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Born this day 1916 in Prestatyn

Sir Huw Wheldon , former Manging Director of BBC television, described as a colossus of the television industry, he was knighted in 1976 for services to television and a BAFTA Award bears his name.  Earlier in life, he had won a Military Cross for bravery on D-Day.

Rice Powell (native of south Pembrokeshire) colonel in the English Civil War, was pardoned from execution on this day 1649

Rice Powell ( fl. 1641-1665 ) -  A Welshman's story in the English Civil War;

1641   Powell served as an officer in the army sent to Ireland to suppress the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

1642   He returned to Pembrokeshire on the outbreak of the Civil War in Aug. 1642 and became a colonel in the Parliamentary army and    took part  in the defence of Pembroke and the offensive actions in the county and beyond.

1644   Powell appointed the governor of Cardigan castle by Major General Rowland Laugharne (Parliament's commander in south Wales) after it's capture  and successfully defended it in the following month against a Royalist assault directed by Sir Charles Gerard.

1646 (April)  Powell appointed the governor of Tenby.

1648  (Early)   During Laugharne's absence in London, Powell was in command of the forces in west Wales when Parliament gave the order for the disbanding of some of the non-regular members of its army.  John Poyer at Pembroke, disapproved and encouraged others to refuse. Powell decided to support Poyer.

1648 (10 April)   Powell and Poyer left the Parliamentary army and issued a declaration in favour of the king and the Royalists.

1648  (last week of April)    At Carmarthen Powell clashed with the parliamentary army led by colonels Fleming and Thomas Horton, forcing them to retreat, Flemming was caught and shot at Llangathen church, whilst Horton made it to Brecon.   Powell then took Swansea and Neath and had entered the Vale of Glamorgan, heading for Cardiff where the Royalists were waiting to rise up to support him. To prevent this, Horton, now with fresh supplies and ammunition made a forced march down the Taff valley to intercept him.

1648  (8 May)   In the subsequent Battle of St. Fagans, Laugharne who had also switched to the Royalist side arrived to take over the command from Powell, but they were defeated and Horton won a decisive victory.

1648  (31 May)   Powell who had escaped to Tenby, surrendered to Horton, he was tried by court-martial and condemned to death.

1649   (7 May) Powell was pardoned.

1665   After the Restoration of the Monarchy, Powell appealed to Charles II for help to meet debts he had contracted in the Royalist cause, with what success is not recorded.  

Born this day 1961 in Pontypridd

Phil Campbell (Wizzö) , musician, best known  as the lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Motorhead. 

On 7th May 1915, the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German torpedo.  Notable Welsh survivors included politician David Alfred Thomas and tenor Gwynn Parry Jones.  

On 7th May 2006, Russell T Davies won the Dennis Potter BAFTA  Award for his revival of the classic science fiction series Doctor Who.

Media Contact : Bob Titley

The Robert Titley Consultancy

roberttitley@aol.com

(917) 690 8418

Location! Location! Location!

Wales Coast Path Shares Star Billing with Celebs

New York, NY May 6, 2013 - When they walk along the Wales Coast Path, visitors do sometimes walk in the footsteps of the stars, from Halle Berry to Russell Crowe and Harry Potter to James Bond. Officially opened one year ago, on May 5, 2012, the Wales Coast Path - www.walescoastpath.gov.uk - has captured the imagination of the world. The only footpath of its kind on the planet, the Wales Coast Path encircles all three sides of the Welsh Peninsula, along the entire 870 miles of its pristine coastline, encouraging visitors and residents alike to discover the shape of the nation.

And The Wales Coast Path offers a movie tour with a difference

Clash of the Titans (2010) Starring Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes

Some scenes used Newborough Woods, Traeth Penrhos and Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey (currently home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge).

• Try this great nearby walk: An epic movie deserves an epic walk! Enjoy the 13 mile hike between Llyn Rhos Ddu and Aberffraw.

Half Light (2006) Starring Demi Moore

Wales was cast as a stand-in for Scotland! A grieving author relocates to a Scottish village to move on with her life after the death of her son. Many of the beach and lighthouse scenes were shot on remote Llanddwyn Island and the seaside village scenes were shot at Porth Dinllaen on the Llyn Peninsula.

• Try this great nearby walk : Head to Llanddwyn Island its a beautiful place with a lovely sandy beach and, if the tide is right, you can explore the island itself.

Retreat (2011) Starring Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy

A couple escape personal tragedy by moving to a remote island retreat. Their attempts to recover are disrupted when a stranger is washed ashore. The cottage scenes were shot at Plas Llandecwyn and the beach scenes were shot at Porth Ysgaden on the Llyn Peninsula.

• Try this great nearby walk: A 4.6 mile walk between Porth Ysgaden and Porth Widlin with great views and interesting wildlife.

The Edge of Love (2008) Starring Matthew Rhys, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller

Directed by John Maybury, the film is based loosely on real events and the history between Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and lovers Vera Phillips and Caitlin MacNamara. Locations in Lampeter, Tenby and New Quay were used for filming as well as the Gwili Steam Railway.

• Try this great nearby walk : Enjoy the lovely 6.25 mile route between Aberaeron and New Quay its a great adventure.

Die Another Day (2002) Starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry

Penbryn Beach in Ceredigion was left neither shaken nor stirred when it played host to James Bond. It saw double the action: it was the backdrop to a love-scene between 007 and Jinx and was also used for the final scenes.

• Try this great nearby walk: Head up the coast from the seaside village of Aberporth towards Penbryn Beach remember to stop and keep an eye out for dolphins on this stretch.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) Starring Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth

Filmed at Marloes Sands, one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales, the stunning coastline provided the backdrop to the epic battle scenes.

• Try this great nearby walk : This magnificent beach is best revealed on a 2-3 mile walk around from nearby Martins Haven (though there is National Trust parking closer to the beach). This section is great for spotting seals.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 and 2 (2010/2011) Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Helena Bonham Carter

Freshwater Wests sand dunes shall forever be the resting place of the house-elf Dobby. A shell house was constructed on the beach as one of the sets for the film.

• Try this great nearby walk : Head to Freshwater West and enjoy a stroll on golden sands.

Robin Hood (2010) Starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett

The stunning beach of Freshwater West can be spotted in this Ridley Scott-epic, which sees the beach become a battle field as Robin Hood fights to repel the French invaders.

• Try this great nearby walk : At just less than ten miles, try a heroic walk from West Angle Bay round to Freshwater West. The scenery is spectacular.

This is just a sampling of the many opportunities along the Wales Coast Path to take in fresh air, enjoy some gentle exercise, explore nature and encounter wildlife. For additional info on everything that Wales has to offer visitors americas.visitwales.co m

@visitwales facebook.com/visitwales

EDITORS NOTES:

• The Wales Coast Path runs from the Welsh border in north Wales to Chepstow in the south.

• Creation of the Path was a key Welsh Government commitment. The aim was and is to bring economic benefit to coastal areas and encourage active lifestyles.

• The Path has something to offer everyone - from those looking for a short stroll to those undertaking the whole route in one trip, and it provides access to numerous leisure activities.

• The Path will be further improved, in terms of alignment, infrastructure and information.

• The project is coordinated by Natural Resources Wales and delivered on the ground by the local authorities through which it passes. Funding is coming from the European Union (approx 4 million in total), Welsh Government (approx 2 million per year) and the local authorities.

Oregon Welsh Festival Choir invitation!

Oregon Welsh Festival Chorus [OWFC]

Director: Owen Hofmann-Smith
Accompanist: Claudia Zahorcak

Calling all singers!

The Chorus will sing in the Afternoon Session of the 78th Annual Gymanfa Ganu, Sunday,
June 23, 2013 the Welsh hymn festival at Bryn Seion Welsh Church, Beavercreek, Oregon.
Passion for 4-part singing required! Prior knowledge of the Welsh language not required!
Rehearsal Schedule
Sundays at 7:00 PM, Kenilworth Presbyterian Church,
SE Gladstone & 34th, Portland:
May 12
May 19
May 26
June 2
June 16
Final rehearsal at Bryn Seion Welsh Church:
Friday or Saturday, June 21 or 22.
For further information contact:
Owen Hofmann-Smith, owen.hofmann.smith@gmail.com

MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE 78th ANNUAL GYMANFA GANU HERE

Nerys Jones will direct the morning session of the Bryn Seion 78th Annual Gymanfa Ganu. Read our 2011 interview with Nerys here:- Interview with Nerys Jones

On this day 1999, the first elections to the National Assembly of Wales were held.  

The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with the authority to make legislation in Wales.  The 60 members, who are referred to as A.M (Assembly Member)are elected for four-year terms, with 40 of them representing geographical constituencies  and 20 representing five electoral regions.  Initially, the Assembly assumed most of the powers of the Welsh Office and Secretary of State for Wales, but following a referendum on 3 March 2011, it now legislates in many more areas without having to consult with the UK parliament. 

On 6th May 1829, the London-based Welsh society, The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion held an eisteddfod in London.

The society was first established in 1751 as a cultural, social, literary and philanthropic institution by the brothers Lewis and Richard Morris of Anglesey. Its name being taken from the Welsh cyn-frodorion, meaning earliest natives.

 Today, membership of the society is open to all. It has its own publications and holds lectures, all of which concern the native culture, language and literature of Wales.  

On 6th May 1806, the first Welsh language version of the New Testament issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society was published, which was followed by the first Welsh language Bible published on 7th May 1807.

The British and Foreign Bible Society is a Christian Bible society, not limited to a particular religious group.  Its purpose is to encourage the use of the Scriptures all over the World.

The Society was formed in 1804 by a group of people including William Wilberforce and the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist clergyman, Thomas Charles to address the problem of a lack of affordable Bibles written in Welsh, which was highlighted in 1800 by the a young Welsh girl, Mary Jones, who walked 26 miles to Bala, to get a Bible.

The strategy of the society centres on;

* Translating and revising existing Bibles. 

* Printing copies and producing sign language, audio and digital versions of the Scriptures 

* Distributing copies of the Bible to places it might otherwise not be found.

* Helping people to read by using the Bible. 

  
Killed in action in Macedonia this day 1918 and buried at the Doiran Military Cemetery, Greece

William James Jones , Royal Welch Fusiliers, born in Penrhiwceiber, near Aberdare, he was a former Wales soccer international, who played  club football for West Ham United.

 
Llandaff Cathedral

Llandaff Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff. The current building was constructed in the 12th century over the site of an earlier church. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul and also to the Welsh saints Dyfrig, Teilo and Euddogwy, d uring the 19th century, when the Bishop of Llandaff began, for the first time for centuries, to reside in Llandaff, the cathedral was extensively restored, the tower rebuilt and a spire added. Much of the restoration work was completed by local architect John Pritchard, who was born on the 6th may 1886 and is buried on the south side of the Cathedral

Timeline history of Llandaff Cathedral;

A Christian community was established by Saint Dyfrig in the 6th century at a ford on the River Taff and the first church was founded by Dyfrig's' successor, Saint Teilo. The original church is no longer extant, but a standing Celtic cross testifies to the presence of Christian worship at the site in pre-Norman times.

The Normans occupied Glamorgan early after their conquest and appointed Urban their first bishop in 1107.

Urban began construction of the cathedral in 1120. 

The west front dates from 1220 and contains a statue of St. Teilo.

The Lady Chapel was built by William de Braose, bishop from 1266 to 1287.

Damage was done to the church in 1400 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr. 

Late medieval tombs include that of Sir David ap Mathew   (1400–1484), who  was 'Grand Standard Bearer Of England', granted under King Edward IV, for saving his life at the Battle of Towton  1461 (War Of The Roses).

During the English Civil War, (1642–1651)  the cathedral was overrun by Parliamentarian troops.

The southwest tower suffered major damage in the Great Storm of 1703 

 In 1734, work began on a new cathedral, nicknamed the "Italian Temple". It was used for a hundred years but never completed and only a few stones remain.

Mid 19th century, restoration work was completed by local architect John Pritchard.

On the evening of 2 January 1941 during World War II the cathedral was severely damaged when a parachute mine was dropped nearby during the Cardiff Blitz, blowing the roof off the nave,

Major restorations and reconfigurations were carried out  and the building was back in use in June 1958.

The Queen attended a service celebrating the completion of the restoration on 6 August 1960.

In February 2007, the cathedral suffered a severe lightning strike, with severe damage caused to the electric organ. 

On 6th May 1960 Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones, whose father was Welsh, were married.  

The last execution to take place in Wales, occurred on 6th May 1958 when Vivian Teed was hanged for murder at Swansea Prison.  

The winners of our Portland 'Hunky Dory' ticket giveaway competition are:-

Claudia Zahorcak & Betty Pierce

Congratulatiion/Llongyfarchiadau to both our winners. We will be notifying them of performance times and ticket pickup details via email. Hope to see you all at one of the performances. Here are the dates and times:-

Hollywood Theater, Sandy Boulevard Monday May 6th 7.15 pm

Hollywood Theater, Sandy Boulevard Wednesday May 8th 7.15 pm

Hollywood Theater, Sandy Boulevard Thursday May 9th 7.15 pm

On 5th May 1405, Owain Glyndŵr suffered his first major defeat at the Battle of Pwll Melyn on land immediately to the north of Usk Castle. This setback was to seriously weaken the strength of his rebellion in South East Wales.

The battle had begun with an attack on Usk Castle, led by Glyndwr's son, Gruffydd. The castle repelled the assault and counter-attacked, driving the Welsh across the Usk and into the forest of Monkswood towards Mynydd Pwll Melyn - the 'Hill of the Yellow Pool'. According to the report from Adam of Usk, the Welsh lost 1,500 men, with three hundred beheaded in front of Usk Castle. Included in those killed were Glyndwr's brother Tudor and John ap Hywel, Abbot of the Llantarnam Cistercian monastery, as he was ministering to the dying and wounded, Gruffydd was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London.  

The Wales Coast Path which follows the whole of the coastline of  Wales was opened this day 2012, 

*   It  is an 870 miles walking route from Chepstow, in the south, to Queensferry, in the north.

*   Wales is the first country in the world to have a dedicated footpath along its entire coastline.

*   In 2011 National Geographic magazine voted the Welsh Coastline as the second best coastal destination in the world. (Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula was voted top)

*   The Wales Coast Path links with the Offa's Dyke to create a 1,030 miles  continuous walking route around the whole of Wales.

Born this day 1944 in Aberystwyth

Roger Rees, Tony-winning actor, best known for playing Robin Colcord on the  television show Cheers and Lord John Marbury on the television drama The West Wing.

Today is the feast day of Saint Asaph

Saint Asaph, died c.601, was the son of King Sawl Penuchel from Yr Hen Ogledd and lived in a hermitage in Tegeingl nr Holywell.  He was the second Bishop of St Asaph succeeding Kentigern alias Saint Mungo who founded the monastery there.

 Kentigern who would regularly pray standing in the cold river, once asked Asaph, to find wood for a fire, but instead, Asaph carried red hot coals to him, in his apron.  This, Kentigern took to be a miracle and showed him the power of Asaph's faith.  

  On 5th May 1967, the Brynglas Tunnels by passing Newport on the M4 motorway were opened.  

The Brynglas Tunnels carry the M4 motorway under Brynglas Hill in Newport. The 1,200-foot-long twin-bored tunnels were the first tunnels in the British motorway network and are still the only bored tunnels.  However, the tunnels have become a bottleneck, because of variable speed limits and the fact that the Newport bypass between junctions 24 and 28 have been widened to three lanes, except for the tunnels and Usk Bridge. 

On this day 1471, Sir John Donne of Kidwelly was knighted on the battlefield following the Battle of Tewkesbury, during, the Wars of the Roses

The Battle of Tewkesbury;

Henry VI's Lancastrian army marched toward the Welsh border in order to recruit more troops, knowing that Edward IV and his Yorkist army were trying to intercept them, they took up a strong defensive at Tewkesbury. When Edward VI reached Tewkesbury he immediately engaged the enemy and routed the Lancastrians.  The result of the battle was that Henry VI's son Edward, the Prince of Wales died in battle and his wife Queen Margaret was captured.

The Donnes of  Kidwelly were a distinguished family, John's father Gruffydd had fought at the Battle of Agincourt and his mother Joan Scudamore was a grandchild of Owain Glyndwr,  in his late teens, he entered the service of the Duke of York, father of Edward IV, later becoming Edward's Esquire of the Body ( personal attendant to the king).  After the Battle of Tewkesbury, he was given lands in Buckinghamshire.  As a mark of the high esteem in which he was held, when he died, he was buried next to Edward IV in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.  

Born this day 1850

Samuel Arthur Brain , who with his uncle Joseph Benjamin Brain, founded Brains (S. A. Brain & Company Ltd) in 1882 in Cardiff.  The company owns over 250 pubs mostly in Cardiff.

Brains were the shirt sponsor for the Welsh rugby union team between 2004 and 2010, but as French law forbids alcohol sponsorship logos from appearing on rugby jerseys, the branding  "Brains" was replaced with "Brawn" when the Welsh team played in France in 2005 and to "Brawn Again" in 2007.

Some of the range of Brains beers;

Brains SA, the flagship brand, which is a light-coloured malty best bitter, colloquially known as "Skull Attack".

Brains Bitter is the brewery's standard bitter

Brains Smooth, which is pasteurised and nitrogenated

Brains Dark, which is a dark mild ale made from roasted malts

Brains IPA

SA Gold, which is hopped with Cascade, Target and Styrian Golding hops

45, a strong lager discontinued in 2011.

The Rev. James is a strong best bitter

Brains Black is a  stout

Hancocks HB  

St David's Ale is brewed to celebrate St David's Day

Taff End, which celebrates the sponsorship of the Glamorgan County Cricket Club

Bread of Heaven is sold during the Six Nations Championship

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, launched in 2006 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Welsh national anthem and is a golden ale brewed with Welsh honey.  

On 4th May 1959 Aneurin Bevan was elected as deputy leader of the Labour Party.  Bevan  was one of the most charismatic ministers of the post-war Labour government, who was instrumental in establishing the National Health Service.

Bevan was born in Tredegar on 15th November 1897 and at aged 13 he followed his father in working as a coal miner. He soon became a socialist and  trades union activist and during the 1926 General Strike, emerged as a leader of the miners of South Wales miners. Then in 1929, he became MP for Ebbw Vale and after Labour's post-war election victory in 1945 was appointed Minister for Health and was at the forefront of the establishment of the National Health Service.

In 1951, Bevan was switched to Minister of Labour, but resigned shortly afterwards in protest of his goverment's introduction of prescription charges for dental work and spectacles.  He was afterwards seen as a leader of a left-wing group in Labour Party, known as 'Bevanites' and stood unsuccessfully for the party leadership in 1955.  In 1959, Bevan was elected as deputy leader of the Labour Party, even though it was known that he was suffering from cancer.  Bevan died the following year on 6th July.

On 4th May 1725, according to tradition, Ann Thomas (the "Maid of Cefn Ydfa")  was forced to marry lawyer Anthony Maddocks and died pining for her true love.

Ann was born in 1704, a cousin of philosopher Richard Price.  Her father died in 1706 and she was placed  in the wardship of Anthony Maddocks from Cwmrisga, who decided that Ann would marry his son, also called Anthony, but legend tells us that Ann had previously fallen in love with the poet and thatcher Wil Hopcyn and when discovered were forbidden to see each other.

 The couple continued  sending love letters to each other in secret but were uncovered by Ann's mother, who confiscated her writing materials.  Hopcyn then left the area and Ann married Anthony Maddocks, but she is said to have pined so badly for her lover that she fell seriously ill.  On her death bed, she requested to see Hopcyn for the last time, who arrived in time for Ann to die in his arms.