Opening of the Olympia Rink

110 years ago today, 29 March 1910, the Merthyr Express reported the opening of Merthyr’s latest great attraction, the Olympia Skating Rink, which had taken place on 19 March:

MERTHYR’S NEW SKATING RINK

OPENING CEREMONY BY THE MAYOR

ENTHUSIASTIC ASSEMBLAGE AT THE OLYMPIA

Roller-skating is attaining to great popularity in Merthyr. It was only in December last that the Central Rink, Wellington-street, was started. The proprietors found their enterprise successful, and also that the growing requirements of the public called for increased accommodation. Hence they embarked on a much larger undertaking, for which they took a site on Mr, Thomas’s land, Park-place, and entered into a contract with Messrs. Cross and Grose, Ltd., Walsall, for the erection thereon of a capacious rink — the Olympia — with approach opposite the Penydarren promenade, the spot being on the Merthyr and Dowlais electric tramway route, and easily accessible to visitors.

The new buildings, which has a length of 208ft., and an average width of about 70ft, rose as if by magic, the contractors being experts in such affairs, and having contracted rinks and floors at Dudley, Wolverhampton, Bath, Leamington, Walsall, Colchester, etc. The outside manager for the firm was Mr. J. James, a gentleman of twenty-three years’ experience, and who may be congratulated upon the admirable way in which he carried out his duties. The election of the new rink, with its extensive hard rock maple floor (so constructed as to reduce sound to a minimum), its accessories and fittings, offices, refreshment buffet and lounges, orchestral gallery, was completed in sixteen days — which constitutes a record for rapidity. — The concrete foundation had been previously prepared by Messrs. Warlow and Warlow, Merthyr.

Special attention has been given to the electric lighting, thirty pedants being distributed throughout the Rink by the Merthyr Electric Traction Company; and the decorative effects, which have been carried out by Mr. F. P. Dymond, Cardiff, are very pleasing. The Rink may, therefore, be regarded as not only one of the largest, but most attractive in Wales. The enterprising directors have catered lavishly in all respects for the entertainment and comfort of the public, and take every care to conduct the four sessions which are held daily, with the utmost regard for decorum and good order. The experienced attendants are civil and obliging, and the instructors are of the very best.

The Olympia Rink

RINK OPENED

The opening ceremony on Saturday afternoon was an encouraging success. It was known that the Mayor (Councillor F. T. James) would inaugurate the proceedings, and the crowd of people attending from Merthyr, Aberdare, and surrounding districts was very large. The Mayor, who was accompanied by the Mayoress (Mrs. F. T. James) and the Misses James, was received, upon entering the building, by the Chairman S. Phillips), and conducted to the dais, which had been erected for the occasion on the rink floor beneath the orchestral gallery. There was a very representative gathering. The first item in the programme was a well-played march by Mr. Cunningham’s military band.

The Chairman then rose to address the assemblage. He referred to the aims and accomplishments of the directors, and offered a hearty welcome to all present. He especially recognised the kindness of the Mayor and Mayoress in attending upon that interesting occasion, and mentioned that the new rink in which they had met possessed a skating capacity of £10,000 square feet, which was ten times greater than the floor space of their first venture, the Central Rink, and that the electric light equalled; 6,000 candle-power. He then invited the Mayor to perform the opening ceremony.

The Mayor, who was accorded a cordial reception, said that whatever might be said of rinking, one was bound to acknowledge that it was an exceedingly good exercise and a source of enjoyment to those who were young and active enough to engage in the healthful pastime. He had much pleasure in declaring Olympia Rink open for the purposes to which it was devoted (cheers).

The Band played the National Anthem, and at this point, Miss Peggy Lewis (daughter of Mrs. Henry Lewis) skated up gracefully to the dais, and in a pretty speech handed, as from the directors, a large and beautiful bouquet to the Mayoress, who bowed and briefly expressed her sense of the compliment.

A photograph of the opening ceremony was taken by Mr Charles Harris. Mr. John Plows referred to the interest which the Mayor had always taken in the affairs of the town and district, and to his public-spirited conduct on all occasions, and moved that a hearty vote of thanks be given him for the part that be had so ably taken in the proceedings.

Councillor F. S. Simons seconded the proposition, which was carried with enthusiasm. — This was acknowledged by His Worship, and Mr. Cunningham’s Band performed another attractive selection.

EXHIBITION OF EXPERT SKATING

An elaborate exhibition of expert skating, with musical accompaniments, was given by the instructor (Mr. Frank K. Deverall), Mr. Johns, and the instructress (Miss Wilkes). It may be mentioned that Mr. Deverall comes from the County Rink, Surbiton, and was previously associated for some years with Mr. J. F. Davidson, the champion skater of the world; and that Mr. Johns, whose capabilities are also of the highest order, is from Widnes, Lancashire. Miss Wilkes, whose style is very; elegant and graceful, comes from Folkestone. Hundreds of visitors put on skates, and there was high carnival during the afternoon. During the evening also, there was a very large attendance, and the proceedings were marked throughout with great success.

– Merthyr Express 26 March 1910

Harvey Boots

by Phil Sweet

“For thirty years Mr. Boots associated himself with every progressive movement in the town and was a zealous and active worker in every good cause.”

This comment, which appeared in the Merthyr Express of November 10th 1923 in an article describing the occasion to honour Mr. Boots that was held three days earlier at the Belle Vue Hotel aptly sums up the contribution to the cultural and civic life of the Borough in the last decade of the Nineteenth and first two decades of the Twentieth Century by H. Harvey Boots.

Born in Aberbeeg and the brother of Welsh Rugby international, George Boots, Boots would embark on a career as a dentist. After being articled to Mr. Gill Williams of Newport Harvey Boots came to Merthyr in 1891 as an assistant to Mr. Musgrove with whom he completed his articles. After gaining further experience as a dentist in Croydon, Southsea and Bristol, Boots returned to Merthyr in 1896 and opened his own dental practice in the High Street.

Aside from his career as a dentist Harvey Boots made a valuable and pioneering contribution to the sporting life of the town. Initially his focus was on the rugby field where he turned out for both Merthyr Thursdays and Merthyr RFC, serving as chairman of the latter organisation whilst still turning out as player.

Boots also served as the first chairman of the Merthyr Athletic Club which had leased Penydarren Park from the Bolgoed Estate and was responsible for converting the site into a sporting arena. With the demise of the rugby union club Boots switched his attention to Merthyr Town AFC becoming their first chairman of directors. A true sporting all-rounder, Boots was also a keen bowls player and golfer being a member of first the Morlais and later the Cilsanws golf clubs, while he was also in great demand as an MC for whist drives.

Away from the sporting sphere Harvey Boots was a keen horticulturalist serving as vice-chairman of the Merthyr Horticultural Society and winning many prizes for his carnations while he also found the time to take an active interest in the Scout Movement in the town.

During the Great War although he was unable to volunteer for the armed forces Boots served as a special constable in the Borough and acted as honorary dentist to the Knighton Red Cross Hospital and travelled to Knighton every week free of charge and at his own expense to attend to wounded soldiers sent home from the front, actions which led to him receiving the diploma of the Red Cross & St. John Society.

In addition to the above Harvey Boots also played a prominent and active part in the public life of the town. After the Great War he was elected as the first chairman of the newly formed Merthyr Ratepayers Association. A lifelong member of the Constitutional Party Boots was one of the original members of the Constitutional Club in Thomastown. Furthermore, he was a devoted churchgoer serving as a sidesman in St. David’s Church and secretary of the Parochial Quota Fund.

A married man with two daughters Boots left Merthyr in the summer of 1923 for Great Yarmouth where he had purchased a large dental practice in the hope that the sea air would prove to be more beneficial for his health.

Over the next few months, various articles written by Harvey Boots will appear in this blog.

The Dark Side of Convict Life – part 26

by Barrie Jones

Chapter XXIII. In this the final chapter, Henry concludes that despite once again falling into a life of crime following his release from Parkhurst Prison, he is determined to reform. Sadly, that was not the case. Records show that his criminal career continued well into the following decades.  

The Dark Side of Convict Life (Being the Account of the Career of Harry Williams, a Merthyr Man). Merthyr Express, 2nd July 1910, page 11.

Chapter XXIII

This being my last chapter I shall not weary my readers with any further experiences of convict life. Suffice it to say that the entire prison system is very much the same as in the days of long ago. Of course, it will not help us much to discuss theories of punishments. Whether such is retributive, or remedial, whether it is to avenge or whether its end is to curse, but one thing I do know, criminals will be treated in very much the same way. Suffer they must, but the suffering that destroys the self-respect, that weakens the mind and body, and sends the poor wretches out into the world again the wrecks of what they were, is not only needless, but harmful. Criminals should have sufficient food and sleep. They should be treated fairly, and protected against the tyranny of warders and magistrates who are too apt to believe all the official tell them.

Some of my readers who know me personally, know very well how hard I have struggled to live down my past life. I was engaged in honest employment at the Cwm Pit Colliery, and had no thought whatever of drifting again to the bad. I married a good woman, who did her best to make me happy, and I was getting on comfortable until the month of February, 1908, when I was lead away by a person, who asked me to go and work with him on the coal. I thought I should get more wages, so I went, although it was very much against the wish of my wife, who entreated me not to go. I wish I had listened to her, for it is simply marvellous how some women can foretell what is going to happen. I was not long in my new place before I was thrown out of employment, and lured further into trouble, which finally landed me again in prison for 18 months, which caused great grief to the only one that I ever truly loved – and that is my wife, who stuck by my side, and who was true to me from the day of my trial to the day of my release.

On account of this I have sworn that this last shall be the turning point of my life, and I can truly say that I am now a reformed man. After 15 long years of prison life and my reformation is due only to the love and affection of a faithful wife, who was the daughter of the late Mr. Thos. Morris, manager of the Pontycapel. I hope readers will excuse the blundering way in which I have written my narrative, as I have done so that even the illiterate may understand. It can truly be seen and said that the way of the transgressor is hard, for the rising generation. I think that the history of my past life may prove a great help, especially to those who are about to take their first step into crime, and who are ignorant as to the consequences. Sin always brings in its train poverty, ruin, the loss of character, lunacy, and lastly death with the soul unredeemed. If readers are tempted to do anything wrong, I implore them to hesitate, and think twice before they drop their right foot on the wrong path of evil, which is certain, in the end, to bring them to destruction, for once the character is gone there is no reclaiming it, although one may try hard afterwards to live it down. I will now conclude by saying, “When you are tempted to sin, stop and think of the past life of Harry Williams, and that which will surely follow will be the dark side of convict life if you continue in sin.”

Tracking St Tydfil

by Rev Caroline Owen

Last year the blog included an item about stained glass windows depicting St Tydfil in various churches in Wales. (https://www.merthyr-history.com/?p=8530) This year we have tracked Tydfil to a church in England.

St Catherine’s church in Hoarwithy in Herefordshire was completed in 1843 and then beautified by Prebendary William Poole between mid-1870s and 1902 into its present Italian (Romanesque) style.

There on the wall we spotted this statue of Tydfil. Apologies for the quality of the photo – she’s up quite high on the wall!

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: The County School

by Carolyn Jacob

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

When this new secondary school was opened on the 12th October 1896, education in Merthyr Tydfil came under the responsibility of the county of Glamorgan, hence the name County School.  The first appointed Headmaster was Charles Owen.

The Welsh Intermediate Act set up the school to be intermediate between free elementary schools and university. Education here was not free. In 1912 it cost £1 per term and parents had to pay for all books. The school successfully sent many pupils to university.

When a school magazine called ‘ The Merthyrian’ was published in March 1923 the school was officially known by the title of ‘The Merthyr Intermediate and Technical School’, however, it soon reverted back to its old title of ‘County’. There were separate staffrooms for the male and female teachers  and the men’s  staffroom was very smoky. The magazine reveals that there was a great concern to distinguish between the girls’ corridor and the boys ‘corridor.

This was a very popular school. In the 1950s St David’s Day was celebrated in the County Grammar School by a concert in the school hall with singing, reciting and dancing. There was an annual gala of the Merthyr Borough Schools held at Gwaunfarren Baths.

County School Swimming Team 1950s. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

In the 1940s W.P. Morrell was head teacher but by 1947 Dr T.H. Lewis succeeded him, then Mr Horton was the Headmaster, succeeded by Dr Leslie Reed.

On the rugby team in the 1940s was Howard Watkins, who played for Abertillery a top team then. The sports teachers then were Hubert Gwynne, boys and Miss Mullins, girls.

The County School Rugby team 1946-7. Howard Thomas is in the front row, far right. Mr Hubert Gwynne is third from left in the front row. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive.

The County Grammar School were the winners of the Keir Hardie football shield in 1953.  In the 1950s the County School had a noted choir with the eminent music teacher Glynne Jones as the choir master. Glynne Jones was also conductor of the highly successful Silurian Singers and he stamped his own personality and crusading zeal on both the County School Choir and the Pendyrus Choir. Under his guidance the Pendyrus Choir gained many national awards. Sadly Glynne’s 38 year directorship ended with his sudden and untimely death on Christmas Eve 2000.

County School Choir 1957. Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The County School certainly had some very eminent teachers and Sir Glanmor Williams frequently said that his happiest years were spent as a teacher in the school.

It would not be possible to name all of the teachers but there are some that are still remembered by ex pupils:- Hubert Gwynne ( games), Ron Gethin (geography), Meirona Jenkins (Welsh),  Elvet Jones-Taddy (French), Mr Jenkins (English), Mr Jones (Latin), Margaret Hughes ( Senior Mistress), Thomas (Mathematics), Mr Gwilym Jones (Art), Mrs Bale (Biology),  Dorothy Williams (affectionately known as Dotty ) (Latin)  Mr Pritchard (P. E.), Mr Glyn Llewllyn (French and German).

Two of the most long serving teachers, Mr Elvet Jones, (deputy headmaster) and Leslie Burns (English master), retired before the school closed. The senior mistress before closure was Mr M. E. Jenkins.

Although the County School was in an outdated building, because the school had a very good reputation and was held in high regard, the school continued until the opening of the new Pen-y-dre school in the early 1970s.

The school ceased to function as a grammar school in 1971. Dr Leslie Reed was in charge of the school in its final years from 1963 to 1971 and then he went onto become the headmaster of the new Pen-y-dre school. The building was finally demolished in October 1979