IN ISSUE NUMBER 2 · 29 July 05 ·

THE GENTLEMAN HOOD
On the morning of February 14, 1929, Bugs Moran’s gang gathered at the garage on North Clark Street, Chicago, to receive a large shipment of bootlegged liquor. They were surprised but not distressed when a police paddy wagon arrived on the scene and five officers climbed out. Knowing Moran’s connections would get any charges dropped, the seven gangsters peaceably put down their weapons and turned to face the garage wall with their hands up. That was how they were standing when they died: gunned down in cold blood by members of Al Capone’s gang, who’d disguised themselves as the police. The ‘St. Valentine’s Day Massacre’ is remembered now as an illuminating snapshot of that most brutal and violent time in America’s history, when cities were ruled not by mayors and alderman but by gangsters. What isn’t remembered, and what most people don’t know, is that the entire event – from the arrival of the liquor shipment to the paddy wagon and police uniforms – was orchestrated by a Welshman whose parents were born and raised near Carno. That man was Murray Humphreys – or Murray the Hump as he is better known in Mid Wales. In this first of a four part article, Tyler Keevil takes an overall look into the character and background of this infamous, elusive Mid Walian.

WALKING THE VAN
The Cambrian Railways acquired ownership of three branch lines in Montgomeryshire that were noted for their poor financial returns and an early demise in the 1940s and 1950s. Brian Poole walked all three lines during 2002 including the additional tramways and inclines. The reason was a request from Oakwood Press so they could update material that was first published in the 1950s by Cozens and updated in the early 1970s by Kidner. His special remit was to add the memories of the local people, both railwaymen and those who used the services before time ruthlessly removes direct oral recall. This was done and the second edition of The Mawddwy, Van and Kerry Branches became available in November, 2004. Such research leads to requests for further articles, talks to various societies and the request to lead a walk for the Railway Ramblers Society of Great Britain This was done in January, 2005 and they have requested a repeat. The article in PenCambria recalls the January walk.

THE BEGINNING OF EDUCATION IN LLANIDLOES IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY
Until the beginning of the 19th century, such education as existed remained the province of the Church of England. This was the case in Wales as much as it was in England. So-called Charity schools were the means of providing the very elements of education and these were controlled by the Established Church. Besides the Charity Schools there had been great movements within the Church to improve the religious state of the general populace; movements such as the S.P.C.R. (the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge) and the work of the Circulating Schools of Rev. Griffith Jones of Llanddowror and Madam Bevan in the 18th century; all with the aim of improving the state of religion amongst the people by acquainting them with the Bible and teaching them to be able to read it. It was the poverty of the mass of people in the realm of spirituality and morale which concerned these movements within the Church. No more was needed “to save the souls of sinners”. Indeed, much later in the 19th century several clerics giving evidence before the Commission of Enquiry into the State of Education in Wales in 1847 were highly critical of the efforts of the Sunday School teachers to explain the meaning of words and grammar to their scholars. The Commission produced the famous Blue Books which roused the whole of Wales by the picture they gave of the condition of the people. In this article E. Ronald Morris traces the origins of education in Llanidloes and evokes memories of schooling, maybe fond, maybe not, that will be very familiar to many readers “over a certain age”.

TREFEGLWYS ENGINEERS
There was something about Trefeglwys that brought out the spirit of engineering in the Piercy family. Robert, the father was from Chirk but while he loved in Trefeglwys, his work was connected with the enclosure of waste lands and commons, the construction of public roads, and valuations under the Poor Law and Tithe Commutation Acts. His son Robert went India and constructed the Assam railways, opening the important collieries at Margherita, and securing his reputation for dealing in particular with unstable foundations for bridges. His third son – Benjamin – was without doubt the most notable. For his completion of 250 miles of railways in Sardinia within time and budget and for constructing over 2,000 kilometres of railways in mainland Italy and turning desert areas into green and fertile lands, he was created a Commendatore of the Crown of Italy and the freedom of various cities was conferred on him. Reverend Malcolm Tudor gives us a brief glimpse into the lives of these three remarkable men.

THE ORIGINS OF LLANIDLOES
The modern visitor to Llanidloes sees what is clearly an old-established town: many of its houses provide reminders of the town’s 18th and 19th century role as a flannel manufacturing centre, whilst the abundance of timber-framed buildings – particularly the Old Market Hall of c.1612 – takes us back to the Tudor and Stuart era. The massive tower of the parish church of St. Idloes speaks of a still more distant past, for it is generally reckoned to have been built in the 14th century. But in fact the origins of Llanidloes are to be found in a still earlier period and this is what David Stephenson looks at in his article for us this month.

EILUNED LEWIS
Some years ago a slim green book caught Reginald Massey’s eye at our local Oxfam shop in China Street, Llanidloes. Entitled Dew On The Grass, it was written by Eiluned Lewis and is a veritable gem of a book that describes the innocence and simple joys of childhood. drawing on the writer’s own childhood with her loving siblings in a large Georgian house named Glan Hafren by the banks of the Severn near Newtown. This persuaded Reginald to track down Eiluned’s life and her extraordinary circle of friends, and determined him to bring her back into the public eye to get her the recognition she deserves.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY FASHIONABLE TOWN
Once the technology was there to exploit the mineral waters and the railway was built, Llandrindod Wells grew from a tiny hamlet into the one of most fashionable towns of its day. Huge hotels were built for the rich and famous, scores of smaller establishments accommodated the not so wealthy and the town attracted “characters” on almost every train that drew into the station, especially women. In this very entertaining conversation piece, Peter Dean draws on his memories of living in Llandrindod Wells in the 1950s and 50s among many of these women and of his grandmother’s rules of etiquette.

THE PARTHENON OF WALES
Set in white columned splendour with a perfect view of the seas of Cardigan Bay is Wales’ greatest treasure, or rather treasure house – the National Library of Wales, the treasure being the vast body of knowledge that it contains in the form of documents, manuscripts, books, maps, paintings, photographs, film, records and recordings, CDs and DVDs. In June this year the Arwystli Society was treated to a tour of this magnificent institution and was especially privileged to be shown around its archives. Your intrepid editor went on this tour and this article is an account of what she saw.

THE POWIS FAMILY ALBUM
In the days before universal literacy information, history and stories were conveyed either as visual images – pictures, statues, wood carvings, etc. or by word of mouth – storytellers, minstrels, poets, bards and the like, the latter being a Welsh speciality. Probably the most common set of imagery was in the churches where everything was decorated to tell the Christian story and deliver the message. If you were wealthy, you could employ your own painters and sculptors to do the same with your family history. This is the case with the Herberts of Powis Castle. On the second of your editor’s tours for this issue, I went on the Statuary and Paintings Tour of the castle and received a fascinating insight into the family that has lived in this building for over 400 years.

POWYS ARCHIVES
An update from the manager Catherine Richards on the securing of Welsh Assembly funding and the new accessions that have come to the Archives.

WELSH TRADITIONAL TUNE CLUB
A couple of years ago in Llanfyllin, Powys, the Welsh folk development agency, trac, held a series of workshops in schools. Co-ordinated for trac by cerdd dant singer, fiddle player and all round good guy Arfon Gwilym, these workshops were run for both young people and adults and attracted a large number of enthusiastic participants who came along to learn about or improve their technique on fiddle, guitar, accordion, flute and whistle, triple harp and Welsh clogging . At around the same time the wonderful crwth and fiddle player Cass Meurig from North Wales started a Welsh fiddle club in Nant Peris. This has also been attracting a large number of people all keen to learn tunes and improve their playing of Welsh folk music. All this made Gary Northeast think that there ought to be somewhere for people in the North Powys area to go on a regular basis to learn to play tunes from the Welsh tradition. So he started a tune club in the small village of Dolanog. It takes the form, at the moment, of a fortnightly workshop where people come along and learn a tune in an evening. For anyone interested in coming along it happens every other Thursday at the community centre in Dolanog, about 11 miles West of Welshpool. It runs from 7.00pm -9.00pm and it’s open to anyone with a traditional style instrument. You don’t need to be able to read music, you don’t need to be a great player, you just need to come along with your instrument and be ready to join in and learn some tunes. Tea and coffee are provided and it’ll cost you just £1 for the evening. For more info call 01938 810626 or e-mail garynortheast@tiscali.co.uk Hope to see some of you here.

THE DRAGON’S CRYPT
Our hall of fiction is full of goodies this month with a charming but slightly edgy story that will have your heart in your mouth from Norma Allen, a tale of the heart in the classic Edgar Allen Poe tradition from August Mullen, and another philological tour de force from Matt Maus that will having you reaching for your dictionary of English grammar. Play it again, Matt.

COPY DATE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE – 31ST AUGUST 2005