Tag: Second World War

A Scarcity of Fish

by Laura Bray

The Merthyr Express of 6th February 1943 ran a piece on the scarcity of fish, assuring Merthyr housewives that the cause was not “due to the Food Control Committee or distribution authorities”.

Apparently the only fish available were “the occasional sprats or kippers” and the paper sent reporters out on the streets to try to ascertain the cause.

All of which made me wonder why the Express would report on this, during World War II, when rationing was just a part of normal life. Well, it seems that fish and chips were not rationed; indeed, the government considered fish and chips to be an important part of the war effort and it was the one solid meal families could get in relative quantity. There were always queues when the chip shops were frying.

But although fish was not rationed, the oil for frying was, so the quality was not always great, and the fish themselves were also prone to variations in supply. Fishing vessels had been requisitioned by the Royal Navy, and those still in use were subject to attacks from German U-boats. The price of fish rose considerably, but the government managed to maintain a steady supply, which would have been no mean feat. So important were fish and chips to the war effort that allegedly British troops were known to use it as code to identify friendly troops: one would shout fish, and the other would reply chips.

So, what did cause the scarcity of fish in this February? The Express reported that it was down to a combination of bad weather around the coasts, and the few fish that did get through were prioritised for the hospitals.

Hopefully the situation resolved itself within a few weeks, although the Express remains silent on this.

Merthyr Historian volume 33

The Merthyr Tydfil and District Historical Society is pleased to announce the publication of Volume 33 of the Merthyr Historian.

Contents:

  • A Local History Appreciated (‘The Story of Merthyr Tydfil …’ 1932) by Huw Williams
  • Merthyr Tydfil & District Historical Society: helping the historians of the future (The Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative Awards) by Clive Thomas
  • The history of Garthnewydd House by Lucy Richardson
  • Creating Merthyr Tydfil Educational Settlement (1930-1949): a view from behind the scenes by Christine Trevett
  • “Eisteddfod Merthyr Tydfil a’r Cylch”1958-1962 by John Fletcher
  • Japanese naval commander at Merthyr 1902 (transcription) by T. Fred Holley & John D. Holley
  • Mary Emmeline Horsfall, the lady of Gwernllwyn House: art, philanthropy and the workless in Dowlais by Christine Trevett
  • A Merthyr man’s wartime service in His Majesty’s Royal Navy by Brian, Peter & Barrie Jones
  • The dark side of convict life: an account of the career of Harry Williams (b. 1876), a Merthyr man by Barrie Jones
  • The White Horse, Twynyrodyn in the 19th century by Richard Clements
  • The first Aeronaut (balloonist) in Merthyr, 1847 (transcription)
  • Evacuees in the Borough’s Wards: ‘Merthyr welcomes evacuees…’ (transcription, 1940) by Stephen Brewer
  • Putting Merthyr Tydfil on the map by Clive Thomas
  • ‘Honouring a Dowlais Musician. Complimentary Concert …’ John Evans (Eos Myrddin) 1841-1905. A transcribed report from the Merthyr Times 1893 of ‘A Grand Performance’ by T. Fred Holley & John D. Holley
  • Gurnos Farm and the Cyfarthfa Estate by Alison Thomas Davies
  • Treharris pit-head baths and The Lancet 1908 (transcription)
  • The Lavernock tragedy 1888 and its Aberfan memorial by Stephen Brewer
  • The ‘earthly Eden’ which was dry and rustic Trelewis (newspaper items and editor’s commentary)
  • Chess in Merthyr by Martyn Griffiths
  • Lewys Glyn Cynon, Merthyr Vale poet by T. Fred Holley & John D. Holley
  • Calling local historians: banking and boxers by Stephen Brewer & Christine Trevett

This 324 page book is available to buy from the Merthyr Tydfil & District Historical Society for £13.

If you would like a copy, contact me at merthyr.history@gmail.com and all orders will be forwarded to the Society.

Saturday Football in our Local Community

by Brian Jones

Allan “Salty” Jones has recently published the centenary story (1913 -2013) of football played by a myriad of local teams. His account draws on a vast number of photographs of boys and men who set out to enjoy Saturday football on pitches of variable quality from the north to the south of the Merthyr Borough. Their faces shine out of the black/white and coloured prints spanning a number of generations the vast majority of whom are sadly not still with us. Nevertheless their spirit epitomises their love for the game, and perhaps more importantly, their camaraderie bound together by work, community, church or public house.

The names of the clubs who played in the MERTHYR LEAGUE ring out through the ages. Merthyr Trams, Aberfan Thursdays, Bethania Chapel, Court Rangers, Gellifaelog Youth Club, Mountain Hare, Hoovers, Castle Rangers, Miners Hall, Great Escape and Vaynor Quarries. The list is endless. A review of the history of local football mirrored the social and industrial changes spanning the 100 years. Gone are the teams representing local employers such as Guest Keen, Lines, B.S.A , Teddington Controls, Kayser Bondor, Welsh Products to name but a few.

Of the hundreds of teams who joined then left the League was S.W.E.B. who played post World War II into the early 1950s. The South Wales Electricity Board team of young men who served in the Army, Navy or Royal Air Force and went to work in an industry which blossomed with the surge in demand for an alternative power source. The sprint was on to convert homes from coal gas to electricity. Mains cables had to be laid in streets, Electricity meters installed and wiring to be linked to light switches and power points. Who can recall the demand for one shilling coins for the electricity slot meters to ensure the lights stayed on during dark winter nights!

The S.W.E.B team of 1954/55 played their home games in Heolgerrig and perhaps there are readers who are the grandchildren and great- grandchildren of those in the photograph. Were they players of great skill, who knows, but we can be assured that on their Monday stint in their work base at the Traction Yard in Penydarren they would certainly be enthusing about the win, draw or loss of the previous Saturday game

P.S. The author is the eight year old in the photograph