18 June (1880) Revd John Williams begins his ministry at Bethania

  • 18 1760 (Sat) 1st official meeting of the Sea Sarjants, in the Long Room, Black Lion.
Revd John Williams (1850–1929)
Revd John Williams  (1850–1929)
  • 18 1880 (Fri.) Revd John Williams begins his ministry in Bethania. He arrived in Bethania from Birkenhead. A native of Llansadwrn, he was a popular minister and a prominent individual in the political life of the town and county. He became a member of the Cardigan School Board in 1882, and a chairman of that body ten years later. In 1895 – a year before the new school opened – he became a chairman of the Board of Governers of the Secondary School and he remianed so until his resignation in 1913. He was elected again in 1929. He became a county councillor shortly after the establishment of the County Council in 1889 and he was a chairman twice, in 1894–5 and again in 1914–15. He was elected alderman in 1916.  He served on almost every committee on the County Council and he was chairman of the education committee for three consecutive years and a chairman of the police committee twice. He was also a member of the Court of Aberystwyth and Cardiff colleges for many years. In 1903 he became a member of the Board of Guardians and from 1911 onwards was the chairman. He was also chairman of the Cardigan and District Education Committee and a chairman of the local Pension committee. He served as a JP for many years.

He also climbed the ranks within the Baptists and achieved presidency of the Baptist Union of Wales in 1905. He was a staunch Liberal and when he died in 1929 the officials of Bethania received a telegram from the former Prime Minister David Lloyd George:

‘Deeply regret to hear of the death of my old friend, Rev. John Williams … It will be a real loss not only to Cardiganshire but to Liberalism throughout Wales.’

Revd John Williams was probably one of the most influential person in Cardigan during the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 2oth century.

12 May (1897) Laying the memorial stones of the Intermediate School

  • 12 1897 (Tues.)  Intermediate School: laying memorial stones in the front wall of the new Intermediate School. 5 stones were laid by Mrs Morgan Richardson, Noyaddwilym, Mrs (Dr) Phillips, Bank House, Mrs W Lewis, Lloyds Bank, Mr W J Williams, Mayor, Revd John Williams, Bethania, chairman of school governors.

12 January (1964) Fire at Bethania

  • 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.