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Monday, December 29, 2014

Lan Mine Gwaelod y Garth


 
This is just opposite Taffs Well and no doubt some of its workers came from the village.  Below is an extract from the BBC News website.

A memorial to 16 men and boys who died in Cardiff's only mining disaster has been unveiled after a campaign for them to be remembered.  Norma Procter became inspired by the story of workers at Llan Colliery in Gwaelod-y-Garth who were killed in an explosion on 6 December 1875.  She lives in the house of one of the victims and researched the disaster's effects on the men's families.
Around 300 men and boys worked at the Llan drift mine, which supplied coal to the neighbouring Pentyrch iron works and brick works on the outskirts of Cardiff.  On a snowy December morning 137 years ago, half of them were on shift when an explosion ripped through a coal seam 500ft (152m) down.
Villagers from surrounding areas congregated at the surface as word spread, along with two doctors from nearby Taffs Well.
The dead and injured were carried out of the mine on planks and taken to local houses where their wives and mothers tended to them.
Twelve men and boys died that day, including one aged 12 and an 11-year-old who had been playing hide and seek underground.  Another four died afterwards from the effects of the explosion.

The 72-year-old learnt that one of the victims of Llan once lived in her house with his wife and six children. 
"His name was Abraham Phillips and my grandson did research and discovered he was the overman [who inspected the state of the mine every morning] and he was killed at the colliery on 6 December," she said.

"By 1 January his wife and family had left the house - that's how hard life was in Victorian times.


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Friday, November 28, 2014

Bath - a day out


Whilst my wife and daughter wandered around the shops and Christmas Market I had a walk around the beautiful Georgian city.  


Pultney Bridge and shops












The famous Crescent





Jane Austin's House, with Mr Bennet outside






Monday, November 03, 2014

Shrewsbury weekend

Shrewsbury is an historic market town just 9 miles from the Welsh border.  Its full of original shops and old buildings, so there's plenty to do over a weekend.  More here.
The old market.

There plenty of these "black & white " houses around.










This is the inside of St Alkmunds church


They seem to enjoy their bell ringing here.



The river Severn meanders in an ox bow so it more or less surrounds and protects Shrewsbury , and in the opening bit they built the castle, just for good measure.



The castle with views over the town.




Being in an agricultural area with lots of diary farming, this is the old Butter Market.




The town library



Well....it is black and white!



Friday, October 24, 2014

A rainy day in Cardiff

Once the huricanes have left to Caribbean , petering out and working their way across the Atlantic, they drop some of their rain on Ireland and then the next stop is Wales!









 

Sunday, October 05, 2014

Cardiff Half Marathon




The winner was Boniface Kongin in 62 mins. 02 secs.   Thats almost 13 mph.  

The Cardiff Half is now one of the biggest half marathons in the UK, with about 16000 competitors and it raised about £2.3 million for charity. 
 

The winner of the wheelchair race was Adrian Disney

I didn't get a picture of the womens race winner Joan, Chemilmo, as a cyclist outrider went in from of the lens as I pressed the shutter.

Loads of support all around the route








 
 
Just taking the baby for a walk?
 

I really am Superman.