Notes from our Minutes.

January 2025.
We held our first meeting of the year on January 13, 2025 – Our new Secretary and our new Chairman welcomed Mike Lewis our speaker for the evening. He told the story of Will James from Dinas. The only Welshman at the battle of the Little Bighorn. His presentation was be based on his book “If God Will Spare My Life”. The novel recalls the efforts of a young solicitor, Arthur Nicholas who was handed the task of finding William Batine James who stood to inherit the property of his brother John which included a substantial farm near Strumble Head, and in turn we hear the thoughts and experiences of Will, from an early age in north Pembrokeshire, the pain of losing his father and most of his siblings, of a lost love and of his life during and after his emigration to the Americas.

The Will James Story.
Will a single man lived at Pencnwc, near Dinas Cross in the 1800’s, his father died of TB
soon followed by the death of some of his brothers and sisters. He decided to leave Wales for Canada. He probably worked for his passage aboard ship which sailed from Liverpool. Eventually he became employed in a store in Chicago. Will became unemployed due to the great fire of Chicago. In desperation, and his love and knowledge of horses, he joined the 7th Cavalry and was soon made a Corporal and later a Sergeant. Under the command of General Custer he lost his life at the Battle of Little Bighorn with all his fellow soldiers.
It was a very enjoyable meeting which ended with tea, biscuits and a natter.

February.
We had a business meeting at Yr Hen Ysgol on Monday, February 10th, which started at 7.30pm with showing of a short film ‘Pembrokeshire My County’. Then, Diana V Thomas, Chairman and Secretary, Mark Cole conducted a business meeting. Our projects and events for the year were outlined. The National Eisteddfod that will be held near Llantood in 2026 was discussed, our annual summer trip was also discussed, members agreed to visit ‘Pendine Museum Of Speed’ and Dylan Thomas’ Boathouse in Laugharne. The idea of an Old School open day was mooted, the old school closed with the opening of a new school in 1972.
Open Day could be arranged for pupils of the school (pre-1972). It was agreed that Mandy, Wendy, Glynwen and Eileen sit on a sub-group to discuss this further.
The 80th Anniversary of V.E Day on Thursday 8th May. It was agreed that it would be fitting to have a commemorative service at the Church if possible. Brenda would contact Rev Wyn Maskell to check on his availability to conduct a service at St Cristiolus Church in the evening of that date. It was decided to ask the community council for help with the cost of run-ning this year’s programme.
An appeal was made for old photos. We will scan these and return the original. We have posted a photo on Facebook every weekday since February 2022.
The meeting ended with the customary tea and biscuits and some time to socialize.

March.
March 10th meeting held at Yr Hen Ysgol. Our guest speaker was Helen Palmer, Ceredigion County Archivist who spoke of “The Llantood Letters” written in the early 19th century by the Williams family of Penrallt Ddu, Llantood.

“Ceredigion Archives holds two books of letters from brothers Morris and Daniel Williams, their father John, and their Uncle Owen. The four correspondents weave a narrative of life at the time of the Napoleonic wars. The language is idiosyncratic but the meaning perfectly clear. Daniel is the greater gossip, more aware of current events and their significance. If Morris’ letters are ultimately a tragedy, then Daniel’s are a comedy, ending in marriage and children. These letters are of national significance in their provision of contemporaneous, subjective and highly entertaining narratives from four different but complementary perspectives. Following detailed evaluation, the letters were unbound, cleaned and repaired at the National Library of Wales, and were digitised at Ceredigion Archives; the letters were then re-bound at the National Library to reflect the original narrative”.

After a cup of tea and the usual socializing a short business meeting was held.
Mark spoke of Pendine Museum and asked if he should carry on and make further arrangements for our Day Out (Trip) in May. Probably be May 17th, all agreed.
He named possible venues for our meal and the end of the day in St Clears and Whitland.
Brenda had arranged for Rev Wyn Maskell to take the service at St Cristiolus Church, Eglwyswrw to mark VE Day - May 8th, Service at 7pm.
Before the meeting closed, on behalf of the Society, Diana and Mark presented a diamond rose to Ken and Roseleen Rees who celebrate their Diamond Wedding on March 13th.

April
Meeting was held at Yr Hen Ysgol on Monday the 14th at 7.30pm.
As at all business meeting we ran a short film before getting down to business. The film was a slideshow of Barley Saturday photos taken by Betty Wilson in 2016.

But firstly, our Chairman Diana V Thomas asked members to stand for a period in silence as a mark of respect and in memory of Leisa John a faithful member of the Society, who died on suddenly on March 24th.

After the film business meeting commenced.
The usual correspondence and announcements were read. One e mail was from the great grandson of Reverend Thomas Morgan Jones and Henrietta Niagara Jones. Reverend Jones was the Eglwyswrw parish vicar from 1876 to 1900. The email gave the history of some of their descendants.
Brenda has arranged for Rev Wyn Maskell to take the service at St Cristiolus Church, Eglwyswrw to mark VE Day - May 8th, Service will be at 7pm.
We will visit Museum of Speed, Pendine on May 24th starting from Eglwyswrw at 9.30am, car sharing as in previous years. Mark will arrange a guided tour of the museum. From Pendine, we’ll go to Laugharne and visit Dylan Thomas' Boathouse then stop for a meal together on the way home.
We discussed matters relating to the National Eisteddfod 2026 (Eisteddfod y Garreg Las) which will be held near Llantood next year. There was a lengthy discussion on having a presence on the ‘Maes’ jointly with other local history societies or groups, no other group has approached us yet. The cost of having a marquee on the Eisteddfod field for the duration of the event may prove prohibitive.
Meeting ended with the usual cup of tea and a chat.

May

The ‘Victory in Europe Day’ commemoration at Eglwyswrw. It was pleasing to see people from far and wide at the Church to take part in a purposeful service by the Reverend Wyn Maskell. Remembering “soldiers, sailors, and airmen who gave their lives restraining evil and opposing tyranny” and “Thanksgiving for those who continue to strive for peace on this continent”.
The sincerity of the congregation showed in the generous collection for the Royal British Legion. We very much appreciate the work of those who arranged the event and those involved with the tea at Yr Hen Ysgol afterwards. Well done everyone.

May.
Eglwyswrw Heritage Society held their May meeting on Monday 12th at Yr Hen Ysgol.
The speaker was introduced by Mark Cole who described him as a "great public servant to the people of Pembrokeshire". Dr Simon Hancock MBE, curator of Haverfordwest Town Museum, County Councillor, and involved with many other charitable activities.
Simon has been Mayor of Neyland eleven times, the town of his birth.
Title of his presentation was ‘Historic Pembrokeshire Shipwrecks’.
Using images displayed on the large screen, he described shipwrecks from Roman times and the Vikings who visited Pembrokeshire from their bases in Ireland, to the loss of The Sea Empress in 1996. He asked the audience to try and imagine the horror of being on a ship that was sinking. He said the Pembrokeshire coast was notorious for shipwrecks due to its location sticking out into the sea and being close to busy shipping lanes.
He described shipwrecks through the ages, mentioning several significant storms and their consequences.
The Royal Charter storm of October 1859, so called because the ship of that name sank off the Anglesey coast on route from Melbourne, Australia to Liverpool, with the loss of around 450 lives and much gold that was carried by successful prospectors.
The same storm washed away most of St Brynach Church and the cemetery of Cwm yr Eglwys near Dinas and was responsible for many more deaths at sea.
He described the great storm of 1703 that caused thousands of deaths, probably the worst storm ever recorded in Britain. Apologizing for taking so long with his presentation, not that anyone minded, he came to the end of his talk with the disastrous event of the Sea Empress that lost around 70,000 tonnes of crude oil into the sea, a huge environmental disaster. But Simon was amazed with the power of nature to recover. Ending the evening with a cup of tea and the usual socializing, we were introduced to the book that Simon had produced, ‘Photographic History of Victorian and Edwardian Haverfordwest. 1860 – 1914’, a copy was bought by the Society for the benefit of its members. Diana and Mark conducted a short business meeting to explain the programme for our day out on Saturday the 24th, we will visit Pendine Museum of Speed and the home of Dylan Thomas in Laugharne. With a meal late afternoon in the Savoy, St Clears on our way home.

The Trip
On Saturday the 24th of May, 14 members and friends visited the Pendine Museum of Speed, leaving Eglwyswrw around 9.30am and arriving at the museum in good time.
Mark had arranged a guided tour of the museum, after which there was free time to study the exhibits and have a cup of tea in the cafe before moving on to Laugharne. There, Mark gave some of Dylan Thomas’ history and talked about his connections with Saint Dogmaels when Dylan was a teenager, before visiting his home the 'Boathouse'. There was some free time afterwards before travelling the short distance to the Savoy, St Clears for a meal on our way home.
We thank our secretary Mark Cole for the arrangements.

June
On June 9th a business meeting was held at Yr Hen Ysgol. Before discussing business, a film was shown, episode one of five of a film by the late Lance Cole, life on ‘The Farm’ throughout the year, the other episodes will be shown at future meetings. Then on to discuss the agenda. We will be visiting Cardigan castle on July 14, Mark has arranged a guided tour by Glen Johnson for 2.00pm, Everyone to meet at the castle, a day ticket is £8 for adults, children £5.
Next business meeting at Yr Hen Ysgol, Eglwyswrw will be at 7.30pm on September 8th.
And that meeting will start with showing the second episode of ‘The Farm’ the film created by the late Lance Cole.

Officers for 2025 are.

Chair – Diana Vaughan Thomas;

Vice-chair - Jeff West;

Secretary - Mark Cole;

Treasurer - Brenda James;

Auditor - Adrian Charlton.