Tag: Merthyr Express

The Dark Side of Convict Life – part 9

by Barrie Jones

Chapter VII recounts Henry’s second long term imprisonment in Portland Prison, Dorset. He was tried at the Glamorgan Assizes, Swansea on the 14th November 1898 for the “Great Jewellery Robbery” at Treharris, again with David Davies. They had burgled the premises of John Edwards, Jeweller, Perrot Street, Treharris, stealing watches, chains, rings, and various other articles valued at two-hundred and fifty pounds. Superintendent Thornley commented to Justice Day that both prisoners were habitual thieves and burglars, and both had just been liberated on “ticket-of-leave.”

The Dark Side of Convict Life (Being the Account of the Career of Harry Williams, a Merthyr Man). Merthyr Express, 5th March 1910, page 11.

Chapter VII

I suppose many of my readers can well remember the great miners’ strike in 1898, when men, women, and little children were carried to their graves dying every day of starvation; a crime committed in those days was certainly excusable. It was for taking part in a jewellery robbery that I was tried and sentenced to penal servitude for nine years. I was afterwards transferred to Exeter Prison to serve six months’ probation. I made no attempt to escape this time, as I was too carefully watched, for the authorities had not forgotten the last event. I had no trouble there this time, but my troubles were to come. After serving my probation I was transferred to Portland Convict Prison, this being a first-class labour station, and it was here that I composed the “Convict’s Reflections,” which I will give for the benefit of my readers of the “Merthyr Express”:

The Convict’s Reflections

One eve as I sat in my cell, sad and lonely
The prison all quiet, and the warders away
I thought of the parents I had left far behind me
And prayed that again I might see them some day,
When all of a sudden, outside my cell window,
I heard a bird chirping – it seemed full of glee.
So just pay attention, old friends, while I mention
What that little bird told through the bars unto me.

It brought to my mind the bright home of my childhood.
It spoke of the grief and the many sad tears.
That my own darling sister had shed in the wild wood.
When she heard I was sentenced to nine long years.
It said that at night-time when that fair one was sleeping
She would dream of the time when her brother was free,
And even in her slumbers o’er me she would be weeping
The bird whispered this through the bars unto me.

It spoke of two honest, hardworking brothers
It is here, hardened nature, succumbed and tears flowed.
I had seen them, their children, like all jealous lovers,
Remove from the taint of their own flesh and blood.
Oh, sin, thou alluring, and fair faced deceiver,
When, when, shall frail man thy unmasked features see?
When your mates from the tomb hesitate to receive you
The bird whispered this through the bars unto me.

It told me of one who had died broken-hearted
When she heard of the sentence they passed on her lad
Oh, how she did weep on the day that we parted
When I think of my mother it makes my heart sad
How little she thought, on the day that she bore me
That the pride of her breast a poor convict would be
For she prayed that the angels above would watch o’er me
The bird whispered this through the bars unto me.

It spoke of my father, whose days were fast closing,
That the battle of life he himself had to brave,
And it said that he longed to be calmly reposing
By the side of his love in the peace of the grave.
Oh, how well I remember the way he would caress me
And tell me fine tales as I sat on his knee.
But no more in this world shall those fond parents bless me
The bird whispered this through the bars unto me.

And lastly it told me of one I loved dearly
It cost me a pang when from her I’d to part
For it said that she oft-times wished she was near me;
Though a convict, I had still the first place in her heart.
The little bird chirped a good-night, and departed,
But told me to hope for bright days yet to see
And often I think when I’m feeling down-hearted
What that little bird told through the bars unto me.

To be continued….

“Dorothy”

by Laura Bray

They say the past is a different country and many of us bemoan the seeming madness of some of the Health and Safety restrictions we live under, but in a less regulated age, we can occasionally wander and wonder.

Such an example would be the Opera “Dorothy” performed 100 years ago today (27th October 1923) at the Theatre Royal by the Merthyr Amateur Operatic Society – and oh that Merthyr could field such a society today!

Anyway, “Dorothy” is a comic opera is three acts with music by Alfred Cellier and a libretto by B.C. Stephenson. The basic story involves a rather dissolute man who falls in love with his disguised fiancée and it became very popular amongst audiences, opening in London in 1886 and running for 931 performances, making it, at the time, the longest-running musical theatre production in history. It toured in Britain, America and Australia and enjoyed numerous revivals until at least 1908 and so it is easy to see why it was popular with amateur theatre groups. Indeed “The Times” described it, in 1908, as “one of the most tuneful, most charming, and most shapely of English comic operas”.

The Merthyr Amateur Operatic Society clearly did a splendid job of performing it. The review in the Merthyr Express announced that the scenery was “amongst the finest ever seen on the local theatre stage”, the costumes were “almost perfect”, the makeup “really good”, and, as for the singing, it was “magnificent”, reflecting the great choral tradition of the town.  In fact, there was no part of the cast and crew not mentioned in his praise, from the performers, to the orchestra, the producer and musical director, and the officials of the society.

But notwithstanding that names sold papers, the Express also reports that the opera played to packed houses each night; that on the Saturday evening, hundreds were turned away; and that an additional matinee performance was added and tickets given to over 100 “inmates from the workhouse”. So, perhaps in this case the praise was well deserved.

The highlight of the opera was clearly Act 2, described as a “masterpiece”, greeted with “thunderous applause”, as the audience prepared for a scene depicting the a hunt and the meeting of the hounds. Not for the Merthyr Amateur Operatic Society puppets, cut-outs or toys. Oh no! They had the foxhounds from the Gelligaer and Talybont Hunt, loaned to them by the Master of the Hunt (who was Seymour Berry’s daughter) Miss Eileen Berry. Imagine now, trying to put on an opera, to packed houses, with the local foxhounds on stage! Health and Safety would have a field day!

The photo in the paper (of poor quality now, but below) shows about a half dozen hounds, looking remarkably relaxed, on the stage with the cast.

The interesting thing about all this is that it does not seem unusual to have working dogs on stage.  The Bwllfa Hounds from Aberdare appeared in a theatrical production in the Gwyn Hall in Neath at about the same time. It was truly a different time.

I wonder what the dogs themselves thought of the “thunderous applause” and their nightly performance in Act 2!  And I wonder how many were not beautifully behaved on stage…..

The Dark Side of Convict Life – part 8

by Barrie Jones

Chapter VI recounts Henry’s views on Prisoners’ Aid Societies and in particular the Salvation Army.

The Dark Side of Convict Life (Being the Account of the Career of Harry Williams, a Merthyr Man). Merthyr Express, 26th February 1910, page 11.

Chapter VI

On Prisoners’ Aid Societies.

I daresay that my readers have heard a great deal about these benevolent societies, and I should like to give my opinion concerning their pretended generosity. I have often thought that if I had been assisted I should never have gone through any further trouble, but as I was deceived after forming good resolutions, there was an excuse why I again trod the path of evil.

There has been a great deal said about the goodness of their work in helping and rescuing the criminal, and of the wonderful work they have done and are doing, but some of them are little better than money-making institutions.

There is one society that has really and truly done some good, and that is the Salvation Army. I say this because I have experienced this, but there are many people who do not like the Salvationists, simply because they are noisy in the streets; but they are only acting in accordance with the Bible, for it says “Thou shalt make a noise with timbrels and instruments of music, that my words shall be heard throughout all lands,” or something to that effect. The Salvationists have not only assisted and helped to make homes for the discharged criminals, but also for the distressed and poverty-stricken poor of many countries.

A chaplain of a certain prison in Wales once told me that the Salvationists were too fond of boasting of the good they have done, and that it was the working-class who chiefly contributed towards them, and that the wealthy as a rule passed them by. I was not long in telling him that there are to be found among the Salvationists people of independent means. And it is so; and I think they are in the right to boast since the Church of England does exactly the same thing. “Go out into the highways and hedges, and bring in hither the halt, the maimed and the blind.” The Church preaches this, but the Salvation Army practices it.

The Salvation Army has a farm colony, somewhere outside London, where they train criminals for emigration to Canada, but the Canadian Government has now put a stop to this, so that no criminal should be allowed out there who is assisted by public funds. As the Salvationists are people who never give in they will, I am quite sure, some day, even if General Booth does not live to do it – his son possesses exactly the same determination – from a scheme to obtain a substitute for the Canadian farming.

Speaking from experience I am justified in saying that the Salvation Army societies are the predominating societies of the world, and God knows what it will lead to yet. It is not the Salvationists who boast of the work they have done, for they do not  praise themselves in their Christian calling, as a great many are too apt to believe, but it is the likes of myself more who praise their splendid work, which is a work of love. I cannot find words to praise them enough, for they have turned many a hardened criminal into a respectable citizen, and a loving husband and father. If there are any of my readers who have a tendency to oppose this, let them come to me and I will argue with them upon the subject until they are black in the face. Their flag is still flying, and it will fly when those who condemn it are in their graves.

To be continued……..

Memories of Old Merthyr

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.

But stay! there was a round building that must not be forgotten. It is probable that many are unacquainted with its purpose, for they are not in vogue now. It was a structure for the rolls not in use, or being attended to for making or repairing. It was built round so that a crane fixed in the centre would sweep around, so as to deliver or take up all within its scope. I should add the rolls were stored on their ends, the floor plates having the necessary circular holes for taking in the neck or bearing, and so keep them in vertical position.

As regards the individuality of Penydarren, Mr Richard Forman was the one time manager, and resided at Gwaelodygarth Cottage. When Mr Grenfell was manager he resided at Gwaunfarren, and it was so occupied by Mr Benjamin Martin after he became manager, previous to which he resided on the “yard”, or rather the road leading to it and to Caemarydwn (sic).

Mr Martin had five brothers and one sister that can be remembered. Two of his brothers, Joseph and Thomas, were in the works; Edward who became the registrar at Penydarren; John was the doctor, living near the Bush, in the High Street of Merthyr, and George, who is always remembered in Dowlais. The sister married and went to America, whence she returned, and lived in a house between where the Pontmorlais turnpike gate stood and the bottom of Penydarren Works.

The first millwright that can be recalled was Mr Thomas Davies, who went thence to Nantyglo. He was succeeded by John Watt, from Dowlais, who afterwards removed to Govan. James Roe, a younger brother of John P Roe, was there also, and I think he died there. Bye-the-bye, he married either the daughter or other relative of the Waunwyllt family. Adrian Stephens (left), the inventor of the steam whistle, was also there.

It was in the Penydarren Forge one of Trevithick’s engines and boilers was seen, and another also of his make was used for winding coal at Winch Fawr. The upper end of the forge was built of limestone, and the purest specimen of Doric architecture ever seen in South Wales. The chimney or stack of the roll lathe, not many yards thence, was a copy of the Monument on Fish Street Hill, but one fifth the size.

Now to return to the crossing of the turnpike road on the limestone tramroad. I have an idea that Mr Morgan, who lived close by there, and already alluded to, married a sister of Mr Benj. Martin, but she has not been mentioned with that gentleman’s other brothers and sisters as I am not positive respecting it.

There were houses almost continually from her to Dowlais. On the opposite (the left) side of the road there was a shop kept by the name of Williams – it was a son of his, I believe, who erected a flour mill, and opened a grocery and and provision place on the right hand side of Victoria Street and named it the Hong Kong Shop.

I have omitted to say that one of those living in the houses near Penydarren Office was a Mr Gibson; he was the cashier, and married a Miss Farmer, whose father was a gunsmith etc. in Cardiff. His shop was, as near as I can remember, where or near there is one one present, between the Bute estate offices and the Angel Hotel. He built a row of cottages on the left, opposite to where the road now turns to Dowlais, and thus avoids Gellyfaelog, which is known to this day as Gibson’s Row.

Gibson’s Row in the 1940s. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

A family named Waters also lived in the clump. John, the eldest son, became the furnace manager at Duffryn under Mr A Hill, in which position some years after he was succeeded by Mr John Place. Mr Evan Roberts, another of Mr Hill’s furnace managers, had charge at Plymouth after Mr Thos. Davies left.

To be continued at a later date…….

Baptisms in the River Taff

by Alan Davies

So ran the headline in the Merthyr Express, a local newspaper published on 23rd January 1932. The article continued by referring to it as an “unusual scene “when new members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints were baptised” by immersion”. The scene was witnessed by a crowd of onlookers despite the rain storm on the day. The article concludes “It is understood that more of these baptisms are to take place.” Were they right to say that?

The Millennial Star[i] reported the following during 1932:

Millennial Star 11th February:

“Five persons were baptised by Elders Evan Arthur and Leon Whiting at a baptismal service held near Merthyr Tydfil Sunday January 10th. They were confirmed[ii] members of the church the same day by Elder Edward Rowe, Clarence Taylor, Evan Arthur, Marion Olsen and Elman Woodfield.”

Millennial Star 31st March:

“Onlookers numbering over two hundred and fifty were deeply impressed by a baptismal service held in the waters of the River Taff. Nine baptisms were performed ….and immediately after the new members were confirmed.”

Church records show the baptisms took place on 10th March 1932.

Millennial Star 14th July:

“Elder Frank Miller baptised two converts in the River Taff at Cefn Coed, near Merthyr Tydfil 18th June.”

Millennial Star 18th August:

“Elders Olsen and Butcher baptised three candidates 23rd July at Cefn Coed, near Merthyr Tydfil.”

Millennial Star 13th October:

“An impressive baptismal ceremony was held 17th September, near Merthyr Tydfil, in the River Taff, under the shadow of the huge railroad viaduct at Cefn Coed. Four candidates fulfilled the ordinance. Confirmation took place immediately afterwards during a service conducted in an adjoining cottage.”

The following year the Millennial Star issued on 9th February 1933 reported there had been 23 convert baptisms in the Welsh District in 1932. All are included in the separate reports above.

Not only was the original article correct to say “more of these baptisms are to take place,” it also reported that the baptismal scenes were witnessed by crowds of onlookers. A recently discovered photograph taken by the missionary Elder Donald K. Ipson[iii] impressively captures the baptismal scene on 17th September 1932 when the last four candidates were baptised.

In the mid-1800s missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints experienced considerable success in gaining news converts, but so many emigrated to join the main body of the Church in America, local congregations had disappeared by 1900. But after a quiet start for the church in Merthyr Tydfil at the beginning of the twentieth century, 1932 proved to be a turning point.
[i] UK publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1840 to 1970

[ii] After baptism, membership in the church is ‘confirmed’ by hands being laid on the head of the newly baptised person and a blessing being pronounced on them.

[iii]Donald K. Ipson mission collection, 1876-1934, available online at: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org

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……