Category: General Interest Articles

Articles of general interest on no particular subject

Spring Forward, Fall Back


SPRING FORWARD, FALL BACK

 

On the 29th of this month many of us will bask in the joy of knowing that the clocks go back at 2a.m. and we get an extra hour in bed. The idea has been around a long time and so has the controversy over its benefits or otherwise.

The idea of aligning waking hours to daylight hours is usually credited to the American Benjamin Franklin who first proposed the idea in 1784. Franklin was dismayed by the wasting of daylight hours and so proposed a way in which everyone would benefit from getting up as soon as it was light enough. He published that old proverb ‘early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.’ In a satirical letter to the editor of The Journal of Paris, Franklin suggested that waking up earlier in the summer would economise on candle usage; and calculated considerable savings. He proposed, tongue-in-cheek, taxing window shutters, rationing candles, and waking the public at sunrise by ringing church bells and firing cannons!

British Summer Time, also known as Daylight Saving Time, was the brainchild of a builder from Kent called William Willett. On his way back from riding his horse in Petts Wood in 1905, he noticed many of the blinds and curtains in the neighbouring houses were still drawn, even though it was light. This led him to consider the idea of adapting the time to better fit daylight hours. It seems Willett had an ulterior motive for his suggestion. He was an avid golfer who disliked cutting short his round at dusk.

Willett’s proposal, which he published in 1907, was to advance the clock during the summer months. His original proposal was for the clocks to be put forward by 80 minutes in total, in four steps of 20 minutes each Sunday at 2am during April and turned back in the same way in September. He argued that this would mean longer daylight hours for recreation, improving health and also saving the country money in lighting costs. Liberal Party MP Robert Pearce introduced the first Daylight Saving Bill to the House of Commons on 12 February 1908 but it failed to become law.

The idea resurfaced during World War One when the need to conserve coal made the suggestion of daylight saving more pertinent. The Summer Time Act was finally passed in the UK on 17th May 1916. Backed by press advertisements, the clocks went forward one hour on the following Sunday, 21st May. To return to GMT on 1st October 1916, people were advised to put their clocks forward by 11 hours rather than turning the hands back an hour, as in those days this would break the mechanism.

Sadly William Willett died of the flu in 1915 aged 58 and didn’t live to see his ideas become law. Fittingly though, there is a memorial sundial in Petts Wood, set permanently to Daylight Saving Time, in his honour. His ideas still form the basis of the system we use today. Advocates for it claim the lighter summer mornings save energy, reduce traffic accidents and get people out leading to them becoming more active with associated health benefits. Critics claim darker winter mornings are more dangerous for children going to school and mean farmers working longer hours before daylight.

Whichever side of the argument you favour, the fact remains that we need to make a note to put our clocks back at 2a.m. on October 29th. Nowadays of course our mobile phones, computers and laptops do not need reminding of this momentous event

 

 

Public Rights Of Way


RIGHTS OF WAY

 

If you, like me, occasionally criticise government for focus on the short term then we should all respond to the VoG Council’s request for comments (by November 30th) on the plan that will direct their work on Rights of Way over the next ten years. Responsibilities for maintenance of the legal record of public Rights of Way might suggest the council’s role is passive but the VoG clearly recognises the benefits offered by rights extending over nearly 600 Km of paths, bridleways and restricted byways with their proactive plans including “The Great Glamorgan Way” and upgrade of some paths to bridleways.

Copies of the Draft ROWIP, in Welsh and in English, are available from reception at the Civic Office, Holton Road, Barry and local libraries. Searching for ROWIP on the VoG website enables you to download a copy or read-online. This opportunity to contribute your views is too valuable to be missed.

Kenneth Hansen

 

Samuel Finley Breeze Morse

 


SAMUEL MORSE

 

 

Samuel Finley Breeze Morse was born in Charlestown, Mass. on 27th April 1791. He was not a scientist – he was a professional artist. Educated at Phillip’s Academy at Andover, he graduated from Yale in 1810 and he lived in England from 1811 to 1815, exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1813. He spent the next ten years as an itinerant artist with a particular interest in portraiture. He returned to America in 1832 having been appointed Professor of Painting and Sculpture at the University of the City of New York. It was on this homeward voyage that he overheard a shipboard discussion on electromagnets. This was the seed out of which the electric telegraph grew. Morse is remembered for his Code, still used, and less for the invention that enabled it to be used, probably since landline telegraphy eventually gave way to wireless telegraphy.

The first message sent by the electric telegraph was “What hath God wrought”, from the Supreme Court Room in the Capitol to the railway depot at Baltimore on May 24th 1844. For his 80th birthday in 1871 a statue was unveiled in Central Park on June 10th, with two thousand telegraphists present. Morse was not, but was that evening at the Academy of Music for an emotional acclamation of his work.

Although most people nowadays would think of Morse code being used for long-distance radiotelegraphy, the land-line telegraph was standard until about 1880 for short-distance metropolitan communication. Over longer distances the telegraph tended to follow the line of the railways because there were no difficulties over rights-of-way. The lines were mostly overhead, since the problems of insulating underground lines proved insuperable for many years – indeed the development of the original line was hampered owing to this problem.
The telegraph, of course, came to be important for the military, being used first at Varna during the Crimean War in 1854. It was widely used in the American Civil War, where rapid deployment techniques for land-lines were developed; the Spanish-American War found the first use of telegraphy for newspaper correspondents (1898). The first military use for radio telegraphy was during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 – 5.

A Resident Remembers


A RESIDENT REMEMBERS

After bombing raids on Cardiff in 1941 which saw houses in Grangetown flattened by the use of parachute bombs; these explosives were naval mines that were dropped by parachute and would explode at roof level causing maximum impact to the surrounding area. An 8 year old Brian Williams was evacuated, along with the other children. Brian was sent to The Marish Farm in Brecon where he spent the next 18 months getting to grips with farming life in rural Wales. The farmer’s first words to him were “you’re in the country now boy so make sure you shut the gates”. He made a nostalgic return this year, 82 years after his first visit, where he met with the farm’s current owners and told them of his time there. Threshing wheat, shearing sheep, riding horses and by all accounts thoroughly enjoying his time on the farm.

 

 

Tuckers Reindeer Sale

TUCKERS REINDEER SALE

Saturday 25th November

Not long now! Come along to the 5th annual Tucker’s Christmas Reindeer sale on Saturday 25 November from 10am at 29 Vennwood Close and outside the Church Hall. Apart from the stars of the show there will be some lovely things to buy and a festive atmosphere to get you in the Christmas mood. We are being joined by some local crafters on the day including Trevor and his lovely Christmas houses, Meinir and her printed sweatshirts and Heulwen will be raising money from her beautiful handmade cards for the Library. There will be Tucker family crafts and some really cosy crocheted blankets made and sold by Justine.

We will be holding the usual raffle with some excellent quality prizes including luxury food hampers, a home baked and decorated Christmas cake, some very interesting bottles and some items that would make ideal gifts for adults and children. Once again, profits from this and from the sale of some crafts will be donated to our charity of choice, the Wenvoe Wildlife Group. We are expecting a visit from a gent on a sleigh in a red and white suit which will offer an excellent photograph opportunity. There will, again, be home made cake sold by the slice and all craft tables will be under the cover of Christmas decorated gazebos with festive music providing the backing track to the whole event. Why not join us and pick up a reindeer and some Christmas spirit! These have become collectors items so start making a list of people who deserve one as a gift. Bring a friend and have a festive catch up. We are so looking forward to seeing you there.

 

WENVOE WHEELERS NEWS

WENVOE WHEELERS NEWS

It’s been a while since we caught up so here goes. We had our first trip to the French Alps in June this year when 20 members either drove or flew down to Bourg d’Oisians for a week’s cycling. Those of you in the know will know that Bourg is at the foot of Alpe d’Huez a proper cycling mecca. We had a variety of accommodation, some stayed in apartments in the town and others on a couple of campsites near the foot of the climb. The advantage of a pool, bar and restaurant at the campsite over an apartment in town was soon apparent.

You can never be sure of the weather in the high Alps which means you have to do the big climbs on the days when the forecast is good. A good forecast for our first day meant the ascent of the massive Galibier, all 2648 meters of it. From Bourg the ascent is about 1645 meters and it’s 45km to the top with about 5km of flat from Bourg to the foot of the climb. The astute amongst you will note that that is a 35km climb! We naturally divided into two groups, the speedy ones and the slower steady grinders who set off an hour ahead of the speedy group. We were helped even more by the speedy group opting for crepes at the slowest hotel on the planet giving us another 40 minutes advantage. Nonetheless, they still caught us – but not until after the Col de Lauteret at 2000 mts. From there it is a further 8km and 648 meters of ascent and you really start to notice the altitude from then on. But this happy chance of the head start meant that we were all on the col at the same time and no one had to hang around for ages for the last member to make it to the top (yep, me). There were massive whoops of celebration, shouts of encouragement and relief (not all of it printable) from everyone. Having done it last year and having sworn never to do it again, I surprised myself by finding it a teeny bit easier than before. I’ve still sworn never to do it again though. We had the obligatory club photo at the top courtesy of one of the many motorcyclists also celebrating their ascent. The views are absolutely stunning all around including the massive Mieje glacier which you can see on the way up to the Lauteret. The descent is terrifying bearing in mind the longest descent we can manage in South Wales lasts about 5 – 10 mins at most, compared with at least 30/45 mins to descend from the Col de Galibier. You gather so much speed so quickly your hands and forearms ache with having to brake so frequently. Those beers tasted like nectar when we finally got back to Bourg.

We had pretty good weather for our trip but rain on the final day of our week. This didn’t spoil the planned rides though which obviously included a climb of the iconic Alpe d’Huez itself making sure we all went through the town to get to kilometer 0.

That was another big day as we didn’t stop there but went on to the Col de Sarenne, descending to the Chambon dam and then another climb up to the Balcony road. Eye popping is not the word! It’s a tiny road clinging to the side of a cliff with one of those small French parapets that wouldn’t stop a leaf. If you suffer with vertigo, it’s not for you. That was another epic day but my favourite was the day we rode out to La Berarde, a remote valley, out and back but so, so beautiful. I was struck with the huge variety of wild flowers I passed, many of them I recognised from my own garden but growing wild there in vast swathes. We simply do not have such a variety in our fields and hedgerows anymore. We had a glorious lunch at an Auberge in La Berarde before making the return journey.

With all of these long days in the saddle we needed a rest day so we rode out to the Venosc ski lift and took the cable car up to Les 2 Alpes for coffee. We all thought this was hilarious as we wheeled our bikes into the cabins and were taken up the mountain. And I couldn’t possibly say whether bike computers were paused to account for cable car assisted elevation. The cost of each person and bike to ride the cable car? 3 Euros each. Yep you read that right. Compare that with the cost of a trip up the cable car in Fort William which a friend paid recently for one way – £25.00! Everyone fell in love with the Alpes and there is much enthusiasm for a return trip next year.

We didn’t rest on our laurels after the Alpes as we recently had our Wheelers weekend away. This is traditionally a 100 mile ride on Saturday, an overnight stay and then a shorter ride back on Sunday. This year we went to Hay on Wye from Wenvoe, heading out via Pyle to the Afan Valley and ascending the Bwlch – a mere bump compared with the Alps – down into Treorchy then up and over the Rhigos, down towards Hirwaun then over Penderyn. From there we joined the A470 descending to Brecon and a rather long tiring slog out to Hay. We stayed at Baskerville Hall a large old country pile of faded grandeur and the kind of 1970’s renovations you don’t see so much these days. It was perfect for us, though less perfect being about 2 miles outside Hay meaning an ‘active recovery’ walk there and back for our curry that evening.

Sunday,s ride home left Hay via the road for the Gospel Pass but due to much confusion as to whether it was open (it is, at least for bikes) some went a different way which seemed to involve a lot of steep punchy climbs but a better road surface whilst one group did ride via the Gospel Pass but the road surface is appalling – even worse than the roads in the Vale of Glamorgan!

Despite a very good cooked breakfast that morning we all stopped at the bus station café in Abergavenny for coffee and more snacks. Did you know a fried egg bap is called an egg banjo? No, nor me. Anyway, we had a good pace back via Usk, Caerleon, and the Newport flats to Cardiff where, for the first time (for me at least) that weekend, it literally poured down. It was so heavy that we were all soaked within about a minute just as we came to Newport Road. Oh well, considering the dire forecast I thought we had done rather well, chasing the rain rather than being in it. We had another drenching as we rode through Ely but made it back to HQ (Wenvoe Arms) in good spirits for well earned beers.

We have a sportive event arranged for 24th September in memory of Paul Davies who sadly left us this year. We last held this event in 2019 but obviously due to the pandemic we haven’t been able to run it since then so we are quite excited to get it underway again. It is a signed route through the Vale with 2 different lengths, an 80 mile route and a 40 mile route. We will have marshalls out on the route and two refreshment stops probably well stocked with Welsh cakes which were extremely popular last time. Registration will be in the Community Centre. Fingers crossed for good weather!

As you can see we are a very active club but always keen to have new members. We don’t have a children’s/youth section I am afraid but what we do offer is a friendly cycling club where you can make new friends and get out in the fresh air regularly. We have regular Saturday morning club rides with 4 different paced groups, our slowest and chattiest is the social group but if you are a speed monster you will need the steady group. If you want to join, just find us on Facebook

 

 

PEOPLE’S COLLECTION WALES

 

PEOPLE’S COLLECTION WALES

 

People’s Collection Wales is a free website dedicated to bringing together Wales’s heritage. The Collection is full of fascinating photographs, documents, audio and video recordings and stories that link to the history, culture and people of Wales. These items have been contributed to the website not only by national institutions but also individuals, local community groups and small museums, archives and libraries across Wales. This endeavour was established in 2010. It is Welsh Government funded, and the three leading partners organisations are Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, National Library of Wales and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Each local authority in Wales has a small team of volunteers dedicated to collating, scanning, describing and then uploading to the website historical photographs and documents pertinent to its locality.

So far many locations of the Vale of Glamorgan are generally well represented: but as yet not so Wenvoe! These three are the only images of Wenvoe which have been uploaded to date Therefore, if you are in possession of old photographs or pictures or postcards that you would like to see  preserved for posterity and shared with the world, then please loan them to Ian Moody (28 Walston Road  –  20594573) or Tony Hodge (10 Walston Road  –  07532 222 381) each with a note to describe them on the  website: Who?, Why?, What? and When? We will look after them as if they were our own and return them  safely to you. Thanks

 

WENVOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.


WENVOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

 

Maybe not, but 80 years ago it was a different story. As a child I remember my mother who at the time was living with her parents in Ely, telling me that they had a rather handsome American serviceman billeted with them.

Much to the consternation of my father, who at the time was fighting his own war in Jamaica, and judging by the photographs of the time, involved a lot of sun bathing, sipping Blue Mountain coffee and consuming copious amounts of locally brewed beer. Following the recent anniversary of the D-Day landings, I started to ponder the story that my mother had told me as a child. Where would this American serviceman have been based? Well I need not look any further than our own village of Wenvoe. Just to the west of the Wenvoe Castle estate was a military base made up of huts and tents, with its own airfield running alongside Port Road East.

THEN

NOW

1943 it was the Air Observation Post L4 that accompanied the U.S. Army Artillery Battalion. 1944 the 115th. Field Artillery Battalion U.S. Army. A division of the 90th. V11 Corps.

After they departed to the D-Day embarkation ports they were replaced by follow up troops of the 38th. Field Artillery Battalion of the 2nd. Division V Corps.

For a short time the base was used to house German and Italian POWs. Today there is nothing left to show of the airbase that housed a small town larger than Wenvoe. Nature has taken back control, the concrete parade ground and hut bases no longer visible.

The memories of our American allies who, for a short time made Wenvoe their home will now all have gone. But let us not forget them or the sacrifices made by those who did not return to their families and loved ones.

Robert Bird F.B.H.I. (retired)

For those wishing to explore the area Grid Ref. ST12470

(Photograph courtesy of the Welsh Assembly Photographic Archive)

 

WENVOE VILLAGE SHOW

WENVOE VILLAGE SHOW,
SATURDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2023, ST. MARY’S CHURCH HALL

This is Wenvoe’s own local show and offers an excellent opportunity for some friendly, fun competition. Will your fruit and veg be the talk of the village? Is your baking a triumph? You don’t have to be an expert, you just need to enter.

The show is limited to entries from people who live in the Wenvoe community (Wenvoe, Twyn-yr-Odyn, St Lythans and Dyffryn) and children who attend the village school.

Entries to be registered at St Mary’s Church Hall between 8.30 and 11 am on Saturday morning ( for those who have other commitments on Saturday morning there will be a limited time slot to register entries between 6 – 7.30pm on Friday evening 8th September but this will NOT include culinary entries). The hall will then be closed between 11 am and 1.00pm for the judging to take place. The public will be welcome to come and view the exhibits between 1 and 4pm. From 3pm – 4pm there will be a chance to sample the culinary entries for yourself. There will be a good quality raffle, and this will be drawn at 3.30pm. We already have some really good prizes but if you have a prize that you could give we should be very grateful.

If you wish to reclaim your entries they should be collected between 4 and 4.30pm but please note that Items entered in the culinary categories will be offered for public tasting and will not be eligible for collection unless there is any left at 4pm.

Entry fee – £1 for the first entry and 50p for all subsequent entries per person. You may enter as many sections as you wish but the maximum number of entries per person in any one section of a category is two. Items entered in previous Wenvoe Village Shows are acceptable but only if they have previously failed to win a prize. If you would like to help on the day or have any queries, please speak to Mike or Glenys Tucker.

Money raised from this event will be donated to the St Mary’s Church building fund. Please support this local event in any way you can.

In conjunction with the Wenvoe Village Show there will be a Teddy Bears Picnic in the St Mary’s Church grounds opposite, between 1 and 4pm.

Bring your own refreshments and teddy bears. There will be games for children and fellowship for all, in between popping over to the church hall to admire the exhibits.

St Mary’s church will also be open. Come, relax and enjoy the beautiful area in the centre of the village.

Exhibit Categories

 

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