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The LoCooker team from Llanelli featured on the BBC Radio Wales Louise Elliott show.

Born this day 1842 in Cwmafan, Glamorgan 

William "Mabon" Abraham, trade unionist and Liberal/Labour politician.  The monthly miners holiday " Mabon's Day", secured in 1888, was named after him when he was successful in securing more leisure time for miners.

Abraham was a moderate voice believing that disputes should be solved through dialogue. Abraham was noted for his powerful speaking voice and was a renowned orator.  He started working at the local coal mine as a 'door boy' at the age of ten and in 1864 he accepted an invitation along with other miners, to work in a copper mine in Chile.  however when they arrived, there was no work so Abraham worked his passage back to Britain. 

He then became known as a singer and poet, taking the name Gwilym Mabon.  In 1871, he formed a Union at the Caergynnydd Pit and by 1885 he was the leader of the largest union of the South Wales Coalfields.  He then entered politics becoming the Liberal – Labour MP for the new Rhondda constituency in 1885 and in 1898 he was one of the chief negotiators on behalf of the colliers in the Welsh coal strike of 1898, which resulted in the creation of the South Wales Miners Federation (The Fed) of which Abraham became president.   

The Falklands War ended this day 1982

The Falklands War was a 1982 war between Argentina and the United Kingdom, that resulted from a dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It  began on Friday 2 April 1982 when Argentine forces invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.  The British government dispatched a naval task force to retake the islands, with the resulting conflict ending with the Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982, During the conflict, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel and 3 Falkland Islanders died.

Some Welsh connections;

*  Lieutenant Colonel H. Jones (his mother Olwen Pritchard, was Welsh) the commanding officer of 2 Para was killed at the head of his battalion while charging into the well-prepared Argentine positions. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

*  During the build up to an offensive against Stanley, the resulting confusion of an uncoordinated advance to the disembarkation point of Bluff Cove had left the Welsh Guards on the landing ships RFA Sir Galahad and RFA Sir Tristan, as sitting targets in Port Pleasant without defence escorts for almost 2 days.  They became subject to Argentine air assaults which killed 32 of them and left 150 suffering burns and other injuries, including Simon Weston.  The disaster provided the world with some of the most sobering images of the war as Navy helicopters hovered in thick smoke trying to winch survivors to safety.  

Born this day 1949 in the Rhonnda 

Alan Evans, professional darts of the 1970’s and 80’s 

In 1972, he reached the final of the News of the World Championship, the first event to be shown on UK television.  Then in 1975, he won the Winmau World Masters, one of the most prestigious titles in darts before the World Championship began in 1978.  When the Darts World Cup began in 1977, the Welsh team of Alan Evans, Leighton Rees and David "Rocky" Jones won the Team Championship and Overall Championship.

Within the darts world, he is remembered for his 3 bullseye's (150) finish, which is often  referred to by commentator Sid Waddell as the "Alan Evans Shot" (three bullseyes)  

Born this day 1950 in Ystradgynlais

Rowan Williams, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.,

* As Bishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of Wales, e was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, since the reformation, not to be appointed from within the Church of England

* Apart from Welsh, he speaks or reads nine other languages.

* On 26 December 2012 Williams was created Baron Williams of Oystermouth,

* He was criticised for allegedly supporting a pagan organisation, the Welsh Gorsedd of Bards, which promotes Welsh language and literature and uses druidic ceremonial but is actually not religious in nature.

* Williams officiated at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011.

* On 16 November 2011, Williams attended a special service at Westminster Abbey celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

* He was delivering a lecture in New York at the time of 11 September 2001 attacks, only yards from Ground Zero.

* His attendance at the funeral of Pope John Paul II, made him the first Archbishop of Canterbury to attend a Pope's funeral since the Protestant Reformation.  

Born this day 1726 in Whitford, Flintshire 

Thomas Pennant, naturalist, traveller, writer and antiquarian.

Pennant travelled widely throughout Britain, especially Scotland with his servant Moses Griffiths, recording and writing books about the geography and wildlife he encountered, whilst Moses made paintings and engravings.  Pennant also amassed a considerable collection of art, which was largely selected for their scientific interest.  It is now housed at the National Library of Wales.  

  On 14th June 1645 Charles I was defeated by the Cromwell's New Model Army at the battle of Naseby.    In the aftermath, King Charles and the remnants of the royalist force came to Wales to raise support from his supporters in Wales and particularly in Monmouthshire with the Herberts.   He visited  Abergavenny and held his Court in the Priory House spending some 6 months in the area.  

Charles eventually surrendered to the Scots in 1646 who promptly handed him over to the English.  He was brought to trial in Westminster Hall before 135 Judges but he refused to recognise the legality of the Court.  He did not plead and was found guilty by 68 votes to 67.  Sentence of death was passed and on 30th January 1649, he was beheaded on a scaffold outside the Banqueting Hall in Whitehall. 

American Farmers- Welsh Hill Farming Experience

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The tour itinerary is exactly the same as the Welsh Hill Farming Experience; the tour is specifically arranged for our farming links & organisations based in North America. Arrangements can also be made for our guests to participate in the ameriCymru trail in conjunction with the Hill Farming Experience.

  Born this day 1934 in Hengoed, Rhymney Valley

Grenfell "Gren" Jones MBE , who was one of Wales’s best-known and longest-serving newspaper cartoonists.  Through his career, he produced an annual rugby calendar and also drew the cover for the Max Boyce album “We All Had Doctors’ Papers” and resultantly became  the first cartoonist to receive a gold disc.   He was voted best provincial cartoonist in Britain in 1983, 1985, 1986, and 1987.   

Executed this day 1483 at Pontefract Castle in West Yorkshire. 

Sir Thomas Vaughan , who was a Welsh statesman and Vaughan was accompanying Edward V and his brother Richard (The Princes in the Tower) from Ludlow to London when the party was intercepted by the future King Richard, who seized the boys and had Vaughan arrested and executed.

He was initially a Lancastrian supporter of Jasper Tudor and King Henry VI, but after Henry's defeat at Saint Albans in 1461 Vaughan sailed for Ireland with Henry's treasury, but was captured by French pirates, from whom he was surprisingly ransomed by Edward IV, after which Vaughan was loyal to Edward IV, who soon came to trust Vaughan and placed him in high offices. 

The story of Gordon Bennett's attempt to reach the North Pole in a tiny ship, built in a Welsh dockyard, is one of great courage and endurance.

The exclamation of surprise "Gordon Bennett" is named after him.

The 19th and early 20th centuries were a time of exploration and discovery,  pushing back the restrictions of the known world.  Exploration ships such as Discovery and Terra Nova are well known, but there were many, such as The Pandora, which  was launched from Pembroke Dockyard in 1861 and was used for a series of voyages to the Arctic in 1875 and 1876,   Then in 1877  she was sold to the rich and eccentric New York newspaper magnate Gordon Bennett. Who renamed her Jeanette and sent her on a trip to the North Pole through the Baring Strait, Under the command of Lt Commander George De Long in 1879.  Disaster struck when she became caught in the ice and For 18 months drifted northwards closer and closer to the pole.  During this time however they discovered and claimed the new islands of  Jeanette, Henrietta and Bennett for the United States.

On the morning of 13 June 1881, pressure of the ice began to crush the ship's hull, which split and the ship disappeared under the ice.  De Long and his men had to trek over the ice to the Siberian coast, pulling their supplies in the long boats they had rescued, behind them.  It was a hard and brutal journey but, just as they thought they had reached open water. they ran into a storm and one of the boats capsized and eight crewmen were drowned. The other two boats were separated in the gale.  In De Long's boat, sick in body and despairing in their hearts, the men died one after the other, De Long amongst them. Only two of the sailors managed to eventually reach safety.  In the other boat, Eleven men survived the elements to make it home.

Born this day 1910 in Quebec (his mother was Welsh)

Thomas Firbank author, farmer, soldier and engineer.

Following his father's death, he was raised among his mother's hill farming community in the Berwyn Mountains of North Wales.  His first book, an autobiography “I Bought a Mountain” became a major international best-seller. It describes how aged only 21, he bought Dyffryn Mymbyr farm, and painstakingly learnt how to farm, while portraying the beauty of Snowdonia. Firbank was a keen mountain walker, and the book includes a hair-raising account of how he and his two companions were possibly the first to ascend all of the Welsh 3000s, in less than 9 hours.  At the outbreak of World War II enlisted and saw action in North Africa, Italy and Arnhem, being awarded the Military Cross.

After his marriage ended, he generously gave his ex-wife Esme the farm in 1947, enabling her to remain there with her new partner. In 1967, she became an important founder member of the Snowdonia Society and after her death the farm was donated to the National Trust.  

On 13th June 1822, Sir William Lloyd (29 December 1782 – 16 May 1857) became one of the first Europeans to ascend a Himalayan peak.  

Born in Wrexham, the son of a banker, Lloyd went to school in Ruthin.  He joined the army of the East India Company in 1798, rising to the rank of major, before  journeying through the Himalayas, where single-handedly, he climbed the peak of Boorendo.  Lloyd was knighted in 1838 and retired to Bryn Estyn estate in Wrexham.

I'm currently exhibiting at the Cardigan Guildhall with Celf Canolbarth Cymru - here's a link to my work http://alexandrabruceart.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/first-exhibition-of-2013/

http://alexandrabruceart.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/first-exhibition-of-2013/

click here to see the work

Hafod Eryri – the new visitor’s centre on the summit of Snowdon, was opened this day 2009

At 1,065 m above sea level, it is the highest building in Wales and England and had to be designed to cope with  some of the most extreme weather conditions in the world, such as hurricane wind forces, over 5m of rain per annum and temperatures as low as -20°C.  Welsh Granite and oak, were used in the design and the window glass features lines of poetry by the former National  Poet of Wales, Gwyn Thomas.

Born this day 1909 in Pontygwaith, near Tylorstown, Rhondda 

Mansel Treharne Thomas , composer and conductor, one of the most influential musicians of his generation.  From 1946 until 1965 he was the principal conductor of the BBC Welsh Orchestra, now the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.  

Born this day 1883 in Bayswater, London.

Active suffragette - Margaret Haig Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda. 

In 1908 she became secretary of the Women’s Social and Political Union’s branch at Newport. She then became involved in protest marches with the Pankhursts, once, jumping onto the running board of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith's car and another time, attempting to destroy a post-box with a bomb.  These activities resulted in her serving a period of time in prison only being released after going on a hunger strike.

During the First World War she accompanied her father to the USA to arrange the supply of munitions and on their return in May 1915, she was one of the survivors on the Lusitania, which was torpedoed by a German submarine.

After her father's death, Lady Rhondda unsuccessfully attempted to take his seat in the House of Lords, citing the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 which allowed women to exercise any public office.  However,shortly after her death in 1958, women were allowed to enter the Lords for the first time.  

The Welsh National War Memorial, located in Cathays Park, Cardiff was unveiled on 12th June 1929.

The memorial which consists of  a circular colonnade enveloping bronze figures of an airman, soldier and sailor, each raising a wreath to a central elevated figure of a winged messenger of victory who holds a sword aloft, was designed by J.Ninian Cooper to commemorate the servicemen who died during the two World Wars.  

The first Welsh language service in Waukesha county USA was held on 12th June 1842 in the home of Richard “King” Jones on his farm, Bronyberllan, which became the centre of worship for the newly organised Welsh congregation that later became Jerusalem Church. 

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Born this day 1949 in Ruthin

Tom Pryce , the only Welsh driver to have won a Formula One race.

When Pryce won the Brands Hatch Race of Champions in 1975, he became the only Welsh driver to have won a Formula One race, he is also the only Welshman to have led a Formula One World Championship Grand Prix: two laps of the 1975 British Grand Prix and in the practice session for the 1977  South African GP, run in wet conditions, Pryce was faster than everyone, including world champion drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt.  It was during this race that Pryce was killed following an accident, where he collided at high speed with a safety marshal.  There is a memorial to Pryce in Upper Clwyd Street in Ruthin.

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The Battle of Machias, which was the first naval engagement of the American War of independence, occured on this day 1775.

Ichabod Jones (of Welsh descent) and the Battle of Machias. 

The American Revolutionary War had begun on April 19th 1775 and early on the city of Boston, where the British troops were located, was besieged by the American militia.  The British required lumber to build new barracks for the additional troops arriving in the besieged city, so they approached Ichabod Jones, a local merchant, to exchange pork and flour for lumber at the nearby community of Machias.   However Jones chose not to deal with anyone who had initially been uncooperative with him, which angered the locals, who then on June 11, conspired to capture him.  On word of this Jones ran into the woods and hid for two days.  The people of Machais saw off the remainder of the expedition and the town remained a naval base for the American militia throughout the remainder of the war.

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On 11th June 2010, a bid for world heritage status was made for north Wales slate 

North Wales slate is regarded as high quality as it is not only very strong but also relatively light.  It occurs mainly in three geological deposits.

1) A strip running south-west from Conwy to near  Criccieth , which were quarried in the Penrhyn and Dinorwig quarries.

2) A strip running south-west from  Betws-y-Coed  to  Porthmadog , which was mined at Blaenau Ffestiniog.

3) A band running from Llangynnog to  Aberdyfi , which was quarried mainly in the  Corris  area,

It is known that the Romans used North Wales slate from AD 77 and that it was being exported from medieval times.  However, the industry expanded rapidly from the mid 18th century, reaching its peak between 1856 and 1900 when over 500,000 tonnes were produced each year,  to satisfy the worldwide demand for the product.

The  industry is also acknowledged for its export of technology and skilled worker to other quarrying countries, such as the United States and  France.  In particular, the method of transporting the slate from the quarry to navigable water by locomotive-worked narrow-gauge railway was one that was copied worldwide.

Born this day 1987 in Buckley, Flintshire

Cherry Dee (Cherry Daniella Andrea Frampton) , former glamour model and Page Three girl. During her modelling career, she was featured in magazines such as Fast Car, Fit For Men, and Nuts and tabloid newspapers such as The Sun and The Daily Sport.  She frequently posed topless, but never fully nude.  At the age of 20, Frampton announced her retirement revealing that she left glamour modeling because she felt pressured to take drugs and to pose for increasingly explicit photographs and began working in a nursing home, caring for the elderly

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Today is Wales' national laughter day .  Wales was the first country in Europe to introduce a National Laughter Day and only the second in the world, behind Ethiopia.

Organisers tell us that laughter really is the best medicine because it brings positive changes to our physiology.  Laughing reduces the levels of stress hormones and increases the levels of endorphins in our bodies.  It also releases natural anti-depressants and boosts our immune system.

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Flash flooding in Llandudno on 11th June 1993  resulted in 500 residents being evacuated.

Streets were left under several feet of water, with at least 1,000 properties damaged.  Patients at the town's general hospital had to be evacuated to higher wards when a 3ft torrent flowed through the building.

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On 11th June 1993, Welsh-born John Patrick Savage became the 23rd Premier of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Savage, who was born in Newport, emigrated to Canada in 1967, where he became a doctor in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He was elected mayor of Dartmouth in 1985 and was re-elected twice.  Then in 1992, he became the leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party and in 1993 was elected premier of the provincial government.  Savage was a controversial premier, bringing in many reforms to regional government and taxation.

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Born this day 1909 in Barry

Ronnie Boon , former Wales rugby international.  Boon possessed a tremendous self-confidence in his own ability and this was reflected in his nickname Cocky.  He was a quick runner, representing Wales at the 220 yard sprint, and is best known in Welsh rugby as the man who scored all seven points in 1933 against England to end Wales's failure to win at Twickenham in their first nine attempts, which was known as the 'Twickenham  bogey".

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Born this day 1943 in Cardiff

Iain Sinclair  writer and filmmaker.  Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, m uch of his work is based around London and his more   recent work consists of a literary recuperation  of the so-called occultist psychogeography  of London. 

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Born this day 1970 in Swansea

Chris Coleman, former Wales soccer international and current manager.  

The Vale of Glamorgan Line between Barry and Bridgend was reopened on this day 2005. 

Opened in 1897 and originally part of the Barry Railway Company,  the line ran from Barry to Bridgend via Aberthaw and Llantwit Major.  As well as a passenger service it also served  the limestone quarries and the cement works at Aberthaw, and Rhoose cement works. Then in World War II it serviced the 14,000 personnel at the RAF base in St Athan.  The passenger service was closed on 13 June 1964, however, after many years of campaigning, the line finally reopened to passenger traffic on Sunday 12th June 2005.   

Born this day 1921 in Mon Repos, Corfu, Greece

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , husband of Queen Elizabeth II and the oldest ever spouse of a reigning British monarch

Some of the Dukes connections to Wales

*  The Duke of Edinburgh award scheme is a  programme in which anyone aged 14 to 24 is encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities and improve their knowledge or performance in that field by attaining gold silver or bronze awards.  At present nearly 20,000 young people are participating in the D of E throughout Wales through the medium of both Welsh and English.and there are 56 Operating Authorities in Wales licensed to run DofE programmes.

*  The Prince Phillip hospital in Llanelli is named in his honour.

On 10th June 1601, John Salusbury was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I of England for his assistance in suppressing an uprising against her government, known as the Essex Rebellion. 

Salusbury was a member of the Salusbury family, who owned a considerable estate in Lleweni in the Vale of Clwyd, Denbighshire. Various members of the family acquired honours and appointments for their support of the Tudor monarchs.