19 1991 (Tues.) Death of O. M. Owen (Mr Eisteddfod) . Buried on 22 March 1991. Born in Blaenporth in July 1912. He moved to London for 15 years before returning as an estate manager. He and his wife later ran a milk round and established a shop in Maesglas. He was a Town councillor for over 30 years, and mayor in 1975, 1977 and 1989. Best known for his work as general secretary of Gwyl Fawr Aberteifi and secretary of the Show. Received an MBE in 1979 for his services to the community.
14 1927 (Mon.) Birth of G. Berwyn Williams MBE, teacher, headteacher at Brongest School. shopkeeper (Hardware Stores); mayor 1973–4; chairman of the National Eisteddfod committee 1976; High Sheriff of Dyfed 1988–9; deacon and secretary of Bethania Chapel. He died in April 1990.
12 1897 (Gwe.) In a Council meeting Cllr. W. J. Williams was presented with a silver cradle as a gift on the birth of his daughter during his year of office as mayor – the first gift a town mayor had received since 1647 when Jacobus Phillips, Tregibby presented the maces.
10 1944 (Fri.) Home Guard killed at Drill Hall: Priv. H. G. Booker, 4 Gordon Tce. : gun discharged and hit in legs. Two others were hurt : Andrew Wilson, Tregibby and Ronald James, Bryngwyn Farm.
10 1905 (Fri.) First steam bus travels from Newcastle Emlyn to Cardigan
4 1949 (Fri.) Professor T. J. Morgan, Cambria College suffered a nervous breakdown due to strain through overwork. . He has been medically advised to cancel all public engagements. He has recently published a book of poetry and elocution pieces and currently preparing A Textbook of the Art of Adjudication.
4 1949 (Fri.) Politicians speaking
‘I receive almost daily letters from Conservatives in Cardiganshire, indicating that they intend to support me at the next election’ Roderic Bowen MP
‘I have been struck during the time of my candidature by the number of Liberals in the county, and some who have supported the Liberal cause for many years, who have approached me of their own free will and wished me well’ Dr S G Little, prospective Cons candidate
‘Prospects for Socialism in Cardiganshire are very bright. Everyday farmers are coming over to our side’ Iwan Morgan, prospective Labour candidate
CTA report. Roderic Bowen won the next election (1950) – until 1966.
4 1949 (Fri.) CTA advert: Unsurpassed Library service: W. H. Smith, 18 High St., Cardigan. Join the finest library in England –TODAY!
26 1938 (Sat.) Death of Dr Dan Rees, Belmont, headmaster of Cardigan County School for 36 years. After his retirement he moved to Hastings. He had been unwell for some time, and on medical advice decided to take a holiday in Sicily. Whilst on the train at Lyon, in France he passed away. His wife was with him at the time. His remains were cremated in France.
A native of Llandysul, he was educated at Gwilym Marles School, and William James school, Llandysul. Unitarian; Carmarthen Presbyterian College under Principal Evans; Aberystwyth College for 1 year where BA degree 1st divis (London). London Univ MA Classics. Oxford – awarded Hibbert Scholarship which he carried to Berlin and Leipsig, where he took his Doctorate in Philosophy and Celtic. Finally he went to Paris where he studied for six months at the Sorbonne. Appointed in 1897–1932; Married Elizabeth M Davies eldest daughter of Rev John Davies, Shrewsbury and had 1 son.
‘Dr Dan Rees was not in the roll of common men. There was a distinction about hm which could not but impress all with whom he came in contact. He had that elusive thing called personality…
The schoolroom was his dukedom and here he wielded a daily influence the value of which it is impossible to estimate.’ editorial CTA 11.3.1938
Dr Dan Rees as headmaster
A memorial service was held at All Saints’ Church, Hastings at 3.00 pm on Saturday, 5th March attended among others by the following relatives: Mrs E. M. Rees (widow), Capt and Mrs Rees (son and daughter-in-law), Mr David Rees (brother), Mrs F. Gower (sister), and Miss F. E. Davies (sister-in-law).
25 1889 (Mon.) Burial Solomon Blake, Mwldan, 65, gardener and father of 20 children.
25 1950 (Sat.) Queens café / restaurant closed for good. Baker shop to continue and continues today (2013).
25 1881 (Fri.) W. R. Harries and his wife leave for America.
WILLIAM R. HARRIES
On this day W. R. Harries and his wife Florrie left Cardigan for America. William R. Harries was a native of Llangennech. He came to Cardigan in 1876, found work with T. Griffiths, auctioneers and became a member of Bethania Chapel. His stay in Cardigan was short lived but he left his mark notably in establishing the Ragged School which helped the poor children of the Mwldan area of the town. He married a local girl Florence Lewis, Quay St. and left for America on this day in 1881. By the time he died in February 1915 his name appears in the New York Times (6 Feb 1915) under an article headed ‘W. R. HARRIES LEFT $3, 000, 000.’
A fuller account appears in another newspaper:
William R. Harris, formerly Vice President of the American Tobacco Company, died on Monday at his home at Irvington-on-Hudson, N. Y., in his sixtieth year. He was born in Wales and came to this country in 1880. Mr Harris became associated with the Pullman Company in Chicago and resigned to assist in the formation of the American Tobacco Company. At the time of the dissolution of this company, and for many years previous, he was Chairman of the British-American Tobacco Company and took an active part in obtaining foreign business. Mr Harris also assisted at the reorganization of the American Tobacco and its associated companies when this was made necessary by the decree of the United States Supreme Court. He had been retired from active business for several years. Mr Harris is survived by his widow, three sons and a daughter.
He bought a house in Manhattan and spent a fortune developing it. This was ‘Millionaire Colony’ country and his neighbours included the likes of the Rockefellers.
There is no record of him ever coming back to visit the Mwldan.
23 1960 (Wed.) Visit of Cliff Richard. He called in at Penri’s café, Pendre (Happy City 2013), and was offered Welsh cakes for the first time, which he thought ‘scrumptious’. No record whether it was raining on that occasion so no evidence whether he sang during his visit.
23 1949 (Wed.) Cardigan Choral Society – Handel’s ‘Messiah’. Bethania, conducted by Andrew William; Artistes included: Elsie Suddaby, Bruce Dargavel, Eileen Price, Rene Soames. The organist was Professor Ted Morgan.
23 1928 (Thurs.) Burial of Samuel Young, 77 mayor in 1908 and 1921
12 1964 (Sun.) Fire at Bethania under the chapel where the boiler was housed.
12 1910 (Wed.) General election: Public meeting at the Guildhall Vaughan Davies MP; Prof Levi, Aberystwyth; D Davies, Treforgan, Revd. J D Hughes, Blaenwaun. Chairman: Revd. John Williams, Bethania.
12 1876 (Wed.) Dr. William Lane Noot, surgeon, died, aged 71.
Cardigan through the ages 