MerthyrRising

Some notes towards a Welsh red history...

Trech Gwlad Nag Arglwydd

Popular Protest in Cymru begins with the 16th century land wars in Wales, a much hidden & secret history in which the descendants of Glyndwr's great general Rhys Gethin with their thuggish retainers burnt the Tai unnos (one-night houses - shanty towns like the barrios of today's Third World) of the peasantry occupying the common land in Dolbadarn.
The irony being of course that it was quite possible that those peasants were the descendents of Owain Glyndwr's "Barefoot Welsh Doggis" who had provided the largely "peasant army" led by Rhys Gethin. Class came before nationality for the ruling class. However, when the Anglo-Welsh Gentry tried to drive the peasants from their land in Cwmwd Caio  they were to rise up and call out "Trech Gwlad Nag Arglwydd" a cry for justice that as echoed down the ages as also a rallying call raised again at Merthyr 1831 & Newport 1839 for action against oppression & exploitation.
 
The Rural Revolt That Failed (ISBN 0-7083-1024-9 )
Farm Workers' Trade Unions in Wales, 1889 - 1950
David A. Pretty
Like their counterparts in the south Wales coalfield and slate quarries of Gwynedd, the farm workers were also ready to stand up for their rights when the occasion demanded. They too have a history of labour disputes and strikes. History books have concentrated on the more familiar topics, particularly the Rebecca Riots and the Tithe War. Until now little attention has been paid to the grievances and struggles of the agricultural working class. This book traces the roots of their discontent, and for the first time concentrates on the efforts made by local labour leaders to organise the men into farm workers' unions. This scholarly and serious study, based on meticulous and scrupulous research will make an enormous impact on the study of Welsh social history. It rejects utterly the conventional view and offers a radically new interpretation of Welsh rural life.
`...as an anthem to the neglected pioneers of the rural labour movement his book deserves a warm welcome.' (Times Higher Education Supplement)
`...this is a book which should alter prevailing perceptions of the pattern of rural discontent and trade unionism over the last hundred years.' (Albion)  
Price:   £35.00 
 
              EDUCATE TO BE FREE,
    Agitate & Organise For Struggle.
 

Some background reading for the Merthyr Rising:

· D. J. V. Jones: Before Rebecca Popular Protest in Wales 1793 – 1835.
· David Smith: For traditional “Unionist British Labour history’’.
· Gwyn A. Williams: Protagonist of a Welsh marxist tradition.
· Ivor Wilkes: Protagonist of a Welsh socialist republican view.

Further to above there are a great number of other books & essays in a number of journals, as ‘Llafur’ all of which may be searched out via the web & bibliographies.

Also last but not least all the books by Alexander Cordell regards these epic years in the history of Wales, they are fictional works but not with out much ground breaking research that gives them a clear ring of authenticity with a terrifically readable creative flow that grips the reader in the authors inspired imagination. These works are:

Further reading material from Blorenge Books (01873 856114)

'The Fire People' by Alexander Cordell can be obtained @ £6.99 plus £2p&p.

Priority Reading: Alexander Cordell's Story of the Merthyr Rising.

Also available are:
'Rape of the Fair Country' (£5.99).
'Hosts of Rebecca' (£5.99).
'Song of the Earth' (£5.99).
'This Proud and Savage Land' (£6.99).

CORDELL COUNTRY: In 2006 will be musically interpreted by folk-blues band Dawson Smith and the Exiles

Dawson Smith, inspired by the characters and stories in the books Of Alexander Cordell. The books (and the songs) are written in English. The language of the Valleys is English due to oppression and circumstance. History touches us all. I first discovered the ‘Welsh’ novels of Alexander Cordell by reading ‘Rape Of The Fair Country’ in the early 1990s. I have since read all of his books set in South Wales and visited many of the important sites that are so vividly described in his novels. I was born and grew up near these important sites, no one ever bothered to teach us or even inform us of our heritage. My school (Nantyglo Comp) was built on the site of the Crawshaw Ironworks, which is featured in Rape Of The Fair Country. On my first album ‘Valley Boy’, there are two songs inspired by stories from Rape Of The Fair Country and Hosts Of Rebecca. These songs were highlighted in several folk magazines.
This led to me being contacted by ‘The Cordell Country’ tourism project (as I had credited the books and Cordell on the album sleeve). The Cordell Country Project is a series of heritage trails around the towns and historical sites that are featured in the books. I thought this was a wonderful idea and got to meet the Local Authorities and people involved, this led to the idea of me writing a collection of folk songs based on the books.
‘The Cordell Collection’ I have spent the last year or so writing these songs and I am pleased to say the writing is now completed. The plan is to record these songs with musicians and singers from around the South Wales Valleys in early 2006. In the meantime I will be doing acoustic performances of the songs with ‘The Exiles’ at the following places.

Required - a Riotous Rabble.

2006 will mark the 175th anniversary of the Merthyr Rising 1831 and will be marked by a number of commemorative events & activities particularly during May & June 2006 at Hirwaun & Merthyr and later during August in Caerdydd & Port Talbot. We are seeking people who might be interested in attending these events & participating in some ‘Living History Initiative Interpretations’.

Further details: Sian Ifan. 01792 416828 or 07952 523508.


For more details of the Merthyr Rising festival contact:

Merthyr Rising, 26 Andrews Close, Heolgerrig, Merthyr Tudful.
Email: va1935@yahoo.co.uk for more information