"Since September this year, we, the community of Ysbyty Ysywyth, have been working together to create in textiles a visual record of the history of our village.
The idea was initiated by the school, where all the meetings and workshops also take place. At a series of meetings, we identified 22 subjects or events relating to this area which we wanted to include in our timeline.
After further research into each of them, I produced for us an image based wherever possible on source material such as old photographs, paintings or etchings or even artefacts in museums etc.
Next, various groups from the village selected one of the images that they felt was relevant to them, and worked with me to create them in textiles, painting the background in fabric paints, and making all the foreground images in appliqué, using Bondaweb, an iron-on adhesive.
The subjects and groups are:
1. The Bronze Age finds: Bowling Club
2. An iron age fort:
3. The Romans and early lead mining in the area: Bowling Club
4. Medieval scene: Merched Ystwyth
5. Mining - scene inside a mine: School staff
6. Women and children working outside mine: families
7. Miners walking home to New Row: New Row Group
8. Miners being paid at Count House: School Governors
9. Hafod on fire 1807: Youth club
10. The death of Johnes daughter Mariamne: Liz
11. Churches/chapels of the village: Church group
12. Dafydd Morgan and his pulpit: Methodists
13. The arrival of the railway: Coffee Club
14. The Victorian village school: Primary school juniors
15. The brass band ( approx 1910 ): Embroidery group
16. Team of horses pulling logs: Primary School infants
17. Village scene in 1930s-40s: Mothers and toddlers
18. The hippie festivals of the 1970s: Communities First
19. Village Eisteddfod winners to date: Choir
20. The various bridges round the village: Community Council
21. Hendre quarry with windmills: Communities First Forum
22. The village today: Youth club
So far, over 70 people have taken part and we have completed 18 of them, though they still need a textile frame made for them, which will be done by local people.
We hope to complete the whole project by around Christmas time, and we are planning a big launch event in our village hall early in the new year, when they all be exhibited.
After that the work will be displayed in various venues around the county, such as the Coliseum Museum in Aberystwyth.
We have had great fun on this project, and we have all learned a lot. We hope you will all come and see it when its finished!"
Exhibition Update:
The Grand Opening was in the village hall on 7th March, with some entertainment by the children, and a cold buffet for all - the hall was packed. We have also produced a colouring book for children, with a line drawing of each of the panels and an explanation about it in Welsh and English; all the young participants were given one at the opening, and more are on sale now through the school or the village shop.We are hoping now to display the panels in various venues such as the Miners Arms Hotel and the LLewernog Silver Lead Mine; details will be posted on this site as they become available.
Article written Pod Clare
More local textiles...
your comments
If you are under 16 please do not disclose your surname.
We try to publish as many comments as we can but unfortunately, due to the volume of comments we receive every day, we cannot guarantee that all comments submitted will be published
Lyn Evans from Rhondda Valley
Really interesting the project on the history of Ysbyty Ystwyth, I am researching my paternal great grandfather and would be grateful if anyone has any information. ‘William Evans was born and raised in a cottage called Felincrug, Gwargeulan, Pont Llanafan. He was a forester on the Trawscoed estate. He became the bandmaster for Ysbyty Ystwyth brass band. After finishing is work at Trawscoed, he kept a shop at Ysbyty Ystwyth and was leader of song for 25 years at Ysbyty Chapel. He composed the hymn ‘Ar lan Iorddonen Ddofn’, for the 1898 Ysbyty Ystwyth Eisteddfod. In 1895, he left for Treorci, Gla! morgan and he died there in 1900, 64 years old. His wife was Catherine, daughter of Edward Edwards, Hendrefelen and cousin of A.G. Edwards. Archbishop of Wales. He was buried at Ysbyty Ystwyth.They had 7 children, 2 daughters and 5 sons.’
Mon Jul 13 19:08:23 2009
Glyn Davies, Merriott, Somerset
A response to Susan Blaser, Toronto, Canada (Feb.6th'09). Ref: Her G.G.Grandfather Martin Bands, Publican, Bellvue Inn, Ysbyty Ystwyth (YY).Martin Bands (from Cornwall) is also MY G.G. Grandfather. He was married to Catherine Sarah Davy also from Cornwall. They had 9 children (7 survived). Martin died 14 Oct. 1850 at Bellvue Inn. Catherine died Nr. YY 1886 (ongoing research). Their second daughter, Ann, married Jacob Jacob, from 'Wainlloy' YY, who are my G.Grandparents. The Bellvue Inn' no longer exists in YY. However, the location is still known as Cae-Bellvue (Bellvue Field) and is about 2Km south of YY on the B4343.Both my brother and I (now in our 70's) have carried out extensive research into our family history and have lots of info on the Bands family etc. in YY. We would be MORE than pleased to share this with you and welcome you into the (now very extended) family (please explain where you fit in the family tree?). I also have some photos of the Bellvue 'site' and of the area. I am visiting YY again shortly (3rd time) for more research, particularly churchyard(s) at YY where I believe Martin is buried.If I can help with more info, please contact me.
Thu Apr 9 13:57:40 2009
John Lewis from Concord, NC
My great-grandfather (Richard Lewis) was born at Maesybeudy outside Ysbyty Ystwyth. The family moved from Maesybeudy shortly before my grandfather was born. Does anyone have any information as to where the family is burried? Are there still members of this branch of the Lewis family living in Ysbyty Ystwyth?
Tue Mar 31 15:47:35 2009
Susan Blaser from Toronto, Canada
I love the website! My gg grandfather Martin Bands and family lived at "Belle Vue", Ysbyty Ystwyth. Initially he was a miner, but on his death certificate (he died of lung disease), he is listed as "publican" of the Belle Vue Inn. Is it possible to find out where exactly that was?
Tue Mar 17 14:14:59 2009
Michael Ball from Toronto, Canada
I am researching the family of William Ball (1847 - 1895) who was an accountant of the Frongoch Mine in Ysbyty Ystwyth. He, his wife, and several children are buried in St. John the Baptist churchyard. I understand that the communion service in the church was donated by him or in memory of William.I would be interested in people also researching that family or who might help with further research / pictures related to the family.
Fri Feb 6 09:18:03 2009
Add your comments to this page here:
