The Tonypandy Riots 1911

Today we are pleased to announce that Sheila Lewis .will be contributing a short story to our second edition. Original writing from Sheila Lewis Tom Stephen's Riot:-

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The Tonypandy riots on the Wikipedia

From the intro:-

"Tom Stepehens Riot is a work of fiction based on the actions of a courageous man of that same name, whose main concern was for the safety of his lady and her two young children when riots broke out at Tonypandy, Rhondda, in 1910.

Tom was step-father to my Great-Aunt Blodwen.

Blodwen Williams had been born in December, 1905, and was just 18 months old when her father died. She had a brother who was four years older. Their widowed mother tried to earn a living from her dress-making by carrying her sewing machine from house to house often walking many miles each day in the hope of finding employment.

Blodwen married my Great Uncle Theopholis Beddoe in December, 1930. Both remembered the night of the Tonypandy Riots. Blod told me how Tom Stephens braved the crowded streets for her familys sake."

An excerpt:-

"The shouts and screams of men and women hit my ears. I began to walk more quickly. I was approaching the Empire when a small group of women and children raced towards me.

Dont go that way! they shrieked. Youll be killed! They disappeared into the gloom and I saw more women and children approaching. Their screams and cries mingled with the far off shouts of men, and I moved closer to the shop walls to avoid being knocked over. The womens breaths were laboured; the effort of running on empty bellies was proving too much, and one woman seemed about to collapse. With her sisters help, I put her into the shelter of a doorway, then had to leave them I needed to get home.

I travelled towards Tonypandy Square, and as I drew nearer I could see a host of people; their numbers seemed to have increased a hundredfold in just a few hours.

Outside the Bridgend Hotel, the crowd was almost impenetrable. I could barely make any headway as I forced myself along the wall, hoping to avoid an injury. The silhouettes of the Mounted Police loomed high above the heads of the miners; truncheons were raised up and smashed down like pistons. There was no escape we were too tightly packed. I could hear the agonised cries all around, and battled hard to keep my feet on the ground in my attempt to cross Gilfach Road.

The Lord only knows how I managed to move through the solid mass of bodies. I eventually reached the other side of the roadway, and flattened myself against the wall of the corner building. I could hear the sounds of breaking glass and the screams of battle."

From Tom Stephens Riot by Sheila Lewis

Eto is a new bi-annual magazine featuring original works by Welsh fiction writers and poets. We will be releasing a full list of contributors and contents shortly. If you wish to be considered for publication please email the editors using the contact form on this page .

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