In 1881, a disagreement occurred at Pontmorlais Chapel, and a number of the members left there and began their own cause, eventually building a small chapel next to the Morlais Brook at the bottom of the ‘British Tip’, calling it Abermorlais Chapel. By 1885 however, the dispute was resolved and the congregation at Abermorlais Chapel returned to Pontmorlais.
At this time, about 70 members of the congregation left High Street Chapel to form their own church. When the Methodists decided to return to Pontmorlais Chapel they sold the building to the Baptists for £1,060 who established Morlais Chapel on 27 September 1885. In June 1886, the church was accepted into the Glamorgan and Carmarthen English Baptist Association.
In 1899, Rev E Aubrey (right) was inducted as the new minister at the old Morlais Chapel. Under his ministry the congregation prospered, and it soon became apparent that the congregation at the old Morlais Chapel had grown to such an extent that a new chapel was required.
Land was acquired in The Walk and a chapel, designed by Messrs George Morgan & Sons of Carmarthen was built at a cost of £2750, with the organ, furniture and fittings costing an additional £1750. The work was carried out by Mr J Morgan of Blaenavon. £700 of this amount was raised from the sale of Morlais Chapel to the Salvation Army.
As the Salvation Army, having no permanent place of worship, were keen to move into Morlais Chapel it was decided that the school room at the rear of the chapel should be completed first so that services could be held there pending completion of the chapel.
The schoolroom was completed in January 1904, and on 17 November 1904, Park Chapel was officially opened by Mr D A Thomas, later to become Lord Rhondda. On the day of the opening, the members processed from Morlais Chapel to the new chapel.
The opening ceremony at Park Chapel
In August 1906, Rev Aubrey decided to leave the chapel, and the following year Rev J Lloyd Williams was inducted as minister in May 1907, having led two very successful services at the chapel following Rev Aubrey’s departure. During his 29 years as minister, the congregation continued to go from strength to strength, and during his ministry the entire debt on the chapel was paid off.
In 1950, Rev Iorwerth Budge came to Park Chapel to preach and he was inducted as the minister the following year. Rev Budge was destined to remain as the minister of Park Chapel for 45 years. Rev Budge immediately showed a great interest in the work of the Sunday School, and it was through his interest that Sunday Schools were set up in the new housing estates that were being built in Merthyr. The first was built in Galon Uchaf and was opened on 19 September 1959, and a second was built in the Gurnos Estate and was opened on 31 January 1976.
In 2004 it was discovered that three culverts that ran beneath the chapel had, over many years, washed away most of the foundations of the chapel. A meeting was held to decide whether to demolish the chapel or to undertake extensive renovation work to stabilise the chapel. It was decided to carry out the renovations. The culverts were diverted and the foundations strengthened.
The schoolroom at the rear of the chapel had to be demolished and a new room was constructed at the rear of the balcony. These renovations cost almost £500,000.
Park Chapel still has a thriving, and indeed growing congregation.
If you enjoyed reading the previous article, or if you enjoy music, why not join the Merthyr Tydfil Opera Lovers Group?
We are a friendly group who meet once a month and listen to, watch and chat about opera…….nothing too deep or heavy. We also, on occasion, get tickets to see dress-rehearsals at the Welsh National Opera.
We can even offer you a free cuppa and a biscuit!!!!
We meet on the last Tuesday of every month at 2.00pm at High Street Chapel Schoolroom, and it’s £2.00 per meeting (to cover costs) or £20 for annual membership.
So if you like a bit of music, please feel free to come along and join us.
On this day in 1896, an extraordinary event occurred in the ‘urban district’ of Merthyr Tydfil: The County Intermediate and Technical School opened for work. Parliament had not yet recognised Merthyr as a proper ‘town’ but it had recognised the need for Welsh boys and girls to further their school studies until the age of eighteen and even to set their sights on a university education, if desired. These were children of working-class and small businessmen parents who could not afford the luxury of private or public- school tuition for their offspring. The school opened without ceremony but in a formal gathering in January 1897 Professor Villiamu Jones, Principal of University College, Cardiff, ended his inaugural speech, hoping that many Merthyr pupils would pass into that college in the future. Over seven decades a fair number did just that.
The curriculum planned for the new secondary stage -‘county intermediate’ schools – in deprived, industrial areas of Wales was based on that of older grammar and public schools. They soon became known as county ‘grammar’ schools. Merthyr’s school was equipped to take in 100 boys and 80 girls who would pay a small fee. The knowledge of its young people broadened and their quality of life improved. Sadly, many children were not touched by this new venture and still left school at twelve, or earlier, usually because they had to, in order to earn a pittance – often down the mines – to boost the family income. The luckier ones, among whom were budding scholars, knew that a place in the school was a gift; some began to cherish ambitions of going to the new university colleges at Aberystwyth or Cardiff. Parents usually supported those youngsters even though it would mean seeing them leave home eventually – and possibly forever. Attendance numbers fluctuated but most pupils accepted that the new system of extra years and important exams would bring rewards.
Photo courtesy of the Alan George archive.
J.O. (John Oswald) Francis entered the school, at the age of fourteen, on the day it opened. He lived above his father’s farrier shop in 41, High Street, opposite the Baptist Chapel. He excelled at his studies and became a distinguished London dramatist, public speaker and broadcaster. When he left Merthyr at the age of eighteen his memories of the lively town stayed with him and inspired him to write plays and stories for nearly half a century. This is what he told wireless (radio!) listeners about the school in a B.B.C broadcast in the 1950s:
From St David’s School I went to the Higher Gradeschool in Caedraw. For boys whose parents did not send them away to school-and very few parents in Merthyr sent their children away for education- the Higher Grade was the limit the town offered us and it could not offer us much because it wasn’t linked to a university. For a boy who wanted to go on learning, Merthyr was a blind alley, a dead end. Then a rumour came flying about amongst us boys- flying for some of us like a bird with bright wings- a new kind of school was to be opened in Merthyr – a County Intermediate School that would provide secondary education up to quite a high level. And what a blessing the school was to Merthyr! What a blessing it was to me! I was young enough – and only just young enough – to take advantage of the new system. Had I been a year or two older I should have had to stay outside that learned paradise, looking rather hungrily at the gates that were closed against me. I was only a slip of a lad but I had enough sense to see what had happened. Merthyr was no longer a dead end. Merthyr was opportunity. I went for the opportunity with eager hands. At the end of my time at the County School I passed the Central Welsh Board’s examination and -manna from heaven! – I was awarded a County Exhibition of forty pounds a year. That was quite a big sum in those years and it eased my way to Aberystwyth to study for a university degree.
Fifty years on, as Francis made his way up to the school, during a visit to Merthyr, he mused on the opportunities his education had brought him:
I am one of those lucky people…I realised more clearly than ever how much I owed to the school… I made bold to go in. I found the headmaster, Dr Lewis, who received me with great kindness. We talked together and he went off and came back with a big, brown, covered book. ‘This book is a permanent register of pupils who have been at the school’, he said. ‘I’ll show you your name.’ He opened the book and my name, written in full, was on the first page That got me all warmed up with sentiment… Then Dr Lewis took me to see the Honours Board on which were set out the names of pupils, who had won academic distinction. And there in the glory of gilt lettering, was a record of my having taken a B.A. degree-a degree I went off to work for in Aberystwyth fifty-five years ago.
Francis also hints in one of his stories that he was aware that although some pupils enjoyed the new subjects like Latin and French, they didn’t stay on, having been persuaded by proud collier fathers that their future was in coal-mining.
Others reminisce on past times at the school, now demolished, but of blessed memory:
Ceinwen Jones (now Statter), writes: I went to The County from Penydarren School in 1954. After the Easter holiday the whirlwind that was Glynne Jones arrived to teach us music. He changed my life! He set up a choir when about half the school came back (out of uniform) on Friday evenings. We went on to sing works like The Messiah. Thanks to some excellent teaching I went to Cardiff University to study French and Italian and then trained as a journalist on the Western Mail and Echo. Although being away in Reading for over forty years I have never been out of touch with friends like Sandra Williams, Merryl Robbins, Helen O’Connor and the sadly missed Valerie Baker and Byron Jones.
County School Choir. Photo courtesy of Ceinwen Statter
Ian Hopkins, a former Head Boy (1959-1960), also went on to Cardiff – to take a B.Sc. degree. He returned to Merthyr for long service in teaching and in choral activities: I entered the County Grammar School in 1953 and spent seven happy years there. Two of the teachers – without belittling the others – had a profound effect on my life, viz Elwyn Thomas (Head of Maths) and the inimitable Glynne Jones. The school choir was more than merely a musical organisation: Friday evening 6.00 pm rehearsal was the focal point of the social life of the school. Glynne engendered in me, and in many of the others, a love of choral music that has endured. In the heyday of the Dowlais Male Choir a disproportionate number of members had sung in Glynne’s school choirs.
The school had a three-form entry, one Boys, one Girls and one Mixed. Segregation of the sexes was strict with a boys’ corridor and a girls’ corridor. My memories include playing fives – the fives courts were unique for schools in our area- playing rugby for the school teams and football in the school yard.
One story: when I was in Form 2 there was a heavy fall of snow and a number of us were throwing snowballs in the classroom. Mr Thomas came in and demanded to know who was responsible. Some confessed and were given detention. Others, including me, did not- the fear of Elwyn was the beginning of wisdom! Later that afternoon, I encountered him in town and confessed and asked that my name be added to the detention list. But when the list was called out later in the week, not one of the miscreants was on it. From then on, Elwyn Thomas could do no wrong in my eyes. Perhaps that’s why I became a Maths teacher!
Many others who followed similar or different paths as adults will, no doubt, have lasting memories of ‘The County’.
The school was closed and demolished in the 1970s and the site acquired for new housing. Regrettably, and shameful to report, few records of its existence and of its countless pupils remain. It has been said that ‘even the revered Honours Board ended up on a skip’- evidently unwanted in the new replacement ‘comprehensive’ school at the top of town, part of the most recent parliamentary plan for secondary education.
Nevertheless, some facts and figures survive in an old almanack, published by the Merthyr Express at the end of 1896.It contains an invaluable review of the development of education in Merthyr from the 1840s; this ends with the then most recent step in that development – The County Intermediate School and an insight into the local efforts that were made to achieve it. It was written by Mr E. Stephens, Clerk of the Board of Education in Merthyr Tydfil. The subject of improved secondary schooling for pupils up to the age of eighteen, had been discussed over decades in Parliament, where it was championed by Henry Austin Bruce, MP for Merthyr Tydfil, (future Lord Aberdare) and at the Glamorgan County Education Department in Cardiff. A new century was nigh before it materialised:
The question of Welsh Intermediate Education excited as deep an interest at Merthyr as it did in other parts of Wales and no time was lost in taking measures to secure the boon conferred by the Act of Parliament (i.e. The Welsh Intermediate Education Act of 1889) for the creation of these schools. On the 18th of November that year, a conference was held at the Board Room of the Workhouse, over which Mr W. Morgan JP, then High Constable, presided. It was decided to ask the County Committee to make Merthyr a centre for one of the schools- to accommodate 100 boys and 80 girls… After much negotiation a site embracing two acres of freehold land was finally secured in the Clock Field at Penydarren for £1200, Colonel Morgan, the owner, contributing £300 out of the amount for the building fund. A public meeting, in aid of the scheme was held at the Temperance Hall on March 20th 1891, Lord Aberdare presiding. A premium of £25 was offered for the successful plan, but the one chosen, by a Mr Crombie of London, proved to be far too expensive. The committee then obtained a second competition, on the basis of £25 per head. The plan of Mr E. Lingen Barker of Hereford was selected. The tender of Mr J. Williams of Swansea was accepted for the erection of the schools, but before the buildings were completed and opened for scholars the planned cost had run up to £6,198 3s 2d of which the architect received £464 14s 6d; the clerk of works £128 6s and the contractors the balance. Of this account £1,557 2s was raised by local subscriptions and the county fund provided the rest. (The fifty donors and the amounts donated are listed).
Alderman Thomas Williams JP is the chairman of the local governing body and the following comprise the teaching staff of the schools. Headmaster, Mr Charles Owen M.A. salary £100 a year with a capitation of £2 per year on each boy; first assistant master Mr W.H. Topham M.A., salary £160; second assistant master, Mr A.J. Perman M.A., salary £130; first mistress, Miss Edith Heppel who won a B.A. degree at Oxford but did not receive it as that university does not confer degrees upon women, salary £180 a year; second mistress, Miss Kate Thomas, salary £100 a year. The schools were opened for work on October 12th 1896, but a ceremonial opening is to take place on January 11th, 1897.
The school (i.e. pupils, staff and buildings) established itself in the Clock Field just before the start of the 20th century, in the soon-to-be-incorporated ‘town’ of Merthyr Tydfil.
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Mary Owen.
Who attended the former Port Talbot County Intermediate School (1945- 52)
With thanks to Betty Harrington for the gift of the almanack, and to Ceinwen Statter, Ian Hopkins and the late J.O. Francis for the memories.
In the early part of the 1800s, the growing population of Dowlais included many English speaking people. Many of these followed the Baptist cause, but as there was no provision for them in the town, they had to travel into Merthyr to attend High Street Chapel.
By 1850, the English Baptist population in Dowlais had become large enough to encourage them to make a request to the members of Caersalem Chapel to hold services in English. The elders agreed and these were held in the vestry of Caersalem Chapel, the services being taken by Rev Thomas Davies of High Street Chapel.
The venture proved a success and before long a house in North Street was bought to hold services, and a Sunday School was also set up. As the congregation grew it became evident that they needed a proper place of worship, so they decided to build a chapel in Victoria Street.
A small chapel to seat 200 was completed at a cost of £400, and officially opened on 1 February 1857 and named Beulah. The chapel continued to be a branch of Caersalem until 23 January 1859 when it was recognised as a cause in its own right.
When Beulah became independent of Caersalem, 40 members of High Street Chapel moved to the new chapel and the congregation grew steadily. By 1869 the building was too small and a new chapel was built by Mr Evan Jones at a cost of £1,100. It was opened on Christmas Day 1869.
Shortly after this, a schism occurred at Beulah and the minister, Rev Alfred Humphreys and 34 of the congregation left and started their own cause and called it Tabernacle.
Despite this schism, the cause at Beulah continued to prosper and the chapel opened a schoolroom in Pant and also established Mount Pleasant Chapel in Penydarren.
Today, despite ever-falling numbers, Beulah survives as one of the very few chapels still holding services in Dowlais.
Our next chapel is one of Merthyr’s most famous chapels – High Street Chapel.
The oldest English Baptist cause in Merthyr started in 1807 and from 1813 was originally housed at Bethel Chapel in Georgetown (see http://www.merthyr-history.com/?p=2963). By 1840 the congregation had grown, so a new site was acquired in the High Street and a chapel designed by T H Watt of London was built at a cost of £2000, and the new chapel opened on 8 June 1841.
A painting of High Street Chapel completed at around the time the chapel opened
Around 1858 a disagreement occurred regarding the appointment of Rev George Ward Humphreys as minister and a number of the congregation left to set up their own cause eventually becoming Ainon Chapel in Georgetown. In 1885, a further disagreement occurred and a number of the congregation left High Street Chapel. They went on to start their own cause at Morlais Chapel.
The chapel was home to many organisations at this time: a Christian Endeavour, Band of Hope and Sunday School. There was a young ladies sewing class, and the ladies of the Dorcas Society at the chapel made baptismal gowns. Tonic Sol-fa lessons were also held which led to the formation of the church choir. The chapel members were also at the forefront of charitable organisation, supporting, among others: the Merthyr Tydfil Mission Fund, the Children’s Hospital, the Deaf & Dumb and Widows & Orphans fund, the Indian Famine Fund and the Baptist Foreign Mission.
In 1899, it was decided to renovate the chapel. Meetings were held and on 8 June 1899, the tender from Mr John Jenkins Canal Wharf, of £1.592.10d was accepted for the renovation of the building. A new pipe organ was also installed at this time built by Messrs Harrison, Durham at a cost of £400.
The interior of High Street Chapel showing the magnificent Harrison organ
The cost of the renovation would eventually cost £2,300. Fundraising events and collections were held, but only realised a fraction of the cost. The remainder was met by mortgaging the building. While the renovations were being done, the congregation met in the Town Hall.
In 1928, it was decided to build a large school room behind the chapel. Four cottages were bought for £365, and the school room was built by Mr Warlow at a cost of £939.4s.8d, and it was formerly opened on 4 July 1929.
Members of High Street Chapel outside the School Room in 1981. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Collection.
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.
Memories crush upon me so rapidly with respect to the High Street, that one, at least, of those there in 1834 have slipped. It is the Printing, Bookselling and Stationery Establishment of Mr H W White. It was situated opposite to the the residence of Mr W James, just above the Globe Inn, on the same side. After his removal across the road to the corner, since occupied by Messrs Farrant and Frost, the business in those premises was in drapery. When first remembered by me it was the only one in town of note.
An advertisement from 1840 for H W White
Mr White’s brother, Isaac, was the assistant in the shop, but there was a staff of persons in the printing and book-binding branches, two of whom are well recollected, one, Mr Rees Lewis, who afterwards opened on his own account in the shop adjoining the Bush Hotel, which business is now being carried on by his son; the other Benjamin Davies, who went to Australia and became a member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria.
The shop was not large, but fully fitted. Noticing a bar of wrought iron about 2 ¼ diameter recently fixed, and asking the reason, I received a reply there was so much stock in the room above he was fearful of the joists giving way and causing very considerable damage. Thinking of Mr H W White recalls that he married one of the Misses Williams, of Mill Street, and as the others all married from there lest it may slip, I may state that one married Mr Thomas Joseph, another the Rev T Davies (minister of High Street Chapel then, but subsequently principal of Haverfordwest College), and the other Rev Enoch Williams (father of the present recorder of Cardiff).
We now return to John Street, and keeping on the first shop on the corner was kept by a David Davies – it was a draper shop on one side and grocery on the other. Its scrupulous cleanliness is yet impressed upon me. A son of Mr & Mrs Davies was a doctor at Mountain Ash for many years, and the first medical officer of health of the local board of that town. It cannot be stated positively whether Mr Edward Morgan’s residence came next or a few more doors above, but a watch and clock business was carried on by William Williams exactly opposite the entrance to Glebeland Street. He had a small square turret, say four feet square or so, projecting above the roof, an observatory from which the necessary observations were taken, to keep all his works in order it was said.
There was another house then used as a residence, and then the premises of the Brecon Old Bank, of which Mr David Evans was managing partner. These premises have been altered and enlarged.
A photograph of the High Street taken in the 1800’s. The original Brecon Bank can be seen to the right of St David’s Church. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm
Immediately abutting on these bank premises is the road leading to Thomastown. It was then nothing like as wide as it is now, and being, perhaps, the only one now living who can evidence what brought about the change, I will tell the tale.
The road was then only used as a thoroughfare to Professional Row and the Tramroad. After the building of St David’s Church and Schools it became expedient to enclose them. I was asked to make necessary drawings and superintend the carrying of it out. Subscriptions for this were not enough to carry the railings all around, so it was determined to build a wall on the southern side, but even a wall required money, and Dr Thomas, of the Court, after whom the district is named, was approached, and upon the promise of the wall being set back far enough to make a good opening contributed £90 towards its building, but it must not be understood that this took the road up as far as the Tramroad, for it covered only as far as the church property near.
Then came a garden appertaining to the end house of the row, and for this small additional distance I then heard £200 had been paid. There is no deed of conveyance with respect to the land given up by the church. It was all well-known to the committee, and that most excellent man – Rev James Colquhoun Campbell, then rector. Time has now given an irreproachable title for it was done over half a century ago.
In the early 1800’s some members of the congregation at Zion Chapel, Twynyrodyn wanted to hold services in English to cater for the increasing number of English speaking members of the chapel, so in 1806 a group of worshippers led by William and Martha Matthews and William Baldwin started meeting in a blacksmith’s shop on Tramroadside just behind the present day Hope Chapel.
It was soon found that this location was not ideal due to the noise from the blacksmith, and the group moved to a room above two cottages in Morgan Jones Court, which was situated close to where the present Tesco Store has been built. An application was made on 19 November 1806 for the room to be formally recognised as a place of worship to be called Providence Chapel. This was granted on 1 January 1807, and Rev Daniel Davies was inducted as the first minister of the new place of worship.
Rev Davies, originally from Pembrokeshire, was a very able man and an accomplished preacher, despite the fact that he was blind. At first he was very popular, even preaching at the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel at Pontmorlais, which caused a stir amongst the Calvinistic Methodist Association and also amongst the English Baptists congregation, but ultimately he fell into a less than salubrious lifestyle which angered the church, and he retired in 1812.
By 1813 the congregation had grown to such an extent that it became obvious that a larger place of worship was required. At this time, a chapel became available in Georgetown. It had been built in 1807 by the General Baptists and was called Bethel, but the congregation had quickly dwindled, so the worshippers from Providence Chapel bought the building and grave yard for £200. Following necessary repairs to the building, the new chapel opened in April 1813.
The congregation flourished so by 1826 the chapel had to be rebuilt at a cost of £495 to double the size of the seating. By 1841 the congregation had again grown so it was decided that a new chapel should be built in the town centre. The congregation left Bethel and moved to the new High Street Chapel in June 1841.
A short time after this, members of Ebenezer Chapel in Plymouth Street took over the empty chapel to cater for the members of Ebenezer from that part of the town, thus Bethel became a Welsh Baptist Chapel.
Within twenty years the congregation had dwindled whilst the congregation at the nearby Ainon Chapel grew, so in 1862 the congregations exchanged chapels. By 1893 however, the fortunes of both chapels had reversed so the congregations returned to their original places of worship.
As with most of the chapels in Merthyr, the congregation dwindled during the 1960s, and the chapel closed in the 1970s. Many schemes were mooted to use the building, but none came to fruition, and Bethel sank into dereliction and was eventually demolished in 1983.
One of the most striking features of the chapel was its interior with the seats angled towards the pulpit. This was unique in the Merthyr area. Below are two excellent photographs of the interior of Bethel Chapel courtesy of Mike Donovan.
The article transcribed below appeared in the Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian 160 years ago today (7 May 1859).
Our new necropolis has this week been formally opened for the burial af the dead. It consists of about 21 acres of ground, and is situated about, two miles from Merthyr, beyond Cefn Coed y Cymmer and between the Brecon road and the River Taff. It was purchased at a cost of about £2000; and from £2000 to £3000 more have been laid out in walling it in, in the erection of chapels for the use of Churchmen and Dissenters, and in laying out the ground and making roads, walks, lodges, gateways etc.
The ground has been divided into three portions – one for the use of the Established Church, one for Dissenters, and one for Roman Catholics; and these several portions have now been formally dedicated to their respective uses. It was expected that the Church portion would have been consecrated on the 29th instant; but this was postponed to Tuesday last. In the meantime the Roman Catholics had taken possession of their ground, and had opened it for burial according to the uses of their church.
Much discussion has been for some time going on among the dissenting part of the population as to the mode of dealing with theirs. Having been violently opposed to the ceremonial of consecration practised by Churchmen, and having habitually denounced all consecrations of burial grounds as useless forms, if not something worse, they were placed in an awkward dilemma. If they abstained from any formal proceedings they would give the Established Church an opportunity to outshine them in the public eye; and if they had a formal service they turned their backs on their own professions, nullified all their own arguments, and would after all give a deliberate and imposing sanction to that consecrational usage which they had so often denounced. These various arguments were used over and over again in most of the dissenting chapels and Sunday schools. Where the spirit of nonconformity prevailed it was resolved to abstain from any demonstration, and to adhere to the fixed principles of their forefathers; but in the meantime a new spirit has found its way into dissenting chapels, and they incline to follow the example of the Established Church, while violently and even bitterly denouncing their example.
The object of the latter class was to produce a demonstration of the numerical superiority of the nonconformist part of the population; but in this respect it was a comparative failure; for several congregations discountenanced the movement, and others only half approved of it, so that they only put forth half their strength. The first intention was that all the children of the dissenting Sunday schools should take part in the demonstration but, owing to a prevalent disapprobation of the object thereof, and to a feeling that the motives in which it originated were uncharitable and unchristian, only a few schools turned out on the occasion, and of those some were divided and only displayed half their real numbers. Among those which joined in the demonstration were the Sunday schools in connection with Zoar Chapel, High Street Chapel, Adulam Chapel, a part of the Welsh Wesleyan School, and that of the Wesleyan Reformers.
Viewed in itself, and apart from the spirit which dictated it, the demonstration had several points of interest. The day was fine; the children, led by their ministers walked in procession, and, as they wended their way towards Cefn, they sang hymns appropriate to the occasion, making the streets vocal with their silvery tones, and populous with pleased hearers and spectators. Having arrived on the ground, religious services were celebrated in the chapel dedicated to the use of Dissenters; and addresses were delivered by several ministers and laymen. One of the speakers even went the length of asserting the propriety of consecration, and the superiority of the Nonconformist form of it. “Today,” said he, “we consecrate this ground with prayer; tomorrow it will be consecrated by ceremonies.” As if Churchmen could not pray as well as Dissenters.
Passing by this exhibition of bigotry, which we are happy to find met with the disapprobation of many Dissenters, we pursue our narrative. On the following day, the ground set apart for the use of Churchmen was consecrated by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Llandaff, in accordance with the rites of the Established Church. The Burial Board paid his Lordship the compliment of attending in their corporate capacity; and a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen – Churchmen and Dissenters – attended on the occasion.
The new burial ground having been formally opened on these several occasion, and in its several parts, will now speedily become the last resting-place of many of the inhabitants of this locality.
On 23 July, Caersalem Chapel closed its doors for the final time – 200 years after the cause was first started. The history of Caersalem Chapel was covered in a previous post – http://www.merthyr-history.com/?p=575
The closing service was taken by Steven Barnes of Aberdare, and all but one of the remaining members of the chapel attended the service as well as representatives from Ivor Chapel, Dowlais; Horeb Chapel, Penydarren and High Street Chapel; as well as a number of others who went to mark the occasion.
The only member who wasn’t at the service was Eira Ward, who had been a member of the Chapel since 1977. She was prevented from attending the service by ill-health, and sadly passed away two days later.
Below is a photograph of the last members of Caersalem Chapel taken at the last service.
Back Row – Denise Callahan (Deaconess), Gwenda Powell, Audrey Humphries, Leona Francis (Deaconess)
Front Row – Beryl Davies, Hilary Hodson, Myfanwy Jones, Glynis Williams, Mary Simms, Marion Healy, Betty Furlong (Deaconess)
Many thanks to Carl Llewellyn who attended the service, and provided the information.
In 1899, Rev E Aubrey (right) was inducted as the new minister at the old Morlais Chapel. Under his ministry the congregation prospered, and it soon became apparent that the congregation at the old Morlais Chapel had grown to such an extent that a new chapel was required.
In 2004 it was discovered that three culverts that ran beneath the chapel had, over many years, washed away most of the foundations of the chapel. A meeting was held to decide whether to demolish the chapel or to undertake extensive renovation work to stabilise the chapel. It was decided to carry out the renovations. The culverts were diverted and the foundations strengthened.
From St David’s School I went to the Higher Gradeschool in Caedraw. For boys whose parents did not send them away to school-and very few parents in Merthyr sent their children away for education- the Higher Grade was the limit the town offered us and it could not offer us much because it wasn’t linked to a university. For a boy who wanted to go on learning, Merthyr was a blind alley, a dead end. Then a rumour came flying about amongst us boys- flying for some of us like a bird with bright wings- a new kind of school was to be opened in Merthyr – a County Intermediate School that would provide secondary education up to quite a high level. And what a blessing the school was to Merthyr! What a blessing it was to me! I was young enough – and only just young enough – to take advantage of the new system. Had I been a year or two older I should have had to stay outside that learned paradise, looking rather hungrily at the gates that were closed against me. I was only a slip of a lad but I had enough sense to see what had happened. Merthyr was no longer a dead end. Merthyr was opportunity. I went for the opportunity with eager hands. At the end of my time at the County School I passed the Central Welsh Board’s examination and -manna from heaven! – I was awarded a County Exhibition of forty pounds a year. That was quite a big sum in those years and it eased my way to Aberystwyth to study for a university degree.
