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On 13th May 1839, the first of the Rebecca Riots took place at Efailwen near St Clears
The Rebecca riots took place between 1839 and 1843, in the rural parts of west Wales, mostly in Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire. They were a series of protests made mostly by tenant farmers against the payment of tolls to use the roads. During the riots, men disguised as women attacked the tollgates calling themselves 'Rebecca and her daughters', most likely referring to a passage in the Bible where Rebecca talks of the need to 'possess the gates of those who hate them'
The 1830's, the period leading up to riots were turbulent times. The population of the rural areas of Wales had doubled in the century before the riots and it was hard for them all to gain a livelihood. On top of this farmers also had to pay a tenth of all their produce to the church.
The last straw was the toll gate system, roads were especially bad in Wales and to remedy this, the government established turnpike trusts, which were made up of trustees (usually local businessmen and landowners) who were responsible for maintaining the roads, which they funded by erecting toll gates. Farmers were especially hard-hit by this as they used the roads to transport their produce. In 1839, a gate was put up at Efailwen to catch farmers who were evading the tolls, there were already twelve gates surrounding Carmarthen and this was seen as a step too far.
The Efailwen gate was destroyed by a large crowd and when it was re-erected, a public meeting concluded that there was no need for the gate and it was destroyed for a second time.
On 13th May 1897, radio pioneer, Guglielmo Marconi made history, by transmitting a radio signal from Flat Holm to Lavernock Point in the Vale of Glamorgan.
On 13th May 2011, the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales announced the reinstatement of the rule of abstaining from eating red meat on Fridays to coincide with the first anniversary of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.
On 13th May 1849 a case of cholera was recorded in Cardiff. It was the beginning of a dreadful outbreak which impacted the ports and mining communities of both South and North Wales, eventually killing over 800 people.
Victims were buried in special locations as it was thought at the time that the corpses carried the risk of contagion. These were often in remote places such as the cholera graveyard of Cefn Golau on a bleak moorland outside the former steel and coal mining town of Tredegar.
Born this day 1737 in Llanidan, Anglesey
The "copper king", Thomas Williams , who was an industrialist and MP and at the time of his death, the richest man in Wales.
Williams who owned the Parys and Mona copper mines in Anglesey and others in Cornwall made aquisitions in Flint, Penclawdd, Holywell, Lancashire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to ensure that these mines controlled their own smelting, manufacture, warehousing and banking.
During his career, Williams became MP for Marlow in Buckinghamshire and controversially supported the slave trade, as many of his manufactured goods were exported to Africa in exchange for slaves, who were then sold in the West Indies to purchase commodities such as sugar for import into Britain.
On 13th May 1888, Beatrix Potter, aged 22, recorded a train journey to Machynlleth in her diary, complaining how it took four hours to from Shrewsbury to Machynlleth. She described Machynlleth was awretched town as hardly anyone could speak English.
Beatrix was more complimentary of the countryside, which she described as beautiful and the Welsh people who seemed to her to be a pleasant intelligent race, but she also thought they would be difficult to live with.
On 12th May 1999, the office of First Minister of Wales was formed as the leader of the Welsh Assembly, the post was originally known as First Secretary for Wales.
There have to date, been three First Ministers of Wales;
Alan Michael, from 12th May 1999 to 9th February 2000
Rhodri Morgan, from 9th February 2000 to 9th December 2009
Carwyn James, incumbent from 9th December 2009.
Born on this day 1867 in Bruge, Belgium
Sir Frank Brangwyn - Britains’ leading decorative artist, who produced a phenomenally large body of work across a diverse range of styles and disciplines.
His parents, William Curtis Brangwyn a Welsh architect and Eleanor Griffiths from Brecon had moved to Bruges when his father obtained work producing murals paintings, frescoes, and mosaics, as well as being responsible for the reconstruction of the monastery church of St André.
They returned to London when Frank was eight years old and he took to sketching in his early teens. Largely self-taught, Brangwyn exhibited at the Royal Academy aged 18 and then began producing a book of illustrations. During the 1890s, he travelled widely across Europe and in the 1900s he began designing furniture, textiles and ceramics.
During the First World War he was made an Official War artist and produced over 80 poster designs that encouraged men to join the armed forces. One poster caused such deep offence from KaiserWilhelm II that he is said to have put a price on Brangwyn’s head.
In 1924 Brangwyn was commissioned by the Royal Gallery in the House of Lords to produce panels commemorating the First World War, but they were rejected as being too flamboyant and subsequently used instead in the Guildhall, Swansea.
Born on this day 1749, probably at Warwick Castle
Charles Francis Greville - founder of the town and seaport of Milford Haven.
The parish of Slebech in Pembrokeshire was owned by Greville's uncle, Sir William Hamilton, the husband of Emma Hart (Lady Emma Hamilton), who became the lover of Lord Nelson and who had previously been Greville's lover.
In 1790, Greville applied to Parliament to construct quays, markets and access roads to the port at Milford and to a make it the linking point for transferring mail to and from Ireland. He then invited seven Quaker families from Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts to settle in the new town, which was founded in 1793 and designed on grid pattern layout.
After the formation of the town, Milford Haven became a well-known whaling port for several decades and in 1797, a Royal Dockyard was established during the Napoleonic Wars. Lord Nelson when visiting described it as the second best natural harbour in the world, with only Trincomalee in Sri Lanka being better.
In 1814, the Royal Dockyard was transferred to Pembroke Dock and a commercial dock was established at Milford, which became the home of a successful fishing and boat building industry.
Then in 1850's, a network of forts was constructed on both sides of the Milford Haven estuary, as a defence against an anticipated French invasion and during the Second World War, Milford Haven housed approximately 1,000 American troops.
In the 1960's many of the chief oil companies opened refineries at Milford, which resulted in the port dealing with three times the combined trade of all the other ports of Wales by 1974.
On this day 2012 Only Boys Aloud, the Welsh choir made up of boys aged 14–19, finished third in Britains Got Talent, singing their version of Calon Lân which subsequently became number one in the iTunes classical singles chart.
32 people were killed in an air raid on Pembroke Dock on 12th May 1941.
During World War II, Pembroke Dock, with its aircraft station, barracks and naval oil depot, was within easy range of German bombers based in France and a target for repeated air raids.
In May 1973, Sony opened its factory in Bridgend. It was the first major Japanese investment in Wales.
The Cross of Neith was a sacred relic taken from the home of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd at Aberconwy by Edward I, following the death of Llywelyn and the subsequent subjugation of Wales. In May 1285, it was paraded through London at the head of a Royal Procession.
The Cross of Neith ( Y Groes Naid ) was believed to be a fragment of the True Cross which is thought to have been brought back from Rome by Hywel Dda around 928, following his pilgrimage and handed down from prince to prince.
It is thought to have been later destroyed during the Puritan revolution of 1649.
Born this day 1739 in Kilkenny Castle, Ireland
Eleanor Charlotte Butler , who with her friend Sarah Ponsonby, beame known as the Ladies of Llangollen, two upper-class women from Ireland, whose relationship scandalised and fascinated their contemporaries and were described as "the two most celebrated virgins in Europe".
Rather than face the possibility of being forced into unwanted marriages, they left Ireland, for Llangollen in 1778 and although the ladies wanted to live a quiet life, reading, writing, drawing and gardening, it was a sensation in the 18th century for unmarried ladies to live together independently and they became celebrities and would often entertain up to 20 visitors per day.
However, probably because of their aristocratic backgrounds, they insisted on maintaining a household that consisted of a footman, a gardener and maids, which incurred them considerable debts and led to Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, persuaded her husband to grant them a pension.
Their home, Plas Newydd is now a museum and a major tourist attraction.
On this day 1963 MI5 agent, Welshman Greville Wynne was found guilty by a Moscow tribunal of spying for the West , he was sentenced to three years in prison and five in a labour camp, his co-accused, 43-year-old Soviet official Oleg Penkovsky, was given the death sentence and executed by firing squad one week after the trial. this came at the height of the Cold War when relations between the superpowers were particularly strained.
Wynne, from Ystrad Mynach, had acted as a go-between passing on "information about Soviet rockets" provided for him by Penkovsky during secret meetings in London, Paris and Moscow and 17 months into his sentence, he was exchanged for Soviet spy Gordon Lonsdale. On his release, Wynne was in a poor state of health. He had lost a lot of weight and doctors said his time in prison had left him "emotionally and mentally exhausted". Wynne went on to writee about his time as a spy in a book entitled The Man from Odessa, which was one of the early examples of a book being published about secret work that the government never expected to be made public.
Born this day 1880 in Llandinham, Montgomeryshire
David Davies, 1st Baron Davies politician, the grandson of the industrialist, David Davies "Llandinham".
Davies was a Liberal MP and an active supporter of the League of nations. In 1932, he was instrumental in the establisment of the New Commonwealth Society for ‘the promotion of international law and order’ and his ideas had an impact on the writing of the UN Charter.
On 10th May 1837, 21 men and boys were killed when the Plas yr Argoed colliery near Mold, flooded. Among those killed were the father and two brothers of the novelist Daniel Owen, who is generally regarded as the foremost Welsh-language novelist of the 19th century.
On 10th May 1852 tragedy fell on the village of Pontyberem when the Gwendraeth Colliery flooded killing all 26 men and boys on the night shift. It is said that it took 18 months to recover the bodies.
The village of Pontyberem, which is situated in the Gwendraeth Valley halfway between Carmarthen and Llanelli grew as the coal mining industry in the area developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There were four principal mines in the Pontyberem Area, Pontyberem colliery, Pentremawr, Glynhebog and Gwendraeth colliery (Watney pit). However, all of them are no coal mines operating in the Gwendraeth Valley, due to the subsequent demise of the coal industry.
Born this day 1980 in Newbridge, near Caerphilly
Gavin Rees professional boxer, nicknamed "The Rock". In 2007, Rees shocked the boxing world by defeating Souleymane M'baye to become the WBA Light Welterweight World Champion.
Born this day 1934 in Tredegar
Cliff Wilson - World Amateur Snooker champion 1978
Wilson is fondly remembered as one of snooker's great characters, with his dashing play, booming laugh and wheezing cough. While many of his contemporaries were locked into defensive mindsets, Wilson was an attacking player who delighted crowds with his stunning long pots, his popular exhibitions went under the banner "You've never seen anything like it!"
Wilson was a talented youngster winning the Welsh Under 19 and Welsh Amateur titles, but became disillusioned with the game and gave up snooker completely for fifteen years, during which time he worked at the steelworks at Llanwern. When the popularity of snooker rocketed in the 1970's, Wilson returned to the game and became World Amateur Snooker champion in 1978. Despite worsening eyesight and back problems, Wilson turned professional and at the age of 55, he reached 14th spot in the world rankings during the 1988-89 season.
Former professional Neal Foulds said of him " There was a guy called Cliff Wilson who was probably the best potter that I ever saw. He was a relatively old man with bad eyes and he used to pot balls all over the place"
Born this day 1872 in Bombay
Tom Pearson , former Wales rugby international and captain. Pearson also represented Wales in squash, tennis, hockey and golf. He was the youngest player to score a try for Wales until the record was overtaken by Tom Prydie in 2010 and he holds the record for the number of tries scored in a season for Cardiff with 40 tries. During World War I he served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Field Artillery.
Born this day 1877 in Morriston
Will Joseph , former Wales rugby international, who was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 All Blacks. He was a prop forward who was described as a strong player in tight scrums and due to his height, excellent in line outs.
On 9th May 1956, the Gower Peninsula became the first area in Britain to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Tintern Abbey was founded on 9th May 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow.
Tintern Abbey is situated on the Welsh bank of the River Wye in the village of Tintern, Monmouthshire. It was the first Cistercian Abbey in Wales and only the second in Britain and was run by monks from L'Aumône, in the diocese of Blois in France. It also provided work for local people who provided it with services and worked on its agricultural land.
1326 King Edward II stayed at the Abbey for two nights.
1349 The Abbey was reported as being short of labour, as a result of the Black Death that swept the country.
1405 Abbey properties were destroyed by the Welsh during the uprising of Owain Glyndwr.
1536 Abbot Wyche surrendered Tintern Abbey and all its estates to King Henry VIII's representatives as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, with all valuables from the Abbey being sent Royal Treasury
1782 After the publication of the book Observations on the River Wye by the Reverend William Gilpin, it became fashionable to visit the wild picturesque Wye Valley and the Abbey, in particular, was regularly frequented by romantic tourists.
1798 William Wordsworth visited and composed his famous poem "Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey".
1822 An access road was opened through the valley, before which the Abbey was mostly only accessible by river.
1901 The Abbey was bought by the crown and recognised as a monument of national importance.
1914 Major structural repairs were undertaken.
1984 The Abbey was taken over by Cadw.
Born this day 1918 in Llangefni, Anglesey
Sir John "Kyffin" Williams - widely respected landscape painter.
Born this day 1849 in Rhosllannerchrugog
James Sauvage - World-renowned baritone singer, who became friendly with David Lloyd George, after performing a personal concert Lloyd George's mother, who was very ill and unable to attend Sauvage's concert at the National Eisteddfod.
Sauvage, who from at the age of nine had worked at a local colliery, left for America at eighteen to find work in the Ohio coalfields. He soon came to the attention of a touring Welsh concert party, who he joined and with whom, he toured the USA. When the party returned to Wales, Sauvage came with them and soon embarked on a successful solo career. He later returned and settled in the USA, where he became Professor of Singing at Vassar College in New York.
On this day 1648, the Battle of St Fagans occurred, during The English Civil War
In the build-up to this battle, a group of Parliamentarian generals led by Major General Rowland Laugharne were upset and dissatisfied with the lack of pay and had rebelled, changing sides and declaring loyalty to the king. They had been successful in Neath and Swansea, before marching on Cardiff to meet up with Royalist sympathisers there.
Parliament was desperate to intercept them before they reached Cardiff and ordered colonel Thomas Horton to force march his troops march from Brecon. Horton duly arrived at St Fagans, to protect the western approach to Cardiff, but although he had superior numbers, estimated at 8,000 as opposed to Laugharne's 3,000 men, he also knew that the bulk of his army were untrained amateur volunteers armed with clubs and billhooks and opposing him were the highly trained and equipped New Model Army.
Laugharne launched an all out surprise attack, but this was repelled by the Parliamentarians and the battle was effectively over within two hours. Around 300 Royalists were killed, with over 3000 taken prisoner. Laugharne, accompanied by his senior officers fled to Pembroke Castle, where they were besieged for eight weeks, before Oliver Cromwell himself arrived and battered them into surrender.
Died this day 1874
Zephaniah Williams - One of the three leaders of the Newport Rising of 1839.
Williams was born near Argoed, Sirhowy Valley in Monmouthshire. He became a coal miner, Master Collier and innkeeper and with the local Working Men's Association meeting at his home he soon emerged as a leader of the Chartist movement in South-East Wales and was one of the leaders of a large column of men who marched to the Westgate hotel in Newport during the Newport Rising of 1839, which some regard as the greatest armed rebellion in 19th century Britain.
Williams had a reputation as a political activist, having once been prosecuted at Usk in 1833 for blowing up a coal mine in a dispute with the mine owner. He was also an atheist, who supposedly spat every time someone mentioned Christ.
For his part in the Chartist march he was sentenced the following year to death by hanging, drawing and quartering, which was later commuted to transportation to Tasmania. He was given a conditional pardon in 1854, but he decided to remain in Tasmania and brought out his wife and family. He later discovered coal on the island and made a considerable fortune founding the Tasmanian coal trade.
On 8th May 1839, the popular chartist leader Henry Vincent was arrested after addressing a Chartist meeting and taken to prison at Monmouth. It was Vincent's subsequent imprisonment, combined with the government's rejection of the first Chartist petition, the "People's Charter of 1838", that led to the Newport Rising of 4th November 1839.
On 8th May 2012, backing was given to construct the Pen y Cymoedd 76 turbine wind farm, the highest-generating onshore wind farm in Wales, located above the village of Glyncorrwg in the Afan Valley.
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.
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.
