Company Sergeant-Major Charlie Jones

by Ann Lewis

I remember the above photograph of a handsome soldier in uniform, in a black frame taking pride of place in my parents’ living room. He was my father’s uncle, Charlie W. Jones, born at Dowlais, son of Mary and William Jones.

He served in the South African War with the 5th Welsh Regiment, being decorated with a medal. On his return to Dowlais, he, along with several other veterans of the war, was presented with a silver watch by the Dowlais Chamber of Trade at a public meeting. He was also presented with a long service medal by the Territorial Army. To date, however, I have been unable to obtain any information about his service in South Africa.

He was subsequently employed at the Bedlinog Colliery and lived at Greenfield Terrace, Gellifaelog with his wife Annie and his three sons.

At the start of the First World War, Charlie Jones, 37 years of age at the time, was promoted to the rank of Company Sergeant Major, number 59 in the 5th Welsh Regiment, and he was sent to fight in the Dardanelles. Sadly on 21 August 1915 he was killed in action and was subsequently buried at sea. Coincidentally, his eldest son, Private David J. Jones was also in action in the Dardanelles with the 5th Welsh Regiment (Gun Section). How he felt losing his father we can only imagine.

Charlie’s name is included on the Roll of Honour on the Helles Memorial in Turkey, and also on the Roll of Honour at the Merthyr Tydfil Conservative Club.

Merthyr Tydfil Conservative Club Roll of Honour

Our family has lost touch with Charlie’s side of the family, and I have often wondered if there are any of his grand- or great-grandchildren still living in the area, and whether they would be interested in having the original photograph.

If anyone has any information regarding CSM Charlie Jones, or of any of his family, please contact me at merthyr.history@gmail.com, and I will pass the information on to Ann.

Any Questions?

Happy New Year to everyone.

I hope you are continuing to enjoy reading this blog. I certainly enjoy putting it together as I am learning so much about Merthyr’s fascinating history. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed articles over the last year, and I hope that there will be many more contributions this year.

As well as the current regular features on the blog, I hope to introduce a few more throughout the year….so watch this space!!!

I have received a number of enquiries from people asking who they should contact regarding answers to questions about various aspect of Merthyr.

I will try to answer any queries I can, but if I can’t answer (which is highly likely), I should be able to re-direct you to someone who can.

I am very fortunate that I am in touch with most of the marvellous historians we have here in Merthyr, so between us all, there is usually someone who can answer almost any question asked.

I hope that last statement won’t end up proving me wrong!!!!

If anyone has any questions about Merthyr’s history please get in touch using the e-mail address merthyr.history@gmail.com.

Christmas 1883

The article transcribed below appeared in the Merthyr Express 135 years ago today (29 December 1883), and gives details of how Christmas was celebrated in Merthyr all those years ago. It’s remarkable how so much has changed, yet the drunken revelling has not!!!!

CHRISTMASTIDE AT MERTHYR

There was nothing novel in the manner of spending Christmas at Merthyr. For years it has been the practice of a number of young men and women to usher in Christmas by perambulating the streets the livelong night, shouting and screaming and indulging in various kinds of horseplay to their own amusement and the disgust of steady-going citizens trying to get their measure of rest after a hard day’s work. This year was no exception to the disagreeable instinct which seems to have forced the custom upon us. One or two singing parties were out and did their best to relieve the monotony of the other voices by singing some appropriate pieces, but it was a rollicking time for the youngsters who verily did not go home till morning when daylight was about to appear.

The morning was foggy, but it cleared rapidly after sunrise, and such a beautiful, bright, mild spring day has not been experienced on the 25th December for many years. It was most unseasonably fine, and people went abroad in thousands. The Taff Vale Company ran their ordinary service, and the Great Western ran special trains between Merthyr and Hirwain (sic) and vice versa. These trains were crowded with passengers. The interchange of outward and inward traffic was enormous and appeared to be pretty evenly balanced. At a very early hour the High-street was in a state of congestion. The puddle of the roads had no perceptible influence upon the incessant motion of the living stream, and as Christmas day does not rank as a Sunday in the Closing Bill, it was an ordinary day for public houses, which had a tremendous run of business. There was a good deal of drunkenness apparent in the evening, but no rowdyism. The charges at the police station for drunken and disorderly conduct were not numerous.

The usual Christmas dinner to the poor was distributed at St. David’s schoolrooms to over two thousand persons, the expenses of which were defrayed by the subscriptions of the townspeople. The Rector, the High Constable, and a numerous staff of volunteer carvers and distributors were engaged upon this duty for over two hours, well earning their own Christmas dinners, and, as heretofore, they had Mr. T. B. Meredith as their right hand man. Mr. J. Howfield, confectioner, undertook the cooking, which was all that could be desired.

The deaf and dumb people of the Merthyr branch of the Glamorganshire Mission to the Deaf and Dumb were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Rhys Davies at their residence at Courtland Terrace. A large number of mutes came from Merthyr, Dowlais, Aberdare, Tredegar, Rhymney, Cardiff, and Swansea. After dinner, the mutes went up the hill to see one of their number suffering from an injured foot at his house, and one of them took a hat and made a collection for the poor man. After that an adjournment was made to Mr. Davies’s house to tea, which finished, their pastor, the Rev. E. Rowlands, addressed them on the “Love of God”, and after a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Davies for their hospitality, the mutes left, having spent a most enjoyable Christmas.

At the Workhouse and Aberdare School too, the usual sumptuous fare of roast beef and plum pudding was served to the inmates and greatly enjoyed, whilst the additional luxuries of tobacco to the old men and snuff to the old women, as well as tea and coffee, were highly acceptable and appreciated.

Four performances of “The Haymakers” were given by the Bethesda Choir at the Temperance Hall on Christmas and Boxing Days. The powerful attraction of Uncle Tom’s Cabin influenced the attendance here prejudicially, nevertheless, the receipts for the whole series of performances amounted to a considerable sum, and the choir will more than clear all expenses. The performances were highly creditable, and received well-merited applause, the stage scenery being particularly effective. A competitive meeting was held at Bethel Chapel on Christmas Day, and at Hope Chapel on the evening following, while entertainments, dancing parties, and other forms of amusements took place all over the neighbourhood. The Volunteer Band paraded the town on Christmas Day, while the Town Band played several selections on the Market Square on Boxing Day. Altogether, the Christmastide just past has been as busy as any like period for many years.

Merthyr Memories: A Boy’s Christmas in Iron Lane

by Tudor Jones

Sorting out my Christmas stuff this year I came across decorations dating back to the 1950’s at least. These reminded me of my boyhood Christmases in Iron Lane, Georgetown.

Some survivors of the last half century and more include celluloid fairy light shades. I vividly remember my father struggling to get the lights to work, because if only one failed, there were no lights at all. They had to be replaced and tested one by one until the light worked. How fortunate we are today!

I will divide my memories into two sections –

FOOD

Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the food was the bird – always a goose, never a turkey. This was roasted on a spit in front of the coal fire as can be seen in the photograph below.

Christmas goose roasting in front of the fire in Iron Lane

This tradition continued throughout my boyhood and beyond. It tasted delicious.

The Christmas pudding was always home-made. It was mixed by my grandmother and boiled in white earthenware pots covered with cotton on the top. One incident sticks in my mind – my grandmother, mother and I were mixing the pudding and beer was needed. For one reason or another I was sent with a jug to a pub a few minutes away on Georgetown Square (I don’t remember which one now). I remember entering the pub and being served the beer. This as a 10 year old! Not to be done today!

On the day itself, the pudding was covered with brandy or rum, then it was set alight. Christmas pudding remains one of my favourite foods. Afterwards, for the only time in the year, my grandmother, mother, father and myself drank alcohol. I remember its sweet taste – cider.

PRESENTS

As an only child in the 1950’s, I was blessed with many gifts at Christmas time, all wrapped – a tradition I continue to this day. Some of the presents I still have, especially the books: ‘Golden Encyclopaedia 1956’, ‘Golden Book of Bible Stories 1957’, ‘Pageant of History 1959’ & ‘Story of Ancient Egypt’.

I also have remnants of a toy zoo, and other odds and ends, but others have long gone. How much would they be worth today? Two remain in my mind. Firstly a Doctor’s set with stethoscope, thermometer, plasters etc, and secondly an electric Triang train set with lots of accessories. I wish I had kept that.

Another present I remember for other reasons. It was a big black box (not wrapped). I opened it, glanced at its contents, said thank you and shut it – never to use it again. The contents – Meccano, pieces of metal which you could use to build, a sort of metal Lego. I then turned to the rest of Father Christmas’ gifts. My father’s hopes of me becoming a draughtsman were dashed. By the way, I still have that box….but not the Meccano contents.

These memories flood back of an exceedingly happy Christmas time in Iron Lane. I remember it with great joy

Merthyr’s Chapels: Zion Chapel, Twynyrodyn

Our next chapel is one of the oldest and one of the largest chapels in Merthyr – Zion Baptist Chapel, Twynyrodyn.

After the early non-conformist worshippers started meeting at Ynysgau Chapel, the various groups started to split.

In 1710, the Baptists had already built a chapel in Hengoed, and in about 1740, Mr David Lewis – one of the assisting ministers at Hengoed, moved to Merthyr and he soon started holding meetings at his home. In 1786 it is recorded that five or six people were baptised in the River Taff near the Iron Bridge, and it was roughly at this time that the Baptist members of Ynysgau decided to leave and join the group who had been worshipping with David Lewis.

They decided to build their own chapel and work was begun in June 1788, and the chapel was completed in February the following year. Rev Edward Evans, who had been a minister in Carmarthen had recently moved to Merthyr to work in the Iron Works, and he was asked to become Zion’s first minister.

Within a short time however, Rev Evans moved to Hengoed to take charge of the chapel there. The congregation heard of a young preacher named William Price in Carmarthen who had just finished his studies at the Theological College in Bristol. They asked him to come to Zion in 1792 and he was ordained in June of that year. A number of the congregation objected to him however, and a split occurred in the congregation which resulted in William Price and his followers leaving the chapel and starting the cause at Ebenezer Chapel.

Rev Edward Evans immediately returned to Merthyr and took over as Zion’s minister once more. The cause went from strength to strength, and at this time Rev Evans and two of his assistants, David Davies and David Jones established the cause at Bethel, Ynysfelin (later Cwmtaff). Rev Edwards left Zion in 1797.

Under subsequent ministries, the congregation grew and the chapel was extended in 1807 at a cost of £360, and again in 1814.

The chapel was completely rebuilt in 1842 the architect being T H Watt of London, and in 1861 a plot of land was purchased from Mr David Robert Davies in Mountain Hare for £20 and a school room was built there.

The Harrison Pipe Organ at Zion Chapel

In 1892 it was decided to completely renovate the inside of the chapel, building a gallery around three walls, and moving the pulpit in front of the magnificent organ new organ designed by Harrison & Harrison of Durham – one of the finest pipe organs in the borough. The work was carried out in 1900-02 at a cost of almost £4000.

In 1979 a severe storm damaged the roof of the chapel, and the ceiling collapsed on to the organ.

An appeal was launched to raise money to repair the organ, and more than £2000 was raised through donations and also a concert given by the Cefn Coed Male Voice Choir and the tenor Keith Jones.

The organ was repaired by Mr Balch of Cardiff and was finally ready for use by 1984.

Since the early 1990’s services have been held in the vestry, and the chapel has sadly fallen into a very bad state of repair, and has been closed due to health and safety reasons. In December 2013, due to dwindling numbers and the need for unaffordable repairs, the sad decision was made to close the chapel.

The magnificent interior of Zion Chapel in a sorry state of repair shortly before the chapel’s closure in 2013. Photo courtesy of Tony Hyde