Tag: Penydarren Park

Merthyr Memories: Penydarren Park – part 2

by Allan ‘Salty’ Jones

It was only when I was thinking about this short article that it dawned on me what a dramatic slump there had been in 1953 and 1954. Crowds of thousands in 1951 fell to a couple of hundred in 1954. I can remember the very successful manager being criticised for letting the all the team grow old together, and how he had failed to introduce some new blood into the team.

In 1954, when I was 10, we had a Welsh Cup replay game in mid-week at the Park against Llanelly. It was an afternoon kick-off because we had no floodlights, and I wanted to go to the game. My mother was adamant that I had to go to school which was just around the corner from my house. We were lining up to go back into school when my teacher, Mr Granville Davies, asked me why I was crying. I explained that Merthyr were playing in the Cup and my mother had insisted that I had to go to school. Being the kind-hearted man he was, he told me to go and tell my mother that it was OK for me to go to the game. I could not be seen for dust.

Neither Merthyr nor Llanelly were at their prime, and even to a young boy, Merthyr were playing badly. The small crowd was getting at our own players because they were losing, and then one of our players, Johnny Reed, who had signed from Gloucester City, broke his leg. The crack was heard all over the ground. This was the final straw for many of our supporters and they dwindled away as a cup exit looked inevitable. As they say, football is a funny game, and Merthyr took the match into extra time. The heroic ten players went on to win 3-2, in what was to me a life-long memorable game.

I continued to support the Martyrs with my brother every game up to about 1963, when I became Secretary and player of Horeb Chapel Youth F.C. in the local league. I held this position for 17 years and, as such, was unable to go to the Park for Saturday games, but I was there without fail for the mid-week fixtures, without doubt one of the most memorable of these for me was the first game under lights in about 1965. Harry Griffiths was the manager and he had gathered together and excellent team. Wimbledon were the visitors and although the game ended 2-2, it was a great game.

Horeb Chapel AFC 1960s. I am middle row, third from left.

I will always remember one funny story of when Harry first came to us. He was introducing the trainer, and he introduced a man involved with the Welsh League side as Mr Billy Marvel. Quite a few present nearly choked as this was Billy’s nickname – his real name was Evans.

There were some dire times for the Club in the late sixties, and I can remember one occasion when we were really scraping the bottom of the barrel for a team to go to Rugby. I was asked if I would go, and I readily agreed although I fully appreciated my shortcomings. I think we were unluck to lose 7-0, but it was my claim to fame that I played Southern League football for the Martyrs. I also played for the Welsh League and I am proud of my record in that I scored in every game. Played one, scored one, and the famous venue was Swansea University.

In the early ‘80s I returned to the Park for all games, even though I had been appointed the Secretary of the Merthyr Tydfil Association Football League in 1984. My appointment was the consequence of the very sudden death of a man I held in the highest esteem. John V Bevan D.F.M. had been secretary of the League for 37 years at the time of his death, and I am certain that this record will never be surpassed.

The great seasons of the mid ‘80s to early ‘90s will always remain with me. Two Championship wins, the Welsh Cup success, and of course European football at the Park. The win over Atalanta must rank with the very best and the trip to Bergamo for the return leg holds unforgettable memories. Since then, there have been more troubled times, but I hope that the wheel of fortune is going to turn our way in the future.

Do you have any memories of Merthyr you would like to share? It doesn’t have to be about sport – it could be about anything you like – school, work, chapel, church, play. Anything you would like to share, please get in touch at merthyr.history@gmail.com

Merthyr Memories: Penydarren Park – part 1

by Allan ‘Salty’ Jones

It was as a seven-year-old boy in 1951 that I first made my way to Penydarren Park to see the Martyrs. Together with my younger brother Grenville and my father, we would either walk the short distance from Penydarren or catch the bus to the Theatre Royal. We would then join the large crowd on the Promenade and gain entry to the ground at the Theatre end.

Sometimes, manning one of the turnstiles would be my uncle, John Rees (right). John, a remarkable man, was also the club’s groundsman. He did his job despite having two artificial legs from just below the knee. Penydarren Park at this time was a very heavy venue and I can picture, even now, my uncle forking the ground to remove the excess water and his artificial legs would be sinking into the mud. To have an uncle who was in the inner sanctum of the Club used to make me feel very proud.

We used to watch the games from the Theatre end, sitting on the wooden fencing behind the goal. My father used to go a little way back into the crowd. The atmosphere was terrific, which was particularly caused by the great success the club had achieved during the late ‘40s and its continued success. I cannot remember seeing the great Bill Hullett play, but the side I can still picture vividly is:- Sellick, Avery, Phillips, Lloyd, Lowe and Richards, Davies, Squires, Reynolds, Jarman, Powell.

Merthyr Town A.F.C. 1952. Photo courtesy of David Watkins

We were always playing football in the streets as there were not many cars around. On home days, Stan Davies the right wing of the above team, used to walk through the street carrying his boots in a small bag, on his way to Penydarren Park. One of our heroes walking through my street! Not long after, another of Merthyr’s famous football sons used to walk through my street to play for the Town. Ronnie Skyrme used to live in the next street, Church Street, and it was always a thrill to see him walking to a game. Ronnie was later transferred to Tonbridge.

On returning home from the match, we would again go out to play football. Some of the players would have a distinctive way of wearing their kit, and in our own innocent way we would try to copy them. We would give ourselves their names and shout for example, “Good shot Dego” (Trevor Reynolds’ nickname) or “Well saved Bert”, for Bert Sellick and “What a goal Shenkin”.

I could go on for quite a while reminiscing about this team but suffice it to say that who can forget the silky skills of Squires, Jarman and Dai Lloyd; the thunderous shot of Shenkin Powell and the sliding tackles of Ralph Avery. Two reserve players also come to mind from this era: Des Jackson, who I believe came from Glynneath, a village in which my father worked for 50 years in the coal mine. The other was Andy Mulgrew, a little Irish winger, and the much bigger Trevor Reynolds used to look after him like a father.

There were some great derby games at that time, for example Hereford United, and I can remember the big Aberfan born and Welsh Amateur international Gwyn Groves playing so well for them in goal. Another famous Merthyr man appeared in the Hereford team at this time – Cyril Beech. Cyril later went on to become a very successful scout, and amongst his discoveries were John Hartson and Mark Pembridge. Gloucester City, Worcester City and Bath City were always hard-fought games, and I can remember on one occasion the great Charlie Fleming turning out for Bath City. What games!

And what about the Welsh teams? Lovells Athletic with Ray Cross in goal and George Lowrie at centre forward; Barry Town and Llanelly were always keenly contested games, and ones which I like to think were never lost.

To be continued…..

They Managed Merthyr Town

by Phil Sweet

BACKGROUND

During the first half of the Twentieth Century, the manager’s job was very different to what it is today. In this era managers were generally given the title of Secretary-Manager and were responsible for signing players and the day-to-day running of the club. Much of the training and ‘tactics’ were generally left to the Trainer who would sometimes consult senior players. Team selection was normally left to the committee or board of directors.

What follows is a series of biographies of those individuals who ‘managed’ Merthyr Town, a job when the club was a member of the Football League in the 1920s, which was widely regarded as being one of the toughest in British football due to the massive financial problems facing the club as unemployment mounted year on year in the Borough.

THE EARLY ‘MANAGERS’

DAVID THOMAS MANTLE

David Thomas Mantle was the first Secretary-Manager of Merthyr Town. He was appointed in June 1908 and was assisted as Trainer by Sam Collins, a local insurance superintendent and trained masseur. Mantle arrived at Penydarren Park with a good pedigree having won the South Wales Cup with Ton Pentre the previous season. However, Mantle’s stay at Penydarren Park was to be a short one as he left in October 1908 to return to Ton Pentre. In 1912 he was banned from football for life having being found guilty by the Football Association of Wales of making illegal payments to players.

Following Mantle’s departure, Sam Collins continued as Trainer and the secretarial duties were taken over by Mr. W.H. Parry a local solicitor. Parry was himself replaced as Secretary for the 1909-10 season by Mr. W.T. Jones, a former Secretary of Merthyr R.F.C. and a member of the committee of Merthyr Athletic Club – the body that controlled Penydarren Park at that time.

ALBERT FISHER

Albert Fisher joined Merthyr Town in 1909 after a lengthy playing career in the Football and Southern Leagues. He was appointed Secretary-Manager in 1910 and the following season led the club to the Glamorgan League championship.

Season 1911-12 saw Fisher’s Merthyr Town team capture the South Wales Cup and pip Portsmouth on goal average to finish champions of the Second Division of the Southern League. Fisher left Penydarren Park in the summer of 1913 to become Notts County’s first Secretary-Manager and he marked his first season in charge by winning the Second Division Championship.

The 1922-23 season saw Fisher’s Nott’s County side reach the F.A. Cup semi-final where they were defeated by Huddersfield Town. In May 1922 Fisher took Nott’s County to Barcelona to play in tournament to mark the opening of Barca’s Les Corts stadium. Nott’s County’s notorious offside tactics didn’t endear themselves to the home crowd as they beat Barcelona by 4 goals to 2. For the second match against their hosts, County dropped their controversial playing style yet still secured a 1-1 draw.

The Notts County team in Barcelona – Fisher is on the far left

Season 1924-25 saw County return to the First Division as Second Division champions. Albert Fisher remained with Nott’s County until the summer of 1927. He never managed again and died in 1937.

DAVID M. BUCHANAN

Former Leyton manager David M. Buchanan joined Merthyr Town in August 1913. However, his first season in charge saw Merthyr Town relegated from the Southern League First Division. The following year Buchanan fared slightly better. He took the team to Highbury for an F.A. Cup tie against Arsenal and narrowly missed out on promotion.

In later years he served as Charlton Athletic’s Assistant-Manager and Trainer (1925-28) and managed Thames F.C. (1928-31). In a bizarre twist of fate Buchanan was succeeded as Charlton manager by Merthyr Town manager Albert Lindon whilst Thames FC was the team who replaced the Martyrs in the Football League.

HARRY HADLEY 

England international Harry Hadley enjoyed a long and distinguished playing career with, amongst others, Aston Villa and W.B.A. before being appointed Merthyr Town Secretary-Manager in May 1919. He was in charge for the first Football League fixture against Crystal Palace and led the club to an eighth-place finish at the end of the 1920-21 season. Hadley resigned in October 1921 following a difference of policy with the board of directors.

In April 1922 Hadley was named as manager of  Chesterfield where he remained until August 1922 before taking up a staff appointment with Manchester United.

In November 1927 Hadley was appointed as manager of Aberdare. This was a very difficult appointment as the club was officially known as Aberdare and Aberaman.

Following the demise of Aberdare in the summer of 1928 Hadley worked as an agent for several Football League clubs.

In late September 1930 Hadley became Secretary-Manager of Merthyr Town for the second time, a post he held until the demise of the club in the summer of 1934.

JAMES McPHERSON

James McPherson joined Merthyr Town as Trainer in the summer of 1921. His background was in athletics having previously been Trainer to the Norwegian Olympic team.

Following the resignation of Harry Hadley, McPherson was given the sole responsibility of looking after the players. A mid-table finish at the end of the 1921-22 season led to the Board appointing McPherson as Manager in April 1922.However, after a challenging 1922-23 season McPherson left Merthyr Town at the end of the campaign

THOMAS DANIEL JONES

A pioneer of the association football code in South Wales, Jones, a native of Aberdare, was a former Welsh International and had served as a Secretary of Aberdare F.C. and a FAW Vice-President.

A solicitor by profession Jones was appointed Merthyr Town Secretary-Manager in July 1923. Despite finishing in a creditable 13th position in the Third Division South, Jones tendered his resignation at the end of the 1923-24 season.

ALBERT LINDON

Albert Lindon was very much ‘Mr. Merthyr Town’ He joined Merthyr Town in the summer of 1920 after spells at Birmingham, Aston Villa, Barnsley and Coventry City. A giant goalkeeper, he made a record 250 Football League appearances for Merthyr Town, scoring 1 goal.

Lindon was appointed Player-Manager in August 1924 for the princely sum of £1 a week on top of his playing contract!

He remained in charge at Penydarren Park until January 1928 when he was appointed Manager of Charlton Athletic. One of the last things Lindon had to do before leaving the town was to get married by special licence.

Lindon served Charlton in a number of capacities until March 1934. He subsequently joined Arsenal where he eventually ended up as chief scout before returning to Penydarren Park in May 1947 to manage Merthyr Tydfil AFC. Lindon remained at Penydarren Park until December 1949 by which time the team had won the Southern League Championship, the Welsh Cup and the Southern League Cup.

He then joined Cardiff City as a scout eventually becoming assistant manager before returning to manage Merthyr Tydfil AFC in the 1957-58 and 1958-59 seasons. He then became a scout for Swindon Town and then Newport County. During his managerial career Lindon reckoned to have discovered around 30 future international players.

THOMAS McKENNA

Tom McKenna began season 1927-28 as Charlton Athletic’s first choice goalkeeper. However, he lost his place following Albert Lindon’s arrival at The Valley and in the summer of 1928, McKenna joined Merthyr Town.

In November 1928 the Board surprisingly offered McKenna the manager’s job. At just 26 he was the youngest manager in the entire Football League. However, McKenna lasted just six months in the hot seat and he left Penydarren Park in the summer of 1929 to join Southend United.

SAM GIBBON

A local grocer Sam Gibbon headed a syndicate that took control of the Club in the summer of 1928 after the old company had gone into liquidation.

Despite enduring a tough 1928-29 season where he was forced to sell his own son to Fulham in order to try and make ends meet, Gibbon, who was the main financial backer, decided to carry on.

However, financial circumstances meant that he was unable to afford the cost of a manager. As a result, Gibbon was forced to supervise the training sessions himself.

The 1929-30 season proved to be disastrous for Merthyr Town. The club finished the campaign rooted to the foot of the table with just 21 points from their 42 matches. Consequently, it came as little surprise when the Club failed to secure re-election to the Football League.

In the light of these circumstances Sam Gibbon severed his connections with the Club. Sam Gibbon’s association with Merthyr Town cost him well over £2,500 (around £200,000 today) – a figure which would have been much higher but for the sale of players.

Memories of Old Merthyr Tydfil

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.

Bidding goodbye to Plymouth, let us walk up to Penydarren, but to fall into line with what has been previously stated, now imagine ourselves at the old turnpike gate close to the Morlais Castle Inn. The road inclining to the right must now be followed.

After a short time the tramroad from the basin would be crossed, and only a few yards previously, the branch into the works would be seen. The gates, or rather the lower gates of the works are here, and passing through, the works would be virtually surrounding you, at least the rail shed, the brickyard, an the new mill, but persons other than hauliers with their horses etc. were not allowed in that way, so we must keep to the turnpike road for a short distance, having the tramway on the left, when another gate would be come to opposite the entrance to Penydarren Park.

A composite of parts of the 1851 Ordnance Survey Map showing Penydarren House and Gardens (left) and the Penydarren Ironworks (right)

Only a few yards further on the tramway again crosses the road, and over this very crossing the turnpike gate (the Penydarren gate) was hung. The gate house on the left was only recently removed by the District Council.

The clump of buildings on the right from the entrance gate to the works was agents or other employees residences, with the offices of the works in front of them. The tramroad kept to the right, and did not rise as fast as the turnpike road. There were no houses on the right-hand side of the road until the tramroad from the Morlais Limestone Quarries had been crossed.

The first come to was occupied by Mr Morgan, the blast furnace manager, but there were some cottages on the left before coming to the tramroad. There was a brick cistern near the crossing that was made for the use of the locomotives at work on the lower, or basin road, and upon one occasion, while being filled, the boiler exploded.

Before proceeding further, let us glance at the prospect on the right. Immediately in front were the blast furnaces, five in a row and one detached, a little to the right; but before reaching them the Morlais Brook, or dingle in which it ran, would be seen, then a long incline leading up on the left. This was used for the removal of cinders or other refuse, no doubt, after the tip on the riverside had become as large as could well be. On the other side of the incline were the blast furnaces, with a large spherical wrought-iron regulator for the blast between the engine houses.

To the left of the furnace yard are, or were, the hitting shops; to the right, after the blast furnaces, was the refinery, the the smiths shop, a self-acting incline to lower coal forge and mill use; then the rod lathe, the forge (or puddling forge) followed these mills where bars, sheets and slit rods were made. The rail mill was the lowest, and the sheds extended to the gates at the bottom of the works.

Penydarren Irnoworks

To be continued at a later date……

Walter William Meredith – The Man Who Secured Penydarren Park for Sport

by Phil Sweet

History is full of individuals who accomplish notable deeds and then fade from memory. One such gentleman is Walter William Meredith. This short article will hopefully both bring his story to life and recognise his achievements.

Walter Meredith was born on New Year’s Day 1863 and was the second child of William and Harriet Meredith who resided at 125 High Street in Merthyr. Walter’s father was a successful jeweller and had the financial means to invest in his son’s education.

Meredith initially attended Lloyd’s School in Merthyr. It was at this school that he first participated in the code of football which existed at the time. When he was eleven Meredith attended Taunton School and, during the five years he spent there, represented the school at both rugby and cricket.

He then spent the next three years at Shrewsbury School and whilst a pupil at the school he became acquainted with Association Football. Meredith proved to be a quick learner and went on to represent the school at football, cricket and running. During this time his rugby skills weren’t forgotten as he occasionally turned out for Merthyr RFC whilst home on vacation.

Meredith’s talents were not just confined to the sports field and on leaving Shrewsbury School in 1882 he was articled to a firm of solicitors in the City of London. While he was in the Capital Walter’s sporting career continued to flourish. He joined the London Athletic Club and on Wednesdays played rugby for a team called the Anomolites which was a combination of members of the London Athletic Club and doctors from the various London hospitals.

He was also a member of the Hermits & Phoenix Football Clubs which later merged into the well-known Clapton club. Indeed whilst he was with Clapton Meredith played at right back in the Clapton team which won the London Association Junior Cup. A true sporting all-rounder Meredith also competed in cross-country competitions for the Clapton Beagles team and during the summer months was a regular and successful participant in athletic sports held within easy travelling distance of London.

In 1887 Walter passed his final law examination and qualified as a solicitor  This event saw him curtail his athletics career. However, his interest in sport was not extinguished completely as he served for a season as Secretary of London Welsh RFC.

In June 1891 Meredith returned to Merthyr to open his own solicitors practice in Market Square and resided with his parents and older sister Kate at 125 High Street. Back in his home town Walter wasted little time in throwing himself into the civic life of the area. As well as being President of Merthyr RFC and Secretary of Merthyr Athletic Club, in 1904 he was appointed High Constable of Caerphilly Higher.

Shortly after being appointed to the latter office Meredith made his lasting contribution to the sporting life of the town when he concluded the negotiations, on behalf of Merthyr Athletic Club, with the Bolgoed Estate for a 99 year lease on Penydarren Park which at the time was in great danger of being built on. This agreement secured for the people of Merthyr a central and well appointed venue for sporting activity which had previously been so lacking in the town.

Having secured the use of Penydarren Park for sport the twelve-strong syndicate of prominent townsmen who comprised Merthyr Athletic Club wasted little time in levelling the arena to create a playing field as well as athletics and cycling tracks. The ground was officially opened on Saturday 9th September 1905 when Swansea RFC took on Merthyr RFC and immediately became the home to Merthyr RFC, Merthyr Thursdays RFC and Merthyr Ladies Hockey Club.

These organisations were the first of many such clubs to take up residence at the ground. Although Penydarren Park has become synonymous with football in the town, having hosted both Football League and European Cup Winners Cup matches, the arena has also played host to touring international rugby teams and greyhound racing. Equally as significant is the fact that it has allowed countless thousands of children and adults in the Borough to engage in a variety of sporting pursuits.

Whilst securing the lease on Penydarren Park was undoubtedly Walter Meredith’s lasting civic legacy to Merthyr Tydfil his interests were not just confined to the sporting arena. As well as being an enthusiastic archaeologist and a recognised authority on the history of Merthyr Tydfil Meredith was the long-standing  Secretary of both the Merthyr & Aberdare Incorporated Law Society and Merthyr Chamber of Trade & Commerce.

Politically he was a strong supporter of the Conservative Party acting as party agent in the town for the first decade of the twentieth century.  Ten years earlier he had been one of the founder members of the Merthyr Constitutional Club eventually becoming the club’s president after holding the post of vice-president for eighteen years.

Walter Meredith was a bachelor who, following the death of his parents, moved with his spinster sister to 2, Courtland Terrace. He died on August 2nd 1932  whilst on holiday at Aberdw in Mid Wales where he was indulging in another of his life-long passions – angling. His funeral took place Friday August 12th at St David’s Church where he was life-long member. He is buried in Cefn Cemetery.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Evening Express
Merthyr Express
1871 Census
1881 Census
1891 Census
1901 Census
1911 Census 

Merthyr Memories: Merthyr Town F.C.

by Paul Newman

I began to watch football at an early age with my father at Penydarren Park. I recall the colourful characters in the crowd who often give some poor referee a verbal hammering. The colourful comments were often also directed at the opposition and some Merthyr players who had the misfortune of misplacing a pass.  I bag of crisps and a chocolate bar and live football. I was hooked.

Penydarren Park. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

There was very little live televised football at the time. Therefore visits to Penydarren Park were our fix. We would come to watch both Southern League and Welsh League games. In my teenage years I would watch games with a group of school friends from Cyfarthfa High School. In later years I now attend with my son.

The first game I remember, and the first disappointment was the FA Cup Second Round defeat v Hendon in 1973, at the park. Hendon were drawn away to Newcastle in the next round which only added to the disappointment. I recall “King” John Charles was playing for the Town that day. I met John Charles many years latter at Elland Road Leeds. He spoke fondly of his time at Merthyr in which he was player manager. He also drove the team bus to away games!

Merthyr Town F.C. in 1974. John Charles heading the ball. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive.

I began watching the Martyrs on a regular basis in 1976; I remember the bruising battles with Barry Town in the league and Cup.  1977-78, was a good memory quarter final of the FA Trophy 1-1 v Runcorn at home Paul Caviel scored a header and had a better header disallowed. We was robbed! There was also a mid-week away trip to Wrexham in the Welsh Cup which was one of my first away games apart from our annual visit to Jenner Park in Barry.

One of my favourite memories is the Welsh Cup run of 1986-87; in the earlier rounds we played Cardiff Corries away. It was a 0-0 draw. I seem to remember Corries had a few chances to win the game. I was in college in North Wales at the time. So it was a short journey to see the Martyrs against Caernarfon Town in a scrappy 1-1 draw, and a dramatic penalty shootout win against Bangor City.  Of course, the unforgettable final v Newport and then of course the Atalanta game in the European Cup Winner Cup at the Park.

Other memories include in the conference years, a 3-3 draw with Kidderminster, the Martyrs were 3 down. All the goals were at the Park End which was still frozen after an overnight frost!  I remember a game against Macclesfield 1-1 at the Park when their goal keeper scored from a goal kick.

There have also been high profile friendlies v Red Star Belgrade, Celtic, and the Maltase National side. I remember the Red Star Game in which Belgrade had 2 players sent off.

Also in recent years, winning the South Western League and regaining our Southern League Premier status was more recent happy memories.

What a win on 15th Oct 2022 in the FA Cup! 2-1, in front of a raucous crowd at the Park. First Round of the FA Cup, here we come!

Some of my favourite players over the years include: Gordon Davies, Paul Caviel, Ray Pratt, David Webley, and Ian Traylor all terrific goal scorers. But my favourite player who was a rock in the defence was Chris Holvey.

I am currently living outside Merthyr but I make the pilgrimage to Penydarren Park whenever I can. So, support your local team. It is better than any soap opera.

Up the Town!

Jimmy Edwards, Nancy Whiskey and an 11 year old Boy

by Brian Jones

The  atmosphere  in  the  red  double-decker  bus  was  a  mixture  of excitement and apprehension – the experienced pupils were pleased to renew old acquaintances, whilst the nervous first year boys and girls tended to quiet reflection. The bus, with the conductor keeping a watchful eye, meandered down Twyn hill, up the High Street to Pontmorlais, then skirted Merthyr General Hospital and finally reached its destination at Gwaelodygarth, near the  top gates of Cyfarthfa Park.  A mass of buses disgorged hundreds of Cyfarthfa Castle Grammar School pupils, 120 of whom were about to begin the first day of a new adventure.

The ten minute walk through the park would be repeated innumerable times over the next seven happy and eventful years. Amongst the wave of children, some marched at a brisk pace, others moved slowly and deliberately, whilst a few set off on a hurried race ignoring the beauty of the park. Soon each of the four seasons would pass leaving each of their distinctive colours and smells lingering in the memory – the odour of wet leaves crushed underfoot in autumn, the snow and ice of winter, the showers of  rain  that  heralded  a new  spring, and finally the shade of the trees providing some relief on the occasional hot days of summer.

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The girls peeled away – on the path to the rear of the school while the boys from 11 to 18 years of age followed the gentle downward slope to the front of the school. Only the sixth form and teaching staff could enter through the quadrangle, while the Lower and Middle schools walked a little further through the yard and into the long school corridor.

In 1957 Jimmy Edwards (left) was the star of the B.B.C television comedy series “Whacko” which was shown on small black and white television sets with poor picture and sound reception. Jimmy’s trademark handlebar moustache, mortarboard and black academic gown marked him out as the incompetent schoolmaster, forever jousting with that errant pupil “Taplow”. Their fictitious school mirrored some of the features of “The Castle” – the academic dress of the staff; the occasional corporal  punishment;  the management of the pupils by the school prefects, all of who seemed like giants to that very small 11 year-old boy. The prefects would dish out lines for the slightest perceived misdemeanours saying “100 lines by tomorrow boy” then to rattle off at breakneck speed, “Deep harm to disobey seeing as obedience is a bond of rule”.

In other respects the school where Jimmy Edwards ruled the roost was very unlike “The Castle”. There all pupils were “posh” whereas at Cyfarthfa the school was a delicious mix of children of professionals, tradesmen and unskilled workers – the sons and daughter of teachers, · electricians and fitters, production operatives at Hoovers, I.C.I, B.S.A and Triang Toys. In the comedy series all of the children were English through and through, with appropriate English surnames. In my class there were Bernstein, Lozano, Jones, Walsh, Robertson, Olsen and Muller reflecting the local ethnic mix, as a result of immigration spread over the previous century.

A few months earlier the 120 new entrants to the school had passed the  11 Plus Examination whereas on that first morning of term they assembled in the old school hall, which would soon be converted into extra classrooms. The stern looking Headmaster, Mr W.  Lloyd Williams M.A. (right) began the introductions and commenced the allocations to forms by asking, “All those who wish to study Welsh hold up your hands!” Then thirty or so pupils were placed into form 2A and the remainder allocated into three streamed forms of 2B,  2C and 2D.

Mr Bernard Jenkins (English) took charge of form 2B. A lover of golf he proved a humorous, if strict form master. Later that day we would meet our new teachers such as May Treharne (Latin); Mr  J H Davies (French) a short man nicknamed “Twiddles”; Mr  A G Harris (Geography) known as Gus who prior to World War II  had married a former school P.E mistress, Miss Florence Price, and set up home near Penydarren Park; Maud Davies (Biology) who lived in Treharris and was a cousin of the Headmaster; the History teacher, Mr G L Williams nicknamed “Nero” and Mr Trevor Jones (English) who lived in Twynyrodyn and who joined the staff in 1952.

Mr Harvard Walters (Welsh) (left) had been at the school since 1936 and much later became the Deputy Headmaster. One of his tasks was to begin the long and frustrating attempt to teach the Welsh National Anthem and school song, the first 2 lines of which were:-

Ienctyd y Castell, Caer I Ddysg a Hedd,
Gloewn Ein Harfau I’r Gad Ddi-gledd.

Many a time he would despair at the “Wenglish” of most of the pupils moaning that they were “a lot of Dowlais Cockneys”.

At lunchtime we marched to the canteen sited in its own ground to the rear of the school where under the keen eyes of the prefects we were taught dining room etiquette. Each pupil was careful to walk slowly to each of the afternoon lessons with leather satchels becoming heavier as the day progressed. New friends were quickly made and by the end of that school day new groups ambled back to the buses, however most of the pupils soon had their school tie askew, and gold trimmed school cap set at an angle.

The journey home on the bus was light-hearted although the prefects still remained in firm control. The older boys whistled the catchy tune of the song  “Freight  Train”  which  had  been  recorded  by  the  singer  Nancy Whiskey, just at the end period of the Skiffle craze. The new boy alighted from the bus at Penuel Chapel on Twyn Hill, with his school satchel seeming to “weigh a ton”, however as each of the years passed it lost its shine and became as “light as a feather”.

I remember with affection Jimmy Edwards, Nancy Whiskey and that first day at “The Castle”.

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Storming Iscoed House, Pontmorlais 1935

by Christine Trevett

It was a Monday afternoon – the afternoon of February 4th 1935 to be exact, and it had been snowing heavily that day. The women arrived first at Iscoed House, Pontmorlais, which housed the area offices of the Unemployment Assistance Board. There, the plan went, an orderly deputation which would include the district secretary of the National Unemployed Workers Union (NUWM) would be speaking with officials. Perhaps as many as a thousand women were part of the protest outside. They had marched there with around double that number of men, coming from all directions to reach Pontmorlais in a United Front demonstration during the Means Test protests of that year. Such things were happening all over South Wales and elsewhere.

The Unemployment Assistance Board

That had been set up by the government in the previous year (1934). It administered means-tested assistance to those who had no contributions-based unemployment benefit. In the Depression of the 1930s the Merthyr region was very hard-hit economically and many people were affected by Means Test decisions, a Test which at this time was creating even further hardship. Opposition to it was widespread, with the criticism coming from not just the working classes and the unemployed, so that the government was getting jittery. From  1931-June 1935 it was a National Government (a coalition) under the leadership of Labour’s Ramsay MacDonald and with Conservatives, Liberals and others in it.

Protests in Merthyr Tydfil region

Not quite two weeks previously, in January 1935, there had been another United Front demonstration. That Front was a sign of temporary Labour Party/Communist collaboration where The Means Test was concerned and that January demonstration had brought perhaps ten thousand people to Penydarren Park. They had marched there in organised processions from all parts of the Borough. Many women were in the throng, and carrying infants.

Wal Hannington

The crowd had been addressed by Wal Hannington, one of two organisers of the National Unemployed Workers Union (NUWM). Not a local person, he had also been the Communist candidate in Merthyr’s bye-election in the previous year. The crowd was addressed also by John Dennithorne, Warden of Dowlais Educational Settlement (the seat of all kinds of social and educational work) and by ILP (Independent Labour Party) leaders.

A deputation was agreed (it included two local ministers of religion) to interview officials at Iscoed House. They would present grievances and protest the unemployment assistance legislation. On that day the deputation had been told that its concerns would be passed on. The Western Mail of 23rd January 1935 (p. 10) had reported that the gathering ‘dispersed in good order’.That had been then. But come February 4th at Iscoed House, matters would change from being orderly.

On February 4th traffic was brought to a standstill on Brecon Road as the demonstration took its course and from all quarters marchers were heading for Pontmorlais. The protest was being overseen by a contingent of police not large enough to be effective if trouble broke out on a large scale, given the numbers in the demonstration, but then the organisers of this United Front demonstration did not seem to be expecting trouble.

John Dennithorne in 1936

The actual march and deputation had been organised by the NUWM and by invitation it was also being led by the London-born Warden of Dowlais Educational Settlement, the same John Dennithorne (mentioned earlier). Dennithorne, who had served in World War I, was a Quaker and a pacifist.

Accounts of what happened

There are some first-hand accounts of the events of Fabruary 4th, including one from John Dennithorne and another from Griff  Jones, a local NUWM member who had been with those ‘starting off from Pengarnddu with banners’(an interview with him is kept in the South Wales Miners’ Library collection in Swansea university). Also there is a fictionalised account by the Clydach Vale born novelist and NUWM member Lewis Jones in We Live – his novel about those times.

The deputation was doing its work inside the building and thousands were gathered outside. UAB clerks on an upper floor had been ‘making faces’ at the crowd (Griff Jones recalled). They soon stopped, as the slim cordon of police was clambered over by a determined group –‘a mob of men who were prepared for anything’ as John Dennithorne called them.

With no previous sign of their intention they had made ‘a sudden rush’, so The Western Mail recorded. Stones were hurled through the office windows, shattering glass over the clerks; the gate of Iscoed House gave way; Dennithorne expected to be arrested. Inside the building he clambered onto a windowsill to be heard but ‘a howling mob’, now inside, shouted down his appeals against violence. ‘Old bug whiskers’ (a jibe at the bearded Warden, who was 39 years old) was told to ‘get down!’ as furnishings and fittings were being broken up and records angrily plundered for burning. Blood was spattering through the air, John Dennithorne recalled. Only a couple of well known South Wales Communists were suffered to speak.

It was the police which persuaded the violently protesting minority to disperse and to leave the grounds of Iscoed House. Hundreds of thousands of protestors had been on the nation’s streets that day. Given the strength of feeling nationally against the government’s stance there was some rethinking of the legislation. The Western Mail was already recording on February 5th that ‘To-day Mr. Oliver Stanley (Minister of Labour) will probably announce changes in the regulations to meet the special grievances raised. New instructions have already been sent to area officers’.

Iscoed House today

There is more about this and those times in:

  • Lewis Jones, We Live (Parthian Books 2015)
  • Daryl Leeworthy, Labour Country: political radicalism and social democracy in South Wales 1831-1985 (Parthian, 2018).
  • Christine Trevett Dowlais Educational Settlement and the Quaker John Dennithorne (Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society, 2022)
  • Stephanie Ward, Unemployment and the State in Britain: the Means Test and Protest in 1930s South Wales and north-east England (Manchester University Press, 2013)