ISSUE 54 NOVEMBER 2016
Introducing The Forum
BRECKNOCK MUSEUM Contact: Nigel Blackmore, Senior Curator Tel. 01874 624121
BRECKNOCK SOCIETY AND MUSEUM FRIENDS Contact: Elaine Starling Tel. 01874 711484 email: [email protected]
BRECON LIBRARY Editorial Contact: 01874 62334 Winter is coming. Time to settle down into your favourite armchair and read BRECONSHIRE LOCAL & FAMILY all those history books that you have HISTORY SOCIETY set aside. Also time to get out to all the Contact: Hilary Williams excellent events that have been Tel. 01874 624432 organised for your enjoyment email: [email protected] throughout Brecknockshire and beyond as detailed below. BUILTH WELLS & DISTRICT HERITAGE Hanes is published every 3 months. The SOCIETY next edition is to be published February Contact: Anna Page 1st 2017. Please email any articles or Tel. 01982 553376 information about events etc. with the heading "HANES" to CHRIST COLLEGE ARCHIVE [email protected] Contact: Felicity Kilpatrick by January 30th. 2017. Tel. 01874 615440
CRAI & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY LLYN SYFADDAN HISTORY GROUP ARCHIVE Contact: Roger Reese Contact: Frances Jenkins email: [email protected] Tel. 01874 636990 PONTNEATHVAUGHAN LOCAL CRICKHOWELL DISTRICT ARCHIVE CENTRE HISTORY SOCIETY Contact: Angela Waring Contact: Stephen Morris Tel. 01873 810922 Tel. 01639 720728
CRICKHOWELL & DISTRICT HISTORY POWYS COUNTY ARCHIVE OFFICE SOCIETY email: [email protected] Contact: Carol Jenkins www.powys.gov.uk/archives Tel. 01873 812184 POWYS FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY HAY HISTORY GROUP Contact: Sheila Leitch Contact: Clare Purcell Tel: 01497 847354 Tel: 07717312286 email: [email protected] REGIMENTAL MUSEUM OF THE ROYAL www.Hayhistorygroup.co.uk WELSH Contact: Richard Davies / Celia Green HAY TOURS Tel. 01874 613310 www.haytours.co.uk TALGARTH AND DISTRICT LLANGAMMARCH WELLS LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY HISTORY SOCIETY Contact: Sheila Lovell Contact: Sue Lilly Tel: 01874 711096 Tel. 01591 610792 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] WELSH HISTORIC GARDENS TRUST LLANGYNIDR LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY Contact: Elizabeth Siberry Contact: Ann Jessopp Tel: 01873 812169 Tel. 01874 730431 email: [email protected] YSTRADGYNLAIS FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Contact: Caryl Jones Tel. 01269 825306 LLANWRTYD & DISTRICT HERITAGE
& ARTS CENTRE Contact: Rob Thomas Tel. 01591 610661 email: [email protected] www.llanwrtydhistorygroup.com
News AND EVENTS Tuesday November 15th 2016 The Brinore Tramroad: Historic background and recent research. Brecon Beacons National John Jones and Tom Davies (postponed Park from 2015) The Muse, Glamorgan Street, Brecon at 5 p.m. Young Archaeologists’ Club The Brecon Beacons Young Tuesday January 24th 2017 Archaeologists’ Club is part of a Captain Frederick Jones: adventures in network of Young Archaeologists’ Clubs the East India Company and diary across Wales, and the UK, administered accounts of social life in Brecon 1789- by the Council for British Archaeology. 1827. Ken Jones, Council Chamber, YAC is the only UK-wide club for young Guildhall, Brecon 3.00 pm people up to the age of 17 interested in archaeology. YAC’s vision is for all Tuesday February 14th 2017 young people to have opportunities to Landscape of three Marcher poets: The be inspired and excited by archaeology, border country of George Herbert, and to empower them to help shape its Thomas Traherne and Henry Vaughan. future. The Brecon Beacons Young Mervyn Bramley. The Muse, Glamorgan Archaeologists’ Club was established by Street, 5.00 pm. a group of local volunteers in order to fill a gap in the provision of YAC Friday March 24th 2017 branches in the Brecon Beacons and the The 20th Sir John Lloyd Memorail Usk Valley. Brecon Beacons YAC is Lecture: A poet's View of Henry supported by the Brecon Beacons Vaughan. The Revd Dr Rowan Williams. National Park Authority. Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon 7.00 p.m. You can find out more about the Brecon Beacons Young Archaeologists’ Club by visiting our blog Breconshire Local & Family http://bbyac.wordpress.com/ History Society Our monthly meetings are held upstairs Brecknock Society & in Brecon Library on the first Tuesday in the month. Non-members are welcome Museum Friends to attend, with a £1 attendance fee. We do not have a public meeting in Friday 4th November 2016 December, but will be back in action in An evening with the winner and January. runners up of the 2016 Roland Mathias Prize for Poetry, The Muse 7.p.m. 10th January 2017 2.00pm Tickets available at the door. £5 (£4 for A Tour of the Magic Lantern Slides from BS&MF members) Brecknock Museum [Note that this
Meeting is on the second Tuesday in January]. Using the latest technology, Hay History Group Conan Daly from Brecknock Museum will show us some examples from the Hay Festival Winter Weekend early days of photography. He will 25-27 November 2016 show magic lantern slides of Brecon and other subjects. Google the Hay Festival website and book these excellent events. They are The Society also provides family history selling out quickly so don't delay. research guidance on the third Saturday of each month (including December) Saturday 26 November 2016, 10am between 11.00am and midday at Event 6 at the Swan Ballroom, Church Brecon Library. All are welcome to Street, Hay. £5 attend. Advice can be given on sources The Last Days of Owain Glyndŵr of family history research in England as Following the fall of Harlech Castle to well as in Wales. Henry IV’s forces in 1409, Owain’s fate is unknown until his death, almost certainly in 1415. Builth Wells Heritage Society 11 November – Talk by Jim Davies on the painters of the First World War. 7.30 pm in the Greyhound Hotel, Builth Wells
Crickhowell & District History Society
Meetings at Parish Hall Church Lane, Crickhowell. 7.30pm Gruffydd Aled Williams, the winner of Wednesday 16 November 2016 the 2016 Creative Non-fiction Prize in A Crickhowell Crusader and the Legends Literature, Wales’s Book of the Year of History. Elizabeth Siberry (Welsh Language), talks to Guto Harri Parish Hall 7.30pm £3 members, £4 about the traditions relating to non-members Glyndŵr’s mysterious last years – traditions mostly centred on Wednesday 22nd February 2017 Herefordshire – and about Glyndŵr’s Annual General Meeting significance in Welsh history. Parish Hall 7.30pm
Hay Railway Tour Saturday 26 November 2016, 11.30am - 1pm. Event 11 Meet at Hay Cheese Market. £5.00. In association with Hay Tours.
He talks with Louise Walsh whose novel, Black River, is inspired by the dreadful press intrusion and insensitive media coverage that occurred in the Hay Railway provided a vibrancy to life months following the disaster. and trade in the town from 1864-1962. The tour includes a visit to the working The Green Hollow can be seen now on model of Hay Railway Station, local BBC iPlayer. stories, information about Hay Bridge, Saturday 26 November 2016, 5.30pm. the barge-building yard, the former Event 23 at Hay Castle. £6.00 ferry jetty and the Eye Well. Wear suitable clothing as footpaths may be The annual Smith-Soldat Memorial muddy. Children under 16 free but Lecture, Supported by Hay History must be accompanied by an adult Group Saturday 26 November 2016, 2.30pm Event 15 at the Swan Ballroom £6.00 Chris Hodges Derelict Stone Buildings of the Black Mountains Massif - A Owen Sheers fascinating study of the evidence unearthed about a widespread To commemorate the 50th anniversary settlement pattern, dating from the of the 1966 Aberfan disaster, Owen late medieval period, that existed in an Sheers’ latest work, the film poem The upland area of the Eastern Massif of the Green Hollow, is based on the voices Black Mountains in south-east Wales. and memories of those involved.
more on a guided tour of the 12th century keep, Jacobean mansion and Victorian service buildings. Children under 16 free, no ticket required, but must be accompanied by an adult
Sunday 27 November 2016, 12.30pm Event 32. at the Swan Ballroom. £6.00
Julian of Norwich: A very brief history.
Julian of Norwich was the subject of
medievalist and TV historian Janina Ramirez’s latest BBC 4 documentary The archeologist knows the area (July 2016): In Search of the Lost personally from when he worked as a Manuscript: Julian of Norwich. drystone waller and details both the research and the results including finding evidence of 499 separate structures on the ground.
Hay Castle Tour
Sunday 27 November 2016, 10am. Event 27 at Hay Castle – meet on hay castle south lawns. In association with Hay Tours.
Now the focus of her latest book, Janina takes us further into the history of the Mother of English literature, discussing what we know about Julian and why she deserves to be seen as the female Chaucer or Thomas More. Once a great medieval stronghold, and for centuries a private house, our castle is alive with possibilities again. Find out
Sunday 27 November 2016, 2pm. Sunday 27 November 2016, 3.30pm. Event 36 at St. Mary's Church. Hay Event 41 at Hay Castle
Daisy Goodwin talks to Francine Stock The Welsh Warrior Through The Ages - - Victoria – A Novel of a Young Queen Jonathan Morgan
In June 1837, the 18-year-old Victoria Celebrating the great Welsh warriors wakes up to find that she is queen of including King Arthur, the 500 Welsh the most powerful nation in the world. archers at Agincourt and Henry Tudor, But will she be queen in her own right, through to the modern Royal Welch or a puppet controlled by her mother Fusiliers, the former Captain in the and the sinister Sir John Conroy? Can Royal Regiment of Wales has written a this tiny girl prevail against the men series of essays praising their valour who believe that women are too and chivalry. hysterical to rule? This is the latest Price: £5.00 novel from the creator of the ITV Sunday night drama Victoria and author of the bestselling My Last Duchess and The Fortune Hunter. Actress Anna Llanwrtyd Heritage and Wilson Jones, who plays Lady Portman Arts Centre in Victoria, will join them on stage to Over the 5 months that have elapsed read extracts from the book. since the Centre opened on Saturday th Price: £7.00 14 May we have been very pleased with the number of visitors who have passed through our doors. On a couple of occasions we welcomed a group of visitors from Cwmystwyth who came to find out how we had established and financed the Centre as they wish to Sunday 13th November 2016 embark on a similar project in their Concert - The Mid-Powys Youth Choir home locality. We also held a 7.00 p.m. Congregational Chapel Service in Welsh for a group of visitors from Saturday 3rd December 2016 Carmarthenshire who were visiting Talk - The Rebecca Riots. Lynda Bryant, chapel sites on the Eppynt. A similar Lecturer in History, Swansea University) Service is planned quite soon for a 2.00 p.m. Service in English. We are now closing for the “winter season” as from Sunday 30th October, but there will be Powys Archives occasions when we are open - e.g. when there are programmed activities Last year Powys Archives secured being held in and around the town. We funding for a new facility at Unit 29, will be open on Sat/Sun November Ddole Road Industrial Estate, 19/20 when there is the “Real Ale Llandrindod. Our move to temporary Wobble” and also on Sat/Sun storage has recently been completed November 26/27 during the “Real Ale and involved the removal of Ramble”. approximately 70,000 boxes of archive We were very pleased to be nominated and modern records material along for some Awards recognising the work with its shelving. This has been undertaken by our team of Trustees necessary in order for building work to and Stewards. Consequently, 4 of our start at Unit 29 at the end of October. Trustees attended the PAVO “Volunteer As well as being able to house all of the of the Year Awards” held at the Archive collections on one site, the new Wyeside Theatre in Builth on Thursday facility will also offer a larger th searchroom, meeting room and 6 October where we received a Group Award for “Heritage and Arts”. On improved visitor facilities. Friday November 11th we will receive a “Rural Wales Award” to be held at the Until the new facility opens in Autumn Centre and attended by all Stewards as 2017 the Archives’ searchroom will a Social Evening. Talks or presentations continue to be based at County Hall in have been arranged on a monthly basis Llandrindod and we are currently to be held during the “closed season”. operating our normal opening hours. The first talk was entitled “The Chapels Please see our website for more details. of Llanwrtyd & District”. Our next http://www.powys.gov.uk/en/archives/ planned events are : find-archives-local-records/archives- office-location-opening-hours/. nd Wednesday 2 November 2016 Talk - The Chartists & the Newport Uprising. Rob Thomas, Trustee at the Centre) 7.00pm
Recent accessions to Powys Archives [Acc 2315]
Minute and account book of the Sunday Programme of a Cymanfa Ganu held in School Anniversary Festival held for Ystradgynlais to mark the centenary of churches in the Devynock district, the birth of Dr. Daniel Protheroe, native Breconshire, 1893-1896 [Acc 2291] of Ystradgynlais, 1966 [Acc 2318]
Llanfrynach Primary School, Bundle of deeds concerning properties Breconshire: managers’ minute book, in Charles Street, John Street, The 1903-1989; governors’ report to Watton and Ashbrook Place, all in parents, 1987 & prospectus, c1980s Brecon, 1862-1989 [Acc 2320] [Acc 2300]
Minute book of the bi-monthly Powys Family History meetings of the Trecastle district group Society Brecknock Group of Presbyterian churches (in Welsh),
1920-1939; Bundle of programmes of Monday 28th November 2016 Cymanfa Gan service [all in Welsh with Venue: Kensington Church, Brecon gaps], 1894-1992; Brecon, Radnor & Mr Martin Fleming is kindly giving a talk Hereford Presbytery: Programme for on ‘Stories of Buckland Hall’ the Musical Festivals, 1925 & programme for the Annual Singing Sunday 29th January 2017 1.00pm Festival at Brecon Presbyterian Church, Venue: The Castle Hotel, Brecon 1998; Crai Presbyterian Church: Powys Family History Annual Lunch. yearbooks, 1962-1975 & booklet, 1935; Annual report for Bethel Church, Brecon, 1960, all Breconshire [Acc 2301]
Trinity Calvinistic Methodist Church, Defynnog: programme for the closing service, 2009; Tynewydd Calvinistic Methodist Church, Trecastle: transfer register stubs, 1931-1965; National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Devynock & Sennybridge District: leaflet & collection lists, nd;
Sennybridge & Defynnog Nursing Association: invoices & accounts, 1920s-1930s [Acc 2302]
Sales particular for Pendarren Park Estate, Llangenny, Breconshire, 1950
The National Library of The Radnorshire Society
Wales The Radnorshire Society, established in 1930, is a local field club concerned with Wednesday 9 November 1.15pm the archaeology and history of the historic county of Radnorshire (now part of Powys).
An Executive Committee organises a programme of public lectures and excursions, oversees the running of the Society local history library, and deals with a wide range of enquiries from correspondents world-wide.
The Field section is the research arm of the society. It co-ordinates a separate programme of talks, research, and field A presentation which discusses the trips, and also publishes an illustrated Tudors, Wales and her poets. newsletter. Free admission by ticket The Transactions of the Society, issued Wednesday 23 November annually in a bound volume, is a 11.00am – 4.15pm scholarly publication incorporating A full day of events and an opportunity academic research and archive to learn more about the History of your material. House. Secretary 11.00am & 3.30pm A tour of the email: [email protected] Library’s Conservation Unit - A special exhibition of archives from the Library’s rich collections will be on display during the day.
1.15pm Lunchtime Presentation: House History by Hilary Peters (LlGC /NLW) & Richard Suggett (CBHC / RCAHMW)
2.15pm A behind the scenes tour of the Library
Free admission by ticket