Author: merthyr.history@gmail.com

Merthyr’s Boxers: Eddie Morgan

Eddie Morgan was born in Morgantown in 1892, and learned his skills in local boxing booths whilst working as a miner. Despite his slight stature, and weighing just 7 stone, he had the ability to lay out opponents twice his weight.

His first recorded professional fight was in September 1909 when he fought Joey Smith in a 20-round contest at Pontypridd and lost by points. However, he was more than half a stone lighter than Smith – a huge difference in weight.

The next recorded fight was a year and a half later when he fought Bert Moughton at St James’ Hall in Newcastle in March 1911. By now he was more than a stone heavier. A press cutting indicates the great Jim Driscoll, already British and Commonwealth featherweight champion, was in his corner that night in Newcastle. This time, Eddie did considerably better in this scheduled 20 round contest – knocking Moughton out in a little over a minute.

A month later at the same venue, Eddie lost a points decision to Joe Fox – a future two-weight British champion.

Eddie’s career really took off with six consecutive wins culminating in two important bouts against American Young Pierce in 1912. Pierce had claimed the American bantamweight title and a career total of 150 undefeated bouts and early in 1912, he had crossed the Atlantic to fight the best bantamweights in Europe in pursuit of world honours. His fight with Eddie was essentially just a warm-up fight. It didn’t go to plan because, after a gruelling 20 rounds, Eddie won on points in a packed Liverpool stadium and was carried shoulder-high from the ring.

Eddie Morgan

Eddie was by now quite a celebrity in Merthyr. Contemporary accounts say that when Eddie walked down Merthyr High Street, people would rush out of men’s clothier shops and compete with each other in offers to make Eddie a free suit, on the understanding he would tell people where he’d got it.

Boxing pundits of the day were now predicting Eddie was the only real contender for Digger Stanley’s British and European bantamweight belts.

Despite this, and Eddie Morgan opted to travel to America to fight instead. Eddie was due to leave Southampton on the trans-Atlantic voyage on Wednesday 10 April 1912, but having overslept, he arrived just as the ship was clearing the mouth of the dock. This mistake probably saved Eddie Morgan’s life – the ship was RMS Titanic.

Morgan did eventually go to America later that year to fight at Madison Square Garden. His opponent was tough New Jersey boxer Frankie Burns and he achieved a very commendable draw in a brutal encounter described in the local press as a “slashing exhibition”.

The Welshman immediately impressed in three New York outings, including one against future two-weight world champion Johnny Dundee. Morgan failed in his pursuit of a shot against world featherweight champion Johnny Kilbane, though, so he headed home, only to again meet frustration as he chased the British crown.

Rheumatism would limit the length of Morgan’s career and it this point it began to worsen.

With war looming in 1914 he returned to the States, but he was not the same fighter and he suffered two defeats, although he did floor Pal Moore in their clash on Christmas Day, 1914. Two no-decision contests followed against the champion Kilbane, the first in the National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, on 23 January, 1915. US journalists claimed that Kilbane won the six-round bout while British reporters said the exact opposite, but all agree that it was a stunning fight.

A similar showdown followed the next month, but the victory seems to have been more clearly in the champion’s favour. Morgan engaged in two close bouts with Rocky Kansas, the future world lightweight challenger, before returning to Britain.

After just one more fight in his home country he returned to the States for good. Morgan settled with his family in Philadelphia, and he would fight many more times, mostly in the Philadelphia area, but by now his skills were fading and triumphs were few.

In 1937, Eddie Morgan collapsed in the street and died at the tragically young age of 45.

Belgian Refugees

It is sometimes forgotten that during the First World War, an influx of Belgian refugees arrived in Britain to escape the fighting in their country. Quite a number of them came to Merthyr, and transcribed below is an article describing the arrival of the first of these refugees in 1914.

WARM WELCOME FOR BELGIAN REFUGEES
Merthyr Pioneer – 17 October 1914

A very enthusiastic meeting of local citizens was held at the Town Hall on Monday night, when the final preparations for the welcome and maintenance of the Belgian refugees was made.

Addressing the meeting Coun. H M Lloyd (Mayor) referred to the terrible distress prevailing in Belgium owing to the German invasion, and pointed out the hardships which were being suffered by a whole nation out of employment. Inasmuch as Belgium has acted as a buffer State, we were indebted to them, and were called upon to help them bear their share of suffering and sorrow.

Alderman J M Berry J.P. was appointed treasurer of the committee, and Mr T W Morris, secretary.

A tremendous crowd of people thronged the High Street and the Merthyr Station Approach on Wednesday evening, and the 32 Belgian refugees received a hearty if somewhat embarrassing Welsh welcome. They were met at the station by Coun. H M Lloyd and Mrs Lloyd (Mayor and Mayoress), Major and Mrs Frank James, Capt. G B Williams, Councillors F A Phillips (Deputy Mayor), Mrs M A Edmunds, and Ald. J M Berry, Mrs Wills, Mr T T Jenkins and others.

Some difficulty was experienced in getting the visitors into the two decorated cars which had been lent by the Merthyr Traction Co. to convey them to the YMCA Buildings. Several of the refugees were obviously affected by the cordial welcome which greeted their arrival, and many of the waiting citizens were moved to tears when an elderly Antwerp lady who had received injuries was assisted to the car by Councillors Phillips and James whilst the appearance of Ald. J M Berry with a Belgian youngster on his shoulder was the signal for loud cheers. Outside the YMCA Buildings the Cyfarthfa Municipal Band greeted the refugees with the National Anthems of the Allies. After a splendid meal had been enjoyed, a musical programme in which one of the visitors took part, was provided.

In officially welcoming the refugees, the Mayor said that every class in the community was anxious to do what it could to alleviate their sufferings and misfortunes.

Interviewed by the Pioneer representative on Thursday, the Mayor said that funds for the maintenance of the refugees were still coming in. As the committee desired to maintain them for at least six months, he hoped that local citizens would continue to contribute all they could afford towards the cost of their maintenance. The cost of maintaining them would probably be something between £15 and £20 per week. 19 more refugees were expected to arrive almost immediately, and as the distress was great and increasing, Merthyr might be called upon to maintain something like 100. “I am thinking of arranging for an illuminated carnival, perhaps the last day in October (Saturday the 31st), and I trust that all cyclist and motor cyclists, and those who have fancy costumes, will hold themselves in readiness for the occasion” added the Mayor.

Late on Thursday evening a further party of Belgian refugees, numbering nine, arrived at Merthyr, and were conveyed in cabs to the YMCA Buildings. The party consisted of seven women and two men. This brings the total to be maintained to 41.

Arrangements for the comfort of the visitors have been greatly enhanced by the spontaneous offers of assistance given by many local citizens. The management of all the local entertainment halls have offered free admission; the Traction Co. offer free rides, and Mr Arthur Davies, hairdresser, of Glebeland Street, has offered to attend to the toilet of the male members of the party.

Mrs Suzanne Doolan, local historian and former reporter on the Merthyr Express, is researching the Belgian Refugees in Merthyr, so if anyone has any information about them , please get in touch and I will pass it on.

The Courts of Dowlais and Merthyr

In the early to mid 1800’s there were few shops in Merthyr, and with the enormous influx of people coming to the town to work at the ironworks, the rapidly expanding population needed to be fed. Some local farmers tried to supply the people but they couldn’t meet the demands made by the ever growing population.

To this end a number of ‘Courts’ began to be set up – small cul-de-sacs and enclosures, usually behind the street where animals could be kept to supply the local area with fresh food and milk. As well as keeping animals, a number of local traders carried out their business in in these ‘Courts’.

The trade in the ‘Courts’ continued until more shops were opened and the arrival of the railway meant that food and livestock could be delivered to urban areas.

Local historian Terry Jones has painstakingly researched these lost enclaves of Merthyr, and has provided a list of all of the ‘Courts’ he has been able to identify in Dowlais and Merthyr:

S. O. Davies, M. P.

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the death of Merthyr’s longest serving Member of Parliament – S. O. Davies. In 1934 he became MP for Merthyr Tydfil and held the post continuously until his death in 1972; for the Labour Party 1934-1970 and as an Independent Socialist 1970-1972.

S. O. Davies

Stephen Owen Davies was born at 39 John Street, Abercwmboi (officially) on 9 November 1886 (some sources place his birth in 1883 or even earlier), the fourth of six children of Thomas Davies, miner and union organizer, and his wife, Esther.

After attending Cap Coch School in Abercwmboi, Davies started work in Cwmpennar Colliery at the age of twelve, but subsequently studied mining engineering at night classes, and in 1908 secured sponsorship from Brecon Memorial College to study for a BA at University College, Cardiff, with the ultimate intention of entering the non-conformist ministry. Despite Brecon College withdrawing the funding due to Davies’ reticence regarding his religious beliefs, he gained his degree in 1913.

Following his graduation, he began working as a collier in Tumble, and during the First World War was adopted as an Independent Labour Party candidate for Llanelli, and in October 1918 he was elected as the full-time agent to the Dowlais district of the South Wales Miners’ Federation, remaining in the position until 1934, entering into a formidable partnership with his counterpart for the Merthyr district, Noah Ablett.

Davies quickly developed a reputation for militant action. He became strongly opposed to the post-war demands for the nationalization of the British coal industry. He visited Russia in 1922 and became a lifelong admirer of the Soviet system. He remained loyal to the Labour Party however, despite being strongly attracted by the appeal of the Communist Party. In 1924 he was appointed Chief Organizer and Legal Adviser to the South Wales Miners Federation and also became its Vice-President in the same year. He also served on the Executive of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, 1924-34, as the representative of the South Wales miners, and he was elected a member of the Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council in 1931. He later became an alderman of the Council and served as its Mayor in 1945-46. He remained a member of the council until 1949.

In 1934 Davies was elected Labour MP for Merthyr. The same year he remarried, his first wife Margaret Eley (who he had married in 1919) having died two years earlier leaving him with three daughters. His second wife was Sephora Davies from Carmarthenshire, with whom he had two sons.

At Westminster, Davies consistently proved himself of independent mind, as prone to oppose the policies of a Labour government as those of a Conservative administration. Ever the watchdog for socialism, in its purest sense, as well as a rigid apologist for Soviet domestic and foreign policy whatever the excesses, he lost the whip on three occasions between 1953 and 1961 on issues relating to American bases in Britain, West German rearmament, and opposition to the Polaris submarine programme. A thorn in the side of the Wilson government between 1966 and 1970, he disagreed with its policy on public spending, wage controls, and trade union legislation. His support for the idea of Welsh self-government also often found him at variance with party policy.

Unsurprisingly, Davies was never offered government office but proved himself an excellent constituency MP. His concerns included reformation of the national insurance law in 1967, giving additional compensation to former miners afflicted with dust-related diseases.

The Aberfan Disaster in 1966 led to Davies’s final estrangement from the Labour Party. Harold Wilson’s support for the idea of using the disaster fund to contribute towards removal of the tips led Davies to boycott the ceremony bestowing freedom of the borough of Merthyr on the Prime Minister in 1970. His constituency party consequently replaced him as its candidate in the general election later that year. Refusing to accept that his political career was over, he stood as an independent socialist and, campaigning on his record, won by more than 7000 votes over the official Labour candidate. While this may say something about the historically individualistic nature of Merthyr’s politics, it also testified to his reputation and the local esteem in which he was held.

S.O. Davies died at Merthyr’s General Hospital on 25 February 1972, following a chest infection, and was buried at Maesyrarian Cemetery, Mountain Ash, in his native Cynon Valley.

The Meaning of ‘Gurnos’

Gurnos
by Carl Llewellyn

Some time ago I read an article in an old edition of the Merthyr Express. It was written by a J.R. Evans of Aberdare who complained that many local Welsh place names were incorrectly spelt; he then gave his interpretation why places in our locality were so named. Many Welsh place names were bestowed centuries ago and were often descriptive of their pictorial detail. Perhaps because these place names were seldom written, and again because of the inability of the English to pronounce Welsh words, in some cases these words become so changed in form they become unrecognisable and unintelligible, with the original signification being entirely lost.

Examples of the mutilation of Welsh place names can be found in “Lechwedd” (meaning a slope) has become “Leckwith” near Cardiff, and “Rhaiadr” (water fall) becoming “Radyr”. When referring to the name “Gurnos”, it immediately brings to mind one of the UK’s largest Housing estates situated near Prince Charles Hospital to a majority of people but most of them are not aware of its origin and translation. We often find the name of parts of the body are used in place names. For instance we speak of head or top of a hill, for instance  Penydarren, (pen, head or top; y, of the; darren, a rocky hill) also Troedyrhiw (troed, foot; y, of the; rhiw slope). So the word “Cern” meaning “side of the head”, is applied similarity to the side of the hill, which perhaps has an even surface resembling earth moulds protruding on the side of the hill. There is a diminutive plural suffix “os”, when appended to “Cern” gives us “Cernos”, The placing of the letter “y” before the word modifies it into “Y Gernos”, meaning the lower side of the hill. In the opinion of J.R. Evans “Y Gernos” has been incorrectly spelt by some as the “Gurnos”.  I tend to agree with J.R. Evans over the centuries it’s possible the word has been corrupted either by incorrect spelling or pronunciation. On the site of Gurnos Housing Estate once stood the “Gurnos” farm whose name aptly describing its location.

Gurnos Farm by Penry Williams. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Charles Wilkins in his History of Merthyr Tydfil calls the farm “Gyrnos” and gives it derivation as “Carn-nos” (carn, a heap of stones; nos, night), signifying “Night Watch Beacon” stating that it may have reference to the warfare day of the district. You the reader must make up your own mind on the explanations for the Welsh word “Gurnos”. I concur that Charles Wilkins reference is a romanticised version while J.R.Evans interpretation has more of a down to earth explanation.

These differing points of view reminded me of a television series, “The Dragon Has Two Tongues”, where Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, and Professor Gwyn Alf Williams gave their own passionate satire about Wales.