1 DENBIGHSHIRE RECORD OFFICE Ref. DD-LE Records of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod 1894-2011 Extent 63 Boxes Description The company records of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, a musical festival for international choirs and dance groups held since 1947, for a week annually in July, in Llangollen, North Wales. The collection includes the records of the Friends of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, which was set up to support the festival, and the papers of W. S. Gwynn Williams, who was instrumental in founding the festival and was the Hon. Music Director of the Eisteddfod, 1947-1977. It also includes records about the festival collected externally, most by local people whose support of the Eisteddfod - as committee members, volunteers or customers - has been important to its survival. The competitors are well represented in the collection, predominantly in the promotional series in photographs, audio and visual recordings, press cuttings and publicity material. Creator: LRW Date: 24/06/2009 2 DENBIGHSHIRE RECORD OFFICE Administrative History The first Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, held in 1947, was the concept of Harold Tudor of Coedpoeth, then a member of the British Council; the concept being the creation of a festival 'to promote education, international peace and goodwill through the medium of the fine arts and in particular the art of music'.(1) After the idea for such a festival was turned down by the Welsh National Eisteddfod, Harold Tudor approached W. S. Gwynn Williams, a noted Welsh composer and music publisher, to suggest an independent festival based in Llangollen. With the help of George Northing, a teacher from Dinas Brân County School and Chairman of the local council, the idea gained the support of town residents and in 1946, organising of the festival began. An Executive Committee was formed comprising the chairmen and secretaries of five committees: Finance, Grounds, Hospitality, Music and Publicity. The first festival was financed through a public appeal, and, with the aid of the British Council, international choirs were approached to compete. The festival was a success. Forty overseas groups arrived, including a dance group from Spain, who proved so popular that a dance competition became a feature of the subsequent Eisteddfods. 'After the second year it became necessary to expand the organisation beyond the scope of the original Committee, so a new constitution was framed. The governing body was called the General Council, to which all people living in and around Llangollen were invited to apply for membership. No subscription was required, the only qualification asked was that the member was interested in the aims and ideals of the International Eisteddfod and prepared to co-operate in the work'.(2) The Eisteddfod since then has been operated as such: 'the General Council elects twenty-one members to form a Standing Board, each member to act for a period of three years. The Standing Board [chaired by the Eisteddfod Chairman] is to maintain continuity of the Eisteddfod from year to year and has power to prepare and deal with the affairs of future Eisteddfodau, as well as appoint officials [including the President] and nuclei of sub-committees each year. The affairs of each current year are conducted by a small Executive Committee consisting of the officials of the Council and Chairman and Secretaries of the sub- committees.'(2) The Executive Committee is chaired by the Eisteddfod Vice- Chairman. To the original five committees were added the Tickets and Floral committees and sub-commitees as necessary, including, between 1972 and 1988, a Philatelic Commitee. Committee members are aided by numerous volunteers. On 2nd April 1974, the organisation became a Company limited by guarantee called The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Limited. Thereafter, if the Company went into liquidation its members were only liable to £1. Key events in the Eisteddfod history include: Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh becoming patrons in 1948; the Eisteddfod being selected by The Festival of Britain as one of the Arts Festival Centres in 1951; UNESCO commissioning records of the Eisteddfod for circulation in all countries in 1951 (the Llangollen Eisteddfod was the only festival this was done for); royal visits, including Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1953 and 1992, Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon in 1964, Princess Anne in 1977, and Prince Charles and Princess Creator: LRW Date: 24/06/2009 3 DENBIGHSHIRE RECORD OFFICE Diana in 1985; the Orbernkirchen choir singing 'Happy Wanderer' in 1953, which became the most popular song in the country; the new larger site being acquired at Penddol in 1958 (the Standing Board purchased 24 acres of land as a permanent site for the Eisteddfod); and the Pavilion development in 1992. The Eisteddfod has also had many notable guest artists, not least Pavarotti who performed at the Eisteddfod in 1955 and 1995; and many notable Presidents, including W. Clayton Russon, Ernest Bevin, Sir Henry Morris-Jones and Sir Anthony Eden, to name the first four. The Friends of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was started in 1974 by Michael Fay and other members of the Publicity Committee to support the Eisteddfod. In 1988 a London branch was established by Sir Maldwyn Thomas to promote the Eisteddfod in the London area and to arrange events for FLIME members in the home counties.(3) The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is still staged at present. (1) - The Council of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod constitution, 1949 - DD/LE/1/1/1 (2) - 'Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod' by J. Rhys Roberts, c.1960 - DD/LE/5/1/25 (3) - 'Fifty Glorious Weeks 1947-1996' by Robert B. Attenburrow, 1996 - DD/LE/5/1/43 Creator: LRW Date: 24/06/2009 4 DENBIGHSHIRE RECORD OFFICE Management Constitution Records DD/LE/1/1/1 The Council of the Llangollen 1949-c.1970 International Musical Eisteddfod membership cards and constitution 3 Items DD/LE/1/1/2 Council/company registers c.1950s-1970s The volumes detail names and 3 Volumes addresses of members, organised alphabetically by surname. Two volumes include details of which committee they were on. One volume is dated 1975-1976. DD/LE/1/1/3 Notice of change of constitution 3 Jun 1964 1 Item DD/LE/1/1/4 'Memorandum and Articles of 1972-1991 Association of The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod 1 File Limited' Includes drafts and related correspondence. The Memorandum and Articles of Association is dated 2nd April 1974. Minutes Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Ltd Minutes Previously the General Council or Eisteddfod Council. DD/LE/1/2/1/1 Eisteddfod Council minute book 23 Nov 1948-19 Jul 1965 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/1/2 Eisteddfod Council minute book 15 Jun 1966-23 Jul 1973 1 Volume Creator: LRW Date: 24/06/2009 5 DENBIGHSHIRE RECORD OFFICE DD/LE/1/2/1/3 Eisteddfod Company minute book 19 Jun 1974-25 Jun 1980 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/1/4 Eisteddfod Company minute book 23 Jul 1980-25 Jul 1985 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/1/5 Eisteddfod Company minute book 26 Jul 1986-6 Jun 1991 1 Volume Standing Board Minutes DD/LE/1/2/2/1 Minute book 16 Jul 1948-22 Mar 1954 General Council is crossed out of July 1 Volume 1948 minutes, 'now Standing Board' is pencilled in. DD/LE/1/2/2/2 Minute book 5 May 1954-13 Jan 1956 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/3 Minute book 8 Feb 1956-11 Sep 1957 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/4 Minute book 14 Oct 1957-24 Mar 1959 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/5 Minute book 11 Jun 1959-18 Sep 1961 Includes a letter to A.V Lewis, County 1 Volume Planning Officer, dated 24th October 1961. DD/LE/1/2/2/6 Minute book 23 Oct 1961-20 Jun 1963 Includes two loose items. 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/7 Minute book 4 Jul 1963-9 Sep 1964 Includes a loose letter from a member 1 Volume regarding the future of the Eisteddfod, dated 6th September 1964. Creator: LRW Date: 24/06/2009 6 DENBIGHSHIRE RECORD OFFICE DD/LE/1/2/2/8 Minute book 7 Oct 1964-20 Jul 1966 Includes loose notes of a joint meeting 1 Volume between Eisteddfod officers and the Denbigh County Council, 13th November 1964. DD/LE/1/2/2/9 Minute book 15 Aug 1966-30 Dec 1968 Includes a copy of the Permanent 1 Volume Stage Accomodation Feasibility Study 1968 and a loose letter from Youth's Friends Association, 13th October 1966. DD/LE/1/2/2/10 Minute book 14 Apr 1969-3 Aug 1972 Includes a list of Standing Board 1 Volume members. DD/LE/1/2/2/11 Minute book 12 Dec 1972-18 Mar 1976 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/12 Minute book 20 Apr 1976-4 Dec 1979 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/13 Minute book 18 Sept 1979-6 Oct 1982 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/14 Minute book 30 Nov 1982-24 Jul 1984 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/15 Minute book 29 Nov 1984-3 Oct 1985 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/16 Minute book 23 Apr 1986-30 Nov 1989 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/2/17 Minutes Feb 1990-Dec 1992 1 bdle DD/LE/1/2/2/18 Minutes Jan 1993-Nov 1998 1 bdle Creator: LRW Date: 24/06/2009 7 DENBIGHSHIRE RECORD OFFICE DD/LE/1/2/2/19 Minutes Jan 1999-Jun 2002 1 bdle DD/LE/1/2/2/20 Minutes Jun 2002-Dec 2004 1 bdle DD/LE/1/2/2/21 Minutes Jan 2005-Dec 2008 1 bdle DD/LE/1/2/2/22 Minutes Jan 2009-Jun 2011 1 bdle Executive Committee Minutes DD/LE/1/2/3/1 Minute book 12 Aug 1946-15 Jul 1947 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/3/2 Minute book 11 Aug 1947-29 Jun 1948 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/3/3 Minute book 26 Jul 1948-29 Jun 1949 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/3/4 Minute book 18 Oct 1949- 28 Jun 1950 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/3/5 Minute book 27 Sep 1950-27 Jun 1951 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/3/6 Minute book 19 Sep 1951-23 Jun 1952 1 Volume DD/LE/1/2/3/7 Minute book