Month: February 2024

The Dark Side of Convict Life – part 12

by Barrie Jones

Chapter IX. Henry describes his experience of hard labour in Portland prison, and also examples of incidents between convicts and prison warders in the quarries.

The Dark Side of Convict Life (Being the Account of the Career of Harry Williams, a Merthyr Man). Merthyr Express, 19th March 1910, page 11.

Chapter IX

On a Monday morning in the month of May 1899, I was told off on parade to join No. 27 party, and after going through the usual search drill, I was marched out to the stone cutters’ yard, situated near the free men’s quarry at Portland. The distance from the prison to the quarry is not very great, and as the last gang passed through the gates, a company of soldiers, armed with rifles and fixed bayonets, closed in and followed the convicts straight to the quarries, where they break off into sentries. There were civil guards there also. At the stone yard, I was supplied with a set of mason’s tools, and instructed in the art of masonry, which I took great interest in. I continued this work for nearly four years, and finally I was pronounced a first-class mason. I helped to build the new stone prison at Portland, and also made the circular stones for the air shafts of the same. I had several changes of labour during that time, for I got transferred to the quarry party; I was employed also in No. 7 party under a warder, who was a good old fatherly sort of man, and who did not believe in taking a poor convict’s dinner from him (reporting him) for the most trivial of offences.

In the year 1901, a young convict employed in No. 54 party, in the quarry at Portland, a very quiet chap, who had very little to say, to anyone, one Saturday morning, after sweating and nearly killing himself with hard work, forfeited his two days food by simply asking one comrade to give him a lift with a stone which was beyond his strength. The officer in charge of the gang reported him to the Governor, and he was awarded the dietary punishment mentioned. This was not the first time the that the officer had taken liberties with him, but the convict had made up his mind, after being driven to desperation, to have his revenge.  On the following Monday morning, after suffering his punishment, he came out to the quarry as usual, and said not a single word to anyone, and just as they were taking the tools out of the box, the officer happened to turn his head aside, when with a dash and quite unexpected by anyone, the convict caught up an iron drill and brought it with terrific force down on the head of the officer until he was streaming with blood. The whistles were blowing all over the place, and several guards left their posts, and rushed with fixed bayonets to the rescue, but the convict caught up another drill, and broke several of their bayonets. At last, he was overpowered, and taken back to the prison. He was tried before the committee and sentenced to two dozen with the “cat.” As for the officer he received compensation and was dismissed from service. A similar assault was committed upon an assistant warder by a young “lifer.” This officer used his cutlass when he was not supposed to have used it; he also was reduced and was not allowed to wear side arms for twelve months.

Convicts sometimes met with serious accidents in the quarry. I can recollect a serious affair which happened in 1901, when one of the great stone-lifting cranes (or jibs) fell to the ground and caused serious internal injuries to two poor chaps. Stretchers were brought and they were conveyed to the prison infirmary, and their groans were pitiful in the extreme. Another case was that of a man who broke his leg, and the only compensation he received was six weeks deducted from his sentence of ten years. Sometimes convicts make terrible assaults upon their fellow convicts. I can well remember a case of a convict who was being called a one-eyed _____, took up a stone pick, and struck it right underneath the heart of a man. The former convict was taken out, and tried by civil power, and received the sentence of eighteen months. The leniency of his sentence was owing to the great provocation he had received. The chap whom he had assaulted was given up by two doctors for dead, but he got round after all, so that was an instance of small faith in medical aid. Sometimes mutinies are threatened among convicts, and a mutiny nearly happened in 1901, when about eighty convicts absolutely refused to go out to the quarries owing to receiving for their breakfast sour bread. The mutiny was checked by each man receiving a ten-ounce white loaf apiece.

To be continued…….

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: Merthyr Workhouse

by Carolyn Jacob

As early as February 1833, talks were held for the erection of a workhouse in the Parish of Merthyr Tydfil; the neighbouring Parish of Llanfabon had had one since 1803. These plans, however, were superseded by the passing of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, which centralised the existing workhouse system to cut the costs of poor relief and “discourage perceived laziness”. The Act grouped local parishes into Poor Law unions, under 600 locally elected Boards of Guardians. Each of those boards had its own workhouse.

The Merthyr Tydfil Poor Law Union was formed on 3 November 1836, and was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, and they held their first meeting at the Castle Inn. For many years, the Merthyr Board of Guardians resisted the new law, and continued giving out monetary relief, and it was not until 1848 that they were forced to plan a workhouse for the town. The plans were further interrupted by the devastating 1849 Cholera epidemic, and finally, at the end of 1850, plans were agreed upon.

The new building, to accommodate 500, was designed by Aickin and Capes of Islington, and was to cost £10,000. Mr Hamlyn of Bristol was contracted to carry out the work, but by June 1851, so little work had been carried out that he was replaced by Messrs Henry Norris and Daniel Thomas of Cardiff, and the new building was completed in September 1853, at a lower cost than the original estimate – £6,880.

Waiting for relief outside the Workhouse in Merthyr Tydfil – 1873 – Anon. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

The complex was built in several ‘blocks’. The entrance block, at the west side of the complex housed the porter’s room, laundry and girl’s school. The main block, cruciform in shape, held the men’s and women’s wards, the boy’s schoolroom, a lying-in ward and the dining room and chapel.

In 1899-1900, a new infirmary block was built at the north end of the workhouse.

The complex was redesignated ‘Tydfil Lodge Public Assistance Institution’ and later became St Tydfil’s Hospital. The hospital closed in 2012, and most of the buildings were demolished in 2015.

A Massacre and a Merthyr Hero

On 9 July 1943, Allied forces invaded Sicily. This was just a prelude to the long-awaited allied assault on mainland Europe which took place at Salerno in Southern Italy on 3 September that year. Five days later, on 8 September, Italy surrendered to the Allied forces. The German forces, however, continued to fight on.

Despite fierce resistance from the German forces, and having to cope with increasingly difficult terrain, most notably during the Battle of Monte Cassino between January and May 1944, the Allied Forces made steady progress, eventually taking Rome on 4 June 1944. By the end of the month, Allied troops had reached Tuscany, and the German forces were in retreat.

On the afternoon of 18 June 1944, four German soldiers who had lost contact with their unit found themselves in the ancient hill-top village of Civitella in Val di Chiana near Arezzo.

They made their way to the local Dopolavoro, a Fascist social club, and settled down with some drinks and began playing cards and listening to the radio with the locals. Unfortunately, news of their presence in the village made its way to the local group of partisans. They went to the club and killed three of the soldiers. The fourth hid behind the bar and was uninjured, and subsequently reported the incident.

On 17 June 1944, Field Marshall Albert Kesselring, the German Commander in Italy had issued the directive:

“New rules in the war against partisans.

The partisan situation in the Italian theatre, particularly central Italy, has recently deteriorated to such an extent that it constitutes a serious danger to the fighting troops and their supply lines…….The fight against the partisans must be carried on with all means at our disposal and with utmost severity”.

Many of the inhabitants of Civitella, fearing retribution, fled from the village the very next day. Those who remained, in an attempt to show disassociate themselves from what had happened, attended a ceremony for the dead soldiers who were buried on the outskirts of the village. After a few days, as no reprisals had been forthcoming, most of Civitella’s inhabitants returned home.

On Sunday 29 June, the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, however, SS units of the Hermann Goering Division surrounded the village at dawn and systematically slaughtered all of the men of the village (and several women who impeded them), before setting light to many of the buildings. In all 244 innocent civilians were killed in Civitella and in surrounding hamlets.

By 16 July, the Germans had retreated North, and British soldiers had arrived at Civitella. One of the soldiers was Captain John Morgan of the Royal Army Service Corps. John Percival Morgan was born in Merthyr Tydfil on 17 March 1916, and lived with his parents, Arthur and Louisa at No 9 The Parade in Thomastown. After attending Cyfarthfa Castle Grammar School, he became a clerk at Lloyds Bank in Blackwood, before moving to the Dowlais Branch of the bank where he worked until he joined up in January 1940.

When John arrived at Civitella in July 1944, what he saw appalled him. He was confronted by the charred ruins of houses, and he wrote in his report:

“Almost completely destroyed by Germans on 29 June 1944, the few remaining residents being chiefly women and children. Large areas on the pavement adjacent to the wall are still covered by dried blood, mute but powerful testimonials to this exhibition of brutality. The village is now a place of utter desolation”.

The ruins of St Maria Assunta Church in Civitella, taken by John Morgan in July 1944

As he was exploring the village, two boys rushed towards him and begged him for water. He knew something must be done – two bowsers of water arrived in Civitella that afternoon.

Over the next five months, John, helped by Father Clement O’Shea a catholic priest who was seconded to his unit, did everything within their power to help the villagers, procuring food, clothes, medicine and anything that was needed, cajoling their fellow officers and men serving under them to even forego some of their own rations to help. By December, John Morgan’s company were preparing to move north, so he and Father O’Shea decided to organise a grand Christmas party with entertainment as a way to say goodbye.

The people of Civitella never forgot John Morgan and Clement O’Shea and the help, kindness and compassion they showed in 1944. They eventually erected a plaque in memory of John Morgan which stands today in the village.

Captain John Morgan died on 15 February 1968.

If you would like to read more about this story, I would recommend Dee la Vardera’s incredible book, ‘The Road to Civitella – 1944. The Captain, the Chaplain and the Massacre’.

I would like to thank Dee la Vadera for allowing me to quote from her amazing book, and I would also like to thank Terry Jones and Mansell Richards for supplying me with additional information. Finally, I would like to thank Keith Morgan, John Morgan’s son for allowing me to share his father’s remarkable story.

Thomas Jacob Thomas – Sarnicol

by Barrie Jones

Wales has provided a number of prominent twentieth-century poets with the surname Thomas, for example: Dylan Thomas (1914-1953), R.S. Thomas (1913-2000), and Edward Thomas (1878-1917)[1]. However, all three poets wrote solely in the English language.

A prominent Welsh poet who wrote in both Welsh and English was Thomas Jacob Thomas (1873-1945). Born 13th April 1873 near Rhos-yr-hafod, Capel Cynon, Cardiganshire, he was the fourth of the five children of David Thomas (1841-1922) and Mary nee Jacob (1837-1919), David was an agricultural labourer and the family lived in Sarnicol farm cottage.[2]

After an early education attending Capel Cynon board school and later Talgarreg school, owing to his frail health it was advised that he attend New Quay grammar school. Here, he stayed for four years taking Department of Science and Art examinations. In 1891 he won a £20 scholarship for the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, reading for the University of London B.Sc. degree.[3]

At that time, it was normal for most well-educated working-class men and women to pursue teaching careers. So it was with Thomas, who halting his degree course, accepted a teaching post in mathematics at the Hartley Institution in Southampton in 1894. Returning to Wales in 1896 he obtained a post as science master at Abergele intermediate school, Denbighshire. Here, he completed his final B.Sc. examination. The following year he moved to teach science at schools in South Wales, Merthyr Tydfil County School, (1897-1901), and Abertillery Secondary School (1901-1913). In September 1913 he accepted the post as assistant master at the newly established Cyfarthfa Castle Municipal Secondary School, Merthyr Tydfil, teaching Chemistry and Welsh. In his final year at Cyfarthfa he took an external B.A. degree of the University of London. In 1922 he was appointed headmaster of the newly established Quakers Yard Grammar School, Treharris. What is unique is that Thomas was associated with the early years of Merthyr Tydfil’s three grammar schools: ‘The County,’ ‘Cyfarthfa Castle,’ and ‘Quaker’s Yard.’ In 1931, at the age of fifty-eight, owing to ill health he took early retirement and moved with his wife ‘Katie’ to live in ‘Llywel’, Laura Place, Aberystwyth, ‘where he found kindred spirits interested in literature and etymology with whom he could discuss the subjects which despite, his science training, were nearest to his heart’.[4]

Throughout his adult life Thomas wrote prose and verse contributing to numerous publications such as Ymofynydd, Cymru, Y Geninen, the Western Mail, the London Kelt, Y Lienor, Y Ford Gron, Y Beirniad, and Y Cymro. He also edited a Welsh column for the Merthyr Express newspaper for a number of years. His chief publications on collections of his poems were Ar lan y mor a chaneuon eraill, (1898), Odlau Mor a Mynydd, (1912), Blodau drain duon, (1935), Storiau ar gan, (1936), Catiau cwta, (1940), and Chwedlau cefn gwlad, (1944). Ready for publication at the time of his death in 1945 was Odlau’r aelwyd, which he considered to be his best poems. The manuscript is currently held at the National Library of Wales.

Thomas entered his odes (awdlau) to numerous National Eisteddfodau; London, (1909), Colwyn, (1910), Wrexham, (1912), Abergavenny, (1913), Birkenhead, (1917), and Bangor, (1931). At the Abergavenny Eisteddfod he was chaired Bard for his ode (awdl), ‘Aelwyd y Cymro,’ (The Welshman’s home) using the bardic title’ ‘Sarnicol,’ after the name of the cottage where he was born. He also judged the awdl at Llanelli, (1930), and Bangor, (1943). In addition to his odes, Thomas entered translations of verse to the National Eisteddfodau at home and in the United States of America. These covered Welsh into English, English into Welsh, and even French into Welsh. In 1915 he won a forty-dollar prize for a translation of verse from English into Welsh at the San Francisco Eisteddfod, California.[5] In July 1901 Thomas passed the National Eisteddfod examination for Gorsedd degree as a bard.[6]

Following his bardic achievement at Abergavenny in 1913 he was much in demand to give addresses to groups and societies throughout Wales. His favourite topic at that time was the Welshman and humour, (Y Cymru yn y cywair llon), drawing upon examples from Welsh literature both ancient and modern. ‘The suggestion that the Welshman was a sad, morose individual, devoid of all sense of humour, was contrary to facts, as revealed in Welsh literature and life.’[7]

Following the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Thomas demonstrated that he could be carried along with the war fervour that gripped Britain at that time. In typical jingoistic fashion in November 1914, he wrote the lyrics of ‘Men of Cambria’ to the tune of ‘Men of Harlech’, the song finishing with the following lines:[8]

Face the Teuton’s fire and thunder,
Rend the Kaiser’s hosts asunder;
Strike again the World with wonder,
Show that right is might!

His penchant for writing verse to popular tunes was most notable when while teaching at Cyfarthfa Castle Grammar School he wrote the lyrics to the school song; Can y Castell (Song of the School),[9] to the tune of Captain Morgan’s March[10]: –

Can y Castell

Ienctyd y Castell, caer I ddysg a hedd,
Gloewn ein harfau I’r gad ddi-gledd;
Byddwn yn deilwng blant I enwog lu,
Dewrion wyr Morgannwg y dyddiau fu:
Byddwn yn deilwng blant I enwog lu,
Dewrion wyr Morgannwg y dyddiau fu.

Ienctyd y Castell, awn ymlaen o hyd,
Galw am ein gorau mae’r eangfyd;
Gorau gyda chwarae, gorau gyda Gwaith
Gluda glod ein Castell drwy’r ddaear faith;
Gorau gyda chwarae, gorau gyda Gwaith,
Gluda glod ein Castell drwy’r ddaear faith.

Song of the School

Youth of the Castle, fortress of learning and peace,
We burnish our weapons for the swordless battle;
As children we’ll be loyal to a host of famous people,
The heroes of Glamorgan in days past;
We’ll be loyal children to the famous hosts,
The heroes of Glamorgan in days past.

Youth of the castle going forward at all times,
The wide world is calling for our best;
Best at play and best at work
Carry the renown of our castle throughout the earth,
Best at play and best at work,
Carry the renown of our castle throughout the earth.

The song was sung regularly at school assemblies up until the 1970’s and surely is well remembered by many ex-pupils of the ‘Castle’ school, although I for one found learning the words so difficult in my first year at Cyfarthfa.

In April 1914 Thomas married Catherine Elizabeth Thomas (1876), (A.R.A.M.), at Frederick Street Presbyterian Chapel, Cardiff. ‘Katie’ was the daughter of Edwin Thomas (1853-1918) and Sarah Ann nee Owen (b. 1857). Edwin was headmaster of Aberfan Boy’s School, and Thomas and Katie lived at Katie’s parents’ house; ‘Llywelfa’, Aberfan Road, Aberfan.[11] Katie and Thomas knew each other from their time teaching at Merthyr Tydfil County School, both joining in 1897, barely a year after the County school had been established.[12] Thomas died 2nd December 1945, and following his death Katie returned to live in Merthyr Tydfil. Katie died 8th July 1960, and both are buried at Bwlch-y-groes (Congregational) chapel cemetery, Llandysul, Cardiganshire, the cemetery where Thomas’s parents are also buried.

[1] Although not born in Wales, Percy Edward Thomas was of Welsh parents.

[2] Evan David Jones, ‘Thomas Jacob Thomas (Sarnicol),’ Dictionary of Welsh Biography, 2001.

[3] Jones, Sarnicol, DWB.

[4] Jones, Sarnicol, DWB.

[5] Cambrian News, 21st September 1917, p.5.

[6] ‘Gorsedd Degrees,’ Evening Express, 2nd August 1901, p. 4.

[7] ‘Wales and Humour,’ The Amman Valley Chronicle, 26th February 1914, p. 5.

[8] ‘Men of Cambria,’ Aberdare Leader, 28th November 1914, p.6.

[9] Mansell Richards, A farewell to Cyfarthfa Castle School, Merthyr Tydfil Library Service, 2014, ps. 16 & 72.

[10] A traditional Welsh tune by an unknown composer, most probably written in the late eighteenth century.

[11] Cambria Daily Leader, 15th April 1914, p. 3.

[12] ‘Merthyr County School,’ Merthyr Times, 29th October 1897, p. 8.