Month: May 2024

John S. Davis, Printer, Nantygwenith Street

by Jill Morgan

In the 1851 census a John Davis and his wife Elizabeth, both born in Carmarthenshire, can be seen living in George Town. John’s occupation is given as Printer (employing 1 man). This was John Sylvanus Davis, who had served his apprenticeship in Carmarthenshire and then moved on to work for the Rev. John Jones, printer and minister in Rhydybont. This employment would change the course of his life.

It was while working for the Rev. Jones that John encountered the writings of ‘Mormon’ missionary Dan Jones – brother to the Reverend Jones. As he set the type, he was struck by Jones’ ideas and teachings to such an extent that he soon requested baptism, to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Under Dan Jones’ influence, he also moved to Merthyr Tydfil and set up a printing office in Nantygwenith Street.  There, from the time when Dan Jones returned to America in February 1849 until Jones returned for a second mission to Wales in December 1852, Davis’ writing and printing output was impressive.

  • He produced Welsh language record books and other forms for the Welsh Latter Day Saint congregations.
  • Assisted by his wife and Mary Deer, another convert from Carmarthenshire, he translated into Welsh the Latter Day Saint scriptures The Doctrine and Covenants (Athrawiaeth a Chyfammodau) and the Book of Mormon (Llyfr Mormon) – a total of more than 800 pages in the modern English versions. These were published and distributed as ‘signatures’ (sections) at intervals of about two weeks, so that members could acquire the books gradually and have them bound according to their means. Athrawiaeth a Chyfammodau was completed in August 1851, Llyfr Mormon in April 1852.
  • He published a collection of more than 500 Welsh Latter Day Saint hymns, many of which he wrote the lyrics for.
  • He printed a number of Latter Day Saint tracts and pamphlets.

During this time Davis was also editing and printing issues of Udgorn Seion, the Welsh-language publication begun by Dan Jones. Some of the content was original material from Davis or other leaders of the LDS Church, some he translated from writings previously produced in English. Davis also increased the size and frequency of Udgorn Seion: from 4 to 16 sides, and from monthly to bi-weekly. In the 29th November 1851 issue, he did admit to being somewhat overwhelmed by all these responsibilities, but reassured readers that Udgorn was not being neglected because of his other work.

In 1854 John and Elizabeth emigrated to Utah Territory, where he continued to work as a printer. But for the Welsh converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, John Davis’ three years as a printer in Georgetown was a gift, as it enabled them to access the full range of scripture and news of the church in their native language.

Merthyr’s Chapels: Tabernacle Chapel

Tabernacle Welsh Baptist Chapel, Brecon Road

In 1834 a disagreement occurred at Ebenezer Chapel, Plymouth Street and 54 members of the congregation left, some going to Zion, Twynyrodyn and some to Carmel Chapel in Aberdare.

Because of the distance they had to travel, the worshippers who had gone to Aberdare decided that they should start their own cause in Merthyr, and so began worshipping in a room near St Tydfil’s Church. In 1836 they bought an unfinished chapel in Bryant’s Field, Brecon Road for £25 and completed it at a cost of £350.

By 1842, it was obvious that the chapel was too small, so a new chapel was built on the site of the old building at a cost of £2,200. When it was completed the new chapel was the largest chapel in Wales.

An 1877 photo showing the old Tabernacle Chapel just to right of centre at the top of the photo

By the 1890’s a movement was set in motion by Mrs Davies, wife of Alderman David Davies to provide more comfortable chapel. When Mrs Davies died, Alderman Davies took up the movement and the building of the chapel was begun.

The new chapel was designed by George Morgan of Carmarthen and would eventually cost over £5000 to build – a £1000 of which was raised by the congregation. The new chapel was opened in 1897, and is still holding services today.

The Dark Side of Convict Life – part 15

by Barrie Jones

Chapter XII. Henry recounts the difficulties of reforming and the injustice of the ‘separate system’ of imprisonment where prisoners are not permitted to talk to each other.

The Dark Side of Convict Life (Being the Account of the Career of Harry Williams, a Merthyr Man). Merthyr Express, 16th April 1910, page 9.

Chapter XII

Small encouragement is given to a man, even to take his first step towards reforming, when he is treated in such a way as already described. A convict is sent to prison to reform, but the question is, does he reform? No doubt, many of them make a daring attempt to do so, but they all fall back again into their old course, and to prove this I will just show how impossible it is and how difficult it is for a convict to make a real and true determination to amend his ways. In the year 1902 I passed a convict at Portland Prison by the name McCarty. He was undergoing a term of four years for no very great crime, for, according to his statement, he got it for sleeping on duty during active service at the time of the late South African War. He was next cell to me at Portland in the corrugated iron cells mentioned in a previous chapter, and every night just about bedtime, or what is commonly called in prison “turning in” time, I heard him muttering something to himself. Thinking the man to be a bit weak in his intellect I decided to listen to what he was saying every night. One night I was listening when I distinctly heard the man uttering fragments of the Holy Catechism. Then I came to the conclusion at once that he was a Roman Catholic, and that he was praying to the Virgin Mary. One night while I was lying down on my hammock, I could hear this poor fellow engaged in deep communion with his God. When suddenly, I heard a loud rapping at his cell door, and an officer said, “I’ve caught you at last, I’ll stop that talking for you tomorrow.” “I’m not talking sir,” answered the poor chap, I am saying my prayers.” “Saying your prayers, are you,” said the officer, “can you say them to the Governor in the morning; perhaps he would like to hear them.”

Then coming to my cell, he said, “Look here, Williams, was not that man talking to you?” “No, certainly not,” I answered, “the man is talking to his God, and not to me.” “Oh,” says he, “you’re a bit funny, too, I think, and I will wipe the pair of you up tomorrow.” So, losing my temper, and knowing he would act in accordance with his threats, I shouted out, “If you take a liberty with me, mind, I will wipe you across the lug with the stone pick as soon as I get you out in the quarry, “for I had already been punished for assaulting one of the officers for a similar liberty that had been taken with me before. I said no more, so the following day I and this poor fellow were brought before the Governor, and he was awarded one day bread and water, and to forfeit seven days remission. “They were talking so talking so loud,” said the officer, “that one could hear them from their cells to the breakwater.” Then the Governor put the same mater of form to me, “What have you got to say?” I acknowledged the threats I had used but played on the case that the officer had committed himself by threatening me and making a false accusation against me. Whereupon, the Governor said, “I must believe the officer; he would not tell a lie.” “No, sir,” I said, “there is none of them can tell a lie,” “That will do,” says he, “three days bread and water, and forfeit eleven days remission.”

Now this man who was reported with me was a devout Christian, for anyone could see that by the continual visits he received from the priest that it was no sham. Convicts do not sham in this matter. The day after he came off punishment, he sent for the priest, and told him of the liberty the officer had taken with him, and the only thing the priest said was, “Never mind, McCarty, those who suffer unjustly in this world will be rewarded in the next.” This was poor consolation for the poor fellow, who was trying hard, and God knows as hard as ever he could try to do what was right. It is utterly useless for a man to send for the chaplain or the priest for what is said to the doctors of divinity they will certainly bring out a passage of Scripture as a means of consoling one. Still, I can justly say the only true and real friend is the prison chaplain, but he does not like to interfere with the discipline side of the prison, no matter how he would wish to. I can well remember a certain chaplain speaking to me in confidence of what he had seen with his own eyes. It was the case of a poor chap being kicked by officials. “But, you know, Williams,” says he, “if I were to interfere, I would very soon be told to mind my own business. I have had complaints and complaints from you men as to the way you are treated, but I never believed it until I actually saw it with my own eyes.” But he went on to say, “You know, I am powerless how to act.” I side a great deal with prison chaplains in this matter, because I know from experience they are thorough good men, and I have even known chaplains to throw a hint or two from the pulpit and they have put it in such words that the Governor himself could make nothing of it.

It is a great mistake for anyone to believe that a man is sent to prison to reform, for he is not given a chance to do so in spite of the chaplains’ attempts to bring him nearer to God. There are officials who make it their business by the way they beat them to make the man a brute himself, in order to gain their own end.

To be continued….