Abram Wood

 

Abram Wood was a famous Welsh Gypsy and a well-known storyteller and musician. He was the chief of a family of Welsh Romani people in the 1700s.    

 

The Abram Wood Family

 Abram Wood - or Abraham Woods as he was also called - is probably the most famous Gypsy musician of all the Romani harpists and fiddle players who have ever lived in Wales.

Many Romani people in Wales today can trace their history to him and his extended family, and even today in Wales, people refer to the 'Abram Wood Family'.

 

Where did he live?

Abram Wood probably moved to the Llanbrynmair area near Machynlleth in mid-Wales in the 1730s, before later moving to the Bala and Ruthin area in the north.

When he was a child, he and his immediate family are believed to have lived on the border between England and Wales - around Shropshire and Cheshire.  He came from a Gypsy family that was well-known for entertaining and telling stories.

 

Skills and talents

His skills and store of knowledge were extremely important to Abram, and he learned everything from his parents and older family members within his community. This is a very important part of the Romani tradition as the extended family - the vista in the Romanus language - learn and pass on practical and cultural education to the younger ones.

Abram would have listened attentively as relatives gathered around the fire at the end of the working day to tell stories and sing. He had a particularly good memory, something that is typical of the Romani to this day, and he could remember long and complicated stories that included dozens of characters and events.

 

Where did the Romani come from originally?

Strangely, the word 'Gypsy' came from the word 'Egyptians' in English. This was because people in Europe made the mistake of thinking that the Gypsy families had originally come from Egypt. This was incorrect, as the original Romani came from India.

 

Performer

Abram Wood was a performer and knew that it was important for him to look impressive to attract an audience. Here is his great-granddaughter Saiforella Wood Jones' description of him:

“…very dark, with rosy cheeks. His face was as round as an apple, and he had a double-chin and a small mouth … He wore a three-pointed hat … with gold lace, a silk coat with ‘swallowtails’ … and a waistcoat embroidered with green leaves. The buttons on his coat were half-crowns [large, golden coins] … and those on his waistcoat were smaller, silver coins … His breeches [trousers that ended just below the knee] were white, and tied with silk ribbons, and there were bunches of ribbons [tied] … at his knees. On his feet he had pumps [light shoes made of silk] … with silver buckles and silver spurs [for horse-riding] … And he wore two gold rings, a gold watch and chain… He always rode on horseback, and would not sleep in the open, but in barns…”

There are also some descriptions of him as a "tall and thin" man, although Saiforella describes "His face as round as an apple". We can imagine from his outfit and the way he would play the violin or tell stories by the fire, that he was a colourful and lively character!

 

Music

Romani violin players all over the world are famous for their musical skills, especially in central, eastern, and south-eastern Europe. However, in Wales, Gypsy musicians (many of them relatives of Abram Wood) are most famous for playing the harp.

 

The end of his life

Many believe that Abram Wood died in a barn on Cadair Idris mountain near Dolgellau in Gwynedd, and that he was buried in the nearby Llangelynnin cemetery with a simple tombstone to remember him. Others say that it is unlikely he was buried there as his family were Catholics.

Traditionally, the Romani in Wales burned the body of their loved ones with their belongings in a tent or wagon - vardo in the Romanus language - and some still do this today.

Abram Wood's influence and heritage live on today through the culture, history, and customs of the Welsh Romani.

 

Useful links:

• http://www.valleystream.co.uk/romany-wood.htm
• https://www.mythslegendsodditiesnorth-east-wales.co.uk/welsh-romani
• https://youtu.be/nU6Z1-VLjIU?si=OGuvg_v3RBRifEgS
• https://youtu.be/gytnY6brOZA?si=2zHCNy_OvAGUwhWM

John Ystumllyn

Background

John Ystumllyn was born in either West Africa or the West Indies. The earliest information about him was written by Robert Isaac Jones in Tremadog in 1888, around 150 years after John's birth. John's story had fascinated him, but although he wrote about him in detail, there are still many gaps in our knowledge of John Ystumllyn.

John was probably born around 1738. He would, of course, have had a different name and a different language at the time. One day, he was suddenly kidnapped by white men and sold in England as part of the very profitable and cruel slave trade. He remembered his mother screaming and crying for him as he was abducted. John was bought and then given as a gift to the Wynne family near Cricieth in north Wales.

 

Remarkable skills

The Wynne family gave him a new name, 'John Ystumllyn'. Historians believe he was around 8 years old at the time. The family felt they had a duty to educate John, and he soon learned to speak both Welsh and English. He was a talented boy and a quick learner. By the time he was 16, the family not only boasted that John was a skilled craftsman and a particularly talented gardener, but also that he was very handsome and honest. He worked as a gardener on the family estate.

 

His adult life

In time, John fell in love with a local girl called Margaret Gruffydd, and they married and had seven children. They lived in a cottage that they received as a gift from the Wynne family, which had a large garden. A further sign of the Wynne family’s fondness of John was that they hired an artist to draw a portrait of him. Records show that John did not remain a slave and lived as a free man.

 

Highly respected

John experienced racism at the hands of a few people during his life in Wales. However, we also know that John had good friends in his area and that he was highly respected. When he died, for example, they put a special stone on his grave in St Cynhaearn's Church.

 

A rose to remember

John had experienced the horror of the slave trade and suffered racism and ignorance. However, it seems that he once again found love and peace in his life. In 2021, a special rose was named after John. These yellow roses were planted around Cricieth library and the gardens of Buckingham Palace to remember and celebrate the remarkable gardener and his contribution to Wales.

 

Vocabulary

slave trade	a business where people were caught and sold to live and work for someone else without being paid
profitable	something that makes a lot of money

 

Useful links:

To watch a video about the rose, go to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-58988121

To see a video of a poem about John Ystumllyn, go to:  https://cadw.gov.wales/learn/wales-rich-and-diverse-heritage/creative-responses/john-ystumllyn-c1738-1786?

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=419276399785143

Further links:

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd1vp8em131o 
• https://www.black-boy-inn.com/the-story-of-john-ystumllyn/

  William Cuffay

 

William Cuffay was a remarkable man who fought tirelessly for workers’ rights in the 1800.  He was a prominent figure in the Chartist movement, the first mass political movement in the history of Wales and Britain.

 

His background

Cuffay's grandfather had been a Black slave. His father, Chatham Cuffay, had also been a slave before being freed in the 1770s.

When Cuffay was born in 1788, his health was fragile, and he had deformities in his spine and legs. Even as an adult, he was very short and measured under 5 feet. But Cuffay was not held back by his poor background or disability. He went on to do great work, playing an important role in political changes in both Wales and Britain.

 

Who were the Chartists and why did they protest?

No right to vote

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, most people had no right to vote in elections. Members of Parliament came from the wealthiest families in society and controlled the towns and areas where they lived. They made decisions without giving any thought to the working class.

 

Challenging the system

Gradually, the middle and working classes began to challenge this system and formed political groups. Members of the working class were very dissatisfied with their low wages and poor living conditions.

 

The government’s response

The government was worried that the people would turn against them and start a revolution. So, in 1832, the Parliament Reform Act was passed to give more people the right to vote. Even then, only 7% of the population could vote and the working class still had no rights.

 

The People’s Charter

As a result, the working class in Britain grew more and more restless during the 1830s. A document called the People’s Charter was drawn up, listing the rights they demanded. Radical groups were set up to campaign for this charter.

The Chartists had 6 aims:

1. A vote for all men over 21 years of age.

2. Secret voting so that it was possible to vote without any pressure or bullying.

3. Annual elections (at the time, elections happened every 7 years).

4. Salaries for Members of Parliament.

5. An equal number of voters in each constituency.

6. No need to own land to be a Member of Parliament.

 

William Cuffay and the Welsh Chartists

Working as a tailor

If Cuffay would have been born fit and strong, he probably would have followed his father into the Navy. Instead, in 1800, when he was just 12 years old, Cuffay became a tailor's apprentice. By 1819, he had moved to London to work as a tailor.

Some years later, in 1834, he and several other tailors went on strike to protest for better wages and fairer working hours. But as a result, Cuffay lost his job and became unemployed. This was the beginning of the path that led him to the Chartists and to Wales!

 

The Tailors’ Charters Association

Cuffay was furious that he had been sacked. He realised that there was no one to represent workers in government, so he helped to establish the Metropolitan Tailors’ Charters Association.

 

Talented speaker

Very soon, Cuffay became a very important member of the Chartist movement in London and was known as a talented and effective speaker who was popular with the working class.

 

Meeting Welsh Chartists

It was during this period that he met prominent members of the Chartists in south Wales, such as John Frost, William Jones and Zephaniah Williams. Cuffay helped to connect south Wales with the Chartist movement in Britain.

 

Physical protests

After years without seeing any improvements for the working class in Wales, some of the Chartists began to change the way they protested. As well as petitioning the government, they now began to protest physically.

 

The Newport Rising

The bloodiest protest in the history of the Chartists took place in Newport on the 4th of November 1839. With the help and support of William Cuffay, thousands of Welsh Chartists from many ethnic backgrounds marched through Newport, carrying weapons and shouting.

While marching, several of the Chartists were arrested by the police and imprisoned at the Westgate hotel in the centre of Newport. Armed soldiers were called to the hotel to help the police. In response, the Chartists surrounded the hotel demanding that the protesters be released. Then, both sides started fighting and the soldiers shot at the crowd.

Although the bloody fighting only lasted a short time, 22 Chartists lost their lives and over 50 people were injured. The protest is known as the Newport Rising and this was the last large-scale armed rebellion in Wales.

 

Punishment

The leaders John Frost, William Jones and Zephaniah Williams were found guilty of treason against the government and were sentenced to be hanged.

Eventually, after a national petition campaign by William Cuffay, the punishment was changed, and the three leaders were sent for life to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania, Australia today).

A total of 60 Chartists from Wales were transported to Tasmania in 1842.

 

Remembering the Newport Rising

There is very little to remind us in Wales today about the Newport Rising, especially the contribution of people from diverse ethnic communities. In 1978, a huge mural was created in Newport by artist Kenneth Budd. Although the mural showed the Chartists fighting, none of the Chartists on the mural were from diverse ethnic communities. The mural no longer exists as the local council demolished it in 2013.

 

William Cuffay deported to Tasmania

A few years after the Newport Rising, in the summer of 1848, William Cuffay plotted with others in London to lead a rebellion. The government found out about this, and Cuffay was arrested. His punishment was to be sent to Tasmania for 21 years.

 

Choosing to stay

Three years later, the political prisoners in Tasmania were freed. Despite this, Cuffay chose to stay in Tasmania, continuing to work as a tailor in his new country and taking part in politics.

He never gave up campaigning and played an important role there in persuading the authorities to change the harsh laws against servants.  

 

The end of his life

Cuffay died a pauper in 1870, aged 82. His death was reported in seven newspapers across three Australian states - Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria. Still, he was buried without a tombstone to mark his grave.

As a member of the working class, he left no diaries or papers behind and there are no traces today to show where he lived in London or Tasmania.

However, there is no doubt that William Cuffay was a prominent figure. He played a key role in the history of democracy, ultimately helping to improve the conditions of the working class in Wales, in Britain and beyond.

 

Vocabulary

charter	an official document that lists people’s rights
democracy	a political system where all the people of a country are represented in government
deport	sending someone to another country
mass movement	an organisation that includes many people
pauper	a very poor person
petition	a list of names to appeal to the authorities to change their minds about something

 

 

 

Lily Shepherd Tobias

“Lily was a unique woman in unique times – though small of stature and quiet of voice – Lily had the strength and determination to try and change the world. As a political activist and a writer, she fought for female suffrage, conscientious objectors, the rights of working people and a Jewish national home in Palestine.” (Donahaye, 2015).

 

Who was Lily Shepherd Tobias?

Tobias was an author and a writer who found herself living in a time of rapid social change. Through her upbringing as a Welsh Jew, living in Swansea, Ystalafera and Cardiff, she developed her sense of self-identity from a young age, with real clarity over the social and religious issues that were important to her. She used her voice repeatedly to persuade, influence and work towards the bettering of society. Her legacy cannot be underestimated.

Early life 

Lily was born in 1887 at 291 Carmarthen Road, Swansea. Her parents were Tobias and Chana Beila, who were Polish-Jewish immigrants. She spoke Yiddish, English and Welsh and was able to attend school until the age of thirteen. Her father was a businessman who valued learning, but the family faced great financial difficulties when his business became bankrupt in 1898. Both he and Chana Beila were observant Jews.

Her beliefs

It is suggested that Lily started writing for the radical socialist paper, Llais Llafur (Labour Voice), from the age of twelve, although much of the articles are unattributed, and so it is difficult to be sure. Nevertheless, it is well documented that from a young age, Lily was passionate, idealistic and confident in her values.

She believed in equality, possibly harnessed by the differing educational opportunities that she and her brothers had. She was a socialist, witnessing first hand in the valleys towns and villages in which she lived how exploited the members of the working classes were. As the daughter of immigrants, she too would have been made very aware of her social status, in comparison to the middle-class Jews in the established Jewish community of Swansea. This was especially hard after her father lost his business.

Married life 

Lily married Philip Valentine Tobias in 1911, who shared and embraced many, if not all of Lily’s values and ideals. He gave her the time and space to express herself through her writing and the causes that she supported. By the mid 1930s, they emigrated to Palestine. As Zionists, both believed in the importance of the Jewish homeland, and whilst there, Philip was able to develop his business, and Lily was able to continue with her writing. Her last four published books could all be seen as pseudo autobiographical works, drawing on her rich and varied life experiences.

Unfortunately, as a result of the growing conflict, Philip was brutally murdered, being stoned and stabbed by a mob. Lily chose never to write again although she did live an active and socially engaged life after her husband’s death. Lily remained in Palestine until 1984, when she died at the age of 96.

An inspiration

By the time Lily died, her writing had largely been forgotten, a fate typical of many women writers of the time. But it has been the resurgence of Welsh identity and a time of questioning our history as a nation that has drawn her writing back into print and given us a truly inspirational and courageous story that allows her legacy to live on.

 

Vocabulary

activist	a person who uses forceful action to support their views
conscientious objector	someone who doesn’t believe in fighting/ war
immigrant	a person who comes into a country and stays
socialist	a social system based on sharing and the distribution of wealth
suffrage	exercising the right to vote
Zionist	the belief in a homeland for Jews

 

Useful links:

• The Greatest Need: The Creative Life and Troubled Times of Lily Tobias, a Welsh Jew in Palestine , Jasmine Donahaye – UCL Press (scienceopen.com)
• Obituary of Lily Tobias, Swansea, 8 June 1984 | Peoples Collection Wales
• Opening Statement by Lily Tobias for a meeting of the South African PEN Club at the Carleton Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, 1945 February 28 - PEN Teaching Guide- International Human Rights - Harry Ransom Center Digital Collections (oclc.org)
• Jewish History Association of South Wales (jhasw.com)
• The Shepherd Family of Ystalyfera and Pontypridd in the First World War | WCIA Voices (wordpress.com)

The Hinds Family

Making Wales a better place

We celebrate the Hinds family because they represent people who came to make Wales their homeland and dedicated their lives here to the service of others in their community and country. The Hinds family became political pioneers in both the Welsh and the Caribbean communities, helping to make Wales a better place to live.

 

Leonard Hinds

Leonard Hinds was born in 1887 in Barbados. He worked as a merchant seaman and served in World War 1. Leonard later began working as a miner in the village of Maerdy in the Rhondda Valley and settled in Barry with his wife Gwenllian Lloyd, a local girl.

They went on to have six children who would also live to serve their community and make outstanding contributions to Wales and Welsh politics. One of their daughters, Elvira Gwenllian Hinds, was born in Barry in 1917.  Another of their children who went on to play a pivotal role in Welsh life was John Darwin Hinds, born in 1922. 

 

Elvira Gwenllian Hinds

Known as ‘Gwen’ locally, Elvira Gwenllian Hinds was a pioneering politician and civil servant, making history as Wales' first Black female councillor.  She first served as her brother’s Lady Mayoress and later became a politician in her own right after being elected to the Vale of Glamorgan Council in 1972. She continued to be actively engaged in local politics until her death in 2007.

 

John Darwin Hinds

John Darwin Hinds, like his older sister, made a formidable contribution to Wales. He first followed his father’s footsteps and worked as a miner, before moving to London to work at the Colonial Office.  His time at the Colonial Office led to a great interest and involvement in politics, and on returning to live in Wales, he became a member of the Labour Party. John also converted to Islam after coming back to Wales.

 

In 1958, he was elected to serve Barry Council, becoming Wales’ first Muslim councillor and first Black councillor. He was one of three local councillors who spoke Welsh fluently. He made history again when he was made the Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan in 1975 and became Wales’ first Black Mayor. John’s contributions greatly helped improve people’s lives in south Wales. Like his father and older sister, he made a positive impact on south Wales and Welsh politics, leaving a long-lasting legacy.   

 

Vocabulary

civil servant	a person who works in a department of a country's government
Colonial Office	a government body that was set up to be in charge of the British colonies (far away countries and areas that were controlled by Britain)
Lady Mayoress	an official female companion to a mayor when attending council events
pioneer	one of the first people to be involved in something and develop it

Giacomo Bracchi

Did you know that Italians have been moving to live and work in Wales since the nineteenth century? You may have come across a local business with an Italian name, such as Berni (Merthyr Tydfil), Sidoli (Ebbw Vale and Porthcawl), Monti (Pembroke Dock), Antoniazzi (Aberystwyth). Over the years, the Italian influence has been an important part of culture and communities across Wales.

Leaving Italy

One Italian who made a major contribution to communities in the south Wales valleys was Giacomo Bracchi. He travelled to Wales during the 1880s to work here and escape the poverty he faced at his home in Bardi in north-east Italy. After arriving in Britain from Italy, he worked on the streets of London, entertaining people by playing music on his barrel organ.

New opportunities

Bracchi then moved to south Wales where the coal industry was big business. Working in the coal mines was hard and dangerous work and Bracchi may have worked as a miner for a while. Amid the coal mines, the chapels and the pubs, Bracchi saw a gap for a new venture: coffee, chips and ice cream. His vision was to have an alternative place for people to meet and gather as a community.

Challenges

Life was not always easy for Italian immigrants. Many of them came from very poor and uneducated backgrounds, and some people in a few communities wrongly blamed immigrants for bringing diseases and creating trouble. In the cities, Italian immigrants lived in noisy and crowded places, and it is likely that Bracchi would have experienced this during his time in London.

Expanding the business

Despite the challenges that Bracchi faced, he worked hard to grow his business. At one time, the family had nine cafes. The surname 'Bracchi' became famous, with people in the Rhondda and Cynon Valleys referring to any cafe as a 'Bracchi shop'. He and his business were an example to others of how to be successful, and he set an excellent precedent for other Italian families who wanted to follow a similar path.

Contributing to Welsh life

By the end of the 1900s, around a thousand immigrants had come to Wales from Italy, and their inspiring stories have appeared in books, plays and musicals. The memory of Bracchi and other Italian immigrants’ contribution to Welsh communities have continued over the centuries, and their family names are still very much a part of Welsh life and culture today.

 

Useful links:

• http://www.welshitalians.com/your-stories/grandfathers
• https://www.foodpassages.com/italians-in-wales/
• https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms/italian-immigration-to-britain
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/fdcff8e1-66dc-34e2-b279-a6e7280958cc
• https://www.peoplescollection.wales/story/1789816
• https://www.wales.com/about/culture/wales-and-italy
• https://nation.cymru/culture/the-story-of-the-bracchi-when-the-italians-arrived-in-wales/

 

Iris de Freitas Brazão

Background

Iris De Freitas Brazão was born on 29th October 1896 in what is now Guyana, South America. At the time the country was under the rule of the British Empire and was called ‘British Guiana’.

 

First female laywer

Brazão became the first female lawyer in the Caribbean and the first female to prosecute in a murder trial (a court case where someone is accused of intentionally killing someone else). 

 

Studying far from home

Unusually at the time, she chose to study and gain her degree and qualifications in law very far from home, by attending Aberystwyth University between 1922 and 1927. She studied law alongside botany, Latin and modern languages.  Brazão had begun her studies in Toronto, Canada before transferring to Aberystwyth in 1918. 

As a Black woman born in Guyana, she would likely have been met with surprise at her chosen profession. After all, there weren’t equal opportunities for men and women at the time. The suffragette movement was just gaining momentum, but there was still a long way to go before women would be permitted to vote – in both Guyana and Wales.  Brazão also met with racism but did not allow it to stop her progress. During her time at Aberystwyth, she was actively involved in the University community as leader of the Students’ Representative Council and President of the Women’s Sectional Council. 

 

Returning to Guyana  

After graduating, she returned to Guyana and married Fred (Alfred Casimiro Brazão) in 1937, continuing her career in law for several years. She was heartbroken when her husband died during a visit to London and, having no children, Iris stayed with extended family for the following 6 months. Iris De Freitas passed away in 1989 at the age of 93.   

 

Remembered and honoured

It wasn’t until 2016 that her legacy was revived when staff at Aberystwyth University came across her academic robe and found a picture postcard in the pocket which included her image and the following handwritten words,

“With love and in memory of an enjoyable session, Iris 1922-23”. 

After some investigation, and the discovery of her graduation and success, she was honoured by Aberystwyth University on International Women’s Day 2016 and a room at the university’s Hugh Owen library was named after her. 

 

Useful links:

• Iris de Freitas Brazao - Woww (narberthmuseum.co.uk) 
• Iris de Freitas - an amazing lady - Family de Freitas 
• Women In History: Guyanese, Iris de Freitas, was the first female lawyer in the Caribbean - Guyanese Girls Rock! 

Sheikh Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi

Did you know that Cardiff has been home to the oldest Muslim community in the UK since the middle of the 19th century? One person who did a lot of work to help Muslim people settle in their new community in Cardiff was Sheik Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi. 

In the mid-1800s many Muslim people from Yemen and Somalia came to work in the shipping industry in the Cardiff and Newport dockland areas. The world’s best coal was produced in Wales and exported from the Cardiff docks to all parts of the world. Ships from all over the world also sailed into and out of Cardiff. 

Click on these links to see pictures of the ships and workers in Cardiff docks during the last century:

• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coal_ships_tied_up_at_Cardiff_Docks.jpg 
• https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/2E9E/production/_114243911_sd_002a.jpg.webp

Many of the Muslim worker population decided to settle in areas such as Butetown and Cardiff Bay. To help them continue with their faith and way of life, Sheikh Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi was sent from Yemen to Cardiff in the 1930s. Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi established a mosque in Peel Street in the city, which is said to be the first mosque in Wales. He held Quran reading classes for both adults and children at the mosque.  

This picture was taken in 1964 and shows the first mosque in Cardiff:

https://rcahmw.gov.uk/waless-first-purpose-built-mosque/

Abdulla Ali al-Hakimi encouraged every community to respect each other’s cultures as Muslim men from Yemen and Somalia married local Welsh women. When celebrating Id al-Fitr, he encouraged the Yemeni and Somali communites to dress up in traditional Arabic costumes. He would lead processions to celebrate Arabic holy festivals, and here is a picture of him leading a crowd along Cardiff streets during Eh Ehteffel, an Islamic religious festival on 22nd August 1937: 

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/procession-headed-by-sheikh-abdullah-ali-al-hakimi-chief-of-news-photo/1053502732 

Did you know that the first Arabic-language newspaper in Britain was printed in Butetown between the 1930s and the 1950s? Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi named the paper Al-salam.  Al-salam was read by people from north Africa and the Middle East. 

Sheikh Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi contributed towards the first Muslim burial ground in Wales in Ely, which is still there today.  

 

 

Nicholas Winton

“I work on the motto that if something’s not impossible, there must be a way to do it.” (Nicholas Winton)

"My father has been admired by many, including the prime minister. Sadly, such admiration has not led to following in his footsteps in relation to today’s child refugees.” (Barbara Winton)

 

Before the war

Nicholas was born in London in 1909 to Jewish parents. In 1938, when he was 29, he had organised a skiing trip but was persuaded by his friend to visit Czechoslovakia in eastern Europe instead, to see for himself how bad the situation was becoming. Under its dictator Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany had begun a campaign to overrun Czechoslovakia and made tens of thousands of people homeless. No-one knew at the time that the Second World War was about to break out all over Europe. Winton was alarmed to see the refugee camps in Czechoslovakia and the number of people who had been displaced.

 

Making a plan to help

Almost immediately, he was motivated to take action and explore how the children in these camps could be helped. Bravely, he approached the UK government for assistance to bring affected children to the UK, and remarkably, they agreed to help but only on the following two conditions:

1. That each child would be supported by £50 from their families.
2. That each child had a family that would host them in the UK until they were 18.

Winton knew that these conditions were impossible for many children, and so, together with a small group of family and friends, he worked tirelessly to raise money and find sponsor families in the UK to try to rescue the children.

 

Plan into action

Amazingly, over a short period of time, he managed to rescue a total of 669 children, all of whom were settled in the UK. Many would never see their families again, as they were killed during the war or in concentration camps. The final train he had organised as transport for a further 250 children never left the train station, and sadly no-one knows the fate of these children.

 

Safety in Wales

Wales became a haven for many of the children who arrived on the Kindertransport, and they were welcomed into various communities around the country. Gwrych Castle near Abergele in north Wales became home to 200 children aged 14-18. There, under the guidance of Rabbi Sperber, education programmes and training initiatives within the community were created for them, and the children bonded with the local people. They played sports and formed the Gwrych Castle Football Club which won against local teams, humorously referred to as “international games”.

In Llanwrtyd Wells in Powys, mid Wales, the Czeckslovakian government set up a state school for 120 of the nation’s children and they were quickly embraced by the local community. At one concert held at the school for local people, the children sang 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'. Vera Gissing from Prague, who was a student at the school, remembered that there “wasn’t a dry eye in the audience”.

 

A Welsh welcome

Former student Frank Schwelb also remembered “with particular affection the Welsh people who welcomed” him and his classmates “so warmly during [their] time of need”. The town of Llanwrtyd Wells later twinned with the Czech town of Český Krumlov, with the former pupils of the school gifting Llanwrtyd Wells’ mayor with the first gold link for the mayoral chain.

Children saved by Nicholas Winton were also welcomed in other parts of Wales, such as Llandough Castle in Glamorgan, and Aryeh House School at Bronwydd Castle in Ceredigion. Many were also given homes with families in Wales.

 

After the war

Winton was a humble man and didn’t speak about his actions during the war. After the war, he married and had children, and settled into life as a banker.

It was only whilst clearing out their attic that Winton and his wife came across the documents from the war and decided to donate them to a museum. Shortly after in 1988, the BBC TV show ‘That’s Life’ stumbled across the story and he was invited to appear on the TV show, where, unknown to him, he was reunited with many of the children (now adults) that he had saved.

Winton maintained that anyone would have acted in the same way as he did. Unfortunately though, they didn’t, and whilst Winton was able to rescue over 600 children, many more died in the refugee and death camps.

 

Winton's legacy

Winton received much recognition for what he did from both the British and the Czechoslovakian governments. Those who were saved by the Kindertransport were eternally grateful to him and to the Welsh communities that welcomed them.

A new generation of people now know of this heroic effort, through the 2023 film One Life starring the Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins as Nicholas Winton - the hero who saved 669 children.

 

Vocabulary

Kindertransport

German for ‘children’s transport’ – the plan to rescue children from countries taken over by Germany before the start of the Second World War.

 

Useful links and information:

Book: If it’s not impossible: The life of Sir Nicholas Winton – Barbara Winton

• 'What Will Your Legacy Be?' The Story of Sir Nicholas Winton - YouTube
• Story of Nicholas Winton BBC That's life - Short version - YouTube
• Sir-Nicholas-Winton-life-story-cymraeg.pdf (hmd.org.uk)
• Nicholas-Winton-life-story.pdf (hmd.org.uk)
• Sir-Nicholas-Winton-Easy-to-Read-life-story.pdf (hmd.org.uk)
• Sir Nicholas Winton
• 80 Trees for 80 Years – AJR
• The UK Holocaust Map | The UK Holocaust Map
• https://www.thejc.com/life-and-culture/meet-the-200-kindertransport-children-who-found-refuge-in-a-welsh-castle-ho8b4i9f
• https://wp-research.aber.ac.uk/nsrefugeeswales/history/kindertransportees/

 

John Petts

Throughout history, Wales has influenced the world in various ways. One example is the art of John Petts. Born in England at the start of the First World War, in 1935 he moved to Llanllechid in Gwynedd where he started his art career. Petts worked with the poet Alun Lewis to depict pieces for Welsh language magazines, and along with his wife Brenda Chamberlain, he established Caseg Press to print cards and pictures of local landscapes. 

Petts used a variety of art media in his work, and became known for his wood carvings, screen printing, designs and illustrations. He worked with both the British Arts Council and the Arts Council of Wales, and became a lecturer at Carmarthen Art School in 1957. Here Petts started to concentrate on creating stained glass windows, and it can be argued that it is for this, as well as his great gesture against racism, he is mostly remembered and celebrated today.

Wales Window of Alabama

On 15th September 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama in the USA, a bomb was planted by the Ku Klux Klan (a white supremacist group) at the 16th Street Baptist Church – a church with a predominantly Black congregation. Many were injured in the terrorist attack, which killed four girls who were attending Sunday school at the time.  They were Cynthia Westley (14), Carol Robertson (14), Denise McMair (11) and Addie-May Collins (14).

When news of the tragedy reached John Petts, he decided to design and create a brand new window to be sent to the church members in Alabama.  The window depicted a Black Jesus Christ on the cross, pushing away hatred. Petts also raised funds among his fellow countrymen to send to the congregation to rebuild their church on 16th Street. Some remember the children of Cardiff Bay queuing to donate their pocket money to the cause. The window and funds were sent to Alabama with the message 'Given by the People of Wales'. 

Petts went on to create many glass stained windows for churches throughout Wales and his art has been displayed in Britain, the USA and Hong Kong.

 

Useful links:

• https://www.walesartsreview.org/against-the-evil-of-violence-the-wales-window-of-alabama/
• https://www.artwales.com/artists-detail-mtg-en.php?artistID=191
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06m3wlb

Roy Francis

People are often remembered for being the first to do something. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon. Roger Bannister was the first to run a mile in under four minutes, and Muhammad Ali was the first to win the world heavyweight boxing championship three times. The first Black person to coach a professional sports team was called Roy Francis.

 

Discrimination

In Roy Francis’ era in the 1930s, Black people were often banned from taking part in sporting events such as boxing.  But things were changing for the better in rugby league, and Roy Francis was one of the first Black players to pave the way.

 

Early life

Roy Francis was born in Brynmawr in Gwent in 1919, and raised in Tiger Bay in Cardiff. As a youngster he played rugby union for Brynmawr Rugby Club, but at 17 he moved to Wigan, northern England and switched code to play rugby league.

 

His career

He had a successful career and was chosen to play for the British Isles team. But in 1948 he was not picked for a tour to Australia. It is said that this was because the organisers were fearful of Australia’s segregation policies against their own indigenous population at the time. The same year, Roy Francis joined Warrington for £800. In 1954, he was made the head coach of Hull and led a successful team who won the Championship twice.

 

Racism

In 1957, Hull signed a white player from South Africa called Mervyn McMillan. McMillan was displeased that his new team had a Black coach, and said that Roy Francis would not have been allowed to coach in South Africa. His racist comments led him to being dropped immediately, and he did not play once for Hull.

 

Trailblazer

Roy Francis was praised for his skills as a coach, and introduced ideas and techniques that are considered ahead of his time. He trained the backs to tackle as forwards, and the forwards to pass the ball like backs. He was also one of the first to use post-game video analysis - he asked for the Hull games to be filmed so he could watch them back to look for ways to improve the players’ performance. Today, every professional team does this routinely. On his retirement, many stated that Roy Francis was one of the very best coaches the sport had ever seen.

 

Useful links:

• https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/18439615.trailblazer-roy-francis-gwent-became-britains-first-professional-black-sporting-coach/
• https://wrl.wales/roy-francis-memorial-to-be-unveiled-in-brynmawr
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/54695638
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67181749

 

Abdulrahim Abby Farah

Farah’s early life 

Abdulrahim Abby Farah was a politician and diplomat.  He born in Barry on 22 October 1919.   

His father, Abby Farah, had a great influence on him. Abby Farah came from Somalia and was a leader in the Somali community in Barry. He opened the Domino Club, which welcomed children of all ethnic backgrounds, encouraging them to meet and socialise.  Between the ages of 11 and 14, Farah cared for his mother as she was very ill. His care and compassion for other people continued throughout his life.   

Somaliland 
 
In 1938, just before the Second World War, when Farah was 17 years old, his father sent him to Somaliland (British Somaliland at the time).  Farah’s father sent him there to join his brother, Abdillahi, and work in the government. He started working at the lowest possible level but was quickly promoted.  

Education 

In 1947, because of his excellent work, Farah was chosen to go to England to study. When he returned to Somaliland, he was made District Commissioner.  Once again, Farah was given an opportunity to continue his education and he returned to Britain in 1951 to study at Oxford University.  

When Somalia became an independent country in 1960, Farah returned there to live.  

His work as a diplomat  

Farah became an important diplomat. He quickly made his mark on an international level, and was known for being an eloquent speaker, hardworking, and determined.  

Here are some of the key roles that he carried out:  

• In 1961, Farah became the Republic of Somalia’s first Ambassador to Ethiopia until 1965.  

• In 1965, he served as the first Ambassador of the Republic of Somalia to Canada. 

• In 1965, Farah also became Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations. The United Nations (UN) is made up of countries from across the world that work together towards peace, and towards friendly relations between nations. (See   https://www.un.org/en/about-us for further information on the UN.)  

• Farah was given many other key jobs at the UN.  In 1969, for example, he became the Chairperson of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid. This Special Committee helped the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990.   (To learn more about Nelson Mandela, see for example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjYm78K6aNI) 

• In 1971, Farah was president of the UN Security Council. For Farah, one of the most important achievements in his career was arranging for the meeting of the UN Security Council to take place in an African capital (Addis Ababa).  Since 1952, it had always been held in New York. 

• Farah was promoted again several times and soon became Assistant Secretary General. In this role, he was sent to deal with sensitive negotiations throughout Africa. The Secretary General of the United Nations works on behalf of the people of the world, but especially those who are in greatest need of help.     

• In the 1980s, Farah changed his focus to humanitarian work and emergency management. In this work, he could use all his previous experience to coordinate international aid. 

• He was again promoted and became Under Secretary General for Special Political Questions. He was a key figure in establishing the Office of Emergency Operations in Africa.  

Leaving a legacy 

When Farah retired, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Thomas Pickering said, “Please accept my congratulations - and those of the entire U.S. delegation - for a job superbly done.” 

After his retirement, Farah continued with humanitarian work, for example establishing a hospital for landmine victims in Somalia.   

For most of his life, Farah lived abroad and his work was mostly connected to Africa.  Yet, he never lost his Welsh accent and never forgot his Welsh roots in Barry.   His relatives continue to contribute greatly to community work in the Barry area. Steve Khaireh, for example, has received awards for his work helping the community, including an MBE for working with young people.  When reflecting on his life and career at a family gathering, Farah said, “I never in my life sought or asked for a promotion. I relied on my character and integrity to make a way for me.” 

 

Vocabulary

ambassador	a person sent by a government to be its chief representative in a foreign country
diplomat	a person who manages the relations between countries
district commissioner	a person who works for the government and is in charge of a specific area of the country
humanitarian	helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people
ambassador	a person sent by a government to be its chief representative in a foreign country

 

Useful links: 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DYR7XbiDKQ  
• https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1576061  
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-44122866  

 

Mario Ferlito

The Henllan Prisoner of War Church

There are many magnificent churches to be seen in Wales, many of them cathedrals. These took years to build and were very expensive to create. But in a small village in the Teifi Valley, between Newcastle Emlyn and Llandysul in west Wales, is quite an extraordinary little church. The church is known as the Henllan Prisoner of War Church. From the outside it looks like an old zinc hut, but on the inside, it tells a remarkable story with its amazing decorations. Here is the story of one of the prisoners at that camp, Mario Ferlito.

Prisoners of war brought to Wales

During the Second World War, prisoners captured in battle were brought to Britain from countries in Europe and north Africa. Prisoners from Italy and Germany were transported to Wales.  Some of them came to the Teifi Valley, and stayed at the camp there between 1943 and 1947.

Mario Ferlito

One of these prisoners was Mario Ferlito. He was born in 1922, in a little village called Oleggio Castello in northern Italy.  

When the Second World War broke out, he was sent to the army to fight for Italy, like thousands of others. During the war he was captured and became a prisoner of war.

Ferlito and fellow captured prisoners firstly arrived in Scotland and were then moved on to south Wales. He stayed at a camp in Eglwyswrw and worked in the area, in Boncath, Cardigan, Cilgerran (Ceredigion) and Newport (Pembrokeshire). Later, he was relocated to Henllan Prisoner of War Camp to work in the canteen. Ferlito was one of over a thousand prisoners who were held there during wartime.

A place to worship

During his stay, many of the soldiers asked for a place of worship to practise their Roman Catholic faith. It was decided that one of the huts should be converted into a makeshift church for them, and Ferlito was given the job of decorating the inside of the building to make it look more like that of a church. They named their new place of worship Church of the Sacred Heart. He had no materials or paint to do the job, so he needed to be creative and find suitable items to help him decorate.  

To create different colours, Ferlito used materials such as coffee grounds, red cabbage, strawberries, and flowers. He made and painted candleholders from empty tins of fruit. An altar was built as the focal point of the church.  On the ceiling above the altar, Ferlito painted a fresco showing the Last Supper.  (The Last Supper is when the Bible tells of Jesus Christ’s last meal with his disciples before he went to the cross.)  He painted pictures on the beams too, and these can all still be seen today. Ferlito did all this in his spare time, without any money to buy the materials needed for the work.

Discovering the story

When the war came to an end, many of the prisoners left to return to their home countries, and the camp was changed into a small industrial estate. Over the years, the name Mario Ferlito was forgotten and no-one in Wales knew of the amazing artist who decorated the church in Henllan. It was a mystery!

But 30 years later, a teacher called Jon Meirion Jones and his pupils at Ysgol y Ferwig were doing a school project on the camp, and they came across the name Mario Ferlito. They decided to send him a letter and received a reply. Ferlito was delighted that his work was still appreciated in Wales, and they invited him to see the church once again.

Returning to Wales was a very emotional experience for Ferlito, and he was very touched by the welcome he received. He died at his home in Italy on 1st May 2009. His story is told on film and in a book written by Jon Meirion Jones called Y Llinyn Arian (The Silver Thread).

Choosing to stay

Ferlito returned home to Italy after the war, but many prisoners of war decided to stay after being released. Many people in the Teifi Valley today carry the Italian surnames of those who settled locally, such as Sarraccini, Savinelli, Vasami, Currado, Sisto and others.

One of the Italians who decided to stay was Vito Schiavone. He worked on a farm called Cilfallen not far from Henllan, and there he fell in love with Eluned, one of the farm’s daughters. Vito and Eluned’s descendants now live all over Wales and beyond. 

 

Useful links:

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/8028750.stm
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/midwales/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8306000/8306541.stm
• https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/ugly-industrial-estate-tin-box-16809864

                                 

Enrico Stennett

Family and background

Enrico Stennett was born in 1926 in Maroon Town, Jamaica. His mother’s family was white and owned plantations (large farms where crops like sugar and coffee were grown). His father was Black, and Stennett said, “My family were slave-owners and slaves.”

His mother’s family disowned her for having a child with a Black man, and Stennett was therefore raised by his aunt.

 

Jamaica

By this time, slavery had come to an end. However, the hateful effects of slavery and colonialism still affected Jamaican society deeply. Colonialism is when a powerful country controls other countries, forcing their traditions and culture on them, and using their control to become more powerful and rich. At this time, Jamaica was a British colony. 

 

Colourism

One of the effects of slavery and colonialism was ‘colourism’.  This was the wrong belief that fairer skin was better. Colourism came from the ‘one-drop rule’, meaning that if anyone had Black ancestry, even if it was as far back as eight generations before, they could legally be made slaves.

 

Pressure from his family

Because of colourism and his white family’s shame at Stennett’s mixed-race heritage, he was encouraged to think of himself as white. His family didn’t want him to associate with the Black workers at his family plantation. Although they were no longer slaves, they were still very much exploited, paid little for the back-breaking hard work they did and treated badly.

 

Harsh childhood

Stennett experienced a harsh and neglectful childhood, although he was educated to become Buckra Massa Pickney (‘White Master Child’) and inherit the plantation when he was older. Stennett’s family lived a life of wealth and privilege from the profits they made from the Black workers. He saw first-hand the degrading, brutal treatment for anyone who did not keep up with the punishing workload.

At an early age, he decided he could never treat people this way. Stennett became interested in the lives of Black people around him. Again, his family discouraged this, and he risked a severe beating if he was caught.

As he grew into a young man, he saw first-hand the hardship of the Black Jamaicans around him and became interested in the political movement for independence for Jamaica from British rule.

 

A better life in Britain?

Stennett decided to come to Britain, as he had been made to think of it as his ‘motherland’. Like everyone else living in a British colony, he had been taught to think of himself as a British citizen. He had been encouraged to think of England as a paradise, full of angels!

 

His family’s opinion about him coming to Britain

After World War II, Jamaican soldiers who had fought for Britain began returning home to Jamaica, and Stennett’s family heard reports that Britain was not always welcoming. Stennett was still determined to travel there, but his family refused to help. So, Stennett decided to ‘stowaway’ – hide on a ship, instead of buying a ticket. This was difficult, resulting in him getting on the wrong ship and travelling to a place he didn’t want to go!

 

Empire Windrush

Eventually, aged 21, he stowed away on the ship Empire Windrush and finally arrived in Britain. Empire Windrush was the ship which brought one of the first large groups of Caribbean people to the UK in 1948. 

Like many others, Stennett dreamed of a new life in the mother country. But again, like others, he had a nasty shock. He realised immediately that he wasn’t regarded as a white man at all by people in Britain.

 

No place to stay

He found it impossible to get accommodation.  There were signs everywhere saying that there were no rooms for Black people, Irish people, or dogs.

He was forced to sleep in empty, ruined buildings that had been bombed in World War II, or in dirty cramped rooms with huge numbers of fellow people from Caribbean countries huddled together. Stennett remembers that the conditions were deplorable – no electricity, no water to wash with, and huge biting insects everywhere. He was cold, hungry and tired.

 

No work

He tried so hard to get work and better accommodation, but no one would hire him. People said that the white English people would refuse to work with Black people. Stennett wanted to go home, realising why his family had discouraged him from going to Britain. But he couldn’t return.

 

Determined to succeed

Life was unbearably hard for Stennett, and this was a common experience for the Windrush generation (the people who emigrated from the Caribbean countires to Britain between 1948 and 1971). Like so many, Stennett’s harsh experiences made him even more determined to succeed.

 

Speakers' Corner

He spoke publicly about the way he and others were unfairly treated. He spoke about this at 'Speakers' Corner', a famous area in Hyde Park, London, where people over the years have been able to speak and discuss freely. In fact, Stennett spoke in Hyde Park over a period of ten years to make sure that people heard about the experiences of Black people in the United Kingdom and beyond.

 

Working hard to help others

He never stopped looking for work and trying to better his circumstances. Eventually able to find a bit more work and better lodgings, Stennett became involved with the trade union movement (groups of workers who come together to make sure that they are treated fairly at the workplace).  He also helped with the development of race-relations.  He won several awards for his hard work.

After retiring, he founded the National Confederation of African and Caribbean Organisations.

 

Moving to Wales

In his later life, in the 1990s, Stennett went to live in north Wales, becoming a Trustee of the North Wales Race Equality Network. He wrote an autobiography of his life called Buckra Massa Pickney.

Stennett passed away in north Wales in 2011. In 2022, a powerful film called Buckra Massa Pickney – The Life of Enrico Stennett Windrush Elder was made to commemorate his life and contributions.

Watch the film here: https://vimeo.com/874389789

 

Vocabulary

slavery	the practice of making people slaves so that they must obey their masters against their will
generation	people who are born and live during the same time
race	a group of people who share similar physical characteristics, e.g. the same colour skin, eye shape etc; it may also mean sharing the same language, history and traditions
colourism	the wrong belief that fair skin is better than dark skin
plantation	an estate where crops like coffee, sugar and tobacco are grown
ancestry	family members who lived a long time ago
colonialism	when a powerful country controls less powerful countries, forcing their traditions and culture on them, and using their control to become more powerful and rich
trade unions	groups of workers who come together to make sure that they are treated fairly at the workplace

 

Useful links:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LBuMKx5s0o
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_C8cJfZMZo
• https://www.peoplescollection.wales/users/50121
• https://windrushfoundation.com
• https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/resource/692dcccd-de35-4226-ab4c-79001e5336a0/overview
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeR-bpuorD8

 

Patti Flynn

Background

Patti Flynn was a famous jazz performer, actress, author and campaigner. Her baptismal name was Patricia Maude Young and she was born on Sophia Street, Tiger Bay, Cardiff, in 1937. She was the youngest of seven children.

Her mother, Beatrice Silver, was also born in Cardiff. Flynn’s father, Wilmot George Young, came from St. Mary’s, Jamaica (St. Moriya), and came to live in St. Mary’s, Tiger Bay, Cardiff.  Her father was a working merchant seaman who came to Britain to bring goods from the Caribbean and exchange them for Welsh coal to be shipped to all parts of the world.  

Flynn’s parents settled in Tiger Bay, where many merchant seamen men married local women. Together, they created a close and strong community.  

 

The Second World War 

Many merchant seamen, including Flynn’s father, continued their work during the Second World War, dodging torpedoes and mines in their unarmed vessels. Sadly, Flynn’s father’s boat was hit like many others, and he died during the war. Flynn’s eldest brother also died at sea, and another brother died whilst serving in the RAF.  

 

Famous jazz singer 

When Flynn was growing up, she loved singing and music. She became a famous and legendary jazz singer and toured theatres across the UK with her cabaret act. Flynn was celebrated as the ‘Tiger Bay Jazz Diva’. 

 

Campaigner

As an activist, she successfully campaigned for Black History Month to be celebrated here in Wales and for the subject to be included in the national school curriculum.  

Working alongside other pioneers and community activists such as Betty Campbell, Flynn also campaigned for over 26 years to ensure that we in Wales honour the 150 people from 11 streets in Tiger Bay who fought and died during the two world wars.   They had been overlooked despite their contributions, but in 2019, Flynn unveiled the first monument in Wales which recognises the Global Majority Welsh people who lost their lives serving our country during both world wars. 

 

Purple Plaque 

Flynn passed away in 2020 at 83 years old. Through her successful musical career and community activism, she has left a long-lasting legacy here in Wales.  In 2023, a Purple Plaque was unveiled in honour of her achievements. Flynn became the first Black woman in Wales to be awarded a Purple Plaque, which celebrates notable women.  Her plaque can be found in the Wales Millennium Centre, close to Flynn’s local community. 

 

Vocabulary

activist	a person who works hard to change things for the good of others
Global Majority	a positive description of Black, African, Asian, Brown people, of dual heritage - these groups include around 80% of the world's population
pioneer	one of the first people to be involved in developing something
unarmed vessels	ships without guns or ammunition

 

Useful links: 

• https://blackhistorywales.org.uk/our-team/patti-flynn/  
• https://www.walesartsreview.org/in-tribute-patti-flynns-soulful-resonance/#google_vignette 
• https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-life-and-legacy-of-patti-flynn-trench/QAVRtaihrqmn-A?hl=en  
• https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=388116329013642 

 

Susheela Lourie MBE

 

Susheela Lourie was born in 1940 in Mochdre, near Colwyn Bay, the eldest daughter of Monica Sumitri and John Devamanikkam.

Monica came to live in North Wales from Mysore, South India as a child in 1919, adopted by a Welsh Methodist missionary Ethel Tomkinson, from Llandudno. In 1916, a Brahmin Hindu couple on a pilgrimage to a nearby temple, came to the Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, where Ethel worked, with their newborn baby girl, who was unwell, asking whether Ethel could look after her for a few days. Sadly, they never came back – no one knows what happened to them. Eventually, Ethel informally adopted the baby, calling her Manikam. Later, she sent Manikam to live with her family in Colwyn Bay, renaming her Monica, thinking people in Wales might find it easier to understand.

Susheela’s father John, a South Indian Tamil from Madras (Chennai) came to Birmingham in 1933. John was also adopted by an English Methodist in South India, his mother having died in childbirth, leaving his father the difficult decision of how to care for his new baby whilst working to support his older children. Similar to Monica, John was Anglicized and Christianized by the well-intentioned colonial forces which had given their adoptive parents their reasons to be in India. John moved to Colwyn Bay after marrying Monica.

Monica trained as a nurse and John was a soldier in the British Army in WWII. Their 4 daughters grew up in Mochdre, attending local schools and learning Welsh. They were one of the very few brown or Black families in North Wales at that time. Mostly, they were well-accepted, valued members of their community, though sometimes their racial differences were pointed out negatively. Despite colonialist influences removing their outer signifiers of cultural and ethnic difference (names; language; religion; cultural dress) to help them ‘fit in’ sometimes there was a struggle for genuine acceptance.

Susheela went on a trip to London as a young child in 1948. She was puzzled to see a sign outside a restaurant, saying ‘No Coloureds, No Dogs, No Irish.’ These racist signs were unfortunately common, at the time. Susheela asked her mum Monica ‘Do they mean us?’ and Monica said, yes, it did mean they couldn’t go in.  Susheela asked ‘But why? We are well-dressed and have money to go inside!’ Monica agreed but said that was just how things were. However, Susheela always remembered this racial injustice and it was one of many experiences that inspired her later work towards racial equity.

In 1964 Susheela married, moving around the UK for work with her husband Phil and their growing family. They returned home to visit Susheela’s family in North Wales very frequently. Susheela became involved with the Council for Racial Equality in Hull, sparking a passion for this work.In 1988, Susheela returned to live in North Wales to spend more time with her Mum, Monica towards the end of her life.

One day, Susheela was driving through her hometown of Colwyn Bay with the car window down, on a warm day. As she passed some young boys in the street, they shouted racist abuse at her, telling her to ‘go home’ and shouting disgusting names. Susheela was understandably horrified and upset – apart from anything, she actually was at home, near the place she was born!

Susheela realised that this was part of a bigger problem that she wanted to address. She attended a meeting in Swansea on setting up Councils for Racial Equality. Susheela asked what was happening up in North Wales? The answer came back – well, you’re up there get it started! So she thought, ‘Well maybe I will!’ But she didn’t know how.

Around the same time, Susheela and a group of like-minded women, including Professor Charlotte Williams OBE started to meet in their living-rooms to discuss what they could do. Eventually, they began to get help from politicians and North Wales Police and in 2000, the group opened the charity North Wales Race Equality Network (NWREN) in Penmaenmawr.

Susheela received an MBE in 2001 at Buckingham Palace for her race equality work. She played an active part in the work of NWREN for many years and was Chair of the Board.

Susheela eventually retired and NWREN has continued to work tirelessly to promote the rights of those in North Wales who experience injustice based on their differences, both in terms of race; ethnicity and across the equalities. Susheela and her family are rightly proud of her legacy in this work.

The Penrhos Community

If you travel between Pwllheli and Abersoch in Gwynedd, you will see a series of signs on the side of the road. The name on one of these signs – Penyberth - is famous throughout Wales. There is also a sign that refers to a nearby site, the Polish Village.

Protests

Penyberth was originally an old mansion, but it was demolished in 1936 to make way for a military camp and an airfield. Three men - Saunders Lewis, D.J. Williams and Lewis Valentine - decided to protest against the plans to build a military training camp there.

In 1936, because of plans to open the site as a bombing school, Lewis, Williams and Valentine burned the place during the night, and were arrested and imprisoned for a year for what they did. A memorial has been erected to remember their protest.

Opening the site

Despite the actions of these three men, and the support of many throughout Wales, the site was opened as an airfield and training camp in 1937. It was used during the Second World War and bombed by a German plane in 1940 when two men were killed. Three blocks of officers' accommodation were also destroyed, and an aircraft shed was damaged.

The days of the Aviation Unit came to an end on 16th June 1945. Instead, the site became a camp for Polish soldiers and airmen who were waiting to go back to Poland. But when it became clear that many Poles would not be able to return to their homeland, a permanent camp was established for them there in 1949. The Penrhos Polish Village is still in use today.

Establishing the village

In 1949, around a hundred Polish ex-soldiers decided to establish a Polish community on the site as they had not been able to go back home. The village still exists today and is for people aged over 55 years. Anyone of Polish descent or from the local area are welcome to live in the village, which includes a church, a library, a community dining room, a shop and allotments for growing vegetables.

The Polish community is well established in the area, and many descendants of the original soldiers live in the community and are an important part of it. Similar examples of communities setting up in other countries can be found all over the world. One example is when the Welsh sailed on the ‘Mimosa’ to Patagonia. Like the Poles in Penrhos, they are still there.

Learning languages

Some in the Pwllheli area have learned Polish to be able to speak to the Poles in their language. Some of Polish descent have also learned Welsh and have fully integrated in the local society.

 

Useful links:

Learn more about the village and the people who live or have lived there:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxuSnsu-y4s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqu4oKexUYc
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/bywyd/safle/blwyddyngron/tudalen/nadolig_pwyliaid.shtml

Watch this video clip which discusses life in Penrhos and the plans to develop it:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ABFnXIgcw

Bob Lovell

“Ame Welsheskri Romani sar o patrainia oprey o baval ando butti temeskri ame Romani sara me dik ki Cymru, sa amari Romanistan.” – “We Welsh Romani are the leaves upon the wind in many countries, we see Wales as our homeland.” (Bob Lovell Kamulo) 

 

Bob Lovell Kamulo’s family 

Bob Lovell comes from an old Welsh Romani Gypsy family, the Lovell family, who have lived in Wales for around 300 years. He is called Kako Bob (Uncle Bob) by family members.   

The name Lovell is not the original family surname. It was originally Kamulo, but like many Gypsy families, they adopted a British surname. The name Lovell sounds like the word for ‘good-looking’ in the Romanus language. This could be the reason why they chose it as their British surname!  It’s also possible that the name Lovell was chosen because the family was offered protection by a landowner whose surname was Lovell. 

Where did the Romani people come from? 

Welsh Romani Gypsies, like all Romani people, come from India originally. They left for the long road (lungo drom) to Europe about 1500 years ago.  

The family tribe is called Kalé and they later became known as the Welsh Gypsies. The Kalé tribe is believed to have come to Wales from Spain. Two of Bob Lovell’s ancestors are called ‘Syrenda Ferdandez Lovell’ and ‘Spanish Lovell’, and their names may be connected to when the family tribe lived in Spain. 

It’s believed that the person who started the Welsh Lovell family was ‘Old Henry Lovell’.  He was a scissor grinder, a traditional job carried out by Gypsy men and one that could be done with little equipment.  This suited the nomadic lifestyle as the family moved from village to village. 

Adolphus Lovell 

The Lovell family lived all over Wales and had special places where they stopped.  These places were called atchin tans. Bob Lovell’s father (dadus), Adolphus Ruben Lovell, was born in the atchin tan in Pontypool called Upper Race.  

Adolphus Lovell worked as a knife grinder, a traditional skill which had been passed down from Old Henry Lovell in the 1700s. He also looked after the family horses (grai) and the Lovell family were well-known for being good with horses. Many Romani Gypsy men fought in the first World War on horseback, and Bob’s grandfather – also called Adolphus – did the same.  

New Zealand 

Bob Lovell was the first of the Welsh Romani Gypsy family to be born in New Zealand.  Like many Romani Gypsy men, his father (dadus) fought in the Second World War and joined the merchant navy. This is how he came to live in New Zealand when the war ended, and where Bob Lovell was therefore raised.  

The Welsh Romanus language 

Bob Lovell’s dadus, Adolphus, spoke the Welsh Romanus language like all members of the family and other Welsh Romani Gypsy families at that time. Adolphus Lovell, like most Romani people, had no formal education. He didn’t read or write and learned to speak the Welsh Romanus language in the oral tradition, meaning it was a spoken language and not written. Over the centuries, it was passed down orally from parent to child, and this is also the way that Bob Lovell learned the language.  

Juice Vamosi, a Hungarian Roma and international translator of the Romanus languages, wrote the following when he heard Bob Lovell speaking Welsh Romanus: “He speaks archaic words, with archaic grammar, so beautiful! Many of the words Kako Bob is using have been lost in most dialects and only a few preserved them. Kalé from Wales belong to the most ancient group of Romani variances, something to be really proud of.” 

The Welsh Romanus language has its roots in India.  However, it’s only spoken in Wales, because after the ancestors arrived here, the Romanus language was extended and developed according to what they saw and experienced in the mountains, valleys and forests of Wales. The Welsh Romanus language includes borrowed words from the Welsh language, as Welsh was the main language spoken here when the first Welsh Romani people came to this country.  

Last speaker 

Bob Lovell is a key person because he is the last remaining speaker of the Welsh Romanus language, passed from parents to children in the old ways of spoken languages. He is also a family elder and keeper of the traditions and unwritten rules (called putuv). He has set about to preserve the Welsh Romanus language in its oral form, for future generations of Welsh Romani children and as part of the family’s contribution to the history of Wales.  

Keeping the language and traditions for the future 

Bob Lovell writes and sings songs, and tells stories about the family in the Welsh Romanus language. He has also been recording words and phrases for more than 30 years to ensure that the language survives for future generations of Welsh Romani Gypsy children. Bob Lovell has always known that it is a human right for people to have access to their own language, and that it’s essential for ethnic identity and passing on of heritage and culture.  

 

Useful links 

• https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/uncrc-childrens-rights/uncrc/  (See Article 30: ‘Your right to use your own language.’) 
• https://museum.wales/articles/1221/Wales-other-languages/ 
• https://www.walesartsreview.org/leaves-upon-the-wind-bob-lovell-and-keeping-welsh-romanus-alive/  
• https://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/features/leaves-wind-welsh-kale-campaigner-and-elder-bob-lovell  
• https://www.welshkale.com  
• https://www.casgliadywerin.cymru/collections/377838  
• http://www.valleystream.co.uk/romany-welsh%20.htm 

 

 

Angela Kwok

Angela Kwok's story is one of resilience, community building, and selflessness. Originally from Hong Kong, Kwok moved to Wales when she was just 16 years old. At 19, she and her husband established ‘Bamboo Garden’, a takeaway business on Cathedral Road in Cardiff. However, due to her limited English and working unsociable hours, Kwok felt isolated and cut off from the society around her. 

Supporting others 

Seeing that other Chinese women in her community felt the same way, Kwok decided to act. She began accompanying women who struggled to speak English to GP appointments and supported them with translation from English into Chinese. Later, she founded the South Wales Chinese Women Association in the mid-1980s, which quickly grew to over 50 women who met weekly to socialise and participate in activities such as cooking, sewing, English lessons, computer classes, family social events, and day trips. 

A new society 

In the late 1980s, the Riverside Community Centre, where the association was based, burned down. This was a blow to Kwok’s work, but despite this setback she was not put off, and went on to create a new organisation - the Cardiff Chinese Community Service Association. This continued to provide advocacy, advice, and events for the growing Chinese population in Cardiff. 

Various voluntary roles 

In addition to her community work, Kwok also took on several other voluntary responsibilities. She provided support to South Wales police with translation, became a member of the Race Equality Council, instigated the establishment of the Chinese Cemetery at Pantmawr, Cardiff, and acted as a ‘surrogate’ mother to at least 15 overseas female Chinese students during university holidays. 

In 2008, Kwok led a fundraising effort that raised over £12,000 to aid those affected by the Sichuan earthquake. She encouraged Chinese people living in south Wales to donate and support a campaign to rebuild schools that had collapsed in the earthquake. 

Leaving a legacy 

In recognition of her contributions to the community, Kwok was awarded a Welsh Asian Women Achievement Award in 2013 for the interpretation and translation services she had set up. 

Kwok passed away in 2016, but her legacy lives on. The Chinese community in Cardiff remains united and inclusive, thanks to her hard work in establishing a cohesive community and raising its profile in the wider multicultural community. 

In 2020, a Purple Plaque was installed on the ‘Bamboo Garden’ takeaway in Pontcanna, Cardiff, in recognition of the impact of Kwok's life. The plaque is part of a scheme set up by a group of female Senedd members in 2017 to mark the achievements of outstanding women in Wales. 

Kwok's daughter, Temmy Woolston, said of her mother, "She touched the lives of many, making a real positive difference, giving support to those that needed it and a voice to those that didn't feel they had one. She is sorely missed by those that knew her, but we are determined that her legacy will live on." 

 

Useful links:

• https://chwaraeteg.com/news/purple-plaque-honour-adds-to-chinese-new-year-celebrations/ 
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51225095#:~:text=For%20almost%2050%20years%2C%20Angela  
• https://chwaraeteg.com/news/angela-kwok/ 
• https://walesnewsonline.com/purple-plaque-to-recognise-work-of-angela-kwok-champion-for-chinese-community/ 
• https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/chinese-community-raise-thousands-quake-2169990 

 

 

Hanan Issa

National Poet of Wales

Throughout the centuries, people have been writing poems. Poets write about their experiences, society and events. Did you know that some poets today are chosen to be the National Poet of Wales?

In July 2022, Hanan Issa was chosen as national poet. Hanan Issa is the fifth poet and the first Muslim to be the National Poet of Wales: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3mvpTqB90Y.

 

Her family

Hanan Issa was born in 1986 and raised in Cardiff. Her mother was white and Welsh, and her father a Muslim. Her father's family came from the Nasiriyah region of Iraq. When Issa was young, she would enjoy listening to her grandparents from Penrhiw-ceibr (in south Wales) reciting poetry in Welsh and English. She would also enjoy listening to stories and legends from relatives on both sides of the family in Arabic, English and Welsh. From a young age, Hanna Issa was familiar with multilingualism and enjoyed participating in a variety of rich cultures.                         

 

Sharing her work with others

At first, Issa didn't share her poems with anyone, only reading them to herself. But when Issa heard unpleasant comments made by David Cameron, the former British Prime Minister, against Muslims, she decided to share her poem with a friend. She was then encouraged by her friend to share the poem on social media. Issa received positive and passionate responses, inspiring her to write more poetry.

 

Influences

Issa has been influenced by the work of poets such as Ada Limón, Zeina Hashem Beck, Terrance Hayes, and Inua Ellams. To find out how Issa writes a poem, go to: https://poetrywales.co.uk/hanan-issa-on-how-she-writes-a-poem/

                        

Her poetry

In 2019, she published her first book of poems, My Body Can House Two Hearts. Issa's poems discuss culture, relationships and languages. She discusses themes such as her Welsh and Iraqi identity, and aspects of feminism.  When we read Issa's work, we can hear the 'ch' sound in Welsh and Arabic singing together. The poems show how Welsh, English and Arabic can flow side by side and sometimes share the same water.

To see an animation of the first poem in the book, click on the link: Video: An animated version of Issa's poem "My Body Can House Two Hearts"

In her poetry, Issa refers to issues that affect people in their everyday lives, including poverty and global warming. To see further examples of her work, go to:

• Poetry Spotlight #8: Hanan Issa - God Is In The TV (godisinthetvzine.co.uk)
• https://www.literaturewales.org/lw-news/global-warming-by-national-poet-of-wales-hanan-issa/

 

Inspiring others

When Issa was told that she had been chosen as the National Poet of Wales, she was delighted and proud to represent the nation’s diverse cultures. Issa hopes to encourage more people to talk about identity and belonging. She is also keen to inspire women to see that they can aim high and succeed.

 

A special gift

When she was appointed as the National Poet of Wales, Issa received the gift of a staff from the Muslim Council of Wales. Years ago in Wales, a staff was used by Welsh poets to emphasise words and beat rhythms. The poets’ staff is called a pastwn in Welsh.  Click on the link to find out more about the pastwn: https://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/islamukcentre/mark-and-sami-bryant-our-pastwn-for-hanan-issa-national-poet-of-wales/

 

The Red Wall

Did you know that Hanan Issa supported and inspired the Welsh football team at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022? As a national poet, Issa was commissioned by the Welsh Football Association and Literature Wales to write an official poem for the Gŵyl Cymru Festival: https://www.gwyl.cymru/cy/about/

Issa said, “Football has the power to transform a crowd of individuals into a cohesive group, united in support of their team. It’s exciting to think of Cymru in an international spotlight and I wanted to express that infectious sense of hope the country is experiencing right now.”

The poem was translated into Welsh by Grug Muse under the title ‘Mae’r Dorf yn Ymgynnull’. In the video of the official poem, 'The Crowds Gathers', Hanan Issa and Grug Muse quote lines from the poem in Welsh, English and Arabic to the accompaniment of music by Sage Todz. Click on the link to see the video:  https://youtu.be/zXI8lf6W3E4

 

Author, screenwriter and presenter

Over the years, Issa has performed at many events across the United Kingdom and on television and radio programmes, including ITV Wales, BBC Radio Wales and Channel 4.  A monologue by Issa was performed as part of a project called Hijabi Monologues in the Bush Theatre in London. Issa was also one of the founders of Cardiff's first BAME open mic event, called 'Where I'm Coming From'.

Issa's work often discusses women’s rights, as well as the importance of equality in belonging to Wales. She sometimes uses film as a medium for her poems. In 2022, the Wales Arts Review website chose her poem 'Ble mae Bilaadi?' as the video of the week: https://youtu.be/BoZvo8fLduk.  Learn more about the poem and video here:  https://ndcwales.co.uk/plethuweave-ble-mae-bilaadi

Issa wrote a chapter in the book Welsh Plural, describing and explaining what she thinks it means to belong to Wales. The title of the chapter is 'Have You Heard the One About the Niqabi on a Bus?' Issa is proud to belong to Wales, a country where people speak many languages and belong to more than one culture. In the same chapter, Issa says that Wales and Welshness should belong to everyone who calls this country home.

 

Vocabulary

feminism	the belief that women should have the same rights as men
identity	what makes a person, for example personality, beliefs, appearance
monologue	a speech by one character on stage or in a film
multilingualism	the use of more than one language
open mic event	an event where anyone is welcome to go on stage and take part, for example to read poetry or sing

 

Useful links:

Watch this video of Hanan Issa and the poet Casi Wyn reading their bilingual poem to celebrate the history of Cranogwen, a Welsh poet from the nineteenth century: https://fb.watch/pubtDU6PQW/.