Cymro a'r Celt Llundain

A WELSH MINER= VIOLINIST. An Appeal for Funds. Many lovers of Welsh music in London and South Wales have had the opportunity during the past season to appreciate the abilities of the young Welsh violinist, Mr. Tom Jones, who is now a student at the Hampstead Conservatoire. As young Tom Jones is the son of a poor Welsh miner, and is unable to secure the necessary funds for a thorough course of study in London, it has been decided by his many friends to appeal for the necessary sum that will suffice for his present requirements. Tom Jones was himself a working miner before he came to London. From the age of 12 he bad to earn his livelihood at the Bwllfa Colliery, Aberdare, but in his leisure hours he studied music and the violin, with such success that he secured a scholarship for studying the violin at the Hampstead Conservatoire. The appeal that follows, as will be seen, is signed by Lord Aberdare and Mr. D. A. Thomas, M.P., both of whom take a keen interest in the young lad's career. It may be pointed out that during last winter young Jones endeavoured to keep body and soul together by accepting engage- ments, having only a 125 grant from the Glamorgan County Council to live upon. As will be gathered from the letter from the Hampstead Conservatoire, these engagements are very detrimental to his prospects, for it necessitates taking him away from serious study, and further, his appearance before he is fully fit, is not conducive to his future welfare. During last winter it was only the en- couragement and help of his Professor and kindly Welshmen that prevented his being in actual want. As this fund is likely to extend over a period of two years or two years and a half, promises will be thankfully received for payment during that period. It might be added that Mr. Jones has had an offer from the Institution at which he is studying for an extended term of his scholarship, there- fore it is hoped by those interested, that the fund raised will be sufficient to enable him to accept this kind offer. Any remittances sent to the Fund at this office will be acknowledged with thanks, and will be handed to the Treasurer without delay. Appended is the letter of appeal, together with the opinion of his present tutor at Hampstead TOM JONES "WELSH MINER-VIOLINIST" FUND. SIR,— May we ask your kind co-operation and the use of your columns to interest your readers in the above case. Mr. Tom Jones worked as a miner at the Bwllfa Colliery," Cwmdare, Aberdare, from an early age, and some 18 months since won in an open competi- tion a three years' scholarship to study the violin, under Herr Kalman Ronay, at "The Hampstead Conservatoire." Attached is a copy of a letter from that Institution reporting his progress and prospects. His parents (the father being an invalid) are unable to give him financial support. The proceeds of a concert given on his behalf are now exhausted, and his sole income is an annual grant of e25 from the Glamorgan County Council. Unless financial assistance can be secured he will have to discontinue his studies, which will be a pity, seeing that he has so much ability. Therefore, we venture to appeal for a fund to enable him to complete his course. His wants are modest-about £1 per week-so £100 to JE120 would be sufficient. It is suggested that a weekly allowance may be given Mr. Jones whilst at the Conservatoire; any surplus to be handed him on leaving the Institution. when it would be useful for many purposes. We venture to hope that this appeal will meet with a generous support from our fellow Welshmen, and that the amount forthcoming will be sufficient to enable this thoroughly deserving and gifted young Welshman to complete his studies. Subscriptions may be forwarded to the Editor, who will acknowledge them in these columns; or to the Hon. Treasurer, Albert E. Old, Esq Metropolitan Bank, 60, Gracechurch Street, London, E.C. We remain, Yours faithfully, (Signed) ABERDARE. D. A. THOMAS. ALBERT E. OLD, Hon. Treasurer. T. Leason Thomas, Hon. Sec., 35, Granville Gardens, London, W. The London Academy of Music, Hampstead Conservatoire, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, N.W. DEAR SIR,- Mr. Kalman Ronay asks me to write and inform you as to the progress of his scholar, Mr. Tom Jones. He says that he is very pleased to report a great improvement, and to record his opinion that Jones's talent, supported as it is by very considerable per- severance and application, is worthy of every encouragement. The chief bar to his progress, undoubtedly, consists in the necessity for him to earn his living, and thus he is compelled to lose so much time which should be devoted to study, and to make appearance in public before he is really fitted to. do so. Mr. Ronay says that it would be a considerable gratification to him were his pupil's circumstances in a measure improved, as only by this can the best results be obtained, and if you can be of any assist- ance it will give him much pleasure. Yours faithfully, (Signed) E. N. GULICH, Secretary. SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED. & s. a. Lord Aberdare 5 5 0 D. A. Thomas, Esq., M.P. 5 5 0 J. Jay Williams, Esq. 1 1 0 J. Prichard Jones, Esq., J.P. 10 0 SUBSCRIPTIONS PROMISED. £ s. d. Wm. Evans, Esq., Board of Trade 2 2 0" H. H. Evans, Esq., Bwllfa Colliery 110 F. Bardin Harrison, Esq., Cwmdare 110 J. Emlyn Jones, Esq., London 110 T. Leason Thomas 010 6

THE KELT observes with satisfaction that a Welsh M.P. has offered to subscribe £ 50 towards the erection of railings to be placed around the Henry Richards monument at Tregaron, and we are glad to hear that the local Parish Council have accepted the offer. The railings will greatly improve the appearance of the monument. SOMEBODY has been calling Llandrindod the Cremorne of Wales." IT is extremely unlikely that Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, and Llanelly, the four leading football clubs of Wales, will adopt professionalism, and so long as the big clubs remain loyal to their amateur status the Northern Union" cannot obtain a proper footing in the Principality. SWANSEA possesses a valuable asset in its beautiful sands. During the recent fine summer evenings they were crowded with people. THERE were successful Welsh classes during the last winter months at some of the Welsh churches in Cardiff, but the local Welsh Sunday School Union have now decided to organise classes for the teaching of the language at every one of the 16 Welsh churches in the city. Da iawn. MR. HENRY RADCLIFFE, the great Welsh shipowner, speaking at a gathering of the Cardiff Cymtnrodorion members at Druid- stone on Saturday, said that there was a time when to speak Welsh was a disgrace, and to speak with the Welsh accent was con- sidered a sign of ignorance." Yes, and even to-day there are snobs in Wales who think "the Welsh accent a sign of ignorance." Our advise to Welshmen who may chance to come across these snobs—a few of them, by the way, will be found on the staffs of English newspapers published in Wales—is to promptly turn upon them. Let Welshmen show that the day when they can be sneered at in their own country is gone by. WE are glad to note that an effort is being made to discourage hymn singing at the forthcoming National Eisteddfod in Swan- sea. Hymn singing is impressive in its proper place, but the arena of the National Eisteddfod is not that place. THE "leading notes" of the South Wales Echo, an evening paper, are getting noted for their cheap sneers at Wales and Welsh- men. Here is a very recent sample :— When a ghost appears in an English village, it is customary to wait for his next performance, and the watchers are usually well prepared with sticks and cudgels to give the "ghost" a lively reception. In Welsh villages it is more customary to pray in the place where the ghost was seen or experienced." The inference of the writer, who, of course, is an Englishman, is that the Welsh villager is superstitious, whilst the English villager is not! Every unprejudiced person who has had experience of both English and Welsh villages will agree that the former is easily the most superstitious, and certainly the most ignorant. THE large body of Glamorgan mining students who have been visiting German collieries have had a highly successful time in the Fatherland. They have been lavishly entertained by the German engineers, and their singing of the Welsh National Anthem at the conclusion of the banquets has been immensely enjoyed by the Germans. Inter- national gatherings of this kind do much good in fostering a better feeling between various nationalities.