RICHARD TREVITHICK

On this day in 1804, the first steam train made its maiden journey, from Penydarren Ironworks to Abercynon

Samuel Homfray, the owner of the Penydaren Ironworks tasked Richard Trevithick his mechanical engineer to produce a steam locomotive to transport the produce of the ironworks. Homfray was so impressed with Trevithick's design that he placed a wager with Richard Crawshay that it could haul ten tons of iron from Penydarren Ironworks to Abercynon, a distance of 9.75 miles (16 km).

On the morning of 21 February 1804, Trevithick's locomotive successfully completed the journey in 4 hours and 5 minutes, reaching a top speed of nearly five miles an hour and this became the World's first locomotive-hauled railway journey. There is a monument dedicated to Trevithick's locomotive in Merthyr and a full-scale working reconstruction of it can be seen at National Waterfront Museum in Swansea where several times a year it is run on a 40m length of rail outside the museum.

GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH

On 21st February 1152 Archbishop Theobald consecrated Geoffrey of Monmouth as bishop of St Asaph. Geoffrey, whose work is generally accepted as establishing the myths surrounding King Arthur and Merlin, was probably born sometime between 1100 and 1110 in Wales or the Welsh Marches.

He was a cleric and author, who is best known for his chronicle Historia Regum Britanniae ("History of the Kings of Britain"), which was widely popular in its day and was credited well into the 16th century. It is now however acknowledged by many modern historians as containing little reliable history.

CHARLOTTE CHURCH

Born this day 1986, in Llandaff.

Charlotte Church, who came to public notice when she made an impromptu appearance on "The Big Big Talent Show" in 1996, she came on to say a few words about her aunt, who was also making an appearance on the show, and was asked her to sing. She stole the show and immediately became an overnight sensation.

More television and concert appearances followed, such as those at Cardiff Arms Park, the London Palladium, the Royal Albert Hall, and opening for Shirley Bassey in Antwerp. She was signed to Sony Music (UK) and has released three best-selling albums of popular classics and at 12, she was the youngest person at no. 1 in the classical charts with the release of her album, Voice of an Angel.





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SIR WILLIAM GOSCOMBE JOHN

Born on this day 1860 in Canton, Cardiff.

Sir William Goscombe John - greatly respected sculptor who made several public monuments, memorials and statues of public figures, including the memorial at Port Sunlight to the employees of Lever Brothers Ltd who died during the First World War.

BORN THIS DAY - TITUS LEWIS

Born on this day 1773 in Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire.

Titus Lewis - a Baptist minister and writer, who is notable for the publication of A Welsh-English Dictionary as well Hanes Prydain Fawr (a History of Great Britain) and several hymns and biblical commentaries, including, along with Christmas Evans, a translation of Gill's commentary on the New Testament into Welsh.