A short film of the terrific street party held in Glanwydden to mark this popular event in 2011. With special thanks to Mary Pritchard for providing the footage.
Village street party for the wedding of Kate & William, 29th April 2011
Remembrance Sunday, 8th November 2020
As current lockdown restrictions preven traditional church and cenotaph services taking place this year, we will hold our own small Glanwydden/Llangwstenin/Pydew service, to remember those from our locality ‘who did their bit’.
We lost 8 men in World War 1 and at least 2 men never returned from World War 2. Our own Marge Chapman was in the Air Training Corps and Beryl Nichols was in the Land Army.
There is an exhibition in the Phone Kiosk telling the story of the 10 men who were lost.
We have been very fortunate to secure one of only 3 ‘Silent Soldiers’ from Conwy County Council who strimmed, mowed and made a space available by the stream at the end of Waun Road. It has been planted with flowers (and bulbs) to mark the occasion and warmest thanks go to all those who were involved in the planting.
In line with social distancing, from your own gardens or from Waun Road, plans are as follows:
Time | Details |
10.45 am | At the silent soldier, Revd Peter Marshall will lead the village in an ‘act of remembrance’ |
11.00 am | A 2-minute silence |
11.03 am onwards | There will be a laying of a ‘Wreath to Remember the Fallen’ from the valley. There will also be the opportunity for others to lay a wreath/or cross, if they so wish. |
11.10 am approx | Once all the tributes are laid, everyone will come together from their gardens/ doorsteps to clap for our Fallen Heroes, Veterans and Front-line Covid workers. |
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ROLL OF HONOUR – Glanwydden, Llangwstenin & Pydew remembers
Glanwydden, Llangwstenin & Pydew lost 8 men to the First World War, and at least 2 never returned from the Second World War.
These are our fallen from the First World War:
Sapper Ellis Williams
Telegraphist, Royal Engineers
Able Seaman Robert Baron Williams
Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division
Private Ellis Williams (senior)
Shoeing Smith, Royal Field Artillery
Private Goronwy Evans
Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery – 117th Siege Battery
Private Thomas Kyffin Jones
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Robert Roberts
Rank and regiment unknown
Private James Hennessey Jones
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
William Parry
– of the Red Lion, Bryn Pydew, more info to follow
![](http://GlanwyddenValley.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-2.png)
These are our fallen from the Second World War:
Corporal Thomas Radcliffe
Corporal Thomas Radcliffe was the son of William and Ann Radcliffe. He was born on Anglesey. He joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers in May 1932 and so was an ‘old hand’ in the 1st battalion by the time of the outbreak of the Second World War. 1st battalion were part of the British Expeditionary Force evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940 having fought a desperate rear-guard action. Two years later they were shipped off to the Far East, regularly being in the thick of the action. In 1943 Radcliffe was awarded the Military Medal. The citation reads “Over a long period of active operations this NCO has consistently shown supreme disregard of personal danger and qualities of leadership of the highest order”. At the defence of Kohima in May 1944, Corporal Radcliffe was injured and died later of his wounds. He was 32 years old and buried at Kohima War Cemetery.
His connection with Glanwydden/Llangwstenin is that he married Margaret Jones in the fourth quarter of 1940 and lived for a short time (in his case anyway) at Llwynon, Pen-y-bont Road. Llwynon was the Jones family home and Margaret (known as Mabel). Perhaps someone remembers the Jones family or Mabel?
Roedd y Corporal Thomas Radcliffe yn fab i William ac Ann Radcliffe. Fe’i ganed yn Ynys Môn. Ymunodd â’r Royal Welch Fusiliers ym mis Mai 1932 ac felly roedd yn ‘hen law’ yn y bataliwn 1af erbyn dechrau’r Ail Ryfel Byd. Roedd y bataliwn 1af yn rhan o Llu Alldeithiol Prydain a symudwyd o draethau Dunkirk ym 1940 ar ôl ymladd yn erbyn gweithred enbyd o warchodwyr cefn. Ddwy flynedd yn ddiweddarach cawsant eu cludo i’r Dwyrain Pell, gan fod yn drwchus yn y weithred. Yn 1943 dyfarnwyd y Fedal Filwrol i Radcliffe. Mae’r dyfyniad yn darllen “Dros gyfnod hir o weithrediadau gweithredol mae’r NCO hwn yn gyson wedi dangos diystyrwch goruchaf o berygl personol a rhinweddau arweinyddiaeth o’r radd uchaf”. Yn amddiffyniad Kohima ym mis Mai 1944, anafwyd Corporal Radcliffe a bu farw’n ddiweddarach o’i glwyfau. Roedd yn 32 oed a’i gladdu ym Mynwent Rhyfel Kohima.
Ei gysylltiad â Glanwydden / Llangwstenin yw iddo briodi Margaret Jones ym mhedwerydd chwarter 1940 a byw am gyfnod byr (yn ei achos ef beth bynnag) yn Llwynon, Pen-y-bont Road. Llwynon oedd cartref teulu Jones a Margaret (a elwid yn Mabel). Efallai bod rhywun yn cofio’r teulu Jones neu Mabel?
Private John Edward Weyman
Private John Edward Weyman died at the Battle of El Alamein on 25 October 1942 aged 27. It is believed he was born at Henryd where in 1939 his mother was postmistress. His father, John, died 11 August 1915 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli while serving with the 6th battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. John senior is listed as being son of Mr and Mrs J. Weyman of Gwern-y-Felin, Henryd.
John Edward married Norah Skelsey in the second quarter of 1942 and they lived at Glasfryn, Pen-y-bont Road. He enlisted in the army in April 1940 and joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment before transferring into the Queen’s Royal Regiment in May 1942. Five months later he was killed in action and has no known grave being commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt.
Bu farw’r Preifat John Edward Weyman ym Mrwydr El Alamein ar 25 Hydref 1942 yn 27 oed. Os, ac mae’n fawr os, rwyf wedi cael yr achau yn gywir cafodd ei eni yn Henryd lle ym 1939 roedd ei fam yn bostfeistres. Bu farw ei dad, John, 11 Awst 1915 ym Mae Suvla, Gallipoli wrth wasanaethu gyda 6ed bataliwn y Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig. Rhestrir John senior yn fab i Mr a Mrs J. Weyman o Gwern-y-Felin, Henryd.
Priododd John Edward â Norah Skelsey yn ail chwarter 1942 ac roeddent yn byw yn Glasfryn, Pen-y-bont Road. Ymrestrodd yn y fyddin ym mis Ebrill 1940 ac ymunodd â Chatrawd Frenhinol Swydd Warwick cyn trosglwyddo i Gatrawd Frenhinol y Frenhines ym mis Mai 1942. Bum mis yn ddiweddarach cafodd ei ladd wrth ymladd ac nid oes ganddo fedd hysbys yn cael ei goffáu ar Gofeb Alamein, yr Aifft.
Mavis Jones
Mavis was a three month old baby living at Ffolt, when she tragically caught whooping cough from evacuees and died.
Margaret Chapman
![](http://GlanwyddenValley.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-4.png)
Margaret, who survicved the war, served in London’s Air Training Corps working out trajectories for the guns that protected the capital from Nazi bombing raids – a high risk role that called for a spirited and intelligent person. Both of which Margaret personified.
![](http://GlanwyddenValley.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-5.png)
Beryl Nicholls
Beryl Nicholls (nee Tomlin), who also survived the war, was born in 1925 and grew up on the south side of Oxford. At the start of the Second World war Beryl was attending school but at age 16 she started work as a telephonist. This she disliked and when the opportunity arose to enroll at Waterperry Horticultural College for Ladies she jumped at the chance. Waterperry College with its large house and gardens had been founded in 1931 by the redoubtable Miss Beatrix Havergill who ran the college till 1971.
In the war years the focus of the college was market gardening and Beryl became part of the Land Army. She received a 2-year education in horticulture which developed into a lifelong love of plants, gardening and nature. The photo portraits of Beryl, by Cecil Beaton (official government photographer – see imperial war, tell of a bright-eyed girl of 18, full of fun, but totally at home getting her hands dirty – characteristics recognisable into her later years, to those who knew her. With her training complete, Beryl got a job at a nursery near Shiplake on Thames where she found lodging with a local couple. The son of the household returned to his parental home at the end of the war. Beryl and David fell in love and were married in 1947.
![](http://GlanwyddenValley.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-6.png)
Recent achievements
- Installation of a Community Public Access Defibrillator
Over the last few years, we have raised over £1,700 for a defibrillator and the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust recently installed one on the wall of the Queen’s Head Pub. Details on how to use it are inside the defibrillator, which is unlocked and available 24/7. So if someone collapses, please call 999, and if a defibrillator is required, the ambulance service will advise and provide guidance. Step by step instructions are also available inside the box.
![](http://GlanwyddenValley.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image.png)
- Adoption of the Village Phone Kiosk
BT has allowed us to adopt the phone kiosk which is no longer in use. We hope it will become a community hub where we can exchange/sell things or hold local historical displays, or even encourage its use as an art gallery/art space. It is currently not weather-proof, so book exchanges would suffer from the damp conditions but the plan is to invest and improve it for future use; ideas for the kiosk are warmly welcomed. - The Embankment (in the middle of the Village Waun Road)
i) Access to the houses on the embankment is treacherous and putting out recycling can be challenging; also, it’s not well lit in winter. We’re currently in talks with Conwy County Council regarding improvements.
ii) Ideas for Developing the Embankment: The aim is to make this a feature of Glanwydden Village and encourage folk to get involved. Ideas suggested include planting flowers for pollinators eg butterflies and bees and perhaps installing a bench (or two) for residents/visitors.
Remember the Fallen of our community
Remember the Fallen of the 1918-1918 war, 100 years ago
Men who served and died in WW1 from the village:
- Goronwy Evans form Wiga
- Thomas Kyffin Jones from 1 Ffolt cottages
- Robert Roberts from Bryn Bach.
- Robert Baron Williams from Efail y Waen
Thank you to all who served, sacrificed and changed our world.
Wydden Valley History Group – Would you like to help us put one together?
Wydden Valley History Group – Would you like to help us put one together?
Various members of the community have snippets of local history: family, social, military or just stories handed down. The Wydden Valley Trust would like to form a standalone history group under its umbrella that could conduct research into various aspects of the place that we live. We would probably only meet a few times a year but nowadays much can be done by computer. That said some of the richest sources of information will be the memories of the older generations who may not be comfortable with modern technology.
So much of our research will be chatting with neighbours, over a cup of tea or maybe a pint or two. Other aspects might be walking the paths and tracks of the valley and photographing unusual landmarks, bringing them back to the older generation and asking what they know.
Old photographs are particularly useful. If you are prepared to let us look at them and can explain who or what we are looking at that would be brilliant and would help us understand the history of the area so much better. We may ask you if we might have the precious photographs copied whilst completely respecting your right to say no. Please don’t worry though we will never publish photographs unless we have your express, written and well considered permission to do so. We already have a number of old photographs and anyone that can shed light on them would be welcome to contact me and have a look at them with the proviso that we won’t be able to share them directly unless we have permission from the relevant descendants.
If you would like to help us put this Local History Group on a firm footing or just have snippets you’d like to share please contact Gini Rivers – ginirivers602@sky.com
Grŵp Hanes Dyffryn Wydden – Hoffech chi helpu ni i ffurfio’r grŵp?
Mae gan aelodau amrywiol o’r gymuned ddarnau o hanes lleol: teuluoedd, cymdeithasol, milwrol neu straeon yn unig a roddwyd i lawr. Hoffai Ymddiriedolaeth Dyffryn Wydden ffurfio grŵp hanes annibynnol o dan ei ambarél a allai gynnal ymchwil i wahanol agweddau ar y lle yr ydym yn byw. Mae’n debyg y byddem yn cwrdd ychydig weithiau y flwyddyn ond ar hyn o bryd mae’n bosib gwneud llawer ar y cyfrifiadur. Wedi dweud hynny y bydd rhai o’r ffynonellau gwybodaeth cyfoethocaf yn atgofion o’r cenedlaethau hŷn a allai fod yn gyfforddus â thechnoleg fodern.
Bydd cymaint o’n hymchwil yn sgwrsio â chymdogion, dros gwpan o de neu efallai beint neu ddau. Gallai agweddau eraill fod yn cerdded llwybrau a llwybrau’r dyffryn a ffotograffio tirnodau anarferol, gan ddod â nhw yn ôl i’r genhedlaeth hŷn a gofyn beth maent yn ei wybod.
Mae hen ffotograffau yn arbennig o ddefnyddiol. Os ydych chi’n barod i adael i ni edrych arnynt ac y gallwn esbonio pwy neu beth yr ydym yn edrych arno, byddai’n wych a byddai’n ein helpu ni i ddeall hanes yr ardal gymaint o well. Efallai y byddwn yn gofyn i chi os oes modd i ni gael copïau o’r ffotograffau gwerthfawr tra’n parchu eich hawl yn gyfan gwbl i ddweud na. Peidiwch â phoeni er na fyddwn byth yn cyhoeddi ffotograffau oni bai bod gennym eich caniatâd ysgrifenedig, ysgrifenedig ac ystyrlon iawn i wneud hynny. Mae gennym eisoes nifer o hen ffotograffau ac fe fyddai croeso i chi gysylltu â mi gan unrhyw un a all daflu goleuni arnynt, gyda’r amod na fyddwn yn gallu eu rhannu yn uniongyrchol oni bai bod gennym ganiatâd y disgynyddion perthnasol .
Os hoffech chi ein helpu i roi’r Grŵp Hanes Lleol hwn ar sail gadarn neu hyd yn oed llenwi ychydig o fylchau yn ein dealltwriaeth, cysylltwch â Gini Rivers – ginirivers602@sky.com
New website, just getting started!
Welcome to the Wydden Valley Trust website!
This website is just getting started, so please bear with us as we add content, imporve its appearance and generally tidy up!