The Official Wenvoe Homepage
Articles of general interest on no particular subject
WENVOE CROQUET CLUB
There is always a warm welcome at the Wenvoe Croquet Club, where the leisurely sport of croquet is played out in the beautiful and tranquil environment of Wenvoe Castle Golf Club. Join our friendly and good-spirited members for an enjoyable game of Croquet, where players of all levels are welcomed and encouraged. Get in touch for a FREE taster game and find more information at https://wenvoecroquet.co.uk/
Wenvoe Croquet Club
THE END/BEGINNING OF AN ERA
Back in 1988 the Village Youth Club started the What’s On magazine under their leader Vic Reed, working from the Wheelwright’s shop near the Church Hall, using a number of old Roneo hand-cranked printers. Vic moved to Victoria Park in 1993, and with the prospect of losing the magazine, he approached five people to continue producing the useful publication.
The team of five included: Marilyn Case, Colin Jenkins, Ann Miller, Eileen Callely and myself, with each taking on roles writing, editing, assembling, stapling and treasurer. This in addition to the 30+ villagers delivering copies to each subscribing household.
We immediately found a print firm in Penarth and with the aid of cut and paste, DOS and slow typing, we produced a new format magazine. The document was delivered to us as single sheets which were then assembled and stapled before distribution. As the printer grew and invested in better equipment and our computer skills developed, we were able to improve the content to include diagrams and photos.
Regrettably, the Penarth printer closed due to ill health and we transferred to the current printer, Allens, to produce the magazine in its finished form ready for delivery.
The magazine has been produced monthly by a small and dedicated team of volunteers ever since 1988 – Over 38 years without a break. I am proud to have been involved for 33 of those years, and am now the only remaining member of the team.
Unfortunately, due to ill health, I will be stepping down from the team and leave the magazine in very capable hands to continue to develop, providing a way for the villagers themselves to share aspects of village life.
Thank you to all those who have contributed over the years with regular or one-off articles, recipes, jokes and letters, which make up the rich mix of content covering all local life.
It has been a real pleasure working on this project with such a dedicated group for such a long time.
IN SEARCH OF GEORGE AND THE DRAGON
With the Summer still here, walking in and around the Vale is as popular as ever. Whilst Valeways walks celebrate a 25th anniversary this year, the Visit the Vale website also provides details of a host of other opportunities to get out an enjoy the area. With the Vale steeped in history it is perhaps no surprise to learn that you can indulge your interest in the past by joining one of the Glamorgan History Walks, which also has a dedicated website.
Glamorgan History Walks are an award-winning immersive history and storytelling experience taking in sites and places of significance across the Vale and beyond. All walks are circular (so you finish at the same point you start) and nearly always end at a fantastic old pub. At each location, the history and stories of the places visited are brought to life through storytelling, history discussion and even on occasion, through song and character performance. All walks are organised and hosted by historian, author and broadcaster; Graham Loveluck-Edwards. With tickets priced at £10, this month Vale walks are planned around St Athan (3rd July at 6pm. 3.9 miles /2 hours), Monknash and St Donats (19th July at 10am. 6.8 miles/4 hours), Llantwit Major (24th July at 6pm. 3 miles/2 hours) and Dinas Powys (26th July at 9am. 5.5 miles/3 hours).
Fast forward to August 14th and there is a fascinating walk taking in the area in and around Llancarfan. This 4-mile, 3-hour walk beginning at 6pm, takes in the amazing 15th century wall paintings discovered at St Cadoc’s Parish Church in 2007. During repairs to roof timbers at St Cadoc’s in 2007, the architect suspected something exciting was hidden below the whitewashed walls. Expert uncovering and conservation by Jane Rutherford and Anne Ballantyne, beginning in 2010, revealed remarkable wall paintings hidden for 450 years. Now if you visit the church, you will be rewarded by the sight of stunning paintings centred around a depiction of George and the Dragon. The image of St. George appears to be the largest wall painting of this subject in Britain. A representation of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ is equally spectacular. Both were amongst the most popular subjects in Britain’s medieval churches but there are few to compare with those at Llancarfan. With most parishioners illiterate and few printed books unless they were written in Latin or French, wall paintings assisted the parish priest in the telling of Bible stories, the lives of the saints and the moral teachings of Christianity. They became known as the Biblia Pauperum, or the Poor Man’s Bible.
Research indicates that the paintings date from between 1455 and 1485, the period of the Wars of the Roses. However, during the Reformation, they were subjected to the same fate as other wall paintings in ecclesiastical buildings throughout England and Wales: in 1547, the first year of the boy king Edward VI’s reign, an order was given for the ‘obliteration and destruction of popish and superstitious books and images and St. Cadoc’s paintings would have been duly obliterated with limewash. Over subsequent centuries, the church was re-limewashed at least twenty times, a fact which only serves to indicate the skill and patience of the experts who recovered them.
Travelling a little further afield then other July walks planned include historic Cardiff, historic Llantrisant and Kenfig and Sker. You can find out more online: grahamloveluckedwards.com/ You can also find self-guided walks of the capital city on the website https://touristwalks.co.uk/cardiff-city/ These include walks in the city centre, the Bay and one based on Cardiff pubs. An App with walking summaries is free, though there are charges for additional audio/audio visual presentations.
THE AWEN PROJECT
Hello, we are The Awen Project! An outdoor, democratic learning community for 11- to 15-year-olds within the lovely village of Wenvoe. It’s a perfect location for us here, as it’s right in the middle of the Vale of Glamorgan. In our community, we choose how we learn and are encouraged to follow our passions. We’re very welcoming to new members and people trying out!
We learn through projects, and this term we’re making a film. Earlier in the year, we explored shot sizes, camera angles, and different film genres. Now we’re in the process of writing the script for our biggest film yet. We even got funding from Taith to travel to Venice by train, with stops in Paris and Milan, to film some of our scenes. We’re aiming to complete it by July so we can present it at a festival this summer!
How to support us:
As well as being a learning community, we are also a charity. We run fundraising events such as our Full Moon Silent Discos and our Wild Banquets. These are fun events for all the family, and we hope you’ll join us for some!
Talkin’ About 1960s Vinyl Records
The overwhelming What’s On readers response to my article on 1960’s poetry – well three people said it was OK (none of which included my wife Jude) – I am delivering on my promise to take a meander through my 1960’s vinyl purchases most of which we still own. Before I go any further, I can hear the readers comments such as ‘I’ve never heard of ‘em’ or ‘They were rubbish.’ This is the idea of my article dear readers – open your mind and let it float downstream. I only kept a diary once in my life for a whole year -1965- which luckily included every record I purchased throughout the year.
In 1964/5 I had a Saturday job in a Stevenage shoe shop. A whole day’s pay was 19 shillings and 10 pence (just under £1). LPs on a decent label cost about 32/6d (about £1. 65p) so that’s why I bought mainly singles! Can you imagine now having to work a day and a half to buy an album. My early favourites were the Downliners Sect a raw rhythm and blues band – their most well-known single being Little Egypt but even that didn’t make the top 50 or the top 500 come to that. It opens with ‘she walks, she talks and crawls about on her belly like a reptile.’ Risque eh? Another two groups I was very excited about were The Primitives and Mal Ryder and the Spirits. The former were another heavy R&B group (now known as freakbeat) who issued three singles as did Mal. My excitement went into overdrive when Mal dropped the Spirits and joined the Primitives for one single. My Primitives singles which I regrettably sold to finance a long family trip are now selling for over £300 each. So, you see I had good taste after all! I later found out Mal was Welsh and became very big in Italy. Not many people know that- or want to I suppose. I liked the Pretty Things too being very envious of Phil May the lead singer’s hair. I did finally get hair like his but 20 years later. I’ve always been at least 20 years behind the times. I am thinking of getting an earring soon or a kaftan! Perhaps change that to 50 years!
But what about the Stones, Beatles, Manfred Mann, Hollies, Tamla Motown, Dusty, Cilla and Aretha et al I hear you shout. Well, my attitude then was I can hear them anytime so I will buy stuff I like that you just don’t hear anywhere. In January 1965 I was watching Juke Box Jury- everyone of a certain age did didn’t they? (If you are younger than about 55 ask your parents about JBJ). They played the Crusher by the Novas. It was voted a big miss, so I bought it. One of my friends said I heard that on JBJ I hoped I’d never hear it again! I did like the Stones too, but I only bought one EP. One of my best friends loved The Animals. NO Stu, do we really have to listen to their 20-minute version of Bo Diddley yet again!!
In September 1965 I started working full time, so I had a little more money. About then, and I have no idea how this epiphany came about, I started reading books about Malcolm X and Michael X and that led me to amongst others Phil Ochs. He was a mate of Bob Dylan and issued LPs called I ain’t marching anymore and All the news that’s fit to sing although I think his best album was Pleasures of the Harbor. I can only play these now if Jude is out! I did buy one LP on the Tamla Motown label – The Great March to Freedom: Dr Martin Luther King Speaks. When he was assassinated in April 1968 a few days later Nina Simone recorded Why? (The King of Love is Dead). I went straight out and bought it! When Nina first performed the song, it was over 20 minutes long but was edited to two sides of a 7 inch single. Considered one of the saddest songs ever written it can’t be listened to without shedding a tear. I can’t anyway.
I do need to return to Bob Dylan with a warning. Jude saw him at the Isle of Wight in 1969 so if you want to shorten your summer just mention it to her when you next see her! I am now a big fan of Bob since Jude and I met but that’s the 70s so beyond the scope of this article. While Jude was watching Dylan, I continued to listen to the sorely missed John Peel with his Perfumed Garden radio show. You didn’t like every track, but you knew sooner or later something would come up you liked. One night he played a tune he described as reminding him of two young girls skipping down a country lane with flowers in their hair. Years later Jude tracked it down for me – The ace and deuce of piping by John Doonan a Northumbrian piper! If you have not read Good Night and Good Riddance How 35 years of John Peel helped to shape modern life by David Cavanagh then do! On the subject of flowers, when I left the civil service after four years, I let it be known I would like an LP or two for my leaving pressie. I received Donovan’s (another fav) box set From a Flower to a Garden and Simon and Garfunkel’s Bookends.
I cannot finish without mentioning David Ackles. His first was absolutely amazing. Try the track Road to Cairo. He had big fans in the shape of Elvis Costello, Phil Collins and Elton John who dedicated his Tumbleweed Connection LP to Ackles.
For those readers who have Alexa in the house here’s your chance to hear some of ‘my’ 1965 purchases. Go on you know you want to! The Crusher (The Novas), Anytime (Riot Squad), You Said (Primitives), 500 miles (Bobby Bare), two Downliners Sect LP’s and their EP The Sect Sing Sick Songs, Here Comes the Night (Them), Why do they treat me like you do (The Freewheelers), Marianne Faithfull LP, Mr Pitiful (Otis Redding), Wolly Bully(Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs), the first Spencer Davis LP, Cara Mia EP (Jay and the Americans), Ian Whitcomb singles You Turn Me On and N N Nervous, Every Minute of Every Day, (Mal and the Primitives) Maria Elena (Los Indos Tabajares), Come on Rolling Stones (paid one shilling so obviously cut price!).
Nigel Billingham
Articles of Interest
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MR J C MEGGITT –
POSTSCRIPT
In the three previous issues of What’s On, we learned how 28 year old Meggitt had come to Barry in 1884 at the start of the construction of the dock and set up a thriving timber supply business. He had involved himself in civic life and did many “good things” for the rapidly expanding town.
We further learned that after his retirement in the 1930s he undertook world wide journeys to over 35 countries and he wrote in depth of his experiences. His writings were published in booklet format by the Western Mail.
These booklets are being reproduced in PDF format to be uploaded onto the People’s Collection Wales website. However, should you wish to read the full text of his journals in advance of them being available thereon, please drop me a text message on 07532 222 381 and I’ll provide you with a copy.
This story is not quite over yet. Barry Library has acquired Meggitt’s scrap book cum photo album covering the period 1912 to 1918. And what a treasure trove it is! Amongst the many items of interest that have been preserved for posterity are:
And if all of that were not enough, we also have a copy of the history of Meggitt and Jones – Fifty Years – 1884 to 1934 in PDF format.
Tony Hodge
Saturday 5th July, 11am – 2pm
Wenvoe Church Hall
How imaginative can you be with a wheelbarrow? Blooming Wheelbarrows is a new concept for Wenvoe suggested by Tony Hodge.
Plant up a wheelbarrow with flowers or make a fairy garden or whatever appeals to you. It doesn’t have to be a wheelbarrow, you can use a bucket if you don’t have a wheelbarrow. There will be a small entry fee of £1 per wheelbarrow and 50p per bucket. Open to both adults and children; there will be small prizes for the winners.
Inside the Church Hall there will be hot and cold drinks and homemade biscuits for sale and tables set out for you to have a chat.
If you are interested in taking part please contact Mike on 07704340840 or Glenys on 07922109721 so that we can gauge the level of interest.
SUMMER’S HERE AND IT’S ALL HAPPENING IN THE VALE
The ongoing (until 3rd June) Vale Food Trail has recently brought us a mix of farm tours, cook-ery workshops, tasting events, special exhibitions, live demos and more. If you are disappointed that we are at the tail end of the food frenzy, fear not. This month, the Vale continues to provide events to suit all tastes.
Sunday1June:Welsh National Aquathlon Championships. Produced by All or Nothing Events, the two events planned are a 750m open water swim and a 5km run, across a hopefully sunny not too hot Barry Island. You can find more details on the AllorNothing Facebook page. If you wish to enter you can follow this link:https://www.allornothingevents.com/race-swyd-aquathlon-2025/
Sunday June 8:St Donat’s Castle Summer Fayre. The fayreis set across St Donat’s Castle, Arts Centre, striking outdoor gardens and sea front. The entertainment includes live music and a host of family activities and local traders providing over 60 stalls. There will be the opportunity to indulge in freshly prepared food with a variety of international tastes catered for as well as the less exotic but no less tasty range of British staples like brownies and preservatives. The craft stalls will include a variety of jewellery, wood, glass, ceramics and textiles. There is more. There will be a bouncy castle and family magician ‘Simon Sparkles’ will be putting on a magic show in Tythe Barn. You can also book the following additional activities:
Tickets are £13 per car (for as many people who you can fit in) or £3pp on foot. Last entry is 3.30pm. Dogs are permitted onto the campus grounds, but must be on a lead at all times. You are also welcome to bring your own picnics.
Saturday 14th June: Barry Pride. The event returns to King’s Square and Central Park between midday and 7pm, with a variety of stalls, live entertainment, food and drinks.
Sunday 15th June: Barry Island 10K Race. Barry Island will provide the backdrop for a 10K race, plus a Family Fun Run, Toddler Dash, and competitive Future Challengers mile races. The popular race organised by Run 4 Wales, will take a scenic route with highlights including Whitmore Bay, Romilly Park, Watchtower Bay, Friars Point and the Knap. There will also be plenty of fun and games for spectators to enjoy in the event village on the promenade and gardens. This year’s new lead charity is Cancer Research Wales, and the event will form part of the Run 4 Wales 10K Series. Tickets are available at £32 or £30 for affiliated athletes. For more information or to enter the Barry Island 10k visit: barryisland10k.co.uk
Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July: GlastonBarry. Looking ahead to next month, GlastonBarry will return to Romilly Park with 22 tribute band providing live music for what is now a well-loved and established part of the calendar.
TUCKER’S VE80 WARTIME PLANT SALE
On Saturday 10th May we held the Tucker’s VE80 plant sale in and around the Church Hall. Whenever we hold a sale there is always a worry that attendance will be low or the weather won’t be good. We are always well supported by our community, but this time you blew us away! The sun came out and so did all of you. We were so pleased to see you all and were especially pleased to see so many in wartime costume. The total raised for Wenvoe Wildlife Group now stands at £2,122. This was raised from the sale of the plants (many of which were so kindly donated), the raffle, Gareth’s pre-owned garden and sports equipment table, the wildlife table, wartime food, profit from the cakes, takings for drinks, the silent auction for the Spitfire in Flight painting and from Joyce Hoy’s succulents and cacti sales.
Heartfelt thanks go to everyone who donated a raffle prize, to Phyllis, Pam and Sian who donated some wartime food items for sale to add to mine, to everyone who donated equipment and plants, to all our fabulous volunteers who make it all possible, to Brenda for her fabulous accordion playing, to our wonderful ‘spiv’ Tony and last, but certainly not least, to all of you. Mike and I are so very grateful to you all.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MR J C MEGGITT – Part 2
In Part I, we learned how the 28 year old John Claxton Meggitt came from Wolverhampton and established a thriving timber supply business in Barry. Initially this was to supply the timber needed for “false works” in the construction of the Barry Dock and Railway, and subsequently for the construction of the “boom town” that naturally ensued. They also engaged in the business of supplying pit props to the coal mines.
With his brother-in-law, his business became Meggitt and Jones, then subsequently Meggitt and Price. Meggitt was not only a successful business man, but he became very active in both his adopted community and nationally in many spheres of public life. Here are some of those activities:
In addition, together with his wife, he provided Barry’s first hospital, and if all of the above were not enough he was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Glamorgan for nearly 40 years!
As we have read in previous articles, J C Meggitt became quite wealthy from his involvement in the timber trade. At the age of 70 in 1928, he handed over day-to-day control of the company and set about travelling the world for the next decade. We are fortunate in having detailed accounts of his several voyages. He wrote these as a series of letters to the Western Mail which were subsequently published in booklet format. In these he records how he travelled by sea and rail (on the Tran Siberia railway) to visit and record his impressions of some 35 counties. In the 1931 volume he mentions that his travelling companion was Sir T P Thomas, in the other volumes no companion is mentioned.
Copies of these booklets were presented by Sue Culbertson to the Barry Library and are presently being digitized for posterity on the “Peoples’ Collection Wales” website. Ms Culbertson’s great aunt Doris Gooding (her maternal grandmother’s sister) was head housekeeper to the Meggitt family.
The octavo booklets are as follows:
As well as the “touristy” aspects of what he witnessed, being a businessman at heart, he delved deeply into, and commented on the commercial and political environs where he was to stay for any length of time. Thus, these booklets are full of insights into the local economy and the lives of the local populations.
I cannot hope to do any sort of justice to the overall scope of the content of the many places he visited, instead I will provide a few of examples of the topics he covered in depth to give you an insight.
In Australia and New Zealand (1931) he pondered on whether British car manufacturers should produce vehicles better suited to local conditions, and drunkenness and the control of drinking establishments.
In Cape Town (February 1939) he wondered whether the former German Colony of South West Africa should be returned to Germany (No, because of the abysmal treatment they had previously meted out to the indigenous population)
From Valparaiso in Chile (1938) he took an excursion of some 345miles to the Juan Fernandez Islands. It was here from 1704 to 1709 that the Scottish seaman Alexander Selkirk voluntarily exiled himself. Based on the experiences he narrated to Daniel Defoe the novel “Robinson Crusoe” was written in 1719.
The pictures were taken in Chile: at a fox farm and a local mode of transport.
This series will continue with further notes about South America and his impressions of China, Japan, the Tran Siberia railway, Poland and Germany in the mid 1930s together with events surrounding his 90th birthday in 1947.
Tony Hodge