1973 > 1979

So; I was Secretary of the Penydarren Branch of Plaid Cymru, Membership & Social Secretary for the Constituency, my horizons were broadening. Because of my Language activities I used to meet Welsh teachers who because they moved in from outside used to share flats; the first lot were opposite the General Hospital in Garth Villas and were Ann Jones, Eldred Evans and friends, the second lot moved in to the new precinct and these were Ann Preston from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Eleri and friends, after Tiffanys opened and after a hard night's dancing, because of their proximity and my sense of friendship and feeling of warmth towards them, I used to wake them up by occasionally calling there after 1 o'clock in the morning, I later found out the in the hurtful way Eleri introduced me to her boyfriend who was a striker for Bangor City that it was never appreciated and that the friendship was hardly mutual, although later on I met her at an Eisteddfod where she approached me, I couldn't respond and walked away due to the hurt I felt. Amongst my newer friends were teachers Llinos Davies also from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Mair from Pontrobert and their friends, together with the Nelson crowd of Rod Barrar, Derek Stockley, Anthony Jewell & Aubrey Evans; in Merthyr there was a renewed acquaintanceship with Geoff Thomas from school; Robert (Howzy) Howells & his crowd, Howzy was best man at my wedding. I often used to go to Cherry's house in Bargoed from where we would sometimes go to Cardiff, e.g. one day we had a rendezvous at the Mitre, Llandâf, where I remember walking past Llandâf Fields with Rhodri Williams, meeting up with the others including Vaughan Roderick, before spending the night at Vaughan's parents' house in Rhiwbeina on the floor in sleeping bags, which in the morning his mother aired out on the clothes line, although most of the time in those days I'd sleep in Al Tal's flat in Llandâf North, later on it became Ian Perriman's house in the Roath area; or it might be a fund raising effort, somewhere in the valleys, very often it was for canvassing, I was meeting more and more people but I was leaving behind my other friends who weren't involved in politics. Canvassing partners in Merthyr included Eurfyl ap Gwilym, Dr. Harri Pritchard Jones and Charles Cravos. Sometimes when we needed money Dafydd Wigley would ask his wife if she was free at certain times so we would have an Elinor Bennett Christmas harp concert, frequented by Philip Madoc. Very often our life saver was a young man down in Glynneath; I'd give a ring to his house and we'd end up with a Max Boyce concert, until one day I gave him a call and there was an agent on the other end, things weren't the same after that. One day we were at a 'do' in Corbett's Club, Caerffili/Caerphilly where I heard my favourite rendition of 'Unwaith Eto 'Nghymru Annwyl' sung by a girl called Linda ? from Abertawe/Swansea. Another time we went to the Rhondda where Glyn James (sadly just died) was guest of honour, and given his reputation I expected something light hearted, but I was surprised when it seemed to go on forever in monotone; a few days later we had a function in Gary Thomas's place at the bottom of town 'The Brandy Bridge' where I was on the top table with Emrys Roberts, Robert Howells and our guest of honour, the actor, Meredith Edwards; I mentioned the do in the Rhondda and how Glyn James to my surprise went on and on; well, I'd put my foot in it because Meredith surpassed Glyn, I was already acquainted with Peter Edwards, Meredith's son, due to his being a teacher at Cyfarthfa before moving on to the BBC as a stage manager's assistant's assistant. I had the honour of being shown around a nascent Dowlais Rugby Club in a side room of the Bruce Hotel, another time I was invited to a charity evening in the Dowlais Catholic Hall where I ate my meal next to the President of Cathods, a British film actor of the 60s, name of Keiron Moore. In 1973 or 74 I held a banner at the head of a Rally in Newtown, at the end of which we retired to a local hotel where I was drinking at the bar when I heard two distinctive voices coming from two distinctive characters; the one being Monsignore John Owen, and the other someone who was to become one of my greatest friends, Mr. Gareth ap Siôn, originally from Pontypridd, but for many years since, Caerdydd, Gareth's a real character, a former Welsh junior chess champion,who at one time stood for the Blaid in Caerdydd/Cardiff; he loves his curries and for some reason he is sometimes from afar taken for a Pakistani, as with the prisoners in Cardiff Gaol ordering him home on his going into the Rhymney across the road. One time we were all in Merthyr celebrating the historic takeover of Merthyr Borough Council by Plaid Cymru, it was raining and Gareth went for a pee, a little too near the police station where he was espied by a couple of officers, as they were putting him in the car, he shouted out "you can't arrest me we've just taken over", he spent a very comfortable night in a cell with breakfast served, the rest of us had gone home except for a boy called Hywel Williams from Pwllheli who sat outside on a bench all night in the rain in solidarity, I remember he had part of a finger missing. At moments I was at a loose end I'd go down to Siop y Triban in Wyndham Arcade, Peter Meazey was the proprietor, and a 17 year old Siwsan George from Treherbet was serving at the counter, later on they formed Mabsant with Stewart Brown. A few years on, Malcolm Llewelyn, my brother & myself heard about a man in Aberdare called Iago Roberts who was setting up autonomous self learning Welsh groups withe the name 'Sefydliad Cymru'; we went to see him at his home, where he advised us how to set one up in Merthyr, and Chris Priest set one up in Casnewydd/Newport. I went around the chapel vestries and pub lounges looking for suitable classrooms, and it was to Peter Meazey I went to buy the recommended text books 'Cymraeg Llafar'. I was also local organizer for Cymdeithas yr Iaith having taken over from Meic Merthyr Jones. It was he who organized the summer school in Aberfan, must have been in 1973 because, Gwyneth Williams from Treorc'hy/Treorci, Helen Greenwood, Gwenith, &  Marion took time off to help me canvass in Penydarren where I was standing for Council. We had a game of football on Aberfan Fields, I played in goal and shouldered off a man who goes by the name of Ffred Ffrancis. Another man who was to become one of my greatest friends is Rhobert ap Steffan, I met him and his girlfriend Marilyn Walters in the London Welsh Rugby Club on the day of an International, I was introduced to him by the person I call my mentor, Ivor Davies from Dowlais,  later on Rhobert, or Castro as we all know him, taught at Bishop Hedley in Merthyr before moving down to the other 'Moel Siabod' in Llangadog. Ivor's brother Maldwyn was owner of the main bingo hall at the time, The Theatre Royal, and with the money earned ran Merthyr football club, where I met and drank with John Charles while he was manager there, I in turn introduced him to Ioan Roberts who was a journalist with Y Cymro, we were friends through the rounds of Plaid Cymru & Eisteddfodau; his wife regularly won prizes at the Eisteddfod for her singing, he introduced me to Huw Jones at a hotel in Bangor during, I think, the Eisteddfod yr Urdd, Porthaethwy. I had a movement I called 'Mudiad Adloniant Merthyr' and with Malcolm Llewelyn and my brother Maldwyn we ran a mobile Welsh disco called Disco'r Dewin; I organized a concert in Aberfan with Mynediad am Ddim where a woman pleaded with me to get Emyr's autograph, which I did, took it back from the changing/dressing rooms, gave it the child and he read "To Byn...". I met Ryan Davies at a concert, also in Aberfan, where he explained to me the origins of 'Ar Hyd y Nos'. Whilst all this activism and social life was going on I lost my job in Ebbw Vale, leaving an office to become a semi-skilled machine operator in Moss Gears, Merthyr, working side by side with David Meredith's father, during this time we worked through the 3 day week. After the factory I became a 'Man from the Pru' and joined up with my friend Gareth Davies. During these years I would not miss: an Eisteddfod Cenedlaethol; Eisteddfod yr Urdd; Ysgol Basg C-y-I-G; Plaid Cymru Summer School; Cilmeri, and Plaid Cymru Cynhadledd Cenedlaethol/National Conference. 1975 I was supposed to meet Marc Kerrain in Merthyr on our way to the Cricieth Eisteddfod, but because he was late we went on leaving Meic behind to welcome him and we all met up again outside the Brynkir Arms, the venue of the earlier Vaughan Roderick story. Castro (Rhobert ap Steffan) and his mates were making waves in a pub across the road, something about who was or wasn't circumcized. Marc's elder brother was the famous 'I 'ave no money' mad Breton of Dafydd (Goronwy)Jones's 'Dyddiadur y Dyn Dwad' which has already been mentioned. In the Aberteifi/Cardigan Eisteddfod Harri Webb wrote for me "There was a young fellow called Byn who thought the Eisteddfod was fun,  in Cardigan Town he was drinking it down, 'cos Plaid Cymru in Merthyr had won". At this Eisteddfod I'd been invited to sleep at the village bakers in Pencae, Llanarth by Gwawr Hughes, who I'd met at Llangrannog Urdd Camp Welsh lessons, sadly left us in sad circumstances whilst at University in Bangor, and Siân Tesni, daughter of the house; during one evening the girls decided on a peaceful protest to which I was invited to sit in the back of the van, Siân's sister Heulwen Thomas asked to come with us but it was decided she was too young; we drove around the winding country roads, stopping every now and then for a few minutes before carrying on; by the morning there were many more signs painted green in the Cardiganshire countryside. In order to get back to the Eisteddfod Aled Eurig picked us up in his car. There was a concert organized by Cymdeithas yr Iaith starring Edward H Dafis, I couldn't get in because it was full, however I met a friend who got me in on security; we were told by Wynfford James to watch out that excited girls wouldn't come stoming screaming down to the stage at the appearance of Edward H; coming from the valleys and never having heard of them I took this with a pinch of salt, but fair enough there they were running to the stage, where the security men got together had in hand forming a human chain to prevent the screaming girls getting closer, unbelievable. During one Conference I was sitting there enjoying myself in the hotel singing 'Flower of Scotland' with a band of young kilted Scots before it became officially accepted as their National Anthem when the barman declared the bar closed; Dafydd Wigley gave me his key number so I could stay on till the early hours, when on trying to leave everything was locked, I eventually cracked a pane on leaving by the front window; Phil & Dorothy Richards from Aberdare became good friends at the Conference; one day Dr. Phil Williams drove Cherry & myself to Llandrindod Wells for a one day special conference with Owen John Thomas in the passenger seat, Phil was close to Cherry's father Les, a highly respected member of the party from Bargoed who gave his name to our Les cards for calculating support at the polls. Not having been a great success in the insurance world I found myself out of work again and having a quiet drink in Merthyr Rugby Club when someone introduced me to the foreman of a subsidized work scheme on the College site, he asked me if I ncould paint, didn't wait for an answer, so the following morning I got myself a job as a painter on Mid-Glam Council with a 6 month contract, never having lifted a brush in my life, two weeks later the man who employed me got the sack whilst I carried on painting until the end of the contract before joining Merthyr Council at the Brecon Road yard. Every morning we would all turn up, stand in the yard, and depending who was or wasn't at work we would be designated our respective tradesmen; there I worked on the roofs with a roofer/tiler; I was a fitter's mate with my friend John Price from Dowlais, that was my best job; the most frustrating was being a brickie's mate up in the Gurnos, everyday we'd be building the same wall which was pushed down every night. I was also Shop Steward, so at the end of every month I'd get a small envelope which was a bonus to my regular wage. After a while I moved to the Dowlais Yard as Storeman, one of my easiest jobs which was supposed to be for life until the man I replaced came back. The men would come in to the store to collect what they needed to clean up the town, sign the book and leave, from then on I'd answer the phone and intermittently and fill the J.C.B.s and lorries with diesel, blue for one and red for another, saturday mornings I'd be paid time and a half for basically opening and shutting the door once, waiting for midday, locking up before walking to my parents house across'The Bont' football pitch. When the unexpected happened and the original storeman came back from long term sick they put me on the ash lorries, nothing funny about going around the Gurnos Estate, one of the largest in Europe, at 5 miles an hour lifting rain sodden zinc ash bins from every house up to the shoulders and into the back of the lorry. Another day they gave me a brush and sent me with another man to clean out the under passes, his reaction was that now no-one could see us we didn't have to work. One day the special one bonus day off a year was coming up on the date there was a Cymdeithas yr Iaith Easter School in West Wales, I can't remember where now, anyway I took it upon myself to organize a trip to Abertawe/Swansea, left everybody outside a pub in the town centre and caught the train, at the end of the night a Cymdeithas member, trainee solicitor by the name of Alison John got me back as the pubs were closing just in time to catch the coach home. I used to run a lot of trips, Vaughan knowing this called me to organize a coach to Caerfyrddin/Carmarthen to celebrate the anniversary of that famous night when history came alive and was re-threaded at that town in 1966 when Wales elected a Member to the London Parliament, I remember there were two girls on that coach, daughters of a famous producer who still haven't paid. On that subject I organized a dance in Merthyr with the new Supergroup 'Injaroc', amongst others the members of which were; Caryl Parry Jones, Endaf Emlyn and Cleif Harpwood, at midday I took them for a curry in Hal Al's which was slightly greasy, wrong time of day, I had to change halls, because not enough people could understand the need for rock music through the medium of Welsh, but in the smaller hall the atmosphere was all I could hope for, with a mention later on in 'Y Cymro' that it counted amongst their best gigs, unfortunately not enough money was collected to fully pay the group. At other times I used to run trips to Glansevin mediaeval banquets where Meinir Lloyd would hold court with her harp, and I've forgotten the name of her singing friend who went to a Welsh school near Llanelli and who later on I met in Top Rank Caerdydd during a rugby international, where she told me she was scarred in a car accident. At other times Gareth Westacott would give me a ring giving me the date of dances at Coleg y Drindod, Caerfyrddin to which I'd organize a coach. I was very disappointed one day on coming back to Merthyr after a weekend in Llangrannog, where amongst others I met Gwynneth Rixon, who related to me the story of her being banned from a cycle race somewhere in England because she had put the postage stamp, therefore the Queen's head upside down on the envelope containing the application form, I digress,  I stopped off at the Vulcan for a pint when someone came in informing me that it was Skip's last day in the Imp, I left my pint, rushed straight up there, and when I got there refused to let me in and wouldn't listen to me; it was getting late so he most probably thought that I was taking advantage; I didn't know that he was finishing and I haven't seen him since that night. After Malcolm Llewelyn and I set up Sefydliad Cymru in the vestries & lounges, I got together a trunk full of books in Welsh and about Cymru/Wales which I used to lend out, I don't know what happened to the trunk, I hope people are still learning from them; I got them together by starting off at Dowlais Top, one of the last linguistically strong areas of Merthyr and explained what I was trying to do, some people donated, sometimes the books were too valuable such as one which was a beautiful translation of John Bunyan's 'Pilgrims Progress'. This leads me on at last to Nancy & Austin in the Crown at the bottom end of Merthyr High Street, we used their lounge for lessons, she a Welsh speaker from I think the Pontneddfechan area, so the Language was encouraged at the bar, not only that at the end of an evening in town we could always get a welcome and a late drink by surreptitiously tapping on the front window, whenever I encountered  Welsh speaking newcomers to Merthyr I would take them to The Crown, although one day I met Ffred Ffrancis in the High St. prospecting for customers and I took him to the Loco for a pint, at the time it was run by Dafydd Gittins from Aberhonddu/Brecon and his partner Maldwyn Morgan?. Because of my involvement in local politics in Merthyr I often used to get into discussions with local characters, one such being Eddie Thomas, the boxing champion & trainer of boxing champions, I used to love listening to his tales of his younger days and stories of the town; one day we were standing at the bar of the Castle Hotel, when he told me he was going into the restaurant to eat with a crowd of friends including the Chief Constable, and to my surprise he invited me in; don't forget I was still in my twenties and in awe of these people. Another thing was my interest in the Welsh Language, which got me into conversations with the older people whose Welsh is the Gwenhwyseg dialect and different to other parts of Cymru/Wales, but as I was picking up this remnant of the Glamorgan/Gwent speech I moved to Brittany. I often used to chat with the editor of the Merthyr Express at lunch time in the Belle Vue pub down the street from the offices; his chief reporter and photographer were the husband & wife team of Robert Haines & Melanie Doel, Robert is an old friend, who has just published an album of photos depicting the characters of his youth, which they are in the process of filming, while Melanie moved on to the BBC. I had the great honour of the both of them flying over to Brittany to cover my wedding for the paper. At Dowlais Yard, with no interest in the job any longer I applied for a vacancy, still with the Council, at Rhydycar Sports & Leisure Centre; I became a Shop Steward again, defending the rights and arranging holiday rotas of the cleaners & ancillary staff; the name of my boss has slipped my mind, but I remember him telling me that he went to Millfield with Gareth Edwards, he famous for the " What did you think of the match Gareth? Great, Great" commentaries, amongst other things, similar to Howard Winstone's  "Ask Eddie". The under managers were John Stokes &  Philip Davies, and one of the supervisors was Football League First Division referee, Gerald Morgan. I was working with my cousin Sylvia's husband Granville Jones, and the job entailed setting up and preparing for sports, concerts and exhibitions, working behind the bar, particularly for Christmas, generally seeing that everything was in working order and kept tidy. Have you ever thought of the work that goes into wiping the squash ball marks off the squash court walls, that and collecting rain sodden ash bins, mentioned earlier are the two worst jobs that I've had the misfortune to undertake, fortunately I had a willing partner in the person of Roy Jehu. One day some of my Cardiff friends came up to Merthyr, we finished the evening with a curry in Hal Al's where they told me they were off to Brittany and that there was room for one more. I claimed my two weeks summer holidays, came with them, met Elise, returned home after the fortnight, the following day we were followed by a band of Bretons, including Elise, en route to the Caernarfon National Eisteddfod. My holidays over I went down to my place of employment to ask my boss for a week's extension, to which he replied in the affirmative. We all went up to Caernarfon, spent a week there, at the end of which Elise and her Bretons went home, and I went back to work. Two months later Elise turned up on my doorstep wanting me to come back to Brittany with her, and that's the start of another story. (To be continued & amended, that was done in a rush).