Really enjoyable day. Went to Welshpool this morning to collect a dead rat. I'd been out canvasing with Steve Kaye yesterday, and promised to clear away the deceased rodent today. I'm always as good as my word. I was equipped with a plastic disposal bag - but the rat was gone. Perhaps Steve had been down before me with his plastic bag. The boy is going to be a great councillor if he wins.
Out canvassing with Russell George this afternoon in Newtown. He really deserves to win. Russ is a great campaigner, and he's taught me a thing or two already. I will be mega-disappointed if the curse of name recognition gives the well known Lib Dem who has put his name in a victory. In my opinion, Russ could develop into a great Council leader. If I have to ask readers to do one single thing for me in relation to this election, it would be to persuade anyone you know in Newtown Central to vote for Russell George on Thursday.
Mrs D and I went to suss out Llanfechain Church tonight - in readiness for No 3 son, Tim and Adrienne's wedding in July. We're not in the wonderful Church at Berriew, because Adrienne is a Catholic, and the wedding can't be done there for some reason. We went to watch a concert by the renowned Penybontfawr Male Voice Choir. When we arrived we discovered that the concert was in Llansantffraid, and we just made it in time. Male soloist were Tecwyn Jones, recently returned Powys County Councillor for the Llanfechain area (unopposed). He informed the congregation/audience that he used to sing with my grandfather when they were both members of Llanfair Caerienion Choir 50 years ago. Choir started with a great favourite of mine 'Men of Harlech' and Tecwyn finished his solo slot with another favourite 'If I can help somebody'.
Amazing coincidence. The only reason we had gone to the concert was on a scouting mission in preparation for Tim's wedding, and the woman sitting in front of us at the back of the Church (whom we didn't recognise) was the midwife who delivered Tim 27 years ago (As it happens it was Mrs D's 4th home birth, a subject attracting comment in today's newspapers).
There is an interesting window at Llansantffraid Church - presented by a Billy Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia from1915-1922. Hughes was born in Pimlico, and brought up in Llandudno. and had family living at Winllan, Llansantffraid. He remains Australia's longest serving MP (1901-1952) and dedicated the window to his mother. Lloyd George (no relation to Russell George) was present at the dedication. That's the thing about Montgomeryshire - so much emigration to every corner of the world that there is something to learn every day.
8 comments:
Probably not for publication:
I saw a strange site today, a small bird flying in synchrony and immediately behind a preditor bird, like as if the smaller bird was benefiting from being in a place where the larger preditor bird could not go. Is this larger/smaller bird scene a future glimpse of a threatening militaristic country and a smaller country able to survive in a place where its enemies can't touch it.
Interesting guy Billy Hughes. At the Versailles Peace Conference the Japanese could not understand how the UK had allowed such a man to become PM of Australia. Hughes used to walk around with a cigarette behind his ear. This was also the only world conference where two of the delegates Hughes and Lloyd George argued in Welsh. When he was he was asked by Woodrow Wilson would Australia defy the world he said'Yep'. The story I like is when Wilson asked Hughes why he had changed his mind on the issue of alowing US missionaries into the New Guinea territory Australia had just been given from Germany. Hughes told him that they were needed because the natives had eaten the earler missionaries and were still hungry.
glyn you are right about russell george hes the only candidate whos out knocking on doors meeting people and not sending kids around pushing leaflets through letterboxes.i'm not a tory but russells got my vote.
Referring to your last sentence:
so why were they forced to emigrate?
did Benjamin Disraeli have their interests at heart? ;-)
Ned - all sorts read my blog. Didn't expect there to be an authority on Billy Hughes. I think Versailles was the first time an Australian PM played any role in internatinal affairs. Maylasian civil servants have also been known to hold top level discussions in Welsh, when they thought Indonesian officials were trying to listen in on discussions.
Alan - many Montgomeryshire people left to find work and fortune. A lot went with the Quakers to Pennsylvania. Same in many parts of Wales. And they carried on going until the 1960s. Not sure why you bring Disraeli into it, but he would have had the intersts of the whole nation at heart.
Sorry, Glyn - I think you meant the interests of all the nations of Britain at heart.
Later, Lloyd George came to show the British politicians what Welshmen are made of. He would have been an excellent Plaid leader.
There are loads of Welsh in PA, WV etc. ... many towns with names copied from Welsh towns, obviously named by settlers from Wales missing their corresponding home towns.
PS, the small bird was behind the larger predator bird, sorry for the juxtaposition error.
Alan - You are correct. I do usually refer to Wales as a nation. Britain/the UK I usually refer to as the state.And you are right about Lloyd George, the Welshman from Manchester. He certainly showed a lot of people what a Welshman is made of.
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