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Eleanor de Montfort, wife of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd died in childbirth on this day 1282, giving birth to Gwenllian, their only child.  It transpired to be a pivotal event in Welsh history. 

Eleanor's maternal grandfather was King John of England.

Eleanor's maternal uncle was Henry III of England.

Eleanor's maternal cousin was Edward I of England.

Her father was Simon De Montfort (leader of the Second Barons War against his brother in law, Henry III. 

1264    Simon De Montfort and Llywelyn ap Gruffydd became allies and it was agreed that Llywelyn (aged 42) and Eleanor (aged 13) would marry.

1265    Simon De Montfort was killed at the Battle of Evesham by the forces of Edward I and Eleanor and her mother fled to the Dominican nunnery at Montargis, in France,

1275    Her mother died and she was married by proxy to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.

1276    Eleanor began the sea voyage from France to north Wales, but was captured by sailors from Bristol on behalf of Edward I and held prisoner at Windsor for nearly three years

1278    Following the signing of the Treaty of Aberconwy,  which forced Llywelyn to submit to Edward, Eleanor was released.  Eleanor and Llywelyn were then able to marry at the cathedral church at Worcester, with Edward giving her away and paying for the wedding feast.  Following the ceremony, Eleanor became officially known as Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon. 

1282    Eleanor died in childbirth on 19 June 1282 at the royal home at Abergwyngregyn and  her body was carried  to the Franciscan Friary of Llanfaes on Anglesey 

Llywelyn was devastated by Eleanor's death, as he appears to have put all of his hopes into stabilising the country and his succession through children sired by her and he suffered what some historians have speculated to be a nervous breakdown.  This was the start of the end game for Welsh independence as Llywelyn then joined his brother Dafydd in a futile rebellion against English rule.  They were soon surrounded in North Wales, with Edward offering Llywelyn terms of one thousand pounds a year and an estate in England if he would surrender his control in Wales to Edward.  Llywelyn rejected  the offer and within a month, he was killed in an ambush at Cilmeri.  His leaderless forces were routed shortly afterwards and the occupational English forces led by Edward I moved in.

Born on this day 1790 in Gyffin, Caernarfonshire.

John Gibson  - Neoclassical sculptor who spent most of his career in Italy. His parents moved to Liverpool when he was nine years old and he was apprenticed at fourteen to a firm of cabinet-makers and wood-carvers, he later became apprenticed as a worker in marble, which he saw as his true vocation. His first patron was William Roscoe, the historian, whose grand-daughter, Mrs. Henry Sandbach of Hafodunos, near Abergele, remained his close friend and what was probably his only link with Wales in his later years. In 1817, he arrived in Rome, where he studied sculpture under Canova and Thorwaldsen and his work was strongly influenced by classical tradition and by the Greeks, even to the colouring of his sculptures. Most of the remainder of his life was spent at Rome, carrying out commissions for leading art patrons of the period.

In all worldly affairs and the business of daily life he was simple and guileless in the extreme, but was resolute in matters of principle. He was described as a man who "dressed with extraordinary slovenliness and indifference to clothes. Everything about him bespoke the utmost unconsciousness and democratic plainness of life".

Gibson died in Rome on 7th January 1866 and bequeathed all his property and the contents of his studio to the Royal Academy, where his work is open to public view.

On this day 1958 at the FIFA World Cup in Gothenburg, Sweeden, Wales played Brazil, losing 1 - 0 to the eventual champions.  The winning goal was the first international goal scored by the great Pele.  

Wales had caused a shock in progressing to the quarter-finals by beating Hungary 2-1 in a play-off, with goals from Ivor Allchurch and Terry Medwin, after the two ended level on points in their group.  The Welsh had earlier drawn against Hungary, Mexico and hosts Sweden.  Critically Wales were without their best player, the "Gentle Giant" John Charles, who was injured for the Brazil match.

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Born this day 1951 in Machynlleth

David Russell Hulme ,  conductor and musicologist known for his research and publications on the music of Sir Arthur Sullivan.

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" Ymosodiad Dewr; Amddiffyniad Sicr" - "Bold in Attack; In Defence Secure".  

The Welsh Chess Union (Undeb_Gwyddbwyll_Cymru) was formed on 19th June 1954.  The Union comprises six county associations or "zones": Dyfed, East Glamorgan, Gwent, North Ceredigion, West Wales, and Cheshire and North Wales.

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On this day 1928 when she arrived in Burry Port, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

Aviator Wilmer Stultz asked Amelia to join him on the flight from Newfoundland to Wales in the trinator plane "Friendship" and upon its landing at Burry Port, she became the first woman ever on a transatlantic flight. When interviewed afterwards, she pledged to one day make the flight solo and true to her word in 1932, she became the first woman to make the crossing solo when she flew from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland to Ireland. Tragically Earhart disappeared (presumed dead) over the central Pacific during an attempt to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937.

The historic 1928 flight and landing which was completed in 20hrs 49 minutes is commemorated by the Amelia Earhart Gardens in Burry Port on Stepney Road.   

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Killed this day 1815 at The Battle of Waterloo 

Sir Thomas Picton , on whom, opinion was and remains divided.

A military hero, a roisterer, a duellist, a fornicator and a “blood-soaked governor” of Trinidad, described by Wellington as  “a rough, foul-mouthed devil as ever lived.”.  Opinion on  was and remains divided.

Sir Thomas Picton, was born on 24 August 1758 at Poyston, near Haverfordwest and embarked on a military career from an early age.  He is best remembered for his bravery and death at The Battle of Waterloo (on the allied side, he was the highest-ranking victim of the battle).   Interestingly, it is reported that he fought the battle wearing his civilian clothes and a top hat, as his luggage had not arrived in time. Public monuments were later erected to his memory in St Paul's Cathedral and Carmarthen.

However, Picton had also gained notoriety whilst governor of Trinidad from 1797 to 1803. In one of the greatest scandals of the age, he was recalled to London and found guilty of the brutal execution, torture and mutilation of slaves.  However, a retrial found Picton’s behaviour, legal though deplorable, which allowed him to continue his military career. 

Some Welsh connections to The Battle of Waterloo, which occurred this day 1815. 

*  The 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers  were positioned on the crest behind Hougoumont, where they were ravaged by cannon balls and harassed by regular cavalry attacks, the whole day,  knowing that they formed the cornerstone of the front line and that they must hold at all costs.  Out of an initial force of 641 men, the 23rd lost 5 officers and 13 rank & file, with 6 officers and 80 rank and file wounded. 

*  Sir Thomas Picton of Pembrokeshire was the highest ranking victim of the battle on the allied side

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Born this day 1971 in Mynyddcerrig, Gwendraeth Valley

Nigel Owens , Wales's most capped  international rugby union referee, who was the only Welsh Rugby World Cup referee  in France 2007 and New Zealand 2011.  He also refereed two consecutive Heineken Cup finals in 2008 and 2009.  Owens, a former school technician is a fluent Welsh speaker and was made a member of the Gorsedd of Bards in 2011.  He is also known as one of the presenters on the S4C programmes, Jonathan and Welsh language chat show Bwrw'r Bar.

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The Edge of Love,  a film released on 18th June 2008 and starring Matthew Rhys, Kiera Knightley and Sienna Miller  concerns the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (played by Rhys), his wife Caitlin Macnamara (played by Miller) and their married friend  Vera Phillips( played by Knightley ) 

The story is based loosely on real events, during the London blitz of World War II.  Vera Phillips  runs into and falls in love again with her first love, the poet, Dylan Thomas who is now married to and has a child with the spirited Caitlin Macnamara.   The storyline then follows their drink-fuelled relationships, with the two women eventually becoming best friends.

The first section of the South Wales Railway, operated by the Great Western Railway, between Chepstow and Swansea, was opened on 18th June 1850  

The connection to the Gloucester and London Paddington line was then completed in July 1852, with the opening of the bridge at Chepstow. Construction of the line west of Swansea to New Milford (Neyland)  was completed in 1856. 

The Welshman who founded the Ukranian city of Donetsk.

John Hughes  was born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1815, where his father was an engineer at Cyfarthfa ironworks.  John also became an engineer, working in Ebbw Vale and Newport, where he  patented inventions in armaments and armour plating.

Hughes later moved to London, where he became a director of the Millwall Engineering and Shipbuilding Company who specialised in iron cladding the wooden warships of British Admiralty.

When the company  received an order from Russia in 1870 to plate a naval fortress  at Kronstadt on the Baltic Sea, Hughes went out with eight shiploads of equipment and specialist ironworkers and miners, mostly from south Wales, to build a rail producing factory and metallurgical plant.

The settlement which grew in the shadow of Hughes' was named after him and hence, the town of Hughesovka (now called Donetsk) was born.  The town grew rapidly and Hughes provided schools, a hospital, tea rooms, bath houses, a fire brigade and an Anglican church dedicated to St David and St George. 

Hughes died on 17th June 1889 and the company was taken over by his four sons.  They rapidly expanded the works, especially with the need for artillery shells  at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.  However, the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 led to the departure of almost all the company's foreign employees, but the works prospered under Communist rule.

House of the Long Shadows  was released on 17th June 1983 

Set in a remote Manor House in the heart of Wales, the film is of historical importance in  that it is the only co-starring effort of the four masters of terror: Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and John Carradine.  This is also the last film in which Cushing and Lee appeared together.  An American writer goes to a remote Welsh manor on a $20,000 bet: can he write a classic novel like "Wuthering Heights" in twenty-four hours, however,he discovers some rather odd inhabitants on his arrival. 

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This was the day in 1282 that the Battle of Llandeilo Fawr took place.  In 1282 Edward I, was attempting to subdue Wales by surrounding the armies of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in Gwynedd.  His plan was to invade Wales on three fronts.  In south Wales, Edward ordered Gilbert de Clare to hold that area and to prevent Welsh forces travelling to reinforce Llywelyn in the north. De Clare’s army of 1,600 infantry and 100 cavalry had just taken Carreg Cennen Castle and were returning with the spoils when they were ambushed by the Welsh at Llandeilo Fawr destroying most of the English army.  The Welsh victory stalled Edward’s plans and de Clare was replaced by William de Valence 1st Earl of Pembroke.

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Born this day 1773 in London

William Madocks , the Georgian entrepreneur who built the Cob across the Glaslyn Estuary and who was also instrumental in creating the communities of Porthmadog and Tremadog

Madocks's connection with Wales had begun when his father had inherited property at Llangwyfan and Wrexham and he would have spent time there in his childhood, he later became an MP in Lincolnshire and Wiltshire, but when he inherited his fathers lands, his interest turned to Wales and especially improving its road and communication links.  To this effect, he proposed an embankment (later known as the Cob) across the Glaslyn estuary, which would connect Mid-Wales and the Llyn Peninsula.  Its contruction was long and difficult and had put Madocks into considerable debt, but it was completed in 1811 and Maddocks organised  a four-day feast and eisteddfod in celebration.

The diversion of the river caused a natural harbour and a new port  at Ynys y Tywyn (renamed Port Madoc) capable of handling ocean going sailing ships became established as the demand worldwide for Welsh slate began to grow from the nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog's slate quarries,  Maddock died in France on 17 September 1826, whilst on a family holiday and this coincided with the start of the decine in the use of Porthmadoc, because of the development of Aberystwyth and its better rail links and then when World War One broke out in 1914, the lucrative German slate market totally disappeared. 

Born this day 1983 in Lisburn, Northern Ireland  (she and her mother moved to Hayscastle nr Fishguard when she was four and she now considers herself Welsh and is a fluent Welsh speaker) 

Connie Fisher, winner of the 2006 BBC talent contest,  How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? subsequently playing the part of Maria von Trap in The Sound of Music in London's West End and has gone on to star in many varied singing roles, even though she suffers from "congenital fusion anomalies" which resulted in her having to undergo an operation on her vocal cords. .  She has also been in a recurring role as Amanda in the TV drama series Casualty and starred in her first TV drama. Caught In A Trap.   In August 2009, she was made a member of the Gorsedd at the National Eisteddfod in Bala.

A research study  by Peter Donnelly, professor of statistical science at Oxford University and published on 17th June 2012, concluded that the Welsh are among the "most genetically distinct" inhabitants of Britain.

500,000 points in the DNA of, 2,000 rural dwelling people who had all four grandparents born in the same area were tested, with the results showing that the Welsh carry more DNA  dating back to the tribes that colonised Britain after the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago, than most other parts of Britain.  However, the most genetically distinctive were the people of the Orkneys, whose genes show them to be of mainly Scandinavian origin.

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Born on this day 1886 in Staylittle, near Llanidloes

Sir David Brunt - regarded as the "Father of Meteorology".

During military service in the First World War, Brunt first got involved in the practicalities of weather forecasting,  following concerns about the irresponsible use of poison gas as no one at the time knew how winds would disperse it.

After the war, he joined the Met Office at a time when the use of aircraft was rapidly increasing and the need for detailed weather forecasting was paramount.  Brunt was a brilliant mathematician and excelled at the collection and analysis of the highly complicated and vast amount of data regarding the temperature, pressure and wind strength of atmosphere. He served as President of the  Royal Meteorological Society  from 1942 to 1944

When nearing the end of his career, Brunt tried to link weather conditions and human health and concluded that the ideal climate for healthy humans is in New Zealand.

Nelson Mandela received the Freedom of the City of Cardiff on this day 1998

His visit to Wales attracted a huge public interest and during a walkabout prior to the ceremony, he took time out to sing with a group of local schoolchildren.

Accepting the honour, Mr Mandela acknowledged the magnificent support that the people of South Africa had received from the people of Wales, during their struggle against apartheid.

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Today is the feast day of Saint Quiricus (Gwyl Giric)

The cult of "St. Giric" was widespread in post-Roman Wales and his feast day was one of the principal Welsh holidays, as codified by the laws of Hywel Dda.

Saint Julietta and her son Saint Quiricus (Giric) were martyred in AD 304 in Tarsus in south-central Turkey, according to legend, Julietta and the three-year-old Giric had fled to Tarsus and were identified as Christians. Julietta was tortured and when Giric, who was being held by the governor of Tarsus, scratched the governor's face, he was killed by being thrown down a set of stairs. Julietta however then celebrated  her son's death as he had died a martyr.

In anger, the governor then decreed that Julietta should be beheaded and her sides ripped apart.  Their two bodies were later rescued by two maids, from a heap of criminal's corpses and buried nearby.  In Wales, there is a least one church dedicated to the saints, in Llanilid, Mid Glamorgan, but named as St. Ilid and St. Curig.

On 16th June 1982,  Welsh miners and seamen backed health workers' demand for a 12% pay rise and brought the South Wales coalfield to a standstill.

 24,000 miners downed tools, with some also joining health workers on picket lines, because they regarded the Conservative's policies, unjust and hostile to both of their interests.  Also, more than 15,000 people, including building workers, civil servants and gas, electricity and water board workers, marched through the streets of Cardiff in support.

16th June 2013 was the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World's 30th anniversary. 

The  competition  takes place every two years at St David's Hall, Cardiff and attracts the world's finest classical singers at the start of their careers.  It is organised by BBC Cymru Wales and is televised by BBC Four and BBC Wales TV and broadcast over radio channels BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Wales and the Welsh language BBC Radio Cymru. It is supported by Welsh National Opera and the City and County of Cardiff. 

The 1989 competition was particularly noteworthy with Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel winning the Lieder prize. Many prominent singers have served in the jury, including Carlo Bergonzi, Geraint Evans, Marilyn Horne, Gundula Janowitz, Sherrill Milnes, Christoph Prégardien, Dame Joan Sutherland, Dame Anne Evans and Dame Gwyneth Jones.  On the day between the two competition finals, some of the jury members give master classes to some of the non-finalists, which are open to the public.

Born this day 1899 in Blaina 

Jack Gore , former Wales rugby international.  Gore played all his rugby union for Blaina, at a time when the Welsh selectors would often choose tough manual workers for the forward positions.  He switched rugby league, later joining Salford in 1925, but eventually returned to Blaina where he ran the local Kings Head pub.  Jack was often suspected of being a rugby league spy for Salford and that he was instrumental in Dai Watkins, also from Blaina, following  him to Salford.

WATCH A VIDEO OF THE ONE DAY COLLECTIVE ON CULTURE COLONY -
http://www.culturecolony.com/videos?id=12731

ONE DAY COLLECTIVE is a project by BRG
that took place on the 24th March 2013 throughout
public spaces in Cardiff.

BRG is a practical
investigation and research group focusing on
collaborative processes.

ONE DAY COLLECTIVE was part of 'Intercourse'
a project curated by Elbow Room that explores
participation as an artform.

ONE DAY COLLECTIVE is:
Rosie Benn-Squire
Elen Llwyd Roberts
Georgia Hall
Sara Hexter
Leo Garcia
Jess Matthews

The Cellar Bards are a diverse group of poets and prose writers whose philosophy it is to both share their own words and give support to fellow writers respectfully and inclusively. They were formed in June 2012 and meet monthly at The Cellar Bar in Cardigan to enjoy a lively and vibrant evening of live literature over a pint or a coffee. Part of the audience is made up of writers who regularly contribute their own work, while the remainder are there purely to listen and experience the spoken word in its many forms, from poetry to short prose to novel extracts. All who choose to attend can be sure of the space and the attention they deserve to share what they have written.

The Cellar Bard group has a thriving and active facebook site, with over 140 members from across Britain and the wider world, a large percentage of whom regularly post their work and offer support to other writers. In this way, the community exists both in the "real" world and in the virtual one.

Watch performances from the bards on Culture Colony - http://www.culturecolony.com/videos?id=12827