Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

The Weekly News and Visitors' Chronicle for Colwyn Bay Colwyn Llandrillo Conway Deganwy and Neighbourhood

The copyright status or ownership of this resource is unknown.
Hide Articles List

10 articles on this Page

Advertising

CONWAY.!

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising

COLWYN BAY.

CONWAY.!

News
Cite
Share

Pabo Hall, seconded, and hoped that the children would often give the audience equally enjoyable evenings in the future. A vote of thanks to the Chairman, and a few words of encouragement from him to the children, brought the eveninng to a close. THE PENRHYNSIDE EISTEDDFOD.On Monday evening, April 20th, an Eisteddfod was held at Penrhynside. The proceedings were a great success, there being a great number of entries in the several competitions, and a crowded gather- ing present at the meeting. Councillor R. J. Williams, Llandudno, was the President; and the Rev. R. Peris Williams, performed the duties of Conductor. In the chief poetical competition for the best poem on "Y Gwanwyn," the prize was won by Mr. Walter Morgan, "Murmurydd," of Ystrad Rhondda. The prize in the Male Voice Choir Competition was awarded to the Penrhyn Choir, conducted by Mr. J. Owen. In the Chief Choral Competition the prize was divided between the Choirs conducted by Messrs. R. Owen and J. 0" ell. The musical Adjudicators were Messrs. W. Lloyd Marks, "GwilymTachwedd," Rhymney. and T. T. Marks, "Ap Myrddin," Llandudno; poetry and prose, the Revs. W. E. Jones ("Pen- llyn,") J. Thomas (Glanwydden), J. Evans (Colwyn Bay), and T. D. Jones (Conway). ST. JOHN AMBULANCE CLASS.—On Monday evening, April 20th, at the Guild Hall, Conway, twelve members ot the Ambulance Class instruc- ted during the past winter by Councillor Dr. R. Arthur-Prichard, sat for examination by Dr. W. Duncan Fraser, of Colwyn Bay, who, at the con- clusion of the examination intimated that he had great pleasure in congratulating the candidates upon the excellence of their work, and in stating that he had not found it necessary to pluck any of their number. CONWAY CRICKET CLUB.—A meeting of the above-named Club was held at the Boys' School, on Friday, April 17th, for the purpose of electing officers.' It was decided to ask Mr Albert Wood to act as President (a position which he has since kindly accepted), and the following were chosen as Vice-Presidents :—Alderman the Hon. H. Lloyd Mostyn, Councillor Humphrey Lewis (Mayor of Conway), Councillor Dr. R. Arthur- Prichard, Councillor Dr. M. J. Morgan, the Rev. J. P. Lewis (Vicar), Rev. J. Harries, Colonel Gough, Mr E. E. Edwards, Mr T. B. Farrington, Mr James Porter, Mr W. M. Sever, Mr F. Hadley, Mr John Lees, Mr O. Rowland, Mr Joseph Williams, Mr T. E. Parry, Mr Woodhead, Mr J. Pollitt, and Mr E. Wood. It was also decided to ask Mr F. Woodhead to be Captain. Mr Llewelyn Jones was elected Captain Mr Griffiths, Treasurer; and Mr T. B. Farrington (jun.), Hon. Sec. As committeemen there were elected Messrs Post, Abram, C. Farrington, and J. Jones, and R. Roberts, it being decided to hold a committee meeting this (Friday) night, at 8.30, for general business. DEATH OF MR J. H ELIAS.-We announce with regret the death, on Monday, April 20th, at Llanbedr, of Mr J. H. Elias, son of the late Mr Edward Elias, of Gorswen, Caer- hun. The deceased, who was born in August 1852, was in 1889 elected in the Conservative interest the first County-Councillor for the Caerhun Division, defeating Mr Hugh Owen (Snottyn) by one vote, and he also for some time represented Caerhun parish upon the Conway Board of Guardians doing good public service in both positions. He leaves a widow (formerly Miss Griffiths of Llican) to mourn his loss. The funeral was announced to take place yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, at Caerhun Churchyard. THE REV. D. GRIMALDI DAVIES.It is announced that the Rev. D. Grimaldi Davies, R. D., Vicar of Welshpool and formerly curate of Conway, has been appointed Welsh Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of St. Asaph, in succes- sion to the late Canon Ellis Roberts, of Llangwm. THE QUEEN'S SCHOLARSHIP EXAMINATION.—In the list ot those successful at the recent examina- tion for these scholarships, we are glad to find the name af Mr A. S. Allan, who intends entering the North Wales College in September. We believe that he will be the tenth Queens Scholar from the Conway Boy's School during the time of the present Head Master ph William Allan), a period of nearly twenty-five years. WELSH CONGREGATIONAL LITERARY AND DE- BATING SOCIETY.—The above-named Society held a soiree on Thursday, April 16th, for the purpose of drawing the season's entertainments to a close. There was a large gathering of members of the Church, and the tabies were most ably served by lady-members of the congregation. An attractive programme was gone through. The hymn-tune Blaen-y-cefn was sung to the accompaniment of the harmonium and three violins. Mr E. C. Williams took the prize for an extempore speech on Light." Mr Spruce was well recited by Mr J. Williams (Metropolitan Bank), and Master R. T. Jones took the prize in the Welsh spelling- bee. After a few remarks, explaining the object ot the entertainment, and thanking those who had helped, by the Rev. T. D. Jones (Pastor), the programme was brought to a close with the singing of the hymn-tune Coetmor." THE CARNARVONSHIRE CONGREGATIONAL PREACHING CYMANFA.—The Congregationalists of the various County Unions of North Wales have just completed their arrangements for this year's Preachmg-Cymanvaoedd. The Carnar- narvonshire Cymanfa will be held at Conway. It has been fixed for the 2nd and 3rd of June. The special preachers are the Revs. W. J. Nicholson (Portmadoc), O. Jones (Mountain Ash), O. R. Owen (Glandwr), N. Ivor Jones (Portmadoc), and Principal Herber Evans (Bangor). THE "CREATION" AT CONWAY. The Conway Philharmonic Society secured a goodly audience at the Boys' Schoolroom, on Wednesday evening, April 22nd, when Haydn's oratorio The Creation was performed under the able conductorship of Dr. Roland Rogers, the chair being occupied by Mr Albert Wood, J.P., D. L., President of the Society. The chorus con- sisted of seventy voices, and the trying work for the principals was allocated between Mr W. Trevor Evans, tenor Miss A. J. Williams (Bangor), soprano and Mr Owen Price (Bangor), bass. Mr Trevor Evans performed his exacting tasks with freshness and spirit, and was particu- larly successful with In Native Worth." Miss A. J. Williams greatly pleased the audience, both in her solos and in the other numbers in which she took part, especially in The Heavens are telling," a chorus and trio in which all concerned were heard to the best advantage. Mr Owen Price, whose voice was mellow and powerful, also favourably impressed the audience, particularly in the recitative "And God made the Firma- ment." In the chorus, Dr. Rogers had a band of vocalists responsive to the slightest movement of baton, and displaying intelligent study through- out. The second part of the programme was rendered as follows, the only encore permitted by Dr. Rogers, on account of exigencies of time, being that accorded to the first item, the succeed- ing vocal selections being also well received song, "Hen ga iait- freichiau ardderchog fy mam," Mr W. Trevor Evans song, Bionda," Miss A. J. Williams march, Hail, bright abode" (from Tannhduser), the Choir song, The Bay of Biscay," Mr W. Trevor Evans song, Mascheroni's "The Soldier's song," Mr Owen Price; finale, "God save the Queen."— All arrangements for the concert were excellently made by the Society's Committee, of which Mr J. Davies-Williams and Mr E. Brown-Jones were joint hon. sees. The Challenge Cup for Cyclist Volunteers. It has been decided that the challenge cup which the Commander-in-Chiet has recently 1( given for a competition in riding and shooting by cyclist sections of Volunteer corps shall be con- tested for the first time at Bisley on Saturday, May 2nd, the day of the marching and firing competition of the Regulars, Militia, and Volun- teers of the Home District at the same place. Each cyclist team is to consist of eight men under an officer, starting from Thames Ditton, and following routes which will make the men cover 44 miles in getting to the firing point, the ride being in marching order and military formation. At the range they will fire ten volleys at 600 yards and five at 500, after which each man will fire five rounds independently. Book Review. BATTLEMENT AND TOWER. By Owen Rhoscoinyl, and published—from American plates (Query,—Why?)—by Messrs Longmans, Green & Co., of London, New York and Bombay,—with frontispiece by R. Caton Woodville. 403 pages. There is sufficient evidence in this work to convince the most precise and exacting reader that Mr Owen Rhoscomyl has bestowed great pains on a great subject, and that he has had at command ample materials for the elucidation of the story. To do justice to such a work, it is absolutely necessary that a writer, even of the highest ability and sagacity, should devote two or three years hard reading and research to it and a considerable amount of time to the careful accumulation ot all sorts of direct and necessary inforiiiatiol"- ill sifting and separating evidence, and in becoming gradually possessed of all facts essential to the subject. The cleverest cram- ming will never supply the want of a thorough imbuing or saturation of an author's mind with every detail of his subject. The story moves in stirring times, and the circumstances are given partly by means of well-imagined scenes, and partly by easy and vigorous narration. It is written in an animated and graceful style, easy and fluent, and possesses a certain kind of elastic buoyancy, which carries a reader imperceptibly through the pages. The descriptions are very spirited,—neither dull, dry, nor heavy. The preface explains how the work came to be written. The introduction briefly explains a few particulars respecting the chief characters of the story, and in a P.S. to the introduction we are asked not to waste any ink in any attempt to put the author right, should we discover anything at variance with the accepted dicla,-as he is tully aware of inaccuracies and further, we are told that the writer of the appendix has said our say on that point. Well, we take exception to this, and shall exercise our right, as reviewers of a work sent to us for that purpose, to say our own say, more especially when we find that the writer of the said appendix begins with a misstatement, --but of this, more hereafter. The scene of the story is Coiiway,-The Castle, the Walls, and Plas Mawr, all figure conspicu- ously throughout the work. The period of the story is about the end of the reign of Charles the First,-1645- The story opens with the almost dramatic des- cription of the death of Idwal of Twrynys, who with his last words handed to his youngest son Howell the sword of his ancestors, saying "Take this my son,—the sword of John ap Evan, ap Rhys Gethin, with which he went to Bosworth.— From his day to this, from his hand to mine, it has come down to the grandson of his grandson, and never one of us but has carved his name deep with it upon some stubborn field." For thy first step, follow the waters of Llyn Conwy to where they meet the tide under the walls of Aberconwy. There my cousin John, Archbishop of York, sometime keeper of the Great Seal, now keeps that town for the King. Tell him of what place and lineage thou art, and he will be quick enough to call thee nephew, for he will not forget that he is cousin to me, and therefore uncle to thee." And thus it came that our hero, Howel Ap Idwal of Twrynys, with his trusty and doughty henchman Ynyr Saethau, or Ynyr of the Arrows, find themselves after various trials and adventures in Plas Mawr, Conwy, where Howel receives the welcome of his uncle Archbishop Williams and Sir Thomas Wyn he is also welcomed by his cousins Captain David Wyn and the heroines of the piece, Morva and Barbara, who, with the unfaithful French waiting- maid of Morva, are resident in Plas Mawr. Morva had been for some time a maid-of-honour to the Queen (a French princess), but the dis- turbed condition of the country had so disorganised the arrangements of the Court that many of the ladies attached thereto had left for their various homes; and Morva, with her maid, left for her home in Wales, escorted by the Sieurded Pol (the villain of the story), who is thus at present in Plas Mawr. In estimating the character of Archbishop Wil- liams from anything which appears in this volume, we find nothing to change the opinion previously received, that he was without an equal, nobly disinterested, kind-hearted, an ardent lover of his country, unsuspecting, simple in manners, and upright in intentions. To him, a King was something above humanity. At this period, irrepairable dissension was caused in the town with the arrival of Sir John Owen of Clennenau, who, on announcing himself to Archbishop Williams, was desired to follow him. Sir John replied Not so, my lord Arch- bishop, I am Governor of this town and Castle by the warrant of Prince Rupert" "And I," replied the Archbishop sternly, "am Governor of this same town and Castle by virtue of prior appoint- ment under the hand and seal of Rupert's master, King Charles himself, as well you wot, Sir John Therefore I command you to follow with the others." Sir John leads off his troops where he es- tablishes himself in another part of the town, and, being assisted by the Sieur de St Pol, who taking advantage of this state of things to gain his own nefarious ends, endeavours to play into the hands of both parties, and by a very cleverly arranged plot, they draw the garrison (under the command of Sir Griffith Williams) out of the Castle, and thus obtain possession of that strong hold, refu- sing to yield when challenged, or to give up pos- session of the valuables therein. The Archbishop then set a leaguer round the Castle and held Clen- nenau responsible. During the fight at Plas Mawr, which had been arranged to draw Sir Griffith from the Castle, St Pol made an atrocious attempt to carry off Morva, and, being hard pressed, just succeded in escaping, by a window, to a boat in waiting, and so to France for the time being. This condition of things rendered it necessary that the King should be communicated-with, and so Archbishop Williams prepared a petition which was entrusted to Col. Martin for conveyance to His Majesty. By an adventurous and hazardous movement, Howel, with Ynyr and a boy (Dickon), succeeded in capturing from the walls of the Castle overlooking the river, an officer of Sir John Owen, who was at once conveyed to Plas Mawr, and from him it was learned that Sir John Owen had sent a petition to Prince Rupert. It was considered important to prevent the delivery of this petition, and Howel was deputed to follow the messenger, and obtain possession of the document. Howel was ready and made instant start, after taking leave of Barbara, to whom he was betrothed. He was accompanied by Ynyr and Dickon, and, after many adventures and hair-breadth escapes, succeeded in his errand. He also found Col. Martin laying wounded at an Inn, who entrusted him with the Archbishop's petition to the King. Howel went forward, and came into the presence of Charles, but a reply was difficult to obtain. Howel, and his follow- ers, eventually returned to Conway, and found the town still in the same disturbed state. His cousin David was pressing his suit with Morva, but she, being under some mysterious influence of St Pol, would neither explain nor consent. The story goes on to relate the re-appearance of the Lord St Pol upon the scene, who has sworn to become possessed of Morva, by fair means or by foul and, in disguise, at night, with the help of the unfaithful Marie, he steals his way into Plas Mawr, and into the presence of Morva, whom he informs that the Queen has sent him for her. Morva is in some doubt about this, and St Pol, by various machinations, contrives to bring about serious disturbances between the two con- tending parties, and, by his cunning leads Morva to believe that she alone is the cause of it by not consenting to marry St Pol, to whom in some mysterious manner an engagement had been made during her residence in France. St Pol threatened that, if she did not yield, Plas Mawr should be stormed by Cannon. This so worked upon her feeling, and, in consideration for the safety of her relative whom she loved so well, she left Plas Mawr at night with Marie, after leaving

CONWAY.!

CONWAY.!