June 2011 Archives

Following his military service in the Great War Thomas Williams returned, in April 1919, to resume his career as a tailor with H R Davies, Ladies and Gents Tailors, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay where he remained until his death in 1945. I show photo of the staff. Tom is standing behind the girl in the white blouse and the date is probably before 1914. The photographer was H.J. Edwards, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay.

There are a number of photos of un-named men and women in his album taken mainly by Ll Jones & Co, Colwyn Bay. Perhaps someone will know more about this photographer. Tom was interested in the Theatre, currently called Colwyn Theatre, which I remember as the Prince of Wales Theatre. I show a photo of a character in costume which is signed on the back by J O Davies in May 1920.

There is a second photo of the actor (or singer) Mr J. O. Davies appearing with the Colwyn Bay Light Opera Company in 1927. It's a bit difficult to read but the photo is signed "All the Best. Sincerely yours. J O Davies. 1927" Some of the other photos of unnamed people could have been people associated with the theatre.

Tom appears to have been a cricket fan as there is a photo signed "S F Barnes" of the famous cricketer, Sidney Barnes. Sidney Barnes (1873-1967) played for England in 27 Test matches against Australia and South Africa between 1901 and 1914 taking 189 wickets at an average of 16.43 runs each. Sidney Barnes was the only player to have been picked to play for England directly from the Lancashire League. Following this test appearance he played for Lancashire but after a contractual dispute at the end of 1903, he played for Staffordshire in the Minor Counties.

I was surprised to discover that there was a Wales cricket team which played 16 first-class matches between 1923 and 1930. I was even more surprised to learn that Sidney Barnes, then in his fifties, played in 9 of these matches between 1927 and 1930 which included an eight wicket win over the West Indies in 1928. In that match Barnes took 7 wickets for 51 runs and in total he took 49 first class wickets for Wales.

What puzzles me is how Barnes was qualified to play for Wales. Did he play for a Welsh team? I know of the reputation of cricket in Colwyn Bay and, during the 1950s I remember going to watch cricket festivals during August featuring matches between C J Barnet's XI (have I remembered the name correct?) and a Commonwealth XI. There were wonderful matches with all those international players who used to play in the Lancashire League. I remember seeing the Three Ws (Worrall, Weeks and Walcott) and "those two little friends of mine" and many other famous players at Colwyn Bay. I remember Frank Worrall making 194 not out and I also remember George Hadley making more than 50 with beautiful strokes without once lifting the ball more than a few inches off the ground.

Did Sidney Barnes play for Colwyn Bay? Is this how Tom came to have an autographed photo of Sidney Barnes? If there's anyone who knows about any connection that Sidney Barnes might have had with Colwyn Bay, then I'd be very interested to know.

Gwynedd Family History Society, www.gwynedd.fhs.org.uk
Meetings start again in September

Clwyd Family History Society, www.clwydfhs.org.uk

The meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month (except August) at 2.00 pm at locations that rotate within the former county of Clwyd. The next meeting is as follows:

Saturday 9 July 2011: Summer Outing (12.30 to 4.00pm) to Garthewin, Llanfair Talhaearn.

In the last few months I've given some of the story of my grandfather's brother, Thomas Williams, in the army and during his time in a POW camp. My grandfather was also called up for military service but he decided to go to a Tribunal to ask to be excused military service on health grounds. By this time my grandfather had left the quarry and worked as a postman in addition to running a small farm. I'm indebted to my friend Vivian Parry Williams (local historian and author of two important books on the history of Penmachno, "Hanes Plwyf Penmachno" and "Owain Gethin Jones - Ei fywyd a'i feiau") for finding the information.

Whilst conducting research on the effect of the Great War in the upper Conwy valley he found the following report in the Welsh Coast Pioneer, dated 14 December 1916, regarding a Tribunal:

"A Valley of Eldorado
Robert C Williams, Gwiga Farm, Penmachno who applied said that he kept 200 fowls and sent 400 to 500 eggs a week to Llanrwst market. The Chairman dryly remarked that he had discovered a fortune. The applicant, who complained of ill health, consented to undergo medical examination and the case was deferred pending the medical report.

His brother Tom had enlisted at the end of 1915 and had been sent to France in April 1916. He had been injured in August and by this time in December was recovering from his wounds after spending time in hospital.

Whilst the Tribunal Chairman was sceptical about the number of eggs sold, my grandparents certainly did sell eggs. I show a post card sent from the Waterloo Hotel, Betws y Coed, in August 1914 where the message is, "We can manage without eggs until the 21st as we are not so busy". The Waterloo Hotel was the biggest hotel in Betws y Coed and the magnificent building seen in the photo was pulled down about 1970 following which the present day Waterloo Hotel was built.

A second postcard dated 1 November 1914 from the Waterloo Hotel shows a very different situation with the message, "Will you kindly call with eggs as soon as possible and as many as you can"!

Another example is a postcard showing a very busy Happy Valley in Llandudno in 1914 with many people enjoying the open air show and an excellent view of the pier. The message reads, "Will you send 2 or 3 pounds of butter and 2/- of eggs on Friday with Mrs Davies. W G Atkinson." Uncle Tom had been a tailor with T S Atkinson in Barnoldwick, Lancashire, in 1906 and I've often wondered whether there was a connection between these Atkinsons.

In the North Wales Weekly News dated 11 January 1917 Vivian found the following report:

"Geirionydd Tribunal: Postman exempted
Robert C Williams, Gwiga Farm, Penmachno whose appeal at the previous court was adjourned to enable the applicant to appear before a medical board at Wrexham, now produced a certificate classifying him as Cii. Conditional exemption granted, subject to the applicant resigning as a postman within seven days and restricting his energies to farm work."

Whilst my grandfather had been excused military duty, he had been punished by losing his job as a post man. By the time I first remember him in the early 1940's he was once again working as a postman in addition to running the small farm with 4 cows. I remember accompanying my grandmother taking butter and eggs to Llanrwst on Market days on Tuesdays and the once-a-month Fair on a Wednesday. At that time, however, during WW2 all farm produce had to be taken to the "Packing Station" in the Market Hall and sold to the Government - other than that which was sold on the Black Market, of course, but that's another story!

Gwynedd Family History Society, www.gwynedd.fhs.org.uk
Meeting start again in September

Clwyd Family History Society, www.clwydfhs.org.uk
The meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month (except August) at 2.00 pm at locations that rotate within the former county of Clwyd. Next meeting:

Saturday 11 June: 2.00 pm at St David's Church Hall, Mold, CH7 1LH
Nick Byrne: "Chirk Castle - History and Architecture"