My grandfather, R. W. Jones(1875-1944), was a teacher in the Rhondda valley first in Porth and later as Head of Treherbert Boys Secondary School. He was a very active man and as well as his educational duties managed to be a poultry breeder, composer, organist, choir master, adjudicator, and even wrote several books for John Southall, (publisher of Newport Gwent), one of which is credited with being the first Nature Study book for Welsh Elementary schools. While mainly being written in Welsh the books include an English Vocabulary. Many readers may question why a book published in 1911 is credited as being the FIRST first Nature Study book for Welsh Elementary schools, but a look at a summary of the history of the Welsh language will provide an explanation. My Grandfather and John Southall and their colleagues were indeed pioneers.

Biography of Richard William Jones

BA in Welsh and English at Aberystwyth. Fellow Royal Horticultural Society. Licentiate of the Tonic Sol-Fa College.

Moved to Treherbert and took up Headmastership of Dunraven School (Treherbert school) on the 1st September 1925

Died October 1944

Headmaster, Church organist, Choirmaster and adjudicator, Author.

R. W Jones was very well qualified by 1900 when he got married and started work as school master at Porth School. By the time he moved to Treherbert in 1925 he had published at least 2 books and impressed the local church enough that they gave him a beautiful book case which is still in the family. He and his wife had also produced 7 children, all of whom grew up to have very successful careers in Education, Medicine and Government Service.

Due to the coal industry, Treherbert had grown very rapidly in the 70 years before R. W. Jones arrived from Porth. Coal prices reached their peak in 1920, but by 1925 the price had fallen by 60% and continued to fall for the next 6 years. The General Strike was in 1926 and The Great Depression followed. These were very difficult times for a coal mining town as the coal caves still evident in the hillside above Dunraven Street show. These were dug by hand by the families of unemployed miner's, desperate to find fuel to keep warm and to sell. When this income failed they turned to the soup kitchens. These too, were difficult times for schools, with poverty induced illness and family breakdown. The churches became vital supports, and the choirs, bands and Eisteddfodau essential distractions. This is what shaped the rest of his career. (To get an idea of the importance of music in the area look at the history section of the wonderful Treorchy Male Voice Choir website.)

So what was he like? I was born 7 years after his death and lived on the other side of the Bristol Channel, but the impression I have is of a quiet, gentle, charismatic man, with twinkling eyes who would always have the right phrase to calm a family argument. My father told me that being a pupil at a school where his father was head was not always easy. The least sign of trouble and my Dad always seemed to be the one who was made an example of, but nevertheless he always spoke of R.W. with a deep sense of affection as did all R.W's children. And the children all grew up confident, competent, happy and generous adults. No one in the world had nicer aunts and uncles then me - and, of course my brothers and cousins.

Apart from his teaching duties and his music, he was also a keen gardener (probably an essential skill at the time), and kept a prized flock of chickens. Family legend has it that he supplied breeding stock to a local company that became one of the biggest egg producers in the UK, with the implication that it was R.W's understanding of genetics that was responsible. He also instilled a keen sense of civic duty into his children who all had extracurricular posts in education, religion, music, drama or politics.

Click here for Word file showing selected pages. (When file appears click 'View' button on your browser/Word toolbar and zoom in to 200% for best results.)

Astudiaeth Anian includes chapters on spring (gwanwyn), primroses (briallu), the 0ak (dderwen) the song-thrush (bronfraith), hawthorn (ddraenen wen), wild hyacinth (clychau'r eos), hedge sparrow (gwas y grog), crab (y cranc), birch (fedwyn), dandelion (dant y llew) etc.

[Similar books of another Southall series written by a 'certificated teacher' (who was that?) are currently available from several internet bookshops.]

Treherbert Celebrity Concerts 17^th and 18^th February 1932

On Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th of February 1932 he conducted the 'Treherbert Celebrity Concert', really a two day festival, and the following information comes from an extensive report in the Glamorgan Free Press and Rhondda Leader of he 27th February.

The Concert took place in the Bethany Chapel, as the Horeb* was not big enough. The choir, though was the Horeb Choral Society and numbered 160 voices.

Soloists were Kate Winter (Soprano), Lizzie Davis (Contralto), Evan Lewis (tenor), and Kenneth Ellis (bass). Kate Winter and Kenneth Ellis being 'wireless stars'.

Programme

Wednesday

Thursday

Extracts from the Glamorgan Free Press report.

" Mr. R. W. Jones is to be congratulated for his pioneer work. He tackled courageously a work simply bristling with difficulties, and without using unnecessary flattery, he emerged triumphantly. .......A comfortably filled hall greeted Mr. Evan Lewis when he rose to open the performance of the "Messiah". Half the audience possessed copies of the "Messiah", and why not? If the artistes and choristers know their work - as they should do - there should be no criticism. ..... "Hallelujah" followed (with the audience on their feet) sung with great spiritual fervour, and in a manor that only a Welsh choir can achieve. "Worthy is the Lamb", a beautiful and fitting climax, was inspiring, and it is a tribute to the choristers that when "Amen" was completed not a single listener moved from a seat, as if each one was held in a spell. Two great concerts - performances to be remembered."

Kate Winter. If you want to hear her sing you can. She was recorded by the BBC and that recording has just been released in a boxed set by Europadisc (EMI Classics 2175752) 'Composers in Person' for about £50. CD 15 of the set is Stravinsky's Les Noces in which she performs the soprano part with Linda Seymour Contralto, Parry Jones, Tenor, Roy Henderson Baritone the BBC Chorus and Berkeley Mason, Leslie Heward, Ernest Lush, and Edwin Benbow on Piano. The conductor is Igor Stravinsky himself! # I have also found a reference to a Queens Hall Promenade Concert 18 September 1928: Kate Winter and Franklyn Kelsey (vocal) and C. Warwick-Evans (cello). # Also Christopher Howse writing for the Daily Telegraph recalls that Kate Winter was known as “the silver-voiced soprano of the air”.

Kenneth Ellis. I have found references to Kenneth Ellis singing in Lehar's Gypsy Love with Webster Booth, the BBC theatre Chorus and Orchestra etc in 1939 # Also a concert organised by Dame Myra Hess at The National Gallery 3 January 1940: London Madrigal Group (Margaret Field-Hyde, Doris Lock, Eileen Pilcher, Alfred Hepworth, Harold Child and Kenneth Ellis), directed by T. B. Lawrence with Jean Norris (piano). '# And the Kenneth Ellis Cup for Basses was class 244 at the Plymouth Festival of Music and Drama in 2009.

Llanddeiniolen

An area which was owned partly by the Vaynol estate, partly by the Glascoed estate. It was enclosed by the late eighteenth century, possibly much earlier. The Vaynol estate is now famous as the original home of Britain's rarest breed of cattle.

LLANDDEINIOLEN, a parish in the hundred of Is-Gorfai, county Carnarvon, 4 miles N.E. of Carnarvon, its post town, and 6 from Bangor. It is situated at the head of the vale of the Cegid to the N.W. of Snowdon, and E. of the Menai Straits. The parish, which is very populous, includes the villages of Clwt-y-Bont, Ebeneza, and Penisarwain. The old Roman road passes through it. Near the church are some ancient yew trees, one of which is nearly 30 feet in girth, and a little to the N.E. is the famous camp of Dinas Dinorwig, supposed to be of Roman origin, and the largest fortified post in Carnarvonshire. It is surrounded by a double entrenchment, with a lofty bank between the ditches, and is of an oval shape.

The waste lands (fit only for forestry) were enclosed under an act of parliament obtained in 1806, explained and amended by another obtained in 1808. In the upper part of the parish are some of the most extensive slate quarries in the principality,

Llanrystud

A small village on Cardigan Bay between Aberaeron and Aberystwyth. Occupations are mainly agricultural. Hill Fort nearby.

The Parish church is very impressive and well maintained. Gravestones of the Davies and Jennings families are to the South East of the Church. These indicate that members of the family lived at both Lluest (Camp) and LluestHen farms a couple of miles South East of the village.

Margaret Davies' great uncle was John Jennings, who became sub dean of Westminster Abbey, and was one of the team who officiated at Queen Victoria's coronation

John Jennings was born in 1798 and graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1820. He held the curacy of West Meon in Hampshire for several years, during which time he impressed the rebellious teenagers who had fallen out with the rector over their preference for cricket over Sunday services. The lads appealed to Jennings and he negotiated an agreement whereby the lads were allowed to come to the afternoon service equipped to play, and could use the pitch as soon as the congregation left the church.

He obtained his MA in 1832 and moved to St John's church Westminster on 29th February 1832. Once more his youth work impressed, and on 9th January 1837 he was promoted to rural dean of St Margaret and St John. In 1868 he was appointed Archdeacon of Westminster, and for some years was sub-Dean. He was also chaplain to the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers and also in 1845 to the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman John Johnson - also a member of the Worshipful Company. Arch Deacon Jennings married Jane Dawson of Langcliffe Hall in Yorkshire in 1832, and after her death married Lavinia Evans-Shaw (1822-1899?) of Chertsey on 27th August 1840. and on 26th March 1883 died at his house, 18, Deans Yard, Westminster aged 84. He is buried at Lyne near Chertsey in Surrey.

When Jennings arrived in London in 1832 he was described as 'a robust, hearty, vigorous young country gentleman of agreeable presence', who found it difficult to adapt to life in the city. (His old parish at West Meon had had a population of only 900) Concern for the problems of the city's poor, and young people gave him a cause to fight and he impressed his parishioners so much that only 5 years later Lord Melbourne, then Prime Minister "presented him with a Prebendary Stall in the abbey". (This implies a paid promotion - by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister - to the administrative chapter of the cathedral, and the honour of sitting in the Prebendary stalls behind the choir during services. An honour indeed, for someone who was still only 39.)

On 18th June 1838 Jennings was one of the clergy who presided at Queen Victoria's coronation. From the London Gazette report of to occasion he lead the 6 Prebendaries in the procession into the Abbey. (By the time of his death he was the last surviving member of the team.) During the ceremony Victoria placed a golden nugget in the collection tray, and Jennings bought it 'at full value' from the Abbey, and had it beaten into a gold cup, which was treasured possession for the rest of his life.

In his role of Rector of St Johns church he established an evening service, 'in order to provide increased religious instruction for the Poor'. (At this time the nearby St Margaret's workhouse accommodated 650 people.) He also requested that his pay for these services should be used to provide free pews for the poor to sit in, as many of the existing pews were let to rich parishioners.

His concern for the religious education of the poor resulted in his raising funds for the erection in 1837 of St Marys Tothill Fields. Encouraged by this he continued his work until he had established no less then 4 more churches. Genuki provides the following information: -

St. Mary the Virgin, (Vincent Square) Tothill Fields Westminster [1837] Separate parish 1843.Closed 1923.This is referred to as Tothill Fields [St. John], in Jaunay.
Parish is no. 37 on outline map

St Stephen Rochester Row Westminster [1850] - Still open
Parish is no. 30 on outline map

St. Matthew, Great Peter Street Westminster [1851] - Still open
Parish is no. 31 on outline map

Holy Trinity, (Bessborough Gardens) Vauxhall Bridge Road Westminster [1852] Closed 1953. Par united with St. James the Less, Vauxhall Bridge Road.
Parish is no. 38 on outline map

St. James the Less, (Upper Garden Street later Thorndike Street) Vauxhall Bridge Road Westminster. [1862] - Still open
Parish is no. 36 on outline map

Jenning's work, in this respect, was summarised by one of his curates who later became rector of St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, The Reverend Arthur Warner in this way.

"the marvellous work accomplished by Archdeacon Jennings during his incumbency of half a century. He found one church, one rector, seldom resident, one curate, and one small Sunday school in a hired room. He left six churches, each with National and Sunday Schools, seventeen clergy: while the population had about doubled. It is, I believe, the best record for one life's work, in its own line, that we have"

As to detail Jennings became Free of the Company on 26th March 1837 and was admitted to the Livery on 28th September, 1837. His address was St. John's Rectory, Westminster and his father was John Jennings of Lluest Hen, Aberystwith (excuse the spelling the Minutes were handwritten). He became the Honorary Chaplain to the Company on 29th March, 1838. he remained as Chaplain until his resignation on 3rd October, 1877. He was presented with a gold Past Master's Badge at his resignation.

Colin Eldridge

Mr Eldridge also sent a copy of this fascinating document

COMPANY CHAPLAIN

Whilst the Company Chaplain is very much part and parcel of the modern Spectacle Makers Company this was not always so. At the December Court of 1837 it was resolved that “the Revd. John Jennings, M.A., Prebendary of Westminster, Rector of St. John’s, in the same City, Chaplain to the late Sheriff Johnson (the then Master) and a Freeman and Liveryman of this Company, be requested to accept the office of Honorary Chaplain to this Company”. By the next Court Johnson had replied thanking the Court for the honour it had done him and “my honest intentions to do all in my power to contribute to the welfare and prosperity of the Company”

Jennings had become a Freeman and Liveryman of the Company in 1837 during Johnson’s Shrievalty. Presumably Johnson had enlisted Jennings into the Company in view of the fact that he, and others in the Company, would be proceeding to City office and would require the services of a Chaplain. He certainly became more involved with the Company, presenting his Banner to the Company in 1840 with the words “that I have performed no service to entitled me to such a privilege – I trust however that you will allow it a place among your splendid Banners, and regard it no less as a small proof of the lively interest I take in the prosperity of the Company, than as a humble tribute of sincere friendship to the merits of your indefatigable Master, on the auspicious occasion of his elevation to the Aldermanic Chair”

I have yet to complete the index of the Court Minutes but it seems likely that Jennings was one of the few, if perhaps the only, Liveryman of the Company also to be its Chaplain.

Colin Eldridge

Whilst several of the Spectacle Makers' Chaplains have also been Liverymen they were admitted to the Company by virtue of being the Company Chaplain. John Jennings was already a Freeman and Liveryman before becoming Chaplain and in this I think he is unique.

Bethany Chapel Porth

The Tabernacle, Porth - English Baptist
Tabernacle Baptist Porth

In 1872 the few English Baptists at Porth attended Wesleyan services, the language barrier making it impossible for them to join the Welsh Baptist services. By 1874, with the increase in their numbers they were able to form their own English Baptist Church that met at the Llanwonno Board schoolroom. A vestry was built later in Hannah Street and formally opened in July 1875,a new chapel later being opened in 1877. In the 1890's new churches were inaugurated at Bethany, Ynyshir and Penuel, Trehafod. The chapel was enlarged, and a new wing added in 1903 at a cost of £1,800.

This information extracted from http://www.porthnewydd.org/history.htm which gives a comprehensive picture of religious activity in the Rhondda in the late 19th and early 20th century. It also explains how the churches and chapels served the peoples political, social, and welfare needs then.

Bethlehem Church Porth

Treherbert

In 1800 only 540 people lived in the whole of the Rhondda, but within 100 years its population had risen to over 113,000. The reason was coal. The first mine in Treherbert was opened in 1851, and the first houses we would recognise now were built in 1854. The railway reached Ystrad in the following year and the mineral service was extended to Treherbert in 1855. (Trams did not reach the town until 1908.) The water supply was being worked on in 1910, but 50 years later struggled to provide constant water pressure to the higher houses. As late as 1944 the electric power was supplied by a single line over the mountains, which was vulnerable to winter gales.

Some of the local mines were Abergorchi, Bute, Fern Hill, Glen Rhondda, Lady Margaret, Ynysfeio and Ty Draw. Many of the tunnels created were later used by the Tower Colliery, just over the Rhigos at Hirwaun, which became the last deep mine in Wales. Fern Hill colliery also worked the seams previously worked by Dunraven colliery which supported the foundation of Dunraven (Treherbert) School

The town's fortunes town can be judged by the frequency of Royal Visits in 1900, 1910, 1912, 2002, 2003. The earlier visits were in honour of the main producers of coal for the Empire, and the latter in support of community regeneration after the demise of the industry.

Date	Population of Treherbert	Note
1800		Population of Rhondda is 542.
1845	218	Agreement for Lord Bute to purchase of Cwmsaerbren for £9,000.
1851		Bute Merthyr Colliery (Treherbert), steam coal seams, is opened. Owned by the Marquees of Bute.
1854		Fifty copies of building ground plans for Treherbert Cwmsaerbren are issued. Historically, this is the first use of 'Treherbert' noted.
1854		The first rows of houses are built. These are Bute Street (Treherbert), Dumfries Street (Treherbert) and Baglan Street (Penyrenglyn).
1854		Ynysfeio Colliery (Penyrenglyn), bituminous seams, opens. Owners are Thomas, Cope and Lewis.
1855		First wagons of coal are transported to Cardiff Gelligaled now known as Ystrad. They were hauled from Cwmsaerbren (Treherbert) to Gelligaled by carts.
1856		Treherbert Mineral Service commences on the Taff Vale Railway Line.
1867	1300	St Mary the Virgin Church is erected in Treherbert. (this probably marks the completion of the construction of Church Street where R.W. Jones lived from 1925 and was still owned by his daughter in 1990
1867		The Rhondda Valley and Hirwaun Junction Railway is opened.
1871		Treorchy Cemetery opens.
1880	8,415	Education becomes compulsory.
1883		Blaenrhondda School is built for 153 children and 160 infants.
1893		The Welsh language is accepted as a class subject in schools.
1894		Parc and Dare Workmen's Institute (Treorchy) opens.
1894		The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Line opens at Blaencwm.
1895		Treorchy Eisteddfod.
1897	10,016	Treherbert Band was formed.
1899		The Rhondda Leader newspaper is first published.
1901		Population of Rhondda is 113,735.
1908		Extension of the tram service from Llwynypia to Treherbert.
1910		Blaenrhondda to Llyn Reservoir tunnel is officially opened.
1912		King George V and Queen Mary visit Treherbert while on a visit to Rhondda.
1920		A war memorial is erected in Clyngwyn Road in Blaenrhondda.
1920		Owing to poor attendance All Saints Church (Mary Street, Penyrenglyn) begins conducting their Evening Song in English. Morning Service remains in Welsh.
1921		Treherbert A.F.C. are in the Welsh League
1927		Foundations are laid for Treherbert Cottage Hospital.
1927		Ynysfeio Railway Bridge crossing Baglan Street (Penyrenglyn) is officially opened by Councillor Rhys Morgan.
1928		Ebenezer Chapel (Tynewydd) is rebuilt.
1936		Treherbert Open-Air Swimming Pool opens.
1939		Outbreak of World War II.
1944		Treherbert and surrounding areas are plunged into darkness for seven hours following the main electric wire installation being damaged by a gale
1944		Carmel Chapel Augmented Ladies' Choir is formed by Mr Arthur Morgan.
1944		Allied invasion of Normandy.
2008	6000

The rapid expansion of the towns due to the 'coal rush' meant that people in the valley needed as much distraction as they could get. An idea of the importance of these distractions can be obtained by looking at the historical section of the Treorchy Male Voice Choir website. (Thanks to Frederick O'Brien and Dean Powell for this link) The Treorchy website is huge and wonderful, and is worth spending some time over. Can I recommend that you also look at http://www.treorchymalechoir.com/history/musical.htm ?

I once attended a service there with my Aunt. I was about 8 years old. The service was in Welsh, and during the children's address the Minister asked us for quotations from the Bible. I got an elbow in my ribs, 'Go on' said Aunty Susie, 'I can't think of one' I said. 'You must know something' ' All right', I replied 'The Lord is my Shepherd, but I don't know the Welsh.' 'Doesn't matter', she said, 'up you go.'

And so, I piped up 'The Lord is my Shepherd - in English!' From then on the rest of the service was in English!

Can you imagine that happening anywhere else in the world? Don't forget that Horeb could muster a choir of 160 proud Welsh voices, and the congregation were much happier speaking Welsh then English.

Porth School

Following the Welsh Intermediate Schools Act of 1889, The Rhondda Intermediate School was built at Porth, where both boys and girls received advanced education 'fitting them to take degree courses at any university'.

This was built on three acres of land above Mount Pleasant given free by Colonel Picton Turberville and was opened on September 22^nd 1896, later evolving into Porth County School.

(The information above explains why the house the family moved to in Church Street, Treherbert, was also called Mount Pleasant)

Treherbert School

The School was , I believe, the one established in Dunraven Street in Treherbert as a mine school. Miners would contribute a proportion of their wages to fund the building of the school which was built in 1863. This was a 'National' School.

The composer Harry Parr-Davies was a pupil there, at this time, and he went on to study with Walford Davies, Eric Coates and Edward German, and later became Gracie Fields accompanist and composed the song 'Sing as we go' for her film Shipyard Sally. Other works included 'Wish me luck as you Wave Me Goodbye' and for 'Smile when you say goodbye' he was paid an advance of £1,000, a record payment for the time. He also composed music for George Formby.

1875

J.E.Southall

SOUTHALL , JOHN EDWARD ( 1855 - 1928 ), printer, publisher, author; a member of the Society of Friends ; b. at Leominster , Herefords. , the son of John Tertius Southall and Elizabeth ( Trusted ) . He was educated at Weston-super-Mare and at the Society of Friends’ school at Bootham , Yorks. He started to learn Welsh when he was quite young and became fairly proficient in the use of the language. He settled as a printer at Newport, Mon. , in 1879 , and continued to print and publish books there until about the beginning of the third decade of the 20th cent. Many of his publications were textbooks for use in the schools of Wales and England . He wrote much about the Quaker way of life, e.g. Quakerism as a Factor in the World's History , Quakerism as a Universal Religion , etc. He made a special study, both as individual and publisher, of the problem of the teaching of the Welsh language in both Welsh -speaking and English -speaking districts of the Principality, starting by submitting a memorandum on this subject (‘ Bilingual teaching in Welsh elementary schools … ’) to a royal commission which sat in 1886 and 1887 . Amongst his publications of Welsh interest are Wales and her Language considered from a historical, educational, and social standpoint , 1892 (2nd ed. 1893 ); The Welsh Language Census of 1891 … and remarks on the future of the language , 1895 ; Preserving and teaching the Welsh Language in English speaking districts , 1899 ; The Welsh Language Census of 1901 , 1904 ; he also published a series of bilingual readers for use in schools in Wales . He retired from business c. 1924 and d. in Caswell Terrace , Leominster , 13 Nov. 1928 . His wife was Ann Berry .