Tag: Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society

Merthyr Historian Volume 30

The Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society is pleased to announce the publication of Volume 30 of the Merthyr Historian.

There will be a book-launch for the new volume on Tuesday 3 December at 2.00pm at The Red House (The Old Town Hall), and all are welcome.

The cost of the book will be £10. If anyone would like a copy, please get in touch via the e-mail – merthyr.history@gmail.com and I will pass on any orders.

The contents of Volume 30 are below.

Volume 30 (2019) ISBN 978 0 992981 0  6   Eds.  Christine Trevett and Huw Williams

 An Editorial Statement

A tribute to Dr T. Fred Holley at 90

  1. Three Merthyr Artists (with particular Reference to William Gillies Gair) by T.F. Holley and J.D. Holley
  2. The Crown Inn, Merthyr, in the Nineteenth Century  by Richard Clements
  3. Facets of Faenor (Vaynor) by Lyndon Harris
  4. David Irwyn Thomas of Treharris (1923-2018): a Story of Wartime Survival and Search by David Irwyn Thomas
  5. ‘Yr Aberth Fwyaf’ (‘The Greatest Sacrifice’): Words, Images, Messages and Emotions in the First World War Memorials in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough by Gethin Matthews
  6. Sir Pendrill Charles Varrier-Jones (1883-1941): The Papworth Medical Scheme and the Fight Against Tuberculosis by Huw Williams
  7. J.D. Williams Jeweller, High Street, Merthyr and an iconic building by Carl Llewellyn
  8. Merthyr Tydfil and industry – decline and commemoration, 1859 and 1899 (transcriptions and photograph) by Stephen Brewer
  9. Rhyd –y-Car, Wales’ most popular cottages: a  success  in Preservation   by Clive Thomas
  10. Penry Williams: from Georgetown to Rome – Journey of an Artist by Ben Price
  11. From Zero to Hero: William Thomas, Brynawel (1832-1903), Mining Engineer  by T. Fred Holley

Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society

The Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society is pleased to announce details of forthcoming lectures.

Monday 2 September 2019
The Rev Maber and Merthyr’s Glebelands
Barrie Jones

Monday 7 October 2019
Anthony Bacon (1717-1786) ‘A Man of Foresight’
Founder of Cyfarthfa Ironworks
Mary Owen

Monday 4 November 2019
Some Aspects of Early Nineteenth Century Housing in Merthyr Tydfil
Clive Thomas

Monday 2 December 2019
Evan Roberts the Evangelist
David Pike

Meetings are held at Canolfan Soar at 7.00pm
Membership – £10 per annum
Non members – £2 per lecture

ALL ARE WELCOME

Merthyr Historical Society Talk

Life and Times of an Eccentric Welsh Jew

This talk is given by Lionel Elton who was born in Cardiff into a world in turmoil, just as Hitler came to power, and found himself back in Wales when some of the worst aspects of those times seem to be in the ascendancy once more.

Lionel has always considered himself to be something of a square peg in a round hole, never comfortable to blindly accept what he was told and taught. He believes that his curious, questing, questioning nature has helped him find a place in the grand scheme of things, which is both informed and balanced.

Hopefully everyone in the audience will discover something new, or something to be entertained by, or something just to quietly ponder.

All this and live music too!

Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society – 2019 Lecture Programme

The committee of the Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society are pleased to announce the programme for 2019’s lectures.

The Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society meet at Canolfan Soar at 7.00 on the first Monday of the month – please come along….all are welcome.

4 February
Robert Jones An Historical Walk around Abercynon
4 March
Anne Watts The Last Tsar of Russia
1 April
David Maddox Voices: Valley Women’s Lives 1900-1918
13 May
Victoria Owens Lady Charlotte Guest
3 June
Klavdija Erzen History of Jews in South Wales
1 July
Society AGM
2 September
Barrie Jones The Rev Maber and Merthyr’s Glebelands
7 October
Mary Owen To be announced
4 November
Clive Thomas Some Aspects of Early Nineteenth Century Housing in Merthyr Tydfil
2 December
David Pike Evan Roberts the Evangelist

Merthyr Historian Volume 29

Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society are proud to announce the publication of the latest edition of the Merthyr Historian.

The contents of this volume are:-

Part 1 – 1918-2018:  Peace, War and Womanhood

  1. 1918 and Women’s Suffrage: Glimpses of The Merthyr Tydfil Region on the Road to the Vote – by Christine Trevett
  2. The Bereaved Mothers of Wales: Minnie James and the Temple of Peace and Health, Cardiff – by Peter Garwood
  3. ‘To Respect the Remembrance of her Children’: World War I Memorial at Tabernacl Welsh Independent Chapel, Perrott Street, Treharris by Eirlys Emery
  4. Finding Private Francis: A Piece of Glamorgan Family History by Mary Owen
  5. Sudden Death of Mr Henry Richard, M.P. (Transcription) by Steve Brewer

Part 2

  1. Libanus Chapel, Quakers Yard and the Birth of the Local Independent Cause) by Steve Brewer
  2. Dora Lipsett 1892-1982: From Russia’s Domain to Dowlais, Transcription and Postscript by Carl Llewellyn
  3. A Quaker Girlhood in Merthyr (1891-1913) and What She Didn’t Say by Christine Trevett
  4. The Troedyrhiw Gleemen by Carl Llewellyn
  5. Chinese Comedy at Merthyr 1906 and 1926, and the Kinds of People Who Performed by J.D., T.F. And V.A. Holley
  6. The Rise and Fall of Council Housing in Twentieth-Century Merthyr Tydfil by Daryl Leeworthy
  7. Farm Studies in Merthyr Tudful (With Particular Reference to Pen Y Lan) by John Griffiths
  8. Ars Gratia Artis: Popular Culture and the Making of Modern Merthyr Tydfil: Part Two by Huw Williams
The book will be launched at:-
Redhouse Cymru (Old Town Hall)
on 
26 November 2018
at 1.30pm

An Interesting Find

by Ann Lewis

Tying in with the previous couple of posts, local historian Ann Lewis, has provided the following.

In the 1970’s, Vince Harris, the founder and first Chairman of the Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society gave me an old coin and a slip of paper with the details. Below is a photograph of the coin, and a transcription of the explanation.

This old 1806 George III half-penny was found in the ruins of the old Penydarren Ironworks’ blast furnaces in 1969.

This find is of particular interest to the history of the invention of the first steam locomotive to run on rails carrying passengers and goods.

The locomotive, invented by Richard Trevithick, ran very successfully from Penydarren to Abercynon Basin on 21 February 1804 – 21 years before the ‘Locomotion’ built by George Stephenson which ran in 1825 – and that even had to run on rails rolled at either Penydarren or Dowlais. Also, Trevithick’s Engine didn’t run over the Minister to the Board of Trade, or anyone else for that matter, on its trial run…..unlike Stephenson’s!!!

The 1806 half-penny is reputed to be among the first coins minted by Boulton & Watt on the first presses worked by steam, and is in excellent condition. One of the half-pennies that was struck in the 1970’s at the Royal Mint in Llantrisant is shown in comparison with the old one.

Merthyr Historian Books

The Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society is pleased to announce that a number of back copies (as well as the current edition) of the Merthyr Historian series of books are still for sale.

The volumes that are available are:-

For details of the contents of all volumes of the Merthyr Historian, please download the PDF document at the link below:

www.mths.co.uk/pdfs/MerthyrHistorianContents.pdf

Each book is individually priced as shown, and the cost of postage and packing (UK) is £2.90.

If anyone is interested in buying a copy of any of the books, please get in touch via the email at the top right of the blog, and I will pass all orders on to the Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society.

Merthyr Historian vol. 28

The Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society are pleased to announce the publication of volume 28 of the Merthyr Historian.

The book will be officially launched on 11 December 2017 at The Redhouse (the Old Town Hall) in Y Faenor Room (The Gallery) at 2.30pm.
Details of the latest volume are below.
Volume 28
Christine Trevett & Huw Williams, Editors
Published 2017 – ISBN 978-0-9929810-2-0
Contents:
An Editorial Statement
1. Ars Gratia Artis: Popular Culture and the Making of Modern Merthyr Tydfil by Huw Williams
2. Rediscovering J.O. Francis (1882-1956) The Distinguished Merthyr-born Playwright by Mary Owen
3. Pilgrimage of a Vagabond: The Harry H. W. Southey Story by Christopher Parry
4. More Than Just a Bed-cover, More Than Just a Dress by Christine Trevett
5. Disestablishment of the Church in Wales: An Anniversary by David Lee
6. Isaac Craigfryn Hughes of Quakers Yard: Colliery, Culture and the Common Man by Christine Trevett
7. William Warde Fowler: From Gwaelod y Garth House to Ancient Rome by Christine Trevett
8. The Royal Crescent Allotments 1917-2017 by Hywel Mathews
9. George Jones (Talfyrydd): A Forgotten Local Historian by Brynley Roberts
10. The Taff in Poetry and Paint: An Appreciation of “A Fold in the River by Philip Gross and Valerie Coffin Price” by the Editors
11. Biography of Contributors