Forum Activity for @gaynor-madoc-leonard

Saving a village - Brechfa fights back

Welsh History

Brechfa, a tiny village in Carmarthenshire, has been in existence since the 6th century and currently has a population of about 300. The Forest Arms, the village pub, was once a popular place to eat out but has been closed for several years and is up for auction next month. In the meantime, the chapel has closed and the falling population means that the school has also been shut down. Now the villagers are determined to fight back as you can read in the Western Mail's article: www.walesonline.co.uk/news/need-to-read/2012/06/21/meet-brechfa-the-village-fighting-back-against-school-pub-and-chapel-closures-91466-31225849 .

updated by @gaynor-madoc-leonard: 11/11/15 10:38:17PM

Lake Caerwych by Jaime Conrad

Promoting Wales in the USA

To

updated by @gaynor-madoc-leonard: 11/11/15 10:38:17PM

The latest Cambria Magazine

Welsh History

Good, Harold. They want plenty of subscribers! It's a good quality magazine.

The latest Cambria Magazine

Welsh History

It's under 20 per annum for the 6 issues. I'm not sure what they charge for overseas. You can read back issues on their website although I'm not sure how far back they go. You could always contact them about your article.

The latest Cambria Magazine

Welsh History

As always the new edition of Cambria Magazine has a number of interesting articles on a variety of subjects. The ones that have immediately caught my eye and to which I shall return are "The Big Independence Question" by Owen Donovan who blogs under the name Oggy Bloggy Ogwr (naturally!); "Glorious Retreat" by Caroline Juler on the restoration of Roch Castle which was once the home of Lucy Walter, mistress to Charles II and mother of the (later beheaded) Duke of Monmouth, not to mention 8 x great grandmother to Diana, Princess of Wales; "Winds of Change" by Brian Davies on the beauties of Pumlumon; Lawrence Kelly's exploration of The Vale of Glamorgan; Peter N Williams on the history of Welsh coal. Patrick Thomas (my parents' vicar) writes about his visits to Armenia, similarities between Armenian and Welsh (both Indo-European languages) and the resilience of the Armenian people in maintaining their identity; all of this reminded me of when I first moved to London and lodged, along with my oldest friend, with a French-Armenian lady - I wish now that I had talked to her about Armenia and found out more about the country.

In addition to these riches, there's an article by Rita Tate about Ifor Thomas, the photographer; also an appreciation of the Swansea artist Patricia Briggs by Adam Salkeld and a fond obituary of Philip Madoc by Meic Stephens.

A book review which caught my eye was for "The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price, Purveyor of Superior Funerals" by Wendy Jones, which sounds delightful.

Finally, there's an article by Denley Owen, who is publishing "Powell Maesgwynne" via Cymdeithas Hunafiaethau Sir Gaerfyrddin, on WRH Powell, a radical Liberal MP of the 19th century. The heir to the Maesgwynne estate near Llanboidy, Carmarthenshire, he was called home from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1840 to help deal with the Rebecca uprising. Powell, however, sided with the oppressed and helped stop the replacement of the turnpike gates at Efailwen and Maesgwynne and the erection of new ones between Llanboidy and Whitland. Later he built a school at Llanboidy where 230 pupils were educated at his own expense and advocated ending the hiring-fairs. He was a really remarkable man, judging by this article.

See more about the magazine at www.cambriamagazine.com

updated by @gaynor-madoc-leonard: 11/11/15 10:38:17PM

The Civil List (ie: the Monarch's money)

General Discussions ( Anything Goes )

Yes, Rolf was asked to fill in some time by Lenny Henry, as Stevie Wonder was coming on stage. Even Princess Anne was singing along to it! I like Rolf too; he did a painting for a jubilee plate using his big brushes (the painting was big and reduced for the plate, before you ask!!). I also liked his painting of the Queen, which he did a couple of years ago - much better than Lucian Freud's!! She was really smiling in Rolf's painting.

The Civil List (ie: the Monarch's money)

General Discussions ( Anything Goes )

USP = Unique Selling Point/Proposition.

Your other comments are absolutely spot on. Just seen the concert outside Buckingham Palace - huge crowd with plenty of Red Dragons being waved and Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey (or Burly Chassis as my Dad calls her), Rob Brydon representing Wales. Will treasure vision of Rowan Williams singing All My Lovin' and Two Little Boys!

The Civil List (ie: the Monarch's money)

General Discussions ( Anything Goes )

The Royal Family is Great Britain's USP and does actually make a great deal of money for the nation through tourism. The recent shenanigans with politicians' and peers' expenses have only underlined the untrustiworthiness of those elected to govern us. We can look at, par exemple (cosmopolitan chez Madoc Leonard!), the French government. I'll say nothing about the new president as he hasn't time to settle in yet but, certainly in the recent past, it's been de rigueur (showing off now) for the French president to act as though he were a king. In 2007 Nicolas Sarkozy had his monthly salary doubled to Euro19K (gross) and the Elysee Palace's budget was raised from Euro32million to Euro100million (partly mitigated by the some staff having their salaries transferred from individual ministries to the palace). Hollande, now president, has made a 30% pay cut and will receive Euro14,910 per month, down from Euro21,300 per month gross.

HM the Queen does not have a private jet (Blair considered getting one for himself while he was PM, by the way) and her official yacht was taken from her in 1997. I went to see The Britannia when I was in Edinburgh in 2009 and can assure you that it was not that luxurious; the royal bedrooms were very simple indeed and the living areas very homely. She often travels by ordinary train to get to Sandringham now.

One thinks of the money wasted on and by European MPs, their enormous salaries and expenses and what do we get for it? A load of hot air (we might use them as a source of electricity!).

The Civil List (ie: the Monarch's money)

General Discussions ( Anything Goes )

Judging from some Tweets I've received this morningthere seems to be a great deal of misunderstanding about the money given to Queen Elizabeth II - what is known as The Civil List.

Up until now, each year the monarch has handed over money from The Crown Estate to the government (in 2009/2010 this came to 211million). In return she has receivedmoney from the government to run the monarchy and the royal households. From 2001 she received 7.9million (and that had not changed in 2011) plus 22million to run the royalpalaces. The queen does not own Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle herself, neither does she own the art collections etc. She does own other property and has investments from which she pays her own private expenses. She also pays taxes.

From 2013, this arrangement will be scrapped and there will be a new arrangement with the Queen receiving part of themoney from the Crown Estate, the remainder going to the treasury.She has cut back on the number of people in the royal family who receive money from the Civil List already.

The Crown Estate dates from the days of William the Conqueror and is run as a business by a board of trustees.

A fuller explanation of how the royal household works is on www.royal.gov.uk

Ifanyone isto sit in judgment of the Royal Family, then it's best thatthey have all the information available.

updated by @gaynor-madoc-leonard: 12/04/15 03:57:45PM

Welsh Dialects (North vs. South)

General Discussions ( Anything Goes )

Ah, now that is interesting. As I didn't go to a Welsh school (not my fault!) I didn't realise that. I suppose there's a marked difference between north and south and between "academic" Welsh in the two areas. People who have children atschoolin either area will no doubt be able to tell me. I must see if there's anything on the net about the Welsh curriculum.