The exhibition recreated part of the village built to house the 1,000 dam workers and their families at the end of the nineteenth century. It was led by Liz Pugh and Kerena Pugh from the CARAD arts project:
Liz Pugh
"As well as involving local people in arts projects, CARAD also inherited the town museum's artefacts. As a result, we are committed to establishing and maintaining a community-led museum and 'Under Shadow of the Dam' is our second historical exhibition.
The exhibition itself is based on a reconstruction of the wooden village built by the Birmingham City Corporation. This village housed the workforce which spent ten years constructing the dams.
Luckily for us, Rita Morton saved hundreds of documents and archives from rubbish skips when Birmingham City Corporation became defunct. Her resourcefulness ensured that we now have a substantial amount of records which have helped us recapture the essence of the village and the story of the construction.
The hut reconstructions were built and painted by volunteers. Four local artists painted the interior backdrops and then the huts were dressed appropriately to represent the school/mission, hospital, shop and lodgings."
Kerena Pugh
"Last year we decided to do something to mark the anniversary whilst collecting oral histories of local residents. Over the following months, we appealed for photographs, memories and artefacts. We had a fantastic response and all these elements add up to what is a fascinating story which influenced so many peoples' lives across the generations.
Our aim is to involve all elements of the local community. As well as recording conversations with elderly people, I also got the local school children to sing some old rhymes which were used as the exhibition's soundtrack. They also had the opportunity to practice writing in the copperplate script that everyone would have all been taught to write.
About 80 people had to move from their homes - some were re-housed, however, none received compensation due to the fact that they were tenants. The families had lost a lot of fertile agricultural land and had lived in their homes for generations. Many moved as far away as possible because they couldn't bear the thought of living so close to their former homes.
Although it happened a century ago, it still brings tears to some locals' eyes - especially if there's been a dry summer and they've seen the ruined buildings and boundaries of the farms. In those days nobody had a voice and their cries would have fallen on deaf ears.
It must be said however, that Birmingham City Corporation were very good landlords and looked after the remaining premises and estate very well."
Take our photo tour of the exhibition.
your comments
clive smith swansea
hi to freda & martinNice to be making contact with my familyI have 2 boys paul 46 mark 36 1 granson 1 grandaugter Graham has passed away We had a lot of fun in those days duing the war soldiers living in the valley hotel .Soldiers everywhere looking after the dams ack ack guns below the dams looking for bombers
Mon Nov 23 17:01:54 2009
Sue Peel, Kettering
I too am starting to research the Elan Valley history. My grandfather, Herbert Goldby worked on the building project and lived at 16 Elan Village for ??? many years. He, his wife Frances, son William and daughter Doris were registered at the address for the 1901 census. They had 5 boarders living with them - all single men working on the building project. I know my uncle was born there in 1901. Would love to be able to find out more.
Wed Nov 11 14:52:37 2009
Martin Barrett Tonbridge.
To Uncle Clive! Mum told me you left me a message. I was in the village a couple of weeks ago and met up with Ken and Vee. Nice to hear from you. May meet up one day. Best wishes, Martin.
Fri Aug 28 09:16:03 2009
Freda Barrett nee smith London SE
Both my mother and I were born in the Elan Village. Mum Grace Melton was born in one of the black huts built for the workers on the construction of the dams and I was born in Caban View a guest house run by my paternal grandmother for many years.During the construction of the reservoirs, my great grandfather William Henderson was the blacksmith and at least two of my great uncles were engineers on the railway that carried the stone. Dad Fred Smith was a crane driver on the filter beds. I had a wonderful childhood in this beautiful place together with my two brothers and two cousins Clive and Graham! . unfortunately there was no work to be had and I joined the WRAF to get away from it.
Fri Aug 28 09:15:24 2009
Freda Barrett [nee Smith]ex Elan Village now S.E.
To Clive SmithHi Clive glad to know you are still with us.Looking thru the Elan Valley site I was pleased to see your letter to Martin [my eldest son]. We often look back on our days in the village I have a photo of us five ,Graham Les Ken you and me. Hard to believe that we are both now in our mid seventies. I am sure that we would have memories to share.Les will be 80 on Sunday 30th and still going strong.I know that if anyone else of that era is still around they will know our names.Get in touch.
Thu Aug 27 16:10:11 2009
Clive Smith , Elan Village
To martin barret your mother is my first couson freda your gran grace was my aunt married to my uncle fred my fathers brother I am 75 years this ask mum she would know me your uncle ken was in my brother funeral last year
Sun May 17 16:18:57 2009
Fred Skinner, Herefordshire
My Great Aunt married in the parish church on the 13th November 1897. She was Annie SKINNER aged 18yrs and her husband, a labourer, was an Edwin Pierce aged 26yrs. Both gave their address as 32, Elan Village. Both originated from Liverpool and eventually returned there.I am looking forward to visiting the village and the parish church.
Fri Feb 20 09:22:27 2009
Maureen Trigg, Grimsby. N E Lincs.
My grandmother Rachel Gale and her family lived in Elan village with her family and attended the village school. I have an attendance medal presented to her when she was eight years old.I also believe that she met her husband James Mooney as a result of living at Elan and would love to know if anyone has any detailed records of other residents/families of the village.
Tue Sep 9 16:26:58 2008
Susan Chorley from Crosby,Liverpool
My mothers family,named Taylor,also Shacklady,lived at Elan Village, at leastin 1901 and eventually moved up to Liverpool. All of that generation have gone but they left a lot of memories of their time there and would go back to visit right up to the 1960s.I still have not been but look forward to seeing the church where my granparents married in 1900.
Mon Mar 24 20:14:54 2008
tom crooks /belfast n i
I will be at the beautiful elan at easter week i just cannot wait, See you all in Rhayader my friends.
Sun Mar 23 11:12:53 2008
Pat Cooke from Staffordshire
I too whist researching my family history found that my great grandparent lived at 26 Elan Village. GGfather William was a train driver, but I would like to know more about what life was like for the women. . I believe that married couples had to have 8 navvies living with them . . were they expected to wash cook etc for these men ?? Any info please , regards Pat
Fri Oct 26 08:23:31 2007
Martin Barrett from Royal Tunbridge Wells
My mother was born in the Elan Village at number 6. My Great Grandmother,Mary Henderson, was living at No. 6 in 1904. Mum moved to London in 1956 after marrying my dad. My Grandmother, Grace Smith, played the organ in Nant Gwyllt church. We were lucky enough to be there at the 200th anniversary celebrations in 2004.
Thu Feb 1 09:39:50 2007
Tracy Buttery
Whilst researching my family tree, I found that my great grandmother and her family lived in Elan village, according to the 1901 census they lived at 36 Elan village. I do hope that some point in the near future to visit the Elan valley.
Thu Oct 5 08:54:57 2006
Patricia Turner from Darwen, Lancs
My great-grandfather was a foreman stone mason on the dams and lived with his wife and five children in the specially constructed village. I have a photo of them outside their cabin dated 1898. In the 1901 census they were living at 16 Garegddhw Llansantffraid Cwmdeuddwr. I have found this part of my family history quest fascinating and am hoping to visit Elan Valley soon.
Mon Sep 4 10:35:41 2006
Trevor Parker
My late father was born in Elan Village and I have just begun to research the family history of which there is very little recorded. I have recently discovered that my grandfather Robert Turner Parker, a stonemason originally from Cornwall and a widower lodging at 12 Elan Village married my grandmother Florence Elizabeth Birch who was a domestic servant at 4 Elan village and originally from London on 21st December 1901 at Llanwrthwl. I would dearly like to discover where they lived in the village after this date before moving on to Blaen y Cwm. Would any of the Birmingham records include such information?
Tue Jun 27 12:37:17 2006
Sheila Whittingham Nr. Llangunllo
Fascinating history.
The house we live in once stood in the Elan village, and still contains some original features.We had to update and reclad the woodwork on the outside 5 years ago and found the house layered with horsehair and bitumin sheets hung between the two skins of wood.When we removed the plasterboard from one room we found the boards go horizontal across the wall, not vertical as in the museum mockup.We Kept the original doors and windows when we modernazed , but the essential essence of the building is still there.The loft timbers are numbered, so that the house could be re assembled in the correct order, and the hearth tiles in brown black and cream are still in place under the carpets although the fireplaces are long gone.A lovely historic house to live in.
Fri Jul 15 11:13:03 2005
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In the summer of 2004, a special exhibition called 'Under the Shadow of the Dam' was put together in Rhayader, looking back at the construction of the Elan Valley Dam and its effects on the local community. 
