Newyddion Blaen – Page 6 – Hanes Plaid Cymru

Dolgellau Conference 1967

Araith Gwynfor – Aelod Seneddol – Lluniau y Ffotograffydd Tudur Owen

Winnie Ewing yn Nolgellau 1967

Vic Davies (Ymgeisydd Is-etholiad y Rhondda) gyda Winnie Ewing (Ymgeisydd Is-etholiad Hamilton)

Photographer presents pictures from the 1960’s

: 1964 Meirion yn Diolch i Gwynfor

The photographer Tudur Owen, from Croesor, has presented a series of pictures dating back to 1964 to the Plaid Cymru History Society. Among the photographs are the Adoption Meeting of Elystan Morgan as a candidate in 1964, celebrations in the Plaid Cymru conference in 1966 following Gwynfor Evans’ by-election breakthrough, the Rhondda West and Caerffili campaigns of 1967 and 1968 and Dafydd Wigley’s campaign in Meirionnydd in 1970.

Plaid History Chair Dafydd Williams said, “This collection is a substantial addition to the archive and its great to see all the activity and buzz of the 1960s era brought to life in these photos.

“It’s interesting to see the presence of Winnie Ewing and a contingent of friends from the SNP in these images, in several memorable campaigns – a sure sign of the ties between our two national movements over the years.

: Winnie Ewing a Vic Davies yn Nolgellau 1966

“We are truly grateful to Tudur Owen for presenting this collection.”

Were you in Scotland?

Scores if not hundreds of Plaid members made their way north to help Yes Scotland in their fight for independence. Were you one of them? If so do you have a story we could publish on the Plaid History website (www.hanesplaidcymru.org)? We would welcome a note telling us where you went, any anecdote and a photo if possible. Please send to Dafydd Williams (daitenby@gmail.com).

DJ Williams

Eisteddfod 2014 – Pabell y Cymdeithasau 2 at 3:30pm, Wednesday, 6 August

With Simultaneous Translation

CELEBRATING A GREAT CARMARTHENSHIRE HERO

The achievements of one of Wales’ best loved twentieth century writers will be celebrated during the National Eisteddfod in Llanelli.

A memorial lecture will mark the life of D.J. Williams (1885-1970), one of Carmarthenshire’s most famous literary figures and a staunch nationalist who was brought up in Penrhiw, Llansawel.
At the age of 16 he left his childhood home for the mining valleys, working underground before becoming a teacher and carving out a distinguished career as an author.

‘D.J.’ was a dedicated nationalist and one of those who founded Plaid Cymru in 1925. Together with Saunders Lewis and Lewis Valentine, he helped in the celebrated burning of the bombing school at Penyberth, for which he was sentenced to a gaol sentence in Wormwood Scrubs.

During the mid-1960s Plaid Cymru faced a critical financial situation, and it is doubtful it could have contested the 1966 general election without his gift of the proceeds of the sale of Penrhiw.

The lecture, organised by the Plaid Cymru History Society, will take place in the societies pavilion (Pabell y Cymdeithasau 2) at 3:30pm, Wednesday, 6 August. It will be delivered by Emyr Hywel, author of the biography of DJ, ‘Y Cawr o Rydcymerau’.
A native of Blaenporth, Ceredigion, Emyr Hywel was headmaster of Ysgol Tre-groes until his retirement. He studied the life and work of DJ Williams for an M Phil. degree in the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and has also published a number of stories and poems for children.

The Plaid Cymru History Society aims at promoting discussion, information and research about he party and at extending knowledge about people and events that contributed to the constitutional history of our country before 1925.

Contact: Dafydd Williams (07557) 307667

Marian Morris

Councillor with iron in her soul

A leading member of Plaid Cymru in Merthyr Tydfil, Miss Marian Morris died in December 2013.

A devoted Plaid member for many years, she was a member of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council when the party was the ruling group under the leadership of Emrys Roberts.

For many years she served on the National Executive Council and was the Merthyr Branch Treasurer. She was also Honorary Branch President.

Paying tribute on behalf of the Merthyr and Rhymni Branch, Brian Thomas said: “I, like many other members, first got to know Marian in the 1970s when Plaid took off as a political force in the town. With other members, such as Emrys, Dafydd Wigley, Gareth and Linda Foster, Gwyn Griffiths (recently sadly deceased), my brother Geoff, she broke the stranglehold of the Labour Party in the council elections in the famous victory of 1979.

“Marian was a dear friend to all, and the Branch held regular meetings in her front room with plenty of cups of tea and coffee with biscuits.

“She worked tirelessly for her local church the Quar Church, a short distance from her home, and was a long-standing member of CND Cymru.

“We should all be truly thankful to Marian for her friendship and generosity and her love of Wales and the language.”

Emrys Roberts writes: “Margaret and I have very fond memories of Marian from our time in Merthyr Tydfil in the 1970s.

“She was a very quiet and unassuming woman with a great love of her country. Marian never looked for the spotlight or for any praise. She looked for work instead and she worked hard, with conviction and persistence, to help build a better Wales. She often reminded me of the fable about the tortoise whose persistence enabled him to reach the finishing post before the hare.

“When Margaret and I came to Merthyr Tydfil, everyone (apart from some Labour councillors, perhaps!) was very welcoming and friendly and promised all sorts of assistance. Plaid received a great deal of support from many people. But, unfortunately, many people fail to keep their promises. Marian was not like that. If she gave you her word, she would keep her word and she usually achieved far more than she had promised.

“Although quiet by nature, Marian had iron in her soul. She was loyal, active and persistent in her endeavours for Plaid and for Wales.

Diolch Marian.”

Penarth meeting led to formation of Plaid Cymru

Cyfarfod Penarth 7 Ionawr 2014 — Chairman of Penarth Branch Adrian Roper, Alun Ffred Jones AM, Professor Richard Wyn Jones, Dafydd Williams

A special event was held to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the first meeting of The Welsh Movement, the group which led to the formation of Plaid Cymru. The historic, secret meeting was held in Bedwas Place in Penarth on January 7, 1924, and led by the lecturer and dramatist, Saunders Lewis, who lived in Penarth for many years. At this month’s event, guest speaker Professor Richard Wyn Jones spoke of the importance of the meetings held by the group and how they led to links with Nationalists in north Wales and the official formation of Plaid Cymru the following year. He explained how policies drawn up by the group became the policies of Plaid Cymru in its early years. As well as Saunders Lewis, the first historic meeting was attended by the historian, Ambrose Bebb, and the owners of the house in which it was held, the historian and Welsh scholar, G. J. Williams, and his wife, Elizabeth. This month’s event, organised by the Plaid Cymru History Society and the Penarth Branch of Plaid Cymru, was attended by about a hundred people, including a television crew. A packed room at the Windsor Arms heard Penarth Branch Chairman Adrian Roper welcome Prof Jones, party members and supporters and local residents interested in the history of politics in Penarth. The meeting was chaired by Assembly Member Alun Ffred Jones, a grandson of the Rev Ffred Jones, who joined the group shortly after the first meeting. A vote of thanks to the speakers was given by the Chairman of the Plaid History Society, Dafydd Williams. Among the audience at the commemorative event were the parliamentary and Assembly candidates for Cardiff South and Penarth, Ben Foday and Dr Dafydd Trystan Davies, who was elected as the party’s national Chairman last year.

Women in Plaid Exhibition

In the 2013 Annual Conference an exhibition of Women in ‘Plaid Cymru – The Early Years’ prepared by Yvonne Balakrishnan was displayed by the History Society.