The next chapel we are going to look at is a chapel that has been somewhat forgotten – Twynyrodyn Unitarian Chapel.
When Rev T B Evans was appointed as minister at Ynysgau, he was considered far too conservative by the Arminian members of the congregation, and they lodged a protest. The matter was taken to court, but the Arminians lost their appeal and left Ynysgau.
In 1814 they began meeting in a room at the Patriot Inn near Ynysgau with Rev Thomas Evans taking the services. In the following few years, discussions were held regarding the opening of a Unitarian Chapel in Merthyr.
In 1820, therefore, when the congregation was forced to leave the Patriot Inn, a committee was appointed and within a year, Twynyrodyn Unitarian Chapel was opened in Court Street, and Rev David Rees was appointed as the first minister there.
After Rev Rees left in 1823, Rev David John became minister in 1826. By the 1840’s David John began expressing sympathy for the Chartist Movement and the congregation, not comfortable with his views began to leave the chapel. Due to the severe drop in the congregation, the chapel closed in 1847. Rev John thus left the chapel, but the following year, the chapel reopened and new ministers were appointed.
By the beginning of the 20th Century the old chapel was becoming obsolete and the congregation decided that they should build a new chapel. It was decided to build the new chapel in Lower Thomas Street, and the architect chosen was Mr A E Johnson who designed a very opulent, striking gothic building. With the building of the new chapel, Twynyrodyn Chapel became vacant until it was bought and became the Gospel Hall.
The chapel was demolished in 1969 during the redevelopment of the town.
The name plaque from Twynyrodyn Chapel which is now located at Hen-dy-Cwrdd Chapel in Cefn-Coed.
Below is a marvellous aerial photograph of the Court Street area taken in 1965. Whilst a lot of the buildings shown remain, quite a number have gone. Some of the more important buildings have been labelled (many thanks to Christine & Kenneth Brewer, Keith Lewis-Jones, Carl Llewellyn & Joan Newman for clarifying a number of details).
During the First World War, the government urged people to donate money to help build tanks. When it was Tank Week in Merthyr Tydfil, Seymour rose to the challenge and our town beat all other towns in raising one million pounds in today’s money. As a thank you, Merthyr was given the tank that had toured the country helping to raise funds.
In 1919 Berry bought Gurnos Farm and its five hundred acres.
Berry admitted to being a gambler especially on the stock exchange. In hindsight, I think he won more than he lost and to our benefit.
He organised a Merthyr Tydfil Peace Memorial, £15,000 was raised which was distributed amongst the needy ex-servicemen and their dependents.
In 1920, with his brother, wife and David R. Llewellyn, Berry acquired John Lysaght and became its Chairman until it became part of Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds. Two years later he bought the Buckland estate in Bwlch, which included two thousand and six hundred acres and four miles of salmon fishing in the River Usk.
Buckland Hall
During this year the Conservative, Liberal and Constitutional Labour Parties all asked him to stand as a member of parliament for Merthyr Tydfil. He declined the offers.
In 1923 The Borough Council gave him the freedom of Merthyr Tydfil, and the following year he was invested as a Knight of Grace, Order of St John of Jerusalem. He held the office of High Sherriff of Brecknockshire. However, he still remembered his roots. An open-air baths had become derelict. Thanks to his interest and financial support the baths were renovated and had the added luxury of a roof, now fondly remembered as Gwaunfarren Baths.
In 1926, in the Kings Birthday Honours List, he became Baron Buckland of Bwlch for his public, political and philanthropic service. Nevertheless, to Merthyr people he is best known as how he should be addressed, that of Lord Buckland, and the following year he again became a Chairman of G.K.N. (previously known as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds).
His philanthropic work is well-known. He bought the Carlton Workingman’s Hotel (we now know it as the Merthyr Ex-Service Mens Club), and Edwardsville School, Merthyr Tydfil Football Club and Dowlais Choir are just a few of the organisations who benefited from his financial donations. £12,000 was given for a new wing for the town’s General Hospital.
He gave land and money for the building of Sandbrook Sanatorium at Pontsarn, which he named after his father-in-law. He was a Freemason and belonged to Loyal Cambrian Lodge No 100 in Merthyr Tydfil.
On Wednesday, 23 May 1928. Lord Buckland greets his favourite bay mare and the estates stud groom, Henry Weaver, outside Buckland House. They ride to the meadow for a fast morning gallop. He turns to speak to Weaver, riding a horse behind. A shout goes out “Mind the post my Lord”. His master tries to turn. Collision with the telegraph post is unavoidable. Berry’s head smashes into it and he is unseated. Weaver runs to the house to alert the butler who dashes to the scene of the accident. Estate workers unhinge a gate to use as a stretcher. He is driven to hospital by car. Berry is dead.
This was just days before he and Lady Buckland were due to attend the Cyfarthfa Park Carnival where they were to crown the May Queen.
On Friday 26 May, vast crowds gathered around the Congregational Chapel in Market Square, where Berry had been a lifelong member. With the funeral service over the cortège proceeded down the valley to Pontypridd Crematorium. Along the way crowds gathered to pay their last respects to the man who did so much to give Merthyr residents a better quality of life. Apparently his ashes were scattered to the four winds. Without a male heir, his title of Lord Buckland became extinct.
There is so much more I could add. It is with little wonder there is a statue to Lord Buckland outside the central library it is in recognition to the high ideal of citizenship displayed in his generous gifts for the alleviation of suffering in the town and for increasing the happiness and prosperity of his fellowmen.
5 June 1931 saw the official opening of the Lord Buckland Memorial Hospital. After his death a fund was set up and over 50,000 contributed. The largest of the amounts came from his widow and his two brothers, which by now were also Lords, but their stories are not for now.
Lord Buckland Memorial Hospital
Even in death, his philanthropy lives on.
He left shares to be put into trust. The income applied to help the poor of Merthyr Tydfil. 1,000 shares to provide annual prizes to the pupils of Abermorlais, Cyfarthfa and County Schools. Perhaps you have a book given to you on prize giving day with a black oval stamp on the first inside page saying it was donated by Lord Buckland). 1,000 shares to Market Square Church.
The trust aims have had to be amended as the Abermorlais and County Schools have long gone. The charity aims are for ‘The relief, or assistance of the necessitous and deserving poor persons over the age of 30 years born or resided in the borough for 10 years’. Someone told me his grandmother had ten shillings a week from the fund, I suspect it would be more than 50p now. It is still active today and the appropriate agencies who are in contact with those in need can apply to the trust on their behalf. The 5 April 2019 trust accounts shows this year they donated £68,329.
BAGGINS– A connection
Bilbo Baggins is a name many are familiar with through a series of books by J.K. Tolkien.
In 1940 Tolkien had begun writing The Lord of The Rings. As a busy academic he chose Tal-y- Bont for a holiday and a chance to continue with his writing. A researcher from the Lord of The Rings Production Company is completely convinced the following places were the source of Tolkien’s inspiration. The Shire where the Buckleberries live, and child hood home of Frodo Baggins is based on the Buckland Estate with the curve of the river. Crick Hollow inspired by Crickhowell. Tredegar became Fredegar. The Merthyr Steel works possible Mordor. I wonder what Lord Buckland thinks about his old estate being the inspiration for the books and films. Yet another way the name Buckland continues to give.
I wonder what Tommy, Alfred, Marshall and my grandfather John Moses thought of their ex school teacher as he rose through society ranks and become rich beyond their dreams.
So back to where all this began, researching my family tree. I realised something, my grandfather was actually a child, and I thought he was born forty years old, with a balding head, collarless shirt with rolled up sleeves, black tatty waistcoat, black trousers with turn-ups and braces.
Statue of Lord Buckland outside Merthyr Central Library
Thanks to Irene for this fascinating article.
There will be more coming about the Berry brothers soon.
I love putting together my family tree and one day going through the microfilm of old newspapers in the central library, for something totally unconnected, the name John Moses Bowen jumped out at me – my grandfather, and it was concerning Henry Seymour Berry. I was on the first step to finding out more of the name on the statue near the bottom of the library steps I had just passed.
BOWEN
One Thursday, in June in 1897, at Merthyr Tydfil Police Court, stood an eight year old John Moses Bowen, a pupil at Abermorlais School. He was a witness for the prosecution with regards to an assault on Thomas (Tommy) Alfred Baverstock, also aged eight, which allegedly took place on Monday, 24 May, just a month before. Bowen told the court he saw the Pupil Teacher – one Henry Seymour Berry, hit Baverstock on the head with the frame of a slate. Bowen said on the Wednesday after the incident the teacher told the class to say if anyone was to ask, they were to say he (Berry) did not hit Baverstock.
Wyndham Marshall, aged nine, confirmed he saw Berry break the slate on William Joseph Foy’s head and like Bowen saw him strike Baverstock with its frame. He said a few days later, at school, Berry had asked him where was Baverstock, to which Marshall answered ‘he was home’, as Baverstock’s brother had hit him in the eye. Marshall explained to the hearing he had said this only because Berry had told him to say that the brother had caused the injury.
Elizabeth Baverstock said her son had made a complaint to her and she went to the school to show Berry her son’s eye. Berry had knelt down and asked her son “Did I do it Tommy?” The lad replied “Yes.” Berry then asked the mother to let him know every day how the boy was and once he sent down to ask.
William Joseph Foy, aged eleven, was called for the defence. He said it was not true that Berry had broken a slate on his head, like the one produced in court, or that Berry had struck Baverstock with the remnants of the slate. Alfred W Dean, aged eight, also denied seeing Berry assault Baverstock.
Mr W. N. North presiding said he was bound to state that he did not believe the evidence for the prosecution because they, Bowen and Marshall, had contradicted themselves in a very marked manner. He believed the evidence of the two boys, called by the defence, Foy and Dean, and dismissed the case.
(Information from The South Wales Echo, 18 June 1897)
BERRY
Henry Seymour Berry
Born at 73, Lower Thomas Street, to John Mathias and Mary Ann Berry. Seymour first went to Abermorlais School as a pupil and was fortunate to befriend John Payne who helped him with his schoolwork. Several years later Berry, became the first Pupil Teacher in Abermorlais School. However, he decided a teaching career was not for him. Therefore, on 1 September 1897, two and half months after the alleged assault, (mentioned above) he left the profession and went to work with his father.
His parents had moved to Merthyr Tydfil from Pembrokeshire. To supplement his wages as a railway clerk John Mathias Berry sold packets of tea and then became a commercial traveller. Henry Seymour and his father must have proved to be a good team as seven years later they opened J.M. Berry and Son, Auctioneers & Estate Agents in Victoria Street.
In 1907 he married Gwladys Mary, Justice of the Peace, Mr Simon Sandbrook. They went on to have five daughters.
David Alfred Thomas
Berry’s father was the agent of David Alfred Thomas, Liberal M.P. for Merthyr Tydfil (1888-1910). Henry Seymour’s hard work, ambition, and keenness to seize an opportunity soon saw him become a protégé to this politician and industrialist. This set Berry on his way to becoming a very successful and rich man. Thomas became Viscount Rhondda in 1918.
Seymour Berry was now beginning to be regarded as a social climber.
In 1915 Berry suggested to Thomas, who was no longer an M.P., but a creator and controller of the largest combined collieries in Wales, he should go and work with him. Berry didn’t want a wage but a chance to show his capabilities.
The following year Thomas joined the government’s cabinet. He turned to Berry to look after his numerous industrial companies. When Thomas joined the government’s cabinet Berry took on more responsibly and 1918 was a director of over sixty companies.
The Church of St. John the Baptist, Dowlais was built in 1827, and it is likely that the Dowlais Church was named after its founder and benefactor, Josiah John Guest, iron-master of Dowlais and known as Sir John Guest.
Although brought up a strict Wesleyan Methodist he decided that the religious welfare of the workmen called for a church in Dowlais and that the industrial success of Dowlais called for the establishment of Dowlais as a Parish in its own right. Guest paid £3,000 towards the cost of the building and it was consecrated and opened on 27 November 1827 by Dr Sumner, Bishop of Winchester and former Bishop of Llandaff.
The original St John’s Church. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Lady Charlotte Guest presented the Church with its Communion vessels and Sir John Guest contributed generously to the maintenance of the clergy at Dowlais; he also supported many chapels in the area. Sir John died in Dowlais on the November, 1852 and a plain Italian marble slab at the top of the Chancel steps still marks where he is buried in St John’s Church. A massive marble columned tablet is inscribed with his epitaph. St. John’s Church thrived and held two services each Sunday, two services in English and also two in Welsh and so it catered for both languages.
Josiah John Guest’s memorial. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
The original Church was a plain, simple, square building with tall windows and a square tower. Gradually the Church has been extended, rebuilt and enlarged.
During the 1890s the main Nave was rebuilt with additions to the aisles to allow room for the growing congregation and enable 800 sittings.The Church was restored at a cost of £4,500 under the direction of the architect E.A. Johnson, who later designed the Merthyr Tydfil Town Hall. Most of the expense was paid by Lord Wimborne, eldest son of the founder Sir John Guest; although a great bazaar in Dowlais raised £1,000 which was a huge amount in those days. The new extended aisle was the gift of Edward Pritchard Martin, General Manager of the Dowlais Iron Company in memory of his father George Martin.
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
This family also financed the splendid decorative ‘Miner’s Window’ in the Church which show two coal miners digging at a coal face with the caption underneath, ‘The Thing that is hid Bringeth he forth light’. Such an industrial motif in stained glass is quite unusual to be found in a Church. The bare headed miners, with their picks, candles, and their clothing and boots, present an accurate image of a coal miner (see right).
The interior of St John’s is imposing because of its sheer size. The tall fine oak roof of the Nave is a hammer beam type, supported by 6 larger and 5 smaller corbel tables on each Nave wall. The interior walls are double thick yellow brick. The five plain Early English styled columns with rounded bases can still be seen inset to the new west Nave wall.
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
The Martin family had charge of the Collieries for the Dowlais Works and the American singer, Donny Osmond, claims descent from this famous Dowlais family, whose Brass plaques and monuments are still in the Church. The enlarged and redesigned Church was opened officially in October 1894 with a special service.
The present Church is a fine structure of Llancaiach blue pennant stone, after the Gothic style of the 13th and 14th centuries. This wonderful Gothic church has long been a central land mark in Dowlais and has changed little since the late nineteenth century, although the former vestry has been demolished. St John’s Church is 112 feet in length, with a maximum width of 84 feet and about 60 feet high. The whole construction is of masoned Pennant stone, but the doors and windows are surrounded with lighter coloured ashlar blocks of Forest and Bathstone trimmed with dripstone and moulds. This magnificent church was always perhaps too large for its congregation in this most non-conformist of towns.
The ‘new’ St John’s Church. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Far less than 10% of the population here attended an Anglican Church. In our more secular times in proved to be too large for its Dowlais Congregation and it closed in 1997. The church is currently undergoing conversion to residential flats which will retain its original fine structure.
