of the Borough concluded.

Many thanks to Tracy Barnard for transcribing this article.

Cyfarthfa Park Fountain in the 1920s. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: The Castle Cinema

Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

By the late 1920’s, with the burgeoning popularity of ‘moving pictures’, Merthyr already had a number of purposely built cinemas: the Electric and the Palace in town, the Cosy in Penydarren, the Victoria in Dowlais and the Picture Palace in Troedyrhiw. Everything changed in 1927, however, when ‘The Jazz Singer’ was released. This was the first ‘talking picture’, and cinema was revolutionised.

Unfortunately, none of the cinemas in Merthyr had the technical apparatus to show ‘talkies’, so it was decided that a new purpose built cinema was to be erected. Merthyr Cinemas Ltd, a company which had been set up in 1916 by Henry Seymour Berry to oversee the growing number of cinemas in the town, undertook the planning for the enterprise, and the new cinema was built on the site of the old Castle Hotel. It was designed by the architect O.P. Bevan with the building work carried out by a local contractor – Mr George Warlow using stone supplied by Vaynor Quarries. The overall cost of the building was £300,000.

The Castle Cinema was opened on 11 February 1929 by the mayor, Alderman David Parry at a grand ceremony. The following description of the building appeared in the Merthyr Express on 16 February 1929:

“The Castle Cinema is capable of seating 1,700 people, and ranks among the most commodious and luxuriously fitted film theatres in the Provinces. The main entrance is on Castle Street, so that patrons are spared the discomfort of congested traffic conditions in High Street. The foyer, approached through three pairs of double doors is of an irregular shape, spacious and is beautifully decorated. Leading from the marble foyer are staircases to the mezzanine floor and the gallery, and double doors opening to the ground floor, where there is an excellent fall towards the stage and screen. The walls are beautifully decorated by murals paintings of singular beauty and charm. Large landscape panels, designed by Mr. J. Jones, a local artist, for the decorators (Messrs. W.R. Lewis and son, Merthyr) show stately castles and medieval settings, and across the ceiling is colour washed a brilliant sky illuminated from two light ray domes. An electrically controlled passenger lift carries patrons to the balcony, and gallery floors. The hall is built of fire resisting materials, and the various inlets are supplemented by numerous emergency exits. The Cinema is adapted also for concerts, and a dance or tea-room is provided on the Mezzanine floor, from where runs a small circle, with seats for fifty persons.

One of the famous Christie unit organs has been installed. It combines the musical features of the finest Cathedral pipe-organ, with the manifold voices of a symphony orchestra. no fewer than one hundred miles of electric wire is used in the construction of the mechanism, while 20,000 contacts , all of sterling silver and soldered joints, are contained in the console and action machines, and there are a thousand pipes. The three manual console is provided with 150 stop keys and a remarkable simulation of the human voice is produced by means of the vox human. The organist is Mr Gwilym Jones L.R.A.M., will also direct the Castle Cinema orchestra, which will be under the leadership of Mr Ronald Jones, from the London Symphony Orchestra.”

The Christie Organ in the 1940’s with long-time organist Gene Lynn. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

In 1932, the cinema was bought by Associated British Cinemas and renamed the ABC Castle Super Cinema. In 1954, the organ, which had been falling into disrepair for many years was removed, and in 1972 the cinema was bought by the Star Group who decided to alter the cinema – converting the stalls into a bingo hall, and converting the balcony into two small ‘studios’.

From 1977 the cinema passed into the ownership of several independent operators, and in 1998, the bingo hall closed and a new 300 seat cinema was opened in its place the following year. The cinema closed in 2003 and soon fell into such a state of disrepair, that despite several failed ventures (a skating rink and a pub), the building was demolished in 2011.