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.
Still further on yet, and on the left, were other cottages and a public house called ‘The Ship in Distress’. These cottages and ‘The Ship in Distress’ have long since ceased to be tenantable, but about which I will tell something.
Mr David Morris, the grandfather of the late Mr Thomas Jenkins of Pant, kept the public house, and owing to his not voting in accordance with the wish of his landlord at an election, had notice to quit. Mr Morris then built the ‘Mountain Hare’ and removed there. So much for political pique, but another hardship soon after arose. Upon the cottages etc. becoming untenantable, the owner (who had become so by the marriage of a widow) was John Jenkins, keeping the ‘Cross Keys’ near the lock-up. He applied unsuccessfully, both to the Dowlais and Penydarren Companies, for compensation. All he got was the part of shuttlecock, the battledores being the companies. In vain did he endeavour to invoke the aid of any solicitor to take up his case until a person (long dead), who shall be nameless, rendered assistance to him. Amongst the excuses urged by the companies was a direct negative that either had worked beneath the property, so that it became necessary to sink a pit upon that small plot and show the minerals had been abstracted. Upon so doing he was able to obtain compensation.
This, or about there for certain, was called Pwllywhead (sic) (Duck’s Pool). Beyond this there were a few cottages, which the inexorable demand for tip room has obliterated. The residence of the old mineral agent of the Dowlais Works, Mr William Kirkhouse, was on the way, and the road ran out to join that from Merthyr to Rhymney Bridge via Dowlais, above or about Cae Harris.
All this is vividly recalled by the sudden death of the late Chairman of the Board of Guardians. Mrs Jenkins, mother of the deceased gentleman, was the eldest daughter of David Morris of ‘The Ship in Distress’. There was also a son who was in the fitting shop at the Dowlais Works, and a younger sister, who married and went to reside somewhere. Do not for a moment conclude that in the turnpike gate times this road was always quite open and free to travel. Ever and anon – particularly on Wain (sic) Fair days – there was a chain stretched across and a collector stationed who required payment before removal of the obstruction.
No doubt many of your readers have heard of a horse and rider going over the bridge and into the gorge at Pontsarn. Let me assure them that it arose from the anxiety to save the payment of toll, and in due time it shall be made clear, for I had the words of the person some few years ago.
Merthyr was always famous for its musical tradition, not only for the many talented musicians produced by the town, but for the internationally famous musicians that performed here.
Without doubt, the most celebrated musician to ever perform in Merthyr was the legendary Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad, who gave a concert at the Theatre Royal 70 years ago today – 25 November 1951.
By 1951, Flagstad had already achieved ‘legend’ status in the operatic world, and was acclaimed as the greatest Wagnerian soprano of her day. Nowadays however, she is regarded by many as the greatest soprano of the 20th Century. What an accolade for an industrial town in the Valleys to secure her services for the only appearance she had made in Britain outside London at the time.
Merthyr Express – 24 November 1951
Below is a review of the concert by the music critic of the Merthyr Express.
Whilst doing some research, Terry came across a fascinating article in the Merthyr Express dated 23 June 1956. Here he has written his version of the story, and what better time to post it than day after we remember the fallen of both World Wars.
In 1937, due to the escalation of atrocities against Jewish people by the Nazi party in Germany, Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister, made a wireless appeal on behalf of Jewish children in Germany for British families to help them.
One of these children was 13 year old Edgar Adolf Fleischer, son of Herr Max Fleischer of Berlin. Young Edgar left his parents and embarked on one of the Kindertransport, eventually arriving in Britain in April 1938. Here he was adopted by Mr F Wallace-Hadrill, a house-master at Bromsgrove School.
A keen musician, amongst the meagre possessions that he was allowed to bring from Berlin, Edgar carried with him a small violin case, holding his most precious possession – a violin. He had actually taken a few lessons at the Berlin Conservatoire until the Nazi racial laws forbade Jews to receive such lessons. Upon arriving in Britain however, he once again pursued his musical ambitions.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, and as soon as he was old enough, Edgar wanted nothing more than to join the British armed forces and fight the hated Nazis. In 1944, having taking the necessary oaths of loyalty to Britain, and officially changing his name from Fleischer to Fletcher, he joined the Royal Army Service Corps, and soon rose to the rank of Sergeant, and was selected as a cadet for further training for a commission.
Before he could complete his training course, in the aftermath of the D-Day landings, he was posted to Normandy to reinforce the British Army’s campaign to liberate Europe.
In 1945, he returned to Britain to complete his training, the last stage of which took place at Rhayader in November 1945. With just two days until his commission was due, Edgar took part in the final exercise – an assault exercise on a steep hillside. As he reached the summit, he slipped on the shale and fell forward on to his Bren gun and was killed instantly when it discharged. The only positive from this was that he never lived to find out that both his parents had been murdered by the Nazis in one of the death camps.
Edgar Fletcher was buried with military honours at Cefn-Coed Jewish Cemetery on 24 November 1945. His headstone bears two inscriptions – one in Hebrew and one in English:
Hebrew: ‘O let his soul be bound up in the bond of life’,
English: ‘Who falling among friends shares their promised land’.
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.
Assuming ourselves at the junction of the Mardy and High Street, we will try to go (as many did during the turnpike gate days) around to Dowlais. The Star is on the right hand, a small house and shop on the left, the Mardy House being close, in fact the front garden touched the wall of Shop House, and Mardy House itself faced out to the High Street. This was the new front; a portion of the older part adjoined and had a thatched roof. It was occupied by a Mrs David Meyrick, I believe (Mr David Meyrick Having died there). Adjoining the Mardy was the residence of Mr Edmund Harman.
An extract from the 1851 Ordnance Survey Map showing the area in question
Gillar Street comes in, and on the opposite corner was a shop where (if not mistaken) Mr William Harris first opened on his own account; then the residence of Mr William Rowland, the parish clerk. At the making of the Vale of Neath Railway it was necessary to take part of his garden, and the navvies were annoyed at his troubling so much about some fruit trees. Naturally they would move them in the early hours of the day to avoid interference, but on one occasion he went out while they were doing so, and heard one of the navvies say to the other “Look out Jim; here’s the b_____ old Amen coming”. His wrath was not modified by the hearing of this, but that he did hear it is well known.
An opening into the Cae Gwyn followed, and the Fountain public house was upon the corner of the Tramroad. Upon the right side behind the Star were some five or six cottages, and after an opening was passed that came from Pendwranfach, the Court premises and Garden followed. The house itself has been improved since then, but it was always the parent house of the town. The Glove and Shears adjoined, and abutting on its gable was the Tramroad. Just here will be spoken of again in reference to the Tramroad. Now however, we will cross it and ascend the hill – Twynyrodyn.
Some not over good cottages lined a part of the way; there was a better residence on the right before coming to Zion, the Welsh Baptist Chapel, and opposite the chapel was the residence of the Rev Enoch Williams. Facing down the road just above was the White Horse public house, with a row of cottages with gardens in front. There were but few cottages beyond Zion Chapel on that side.
The White Horse Inn. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
At the end of the White Horse, and behind the row of cottages, is the original ground used for burial of those who died from the cholera epidemic in the very early thirties (those who died at the subsequent visitation being buried in Thomastown, near the Union Workhouse).
The road had few if any cottages. In a dell, which may be called the end of Cwm Rhyd-y-bedd, there was one, and some a little further on to the left. The ‘Mountain Hare’ was the name of the public house built there adjoining the railroad leading from the Winch Fawr to the Penydarren Works.
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.
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.
The Rev J Carroll, the Catholic priest, resided on the Glebeland. He used to write a political letter to the Silurian weekly. Taliesin Williams’ residence was in Castle Street, but the schoolroom entrance for pupils was in Castle Field Lane. He had the most prominent school and the reputation for being somewhat too strict. My recollection of him, however, is quite clear, that he did not punish severely without great provocation. I can acknowledge that he gave me a slap once, and once only, but that it was also fully deserved must also be acknowledged.
As far as can now be recalled not one of his pupils can be named as alive now, except the writer. The late Mr Thomas Jenkins, of Pant, was supposed to be the last – but I am still left. The last of the family of that generation, Miss Elizabeth Williams, died about a year ago in the vicinity of London.
A Mr Shaw also had a school on the other side of the same lane. His son was an artist. John Thomas (Ieuan Ddu) can also be hazily recalled as keeping a school, but more vividly as a bass singer.
Mr John Millar, who, in conjunction with his brother Robert, carried on the brewery at Pontycapel, kept the Wheat Sheaf for many years, and afterwards moved to the Lamb. There was also a weaver, of the name of Wilkins, about the Glebeland, one of whose daughters married Mr W E Jones, the artist. The other daughter married and emigrated. The Merthyr Library and Reading Room started in the house at the corner of Castle Street and Glebeland.
Upon coming up to the Brecon Road from Caepantywyll, if we had gone on to Gwaelodygarth it would have led us past the entrance to the “Cottage” and Penydarren farm yard, past which the road leads to Penybryn and Pant, but keeping around by the Penydarren Park wall we came to the road to Dowlais close to the Penydarren turpike gate.
Mr Richard Forman, when manager of the Penydarren Works, resided at the “Cottage”. Mr William Davies, of the firm of Meyrick and Davies, lived there subsequently, and then Mr John Daniel Thomas, many years the high bailiff of the Merthyr County Court. Mr Grenfell, when the manager of Penydarren, resided at Gwaunfarren. Mr Benjamin Martin followed him (moving from the yard there) when becoming manager. Prior to this I always heard it called the Dairy. Occasionally one of the partners remained a short time at Penydarren House, but the gardener (named Price) used to sell the produce raised there.
Gwaelodygarth Fach a.k.a. “The Cottage”. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
It was at Penydarren Ironworks that the first iron rails were rolled. They were known as the “fish-bellied” pattern. Tredgold, the authority upon the strength of iron, had a piece of iron supplied him with “Penydarren” upon it, by a firm of merchants in London, to whom he applied for a specimen of Welsh iron for experimental purposes. This fact is recorded in his treatise on the strength of iron.
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.
