Tag: Thomastown

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: Merthyr’s Grand Houses

Following on from the recent article about Gwaunfarren House (https://www.merthyr-history.com/?p=8282), here is a pictorial look at just ten of the magnificent ‘grand’ houses that we once had in Merthyr, but have been swept away by ‘progress’.

Firstly, the aforementioned Gwaunfarren House…

The home of the Guest family – Dowlais House…

The home of the Homfray family, Penydarren House….

The home of the Crawshay family (pre-Cyfarthfa Castle), Gwaelodygarth House….

Gwaelodygarth Fach…

Sandbrook House, Thomastown…

Gwernllwyn House, Dowlais…

Vaynor House…

Ynysowen House, Merthyr Vale…

Bargoed House, Treharris…

All photos courtesy of the Alan George Archive.

If anyone has any more information or any memories of any of these houses, please get in touch. Also, if anyone has any photos of other lost houses or landmarks in Merthyr, please let me know.

Merthyr’s Historians: Charles Wilkins

Over the years, Merthyr has produced some excellent historians, and I would like to introduce a new feature celebrating some of them. To mark the 110th anniversary of his death, we kick off with Merthyr’s first ‘official’ historian – Charles Wilkins.

Charles Wilkins was born on 16 August 1830 in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, the second of nine children of William Wilkins, a Chartist bookseller, and Anna Maria Wilkins. In 1840 the family moved to Merthyr, with William Wilkins opening a shop on the High Street (opposite the current Lloyd’s Bank), and eventually becoming postmaster at the post office adjoining his business. At the age of fourteen, Charles left school to work with his father as a clerk at the post office.

In 1859, Charles married Lydia Jeans and they settled at Springfield Villa in Thomastown. The (by contemporary accounts) idyllic marriage was shattered in 1867 when Lydia died giving birth to their third child.

Cardiff Times – 8 June 1867

The following year, Charles married Mary Skipp in Topsley, Herefordshire, and she would bear him two further children.

In 1871, William Wilkins died, and Charles took over as postmaster.

Merthyr Telegraph 27 October 1871

From 1846 to 1866 he was also librarian of the Merthyr Tydfil Subscription Library of which Thomas Stephens was secretary.

From the age of fourteen, Charles began writing articles for local and national Welsh newspapers, and in 1867, he published ‘The History of Merthyr Tydfil’, the first ‘official history of the town. It was subsequently extended and re-published in 1908.

As well as writing some fiction, he also wrote several other major historical works including:-

  • Wales, Past and Present (1870) (The History of Wales for Englishmen)
  • Tales and Sketches of Wales (1879, 1880)
  • The History of the Literature of Wales from 1300 to 1650 (1884)
  • The History of Newport (1886)
  • The South Wales Coal Trade and Its Allied Industries (1888)
  • The History of the Iron, Steel, Tinplate and Other Trades of Wales (1903)

In 1877, he was “initiated into the mysteries of the Druidic lore”, and at the 1881 National Eisteddfod, held in Merthyr Tydfil, he won a £21 prize (approximately equivalent to £2,100 in 2019) and gold medal for the best “History of the Literature of Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire from the earliest period to the present time.” In 1882 he founded ‘The Red Dragon: The National Magazine of Wales’. That same year, it was reported in the Western Mail (7 December 1882) that, “after careful examination of the various works written by Mr. Wilkins”, he was “unanimously elected to the super graduate Degree of Literature (Lit. D.)” by the Druidic University of America and its affiliate in Maine.

Charles Wilkins retired as postmaster at the end of 1897 after almost 50 years of service. He died at Springfield Villa on 2 August 1913 and was buried at Cefn Cemetery.

Although his history of Merthyr contain some inaccuracies; bearing in mind when it was written, and that a lot of it was based on oral history; it is a remarkable work, being the first of its kind to chronicle Merthyr’s history, and it is an invaluable resource to use as a starting point for further research.

You can download the 1867 version of Wilkins history of Merthyr here:

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_of_Merthyr_Tydfil/FWk1AQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

The 1908 revision is available here:

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/A_YRnQEACAAJ?hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiBkKbRz7OAAxXvX_EDHX-LDaAQre8FegQIAxAc

Merthyr Memories: Memories of Christmas

by Laura Bray

Christmas is always a time of nostalgia, always tinted with that golden glow! So when Steve asked me to share my memories of Christmas, it was hard to think of a place or time, there were so many to chose from.

But in the end, I focused on the early 1980s and I hope this resonates with some of you.

For me, Christmas has always been predominantly a religious festival, wrapped round with music. We knew we were getting close, when St David’s Church choir, or the Cyfarthfa School Girls Choir, both under Derry Prothero’s capable leadership, dusted off the Christmas anthems, usually in about October! Also, rehearsals with the Cyfarthfa School Mixed Choir under the leadership of Ian Hopkins, were held at around the same time.

Cyfarthfa School Mixed Choir in the 1980s with Ian Hopkins (front). Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

In the case of the Girls Choir it was things like Britten’s “This Little Babe” difficult, but effective, cannoning round the church,  or Elgar’s “Snow” and the more traditional “Adam Lay a-Bounden” as well as three-part “Ding Dong Merrily”.  All practised in school and culminating in a half day rehearsal in the church itself and an early finish!

In the church choir – which then consisted of around 30 choristers-  there were endless rehearsals for The Nine Lessons service;  of “Once in Royal” for the procession, and the traditional anthems such as  “In the Bleak Mid Winter”, “The Sussex Carol” “Joy to the World’ or Rutter’s “Angel Carol”.  Derry was great at mixing the much loved oldies, with some newer works.

St David’s Church Choir with Derry Prothero (far right). Photo courtesy of Caroline Owen

By mid December we had sang for the school carol concert before the end of term, and, for those of us who were also in the church choir,  for the Nine Lessons and Carols on the 4th Sunday in Advent. I remember the descants we sang – always challenging and always high, and always “can belto”!

For a couple of years after the Nine Lessons, as if we hadn’t sung enough,  the church  choir then headed out to the streets around the church – Twyn Hill, and Thomastown mostly  – and belted out, from memory and in full 4 part harmony, all of the stalwarts “Hark the Herald”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, “Away in a Manger” and so on, to raise money for the church organ fund. We sang in the middle of the road while a couple of us knocked on doors with our rattling tins, taking requests and asking for contributions. Few people turned us down.  We sang till we were cold and hoarse. Not even Sandbrook House, then a nursing home, escaped the carol singing!

On Christmas Eve itself I would wait to hear the Salvation Army Band, playing carols round the streets, before heading down to the Vulcan with my friends for Christmas drinks. Not too many, mind, as we were back in church for the Midnight Mass at 11.30 and more carols, including one of my absolute favourites –  “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”. The service always began by candlelight, and the church lit up gradually until it was flooded with colour, light and sparkle, and you could see who was there. Sometimes old choristers came to join us, swelling the numbers of the choir even further.

The Vulcan (pre the 1980s). Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The Midnight was always packed and was a great place to catch up with friends and acquaintances who had moved from Merthyr but come home for Christmas. The atmosphere was magical and lively!

We always finished with “Hark the Herald” – sometimes sung with more enthusiasm than accuracy at the end of weeks of singing and a touch of alcohol!

Then home to bed. Another Christmas celebrated. And the echo of music in the night.

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.

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.

To be continued at a later date…..

Harry Goodwin

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of another notable Merthyr citizen, yet someone who is quite forgotten – the first-class cricketer Harry Goodwin.

Harry Smyth Goodwin was born at Brynheulog Villa in Thomastown on 30 September 1870, the son of Albert Goodwin, a school-master originally from Monmouth. He was educated at prep school in Bournemouth before attending Rossall School in Fleetwood, Lancashire.

It was whilst he was at Rossall School that he first began playing cricket. According to records, in these school matches he batted in the top order, scoring five and 16 against Loretto School on 7 June 1889 while batting at three. He also took a five-wicket haul with his bowling though his bowling style is not recorded, and he did not bowl during his first class career. On 21 June he played against Malvern College and scored 72 and 15 opening the batting, but did not bowl.

Goodwin was bitten by the cricket bug, and decided to embark on a career as a cricketer, making his first class debut on 25 May 1896 playing for Gloucestershire against Sussex (a team which included the ageing but legendary W. G. Grace), where he batted and number six, making 10 runs on his first outing. He played again that year against Middlesex on 18 June at Lord’s.

In 1897, he played once again for Gloucestershire, enjoying his most prolific season. He played ten games, scoring 239 runs at 21.72 including a high score of 44 not out which came against Sussex on 2 August, overshadowed once more by a Grace century. He also made 36 against Somerset on 19 August, however he was unable to make any lasting impact and played only one match in the 1898 season: scoring five against Sussex on 30 May.

He did return more convincingly in 1899, playing five games including his career-high score of 46 made against Somerset on 28 August at Taunton, which was the highest score of the innings, and also a game against a touring Australian side though in this match he only made six. However, a batting average of 12.50 and only 100 runs scored in the season was not enough to secure a regular place in the Gloucestershire line-up. Goodwin managed only nine runs from his three games in 1900, and played only one match in 1901.

In 1902, he decided to give up his cricket career, and in May of that year, he joined the staff at the prestigious Christ’s Hospital School. Christ’s Hospital was founded in 1552, receiving its first Royal Charter in 1553. Although following the public school tradition, Christ’s Hospital has been, since its establishment, a charity school, with a core aim to offer children from humble backgrounds the chance of a better education. Originally situated at Newgate, London, when Harry Goodwin began his teaching career, the school had just moved, in May 1902, to a newly purpose-built establishment at Horsham, Sussex.

A tribute to Goodwin in ‘The Blue’, the official magazine of Christ’s Hospital, written at the time of his retirement describes one of his first teaching experiences:

“He was then appointed to Coleridge A as its first Junior House Master, and the ‘Prep’ was the scene of his first teaching activities. Some will remember his astonishment at finding in his form a diminutive cockney, who had never seen a cow. Accordingly the small boy was sent out to an adjacent field to inspect a herd grazing there. Asked on his return what he thought of the cow, he replied, ‘Please sir, it’s like an ‘orse with ‘orns’.”

The Blue, June 1930

In 1906, he returned briefly to cricket, again playing for Gloucestershire, playing four games that year. In 1907, however, he played six matches and reached 117 runs for the season and a best of 34 made against Essex on 5 August. His final first class match came against a South African side that was on an England tour, where he made a pair – two scores of zero. He was dismissed each time by South African Test cricketer Ernie Vogler. After this brief return to the world of cricket, he returned to his teaching career.

When the First World War broke out, despite his age (he was 43 at the time), he immediately volunteered for active service. At first rejected on account of his age, he eventually became a private in the Public Schools Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, soon being transferred to the Royal Fusiliers as a Lieutenant, quickly moving up the ranks to Captain then Major. Whilst serving on the front-line in France he was badly wounded in the arm by machine gun fire, and following his recovery, he became Director of Graves’ Registration and Enquiries until he was demobilised.

Following his demobilisation, he returned to Christ’s Hospital, and in 1920 married Ada White. He continued to teach at the school until his retirement in 1930. Harry Goodwin died at the school where he spent most of his adult life on 13 November 1955.

Christ’s Hospital staff in 1922. Harry Goodwin is at the centre, sitting on the ground at the front.

Many thanks to Christ’s Hospital Museum for providing the photographs and invaluable information for this article.

Thanks too to Mike Donovan for his help in researching Harry Goodwin’s family records.

V.J. Day – a Contemporary Account

by Laura Bray (née Bevan)

Following on from the account of V.E. Day from Glyn Bevan’s diary which appeared on this blog in May (http://www.merthyr-history.com/?p=4691), to mark the 75th anniversary of V.J. Day, here is an account of the days leading up to V.J. Day and the day itself from Glyn’s diary.

13th August
We put up all our flags and streamers yesterday and have listened to every news today to hear the official announcement of the end of the war. None of us have much doubt about it although it is believed that the Japs in Burma may fight on whether Japan capitulates or not. Rumours all day about peace and premature celebrations all over the U.S., Canada and Australia. Stayed round the supper table talking for ages and then washed up. Continued talking in the drawing room until 01.00.

14th August
All up rather late. Decided to go to Tintern and Symonds Yat before dinner. Came on through the Forest of Dean (where a red squirrel crossed the road) to Monmouth, and then went on down the lovely Wye Valley to Tintern. Unfortunately it was shut but we walked all round the outside of it. A very lovely place and in very good repair. Came on through Chepstow, Caerphilly and Nelson. Celebrations all the way up, several bonfires and a few rockets, floodlighting and illuminating V’s etc. Rumours all day. We fully expected the official announcement on the 9.00 o’clock news. Now we are waiting for Attlee to broadcast at midnight. We are all expecting Japan to agree to our terms of course, and that means peace.

……….

PEACE

Attlee has just announced that Japan has accepted our surrender terms and that tomorrow and the next day will be celebrated as victory days throughout the country. A very matter of fact speech with none of the drama that old Churchill would have put into it. The whole Empire must be sorry that he couldn’t make the announcement. We toasted the new peace with whiskey and wine and cake. Rockets started exploding singly and there was a little shouting. From the bedroom window we could see about 15 bonfires – but none really large. Later on crowds in town sang and danced and prayed until 3.00 o’clock in the morning. Hooters went as well and engines in the station blew their whistles. Several church bells rang including ours (people thundered on the door of the Vicarage, woke the Vicar and pretty well told him to ring it) and there was a peal of bells from the Parish Church. Town filled rapidly and there were crowds there for hours.

15th August
Rain last night, and after a week of very dry weather and the air was cold and clean with smoke drifting up and the sound of church bells in the valley. Very calm and peaceful, fresh and sweet, like a Sunday morning. I read most of the morning and nearly all the afternoon. Listened to a description of the King driving down Whitehall to open Parliament and also went to town where the shops were open till about 10.30. Then came home to find they had all gone to a Thanksgiving Service in Cyfarthfa so we down town to see if there was anything doing. There seemed to be a lot of troops about (nearly all army) but things were fairly quiet. Plenty of flags and streamers. Came back via Thomastown and up the Tramroad in time to hear the King at 21.00. We all went down to the bonfire on the allotments after the news (for which we supplied most of the heavy logs). About 20 good bonfires in the valley and lots of rockets and fireworks but no bells tonight.

Residents of Tramroadside North celebrating V.J. Day

16th August
Spent the morning doing little odd jobs that I wanted to clear up before going away. Read after dinner till 15.00 when we decided to go down to Cardiff to see Terence Rattigan’s play “While the Sun Shines”. Play very good. Museum floodlit. A large crowd was dancing and singing in front of the Civic Centre. Bonfires all the way up the valley but not on the same scale as Coronation night.  Came through Pontypridd where they had coloured lights strung along both sides of the main streets for about a mile and a well made crown fixed over the bridge. Very poor fireworks, but it is amazing that people have any at all. Saw lots of street teas on the way down.

Merthyr in the 1850’s

Below is a fantastic lithograph of Merthyr in approximately 1850. It is a view roughly from present-day Thomastown looking over the town. Some of the important landmarks have been labelled. It is remarkable how much the town has changed in the 170 years since this picture was drawn.

1.      St Tydfil’s Church
2.      Twynyrodyn Unitarian Chapel
3.      Tramroadside North
4.      Old Market Hall		 5.      Ynysfach Ironworks
6.      Adulam Chapel
7.      St David’s Church

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.

Let us now return to the post office, at the corner of Glebeland Street, and keep on that side for a while. The post office was situated in the same place, but it was also a shop, and had four or five steps to lead up to its level, but there was a small window in Glebeland Street beyond the curved one of the shop that was also used for postal purposes.

The Post Office on the corner of Glebeland Street. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Upon entering the shop there was apparently a desk for five feet or so on the counter. There were some pigeon holes, and a small recess to the window mentioned above. This constituted the Merthyr postal business place. There was one postman, I believe, but his delivery was circumscribed, and once a day only. If a letter was expected, it could be inquired about at the window; inquiries were no welcomed over the counter. Mr Rhys Davis was the postmaster, Mrs Davis was one of the Willamses.

Unfortunately, the rest of that page is undecipherable due to damage.

A door or two on was at one time a watch and clock maker named David Jones Junior, his father keeping an establishment near the Lamb in Castle Street, being David Jones Senior, and he had a good reputation as an horologist. It is very probable that there are eight day clocks yet working having “David Jones, maker, Merthyr Tydfil” upon their faces.

In the window of David Jones Jun., a clock, or rather a small timepiece, was exhibited, having a ball running zig-zag on and inclined plate. The plate was moved upon two pivots, and the ball upon arriving at one end of the zig-zag struck a rod which disengaged it from the plate, and immediately after that, part or side of the plate was tilted up so as to cause the ball to run back to the other end, when, by the same arrangement, that which was of course the lowest side, to induce the ball to run that way, became the upper, and that which was the upper became the lower. My reason for mentioning this is to show that there was mental mechanical skill there exemplified.

It was within a few doors of this watch and clock-maker’s shop I can recall the office of Mr Wm Perkins, who, with Mr Wm Meyrick, were then the only two solicitors practising in Merthyr. The eldest son of the Mr Kayes, of the boot and shoe establishment in Three Salmon’s Court, was also a solicitor, but as far as can be recalled he was not in very good health, and I think he soon went over to the majority.

Mr Perkins was the solicitor of the Dowlais Company, and considered to be on the Liberal side in politics, while Mr Meyrick was considered the Tory lawyer. Mr Charles H James in his recollections gives some things about Mr Perkins. I desire to bear grateful testimony to him. True, he might have been a good sportsman or not, but as long as memory lasts he must be thought of and known as a gentleman. He lived in Professional Row, the middle house of the three. The one on the lower side was occupied by Mr Russell (the doctor of the works), and as far as can be recalled that on the upper side of the road to Thomastown was occupied by Mrs Davies (a widow), of Pantscallog.

There were several shops between Mr Perkins’ office and Castle Street, one was kept by a Mr Marsden, called the Manchester House at that time; then on the corner a William Jones, who also kept a shop in Tredegar, some time after kept a watch, clock and jewellery business. Here the late Mr W Meredith commenced his business. Mr Thomas J Pearce, who had married one of the Misses Davies of the Bush, afterwards carried on a grocery business here, but Mr Meredith, who took on Jones’ business, was there for a while prior to moving lower down. This Mr W Jones went to Port Elizabeth in South Africa, and reading the obituary notice of Mr Meredith lately, it occurred to me that Mr Meredith was introduced to his African trade by Mr Jones.

To be continued at a later date……