A Few Days in South Wales

Cardiff/Cwmbran

Last Monday we left London and headed for Wales. First stop, Newport and my sister's. Two of her daughters were there with their husbands and young daughters to that added to the interest and we had a short but enjoyable time. We then went on to Cardiff where we are staying in my son's house (they are all on camp in West Wales this week). In the evening, we had a lovely meal with Eleri's Cardiff based sister and her husband and son. Nice evening. Tuesday Eleri and I drove into town and had a little wander. We had a cuppa in the museum and then lunch at Shake Shack. Lovely time. In the evening I did some blogging and then we entertained some Cardiff friends who are getting married in November and that was a good time too.

Eleri has spent today and yesterday at the National Eisteddfod, which this year is in Pontypridd, half an hour from here by train. She is helping man the stondin for the Welsh school but it is also a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and she has been having a great time, I think, although today has been rather wet.

I have been spending my time mostly reading and drinking coffee. Yesterday I headed into Whitchurch on foot for a coffee then caught a bus into town. I don't know Cardiff and so I enjoyed little things like the way all the stops are announced bilingually on the buses these days. (The route took us past The Earl Haig Club where I saw Focus in 2022 and the Velindre Cancer Centre where my mother had been a regular back in the nineties). I wandered around town and had lunch in the Caffe Nero in the St David's Centre (Focus also once played the St David's Hall and had someone play the organ for La Cathedrale). I then bussed back here before picking up Eleri. We popped over to Eleri's sister again later.

Today I took Eleri to the station then met up with my sister for a nice breakfast in a nearby Harvester. I then headed to Cwmbran where I enjoyed another coffee and an undercover wander in the rain. I sat in the Library which I now notice has similarities to the Swiss Cottage Library. I had luch in a  MacDonalds on the way to Pontypool and then headed back to Cardiff. (Kept my eyes peeled for anyone I might know but saw no-one. I like hearing the local accents, especially hearing people say by here and by there for here and there). In t evening I did a bit more wordling and reading and we watched the news an a couple of episodes of The Turkish Detective. Tomorrow we are off to Aberystwyth.

Summer Holidays 2023

As readers may have picked up, we have been away on holiday for most of the time since August 7. As usual, we have been in Wales but more unusually we took a nreak from holiday, coming back to London August 19-23, when I led the meetngs on the Lord's Day and on the Wednesday night of August 23. So the holiday has been in two parts.

Part One

Part on began with four days in Aber staying with my son and his family (7-10). it's alwasy nice to be in Aber. We didn't do much but window shop, have coffee, etc. I also spent a chunk of to days consuktinga  manuscript in the National Library. On the Tuesday night (August 8) it was good to be at the prayer meeting. On Friday 11 we drove down to Solfa to stay with our friends there. They have a lovely houose and made us feel more than welcome, including the trip out for a Welsh breakfast on Saturday 12. I have reported on preaching in the church at Roch on Sunday 13. We returned to Aber on the Sunday night. We then stayed for the week of the conference across the road to the manse in the home of our daughter-in-law's mother. It was great to see lots and lots of family and friends. I have reported on the main messages at the conference, August 14-18. We didn't get to any meetings apart from the main ones and some of those I watched online.

On Saturday August 19 we travelled back to London and stayed here until the following Thursday.

Part Two

On that day (August 24) we drove to South Wales. First we dropped in to my sister's in Bettw, near Newport. She was there with some of the family. I gave her the birthday ppresent I have been planning for some time. It is sixty jars of various things (sweets, tacks, tablets, spices, paper clips, air, etc, etc). It took a long time and is quite useless but Gail appreciated the gesture and understood it, thankfully.

We then drove on to Treorci (about an hour's drive) where Eleri had booked us and some tohers of the family into a farmhouse in Tynewydd (owned by Martin Roberts apparently). Built in 1652 it is quite charming but for the fact that the twon has grown up around it. We had a great time there adn in Treorci and elsewhere. We arrived there on the Thursday evening and had all of Friday there. On the Saturday we window shopped in Treorci and MacArthur Glen then headed back to Bettws for Gail's party. There were loads of family and friends there, including (quite out of the blue) my Uncle Peter from Canada. A really nice time.

Then on the Sunday we decided to Emmanel in Cardiff where two of my sons are members. Gareth Davies preached in the morning (from Romans on peace and hope) and our son Dylan in the evening (on the great commission). Emmanuel is slightly less conservative than we are but still very much on the conservative end which I like. It was good too to see many members of the family again. We had lunch with Dylan and Cat and then tea with Eleri's sister and family, also members of Emmanuel. It was our 35th wedding anniversary that day and that was noted too.

The next day (August 28 the Bank Holiday) we went to Ynysangharad Memorial Park in Pontypridd where we were joined by many family members. We talked, played football, found a Subway restaurant, looked at the memorial to the authors of the National Anthem (we actually sang it as we gathered). We then headed back to Treorci. It has been interesting travelling up and down the valleys, which we are very much aware of but quite ignorant of too.

We travelled back to London on Tuesday August 29. Good to be back.

Midweek MidWales for a wedding, etc

On Tuesday, we headed to Wales as we do. First stop was Cardiff where things were all go for the new baby (news on that to follow). Then back to Newport for a rare brief encounter with my niece Dom, who lives in N Ireland, and my brother-in-law. Then with my sister to good old Llandegfedd Reservoir for a nice lunch (which she paid for) and catch up. We then dashed into a Next somewhere, where I grabbed a new tie and shirt and I headed back to Cardiff. From there we travelled, with my son Dylan and grandson Gruff, via Hywel Harris country, to a lovely Air BnB my wife had found in the wilds near Erwood (Great House Farm).

The next day we (Me, Eleri and our two youngest sons) were at a family wedding in Tall John's House near Brecon. My wife's cousin's daughter, Megan, was marrying James, another Cheshire lad (her sister Anya married his friend). The weather was not great but otherwise it was a lovely day. I find weddings difficult in some ways but had some good chats with my daughter-in-law's brother and wife and with my wife's cousin and her husband plus many others. Great day.

On the Thursday we went into Hay-on-Wye, a favourite of my son Dylan's, and a had a nice time there. I'm always disappointed to come away without a book, however. I was looking for Alexander McCall Smith but didn't see any.

Then yesterday (Friday) we came home via a brief stop in Cardiff, seeing Eleri's youngest sister who have just begun fostering. What a lovely few days.

Day off Week 35 2019

 

This week's day off started just before lunch last Thursday and ended around lunch time the next day. With the last of my sixtieth birthday presents (vouchers for a 5 star hotel from the older boys) we booked to stay in the Celtic Manor in Newport. We went to see my sister and family first and then booked in to a very nice room with a view as far as the Severn and beyond and a lovely warm day. We had a meal in the Asian style restaurant Pad in the evening and breakfast in the Olive Tree before leaving the next morning. Very relaxing and served to celebrate our recent anniversary too. Thanks boys.

The Old Rising Sun

Recently placed on one of my other blogs

There was a pub in Newport town

They called the Rising Sun

They changed it to the Harlequin;

It's now a restaurant.

My mother was a Thomas

She sewed my old blue jeans,

My father came from Corpor Road

They lived up in Cwmbran.

I once met gransha in that pub,

Into that haunt he'd slunk.

He looked so very satisfied,

He was a little drunk.

Oh mother tell your children

Why the name of Harlequin

Is still found on the roundabout

And how it was The Rising Sun

I have one foot on the platform

The other on a train

And I'm goin' back to Newport town,

It looks like it might rain.

Yeah, there was a pub in Newport town

They called The Rising Sun,

I remember it from when a boy

And I'm not the only one.

Well done Newport

Almost time for bed but don't want to sleep without noting Newport County's stirling effort tonight against the league leaders. I listened to the first half on Radio 5 when they held City to a 0-0 draw. I was then busy and sorry to hear the final scoreline although it was close until near the end I think.

Transporter Bridge Rivalry

As a Newport born man it always gladdens my heart when Newport do well. At the moment, having beaten the Met, Wrexham and Leicester they are on for a fifth round tie in the FA Cup with Manchester City. In order to get there they have to beat Middlesborough in the fourth round home replay next Tuesday. With teams like Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs already out, this is good going. The tie with Middlesborough also gives an excuse to add a bit of trivia about transporter bridges. The only two working models in Britain are to be found in Newport and Middlesborough.

A transporter bridge (or ferry bridge or aerial transfer bridge) is a type of movable bridge that carries a segment of roadway across a river. The gondola is slung from a tall span by wires or a metal frame. The design has been used to cross navigable rivers or other bodies of water, where there is a requirement for ship traffic to be able to pass. This has been a rare type of bridge, with fewer than two dozen built. There are just twelve that continue to be used today.

The Newport one was built in 1906 across the Usk because the river banks are very low at the crossing point (a few miles south of the city centre) a traditional bridge would need a very long approach ramp and a ferry could not be used at low tide. It is a Ferdinand Arnodin design. The Middlesborough one crosses the Tees featured in the 2002 series of the popular British TV show Auf wiedershen, Pet.
For more on this see here.

Almost a victory ...

Newport drew 1-1 in the end against Spurs (FA Cup fourth round) having led for most of the game after a goal at the end of the first half by Irishman Padraig Amond. Harry Kane got the equaliser late in the game. So replay in Wembley soon. Great stuff Newport. By the way Newport are currently 71 places below Spurs.

An anecdote from childhood

John Grayson, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

I just put this on another blog of mine.
My father was a fine sportsman. His main sports were soccer, (British) baseball and swimming. I never saw him play soccer but I did see him play baseball on the winning side in a final in 1965. I also remember watching him swimming once. It was at Maindee swimming baths in Newport and the annual Girlings swimming Gala (which we all pronounced Gayler) again some time around 1965. I can see my dad now in his green bathers lining up for the obstacle race. He was 6' 2" and had perfected an amazing racing dive so when they were started he went straight into the lead and I was sure he would win. But my mother knew better and tried to prepare me. One of the obstacles was to bite through balloons and she knew that with his false dentures (which he had from the age of 21) he wouldn't be able to go on as fast as the younger men. And so it proved. He came in third and won a set of three decorated chalice style beer glasses, which we had for years and almost never used.
(By 1965 my dad was 36).

10 non-test teams who have beaten the All Blacks in the British Isles

1. 1935-Swansea
2. 1953-Cardiff
3. 1963-Newport
4. 1972-Llanelli
5. 1972-North-Western Counties
6. 1972-Midland Counties (West)
7. 1979-Northern division of England
8. 1983-Midland division of England
9. 1978-Munster
10. 1973 and 2009-Barbarians*

*What is often considered to be the greatest try ever was scored by the Barbarians in 1973. You can see it here

Houdini and Newport

Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons

I happened to catch Eggsy of Goldie Looking Chain on Radio 4 this morning talking about Newport. He mentioned Houdini having visited the place. My grandfather saw him jump off Newport Bridge (not the Transporter).

This item gives the background (see here)

HOUDINI AND THE 'PORT

The famous escapologist Harry Houdini visited Newport on a number of occasions. The first time he met Newport police, in 1905, Harry Houdini ended up in jail. No crime had been committed - he was merely accepting their challenge to escape from a police cell. Of course, this was all good publicity for Houdini who was appearing at the Lyceum Theatre. He duly arrived at the police station, was stripped of his clothing, and double-locked into cell number 9. Five and half minutes later he reappeared fully clothed having escaped his cell, opened the adjacent one to retrieve his togs, and unlocked the door to the corridor where he met an astonished Chief Constable.

During a week long stint at the Empire Houdini announced to the audience he would leap from Newport Bridge with hands manacled and feet shackled. The Newport Council of the time promptly banned the jump. On 5th March 1913, Houdini's date for the leap, the Bridge was packed with onlookers and police. Knowing the police were planning to prevent the jump, Houdini created a diversion. While police apprehended a look-a-like, he emerged from a taxi in a bathing suit and having descended the bridge to a buttress below, leapt into the Usk. The crowd cheered as he dived in but were silenced as he disappeared under the water, only to cheer again as he emerged from the water to be picked up by an assistant in a nearby boat.

Newport Police would not let the matter rest there. Houdini announced to the Empire audience on the Saturday night that he had been served summonses to appear in court charged with obstructing the highway and holding a public entertainment on the Bridge. A packed Magistrates Court heard the case on 12th March. The police said that Houdini had given his word that he would not jump, Houdini strenuously denied this. The magistrates dismissed the case.

Trips to Wales

Bottom of Brynhyfryd, Croesyceiliog

The last two weeks have seen me making trips to Wales to collect two of my sons from Wales. First, it was Dylan, who's just finished at Cardiff. I stayed with my sister in Cwmbran and enjoyed being back home. Croesyceiliog has a million memories for me - where the man used to keep his goat, places where kids I remember lived, etc.

I went for a coffee in the town centre and enjoyed hearing words like skinny latte, cappuccino, Americano, etc, in a Cwmbran accent. It had never struck me before that those words aren't London words as such but words I first heard here.

I also fitted in a meet up with my old LTS friend Bernard Lewis (minister of Emmanuel) in the massive new Sainsbury's in Crindau. Crindau is where my mother grew up so it's slightly weird, it having a massive superstore in the middle of it. Dylan is now in California with friends.

Next it was Dewi from Swansea. This time I was much quicker and made a very short stay with my sister-in-law and family in Cardiff. I missed most of the England game but that was probably for the best. I brought Dewi back with his friend Tom. They were in (Welsh) Junior School together and have now linked up again on the same course at Swansea. They are at Wimbledon today.

I went by

Being in that part of Newport again the other day reminded me of the Jools Holland/Louise Marshall song of a few years ago. I took photos and intended to make a video like this one but never got round to it. Holland apparently wrote it after a concert one night in Newport and hearing a couple arguing.

Funeral of Graham Harrison

I was in South Wales yesterday for the funeral of Graham Harrison at Emmanuel Church, Newport. I stayed at my sister's in Cwmbran the night before and she accompanied me to the funeral. She was a member of the congregation there for six months many years ago. I was surprised that Emmanuel was big enough to accommodate everyone but there is extra room available and so the 200-250 filled the place but not to overflowing. I was not able to stay for refreshments but it was good to be at the service in the church sat next to Mark Thomas and at the committal at St Woolo's cemetery. Bernard Lewis, the present minister, led the service. It was good to see him and his wife Linda and Ken Brownell and John Palmer present. We were all exact contemporaries at LTS. Robert Strivens read, Wyn Hughes prayed, Trevor McMillen, an elder, gave thanks and Stephen Clark preached. It was all very helpful. Geoff and Iola, my in-laws, gave us a lift to the grave, where, in the sunshine, Neville Rees read, Hywel Jones prayed and Bernard did the committal to the grave where Mr Harrison's father had been buried in 1989. There is something solemn and reassuring about a Christian burial.

There must have been around fifty ministers present all told. It was not possible to speak to everyone I would like to have. It was good to be reminded of Mr Harrison's faithfulness (he was referred to as Mr Harrison throughout). We were reminded of his lack of small talk, his preaching, his sense of humour, his pastoral abilities, his very practical bent and his solidity in a crisis. Digby Williams and John Edmonds, both ministers, grew up at different times in the church. John recalled the day when the old Alma Street was being knocked down and they were meeting in the YMCA. Great days they sounded.

I always find a trip to Newport strange. I was born there but I do not know my way around well. I noticed my Auntie Mavis's grave among the hundreds there in that cemetery. I don't know where the graves of other family members are found.

Tribute to the late Graham Harrison

When I was growing up as a young Christian in South Wales it was a rare time. There were four chief Lloyd-Jones churches in the Newport and Cwmbran area. The Baptist church I attended was pastored by the late Derek Garwood. Also in Cwmbran was Ebenezer Congregational Church where Phil Williams was the minister in my time. Down in Newport there was the late Hugh Morgan and in Emmanuel opposite the Royal Gwent Hospital, Graham Harrison. All four were godly men and faithful preachers.

When I came up to London Graham Harrison was one of four Welsh men who were the main teachers there at the time (Philip Eveson, Hywel Jones and Andrew Davies being the others). Again these were men of God of the highest calibre, full of Christ - awe inspiring to a young man in their holiness and discernment. Mr Harrison was my lecturer in doctrine and he it was who led in my ordination in Cwmbran in 1983. In subsequent years I knew him chiefly through the Westminster Fellowship and the Westminster Conference as well as on the LTS Board. As Guy mentions there was a certain shyness about Mr Harrison (I've never got out of addressing my LTS lectures by their surnames) and that made it difficult to approach him in some ways. He could also sound quite pessimistic and dour at times and was a Welshman to a fault, which I found a little difficult. We should be in no doubt, however, that a Prince in Israel has fallen, a stalwart of the faith indeed. See here for Guy's tribute.

Newport County back in the league

I must confess I haven't given the team from the place where I was born much thought over the years but the idea they are back in the league is brilliant. My uncle Ray will be chuffed. They beat Wrexham 2-0 in a play off. More here.

Feasting and mourning

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says that It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. I have had opportunity to test that out over the last few days being at a wedding in South Wales last Saturday and a funeral yesterday in Bradford on Avon.

The wedding was that of Eleri's cousin's second daughter Mari who was marrying Owain Davies of Bridgend. Mari's father is Meirion Thomas, pastor of Malpas Road Evangelical Church, Newport, (Site currently under construction) who married them (in Welsh). The preacher (and very good too) was Stephen Clark, Owain's pastor who I've known for years. Mari's sister Bethan was married this time last year so there was some deja vu but as Meirion pointed out it was a unique event. People like to have themes these days and the theme here was beach holidays, which was pursued avidly but not relentlessly. The ice cream van outside the reception area before the dancing was a big hit. An added bonus for me was getting to see my sister in Cwmbran (she also did the posies for the bridal party). It was great to be at a Christian wedding, as two young people committed themselves to the Lord for life.

Then yesterday it was the funeral of Eleri's brother-in-law's mother, Ruth Alsop, in Bradford. She was only 58 and had been suffering from cancer for the last couple of years. The burial was first. There is nothing quite like a Christian burial and with fine weather it was a bitter sweet joy to share with the family in their sadness. Phil and Ruth have four married children and a five or six grandchildren (is it?). Back at the chapel Robert Oliver preached from Philipppians 1:21. After a short bite to eat over the road we headed back along the M4. One feature of the funeral is the presence of a number of preachers, most connected with the large Alsop clan (Ian has 27 cousins on that side). Besides Robert Oliver, there are two other retired ministers at the church - John Hancock and Alec Taylor (I was sorry not to get to speak to him just as I was to miss Bruce Powell at the wedding). Also around were Simon Ladd (Bury), Paul Oliver (Netley), Hugh Collier (Gt Ellingham), Ed Collier (Sheffield), Ian's brother-in-law Jamie Cater (Reading) and myself. It was also nice to see Tim Collier again who only lives over the hill from here though we rarely meet up. He had a nice story about being on a plane with Jedward.

So what of Ecclesiastes 7:2? There was not much in it but he is right. The older you get the more you can see it.

Weddings 2

So another wedding last Saturday. It was in Malpas Road Evangelical Church where the daughter of the minister, who is married to my wife's cousin, was getting married to a young man based in Seven Oaks, Kent who she met at the Aberystwyth Christian Union. We went up on the Friday night to Cardiff and stayed with Eleri's sister.
The service was led by the minister, Meirion Thomas, and was largely in Welsh but with everything translated including the bilingual sermon on Revelation 19 from Steffan Jones (Aberystwyth). Even the groom spoke immaculate Welsh, despite wearing a kilt. There's the advantage of a missionary upbringing. One or two things in the service jarred with me but it was warm, evangelical and mainly God-centred. it was great to see two young people so keen to honour God.
A long but relaxed cake reception followed in the church buildings, closing with the cutting of the cake and speeches from the bride's father and the groom.
Guests for the main reception (160 of us) then took the short journey to Rougemont School where after an age taking photographs we finally sat down to eat. (I popped the kids in our party up to my sister's in Cwmbran just before). We had a lovely meal, another cake cutting and several speeches all audible and well done.
The final element was an electric ceilidh band Parsley Hay and dancing (which I brought the kids back for). The bride and groom left around 10.30 as did we.
So a long but very enjoyable day. A silvery undertone of sadness was also there for me as the church is right in the area where my mother grew up. It was slightly strange to meet one or two people (working very hard on the catering front mostly) who I don't keep up with but who I know from way back. As we were leaving, a couple spoke to me about the blog. It was gratifying to know that they pop in here from time to time. Nice to meet you!
Another wedding next Saturday but we will only attend part of that one. I'm sure weddings weren't as long when I was a boy.

Mole wrench, oil can, etc

This one features my dad's old Mole wrench (the Mole wrench or self-locking pliers have a strong Newport connection but having just looked it up I see that they were not invented in Newport as I once thought) a few more tobacco tins, what must be a hollowed out bottle cork containing three small dice (from Germany I think). Pinned into the top of the small cork container is a white horse, part of a long forgotten promotion for White Horse Whisky I think. There's also an old oil can that was in my grandmother's for years.

Gwent Castles 09

Original uploader Owain at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

Newport/Casnewydd

There are other Gwent Castles we could mention (Goodrich and Caldicot come to mind) but we'll finish with the first castle I ever saw. I grew up in Cwmbran but my parents were from Newport and we would often be there. I used to love to see the castle. To me it was like a time travel machine that had come from another age and parked itself plonk in the middle of everything. In those days you couldn't explore it and that probably added to the mystery and attractiveness of what I once read of as being "The finest preserved Norman gateway in Wales".