In recent years, we have seen a considerable increase in the desire of individuals and groups, including visitors and newcomers from other countries, to extend their visceral experience of Wales as a country.
In addition, and perhaps more significantly, many individuals educated in Wales have spoken up about not receiving a history curriculum in school which addressed key social, political, and industrial issues that affected the lives of communities in Wales.
Key Events
In the inspirational, engaging, and thought-provoking 10 Stories from Welsh History, Ifan Morgan Jones unravels key events, people, and places that have endured hardship, disasters, and campaigned for change in Welsh identity, as well as those who have contributed on a broader scale by excelling as inventors, scientists, politicians, musicians, and more. The intriguing timeline and outstanding illustrations by Telor Glyn also enhance the compelling narrative.
As an incomer to Wales, the text highlighted my lack of awareness of key features of Welsh history, which link to our local communities. For instance, the Great Strike at the Penrhyn Quarry (Chwarel y Penrhyn) resulted in large numbers of poverty-stricken quarrymen and their families moving from Welsh-speaking areas such as Blaenau Ffestiniog, Bethesda, Deiniolen and Dyffryn Nantlle to come to local areas such as Brymbo, Coedpoeth, Queens Park and Bersham to settle and seek work in the coal mines of Bersham and Llay and the steel and leatherworks at Brymbo.
“Language of Peasants”
These newcomers, who were mainly Welsh speakers, were unable to send their children to Welsh-medium schools since the government in London viewed the Welsh language as “an insignificant language of peasants” and refused to establish Welsh-medium schools.
Following campaigns by Eileen Beasley, championing people’s rights to use the Welsh language, schools such as Ysgol Bodhyryd, Ysgol Plas Coch, and Coleg Cambria have enabled significant numbers of families to rekindle the Welsh language of their grandparents. Readers can observe in communities across Wales how the significance of the Welsh language has evolved in the past 50 years in education, business, and leisure.
The positive attitude of the management team at “Clwb Peldroed Wrecsam” (Wrexham Football Club) towards the Welsh language highlights an outstanding example of the impact of a socially historical change.
Merthyr Riots
The book contains some harrowing sections such as The Merthyr Riots of 1831, the Race Riots in Newport, Barry and Cardiff(1919) and particularly on The Cost of Coal, which focuses on the tragedies at Senghenydd in 1913 when 439 miners perished, Gresford (1934) when 266 miners lost their lives and the Aberfan disaster in 1966 when 116 chikldren and 28 adults died.
The slag heap at Aberfan was over 100 feet high, and despite protests, the National Coal Board had taken no action to make the tip safe. The coalfields of Wales had a reputation for being the most dangerous in Britain, and between 1874 and 1914, over 2,500 people died in Wales as a result of explosions.
Hen Wlad Fy’n Nhadau
It was disappointing that Ifan failed to include exemplars of the significant contributions Welsh sport, particularly football and rugby, has made historically and culturally within communities in promoting the country’s identity and image. The Welsh identity is clearly evident at football and rugby internationals with the rousing crowd renditions of “Hen Wlad Fy’n Nhadau” and “Yma O Hyd”. These events symbolise the impact that sport has had, integrating the historical past with a new and vibrant “Welsh identity”.
Ifan Morgan Jones is to be applauded for an excellently structured and illustrated work that brings Welsh social history alive, and makes it relevant in terms of illuminating a journey of social change. Modern technology can bring history alive in many ways. Still, for many children and adults, history becomes more relevant through place names, old buildings, old photographs, and, in particular, stories from elderly neighbours and grandparents.
Tracing how your background and culture resonate with the history of Wales will enable readers of all ages to relate Welsh history to their own lives.
Ardderchog (Excellent).
We hope you enjoyed reading about “Pivotal Moments in the History of Wales”. Click here for more of John’s book reviews.
Author: John Morris for Love Wrexham Magazine
John is an FA coach. He has worked with young players at Fulham, Chelsea, QPR and Wrexham, promoting resilience, tenacity and self-discipline. He is currently a consultant addressing growth mindsets to promote sports, education, and business performance.
