Articles of Interest
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MR J C MEGGITT – Part 3
In Parts 1 and 2 we read about John Claxton Meggitt’s timber trading business and his retirement at the age of 70 after which he undertook numerous world travels during which he visited over 35 countries. He recorded his “Impressions” of these and of the people he encountered along the way in a number of “letters” to the Western Mail that were subsequently published in hardback booklet format. Here are more summaries of some of those impressions.
Shanghai (1935) Over several days he was accompanied by expatriate missionaries and a former acquaintance from Barry, Leslie Pardoe, who with his wife had lived there for more than 20 years and worked as the head of the local Highways Department (he was the son of J C Pardoe who was the first surveyor to Barry UDC). In his report he wrote that he “passed through many miles of native streets and surroundings of all kinds, and was also brought into close contact with other aspects of life in the city”
To say the least, he was not impressed with what he witnessed “How I wish I could speak enthusiastically about these three million people in Shanghai” He describes the deplorable overcrowding, the utter filth in housing and shops and the high prevalence of disease and degradation. “It is one of the open sores of the Far East”.
Japan (1935) From the squalor of Shanghai he cruised to Japan, which gave him pleasure and delight. “A most charming place for a good long holiday”. He noted, somewhat at variance to what we now know, that the country’s principal industry is the manufacture of silk!
Trans Siberia Railway (1935). Every Monday morning the “train-de-luxe” would depart from Vladivostok to commence an almost 3500 mile journey “across one of the coldest, bleakest, and most neglected countries in the world” to terminate in Moscow. He travelled in a “most excellent train” and describes the luxuries therein. Such contrasts with his descriptions of ordinary trains: crowded with “peasants”; seats of bare wood; devoid of any type of comforts; held up in sidings as the deluxe trains passed. Did the ordinary people not think “all of that was at variance with the Communistic theories advocated throughout Russia?”
Poland and Germany (1935). He continued his train journeys for another 1500 miles from Moscow through Poland and Germany, and ultimately back to Britain. At that time, Poland had only been re-established as a nation since the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Of Poland, he writes “There seemed to be a brightness and cheerfulness of disposition that was absent in Russia” and he found nothing that was other than delightful. A stark contrast with Russia. “I formed the opinion (of Poland) …….. will have a great future … and prove to be a steadying influence in Europe”.
The 1935 journal concludes with his impressions of the prominent people (one of whom he was personally acquainted with – Herr Hitler) he met whilst spending three days in Berlin. They came over as being resentful about the treatment that was meted out to them after 1919, the loss of their armed services, the loss of parts of Germany to neighbouring countries, the loss of their colonies. The list went on. He wrote that he did not hesitate to tell those he met that Germany “had a bad record …. being the most warlike nation in Europe”. He remonstrated with them about the events of 30th June 1934 “The Night of the Long Knives” “when, under the leadership of Herr Hitler, up to 80 leading statesmen and civilians …… were shot in cold blood”. He was informed that he didn’t understand the difficulties that Germany faced.
“The persistent persecutions of the Jews (nor the attitude to the Christian Church) was not forgotten in our discussions. Everyone to whom I spoke protested that Germany wanted peace … on an equal status with other nations”. Nothing less was acceptable. In conclusion, he pondered: “who can tell whether Germany intends to take her revenge on France? It is not possible to remain many hours in Berlin without being aware that efforts are being made to strengthen her position”.
South America and West Indies (1938) This 20,000 mile round tour was undertaken onboard the SS Reina del Pacifico down the east coast of South America, around Cape Horn to return along the west coast, through the Panama Canal and the West Indies. His deviation to Robinson Crusoe Island was written about in Part 2.
South America, South & West Africa (1939) Yet another escape from the northern hemisphere winter aboard the SS Viceroy of India. He travelled to Tristan da Cunha (dreary, desolate, lonesome), St Helena (the best known of all the solitary islands), Cape Town (the greatest thrill of all the cruise, totally unexpected and in no way rehearsed), Rio de Janeiro (attractiveness beyond praise … palatial public buildings, open spaces, many miles of views of inlets of the ocean, the mountains, the foliage and the ever commanding presence of the statue of Christ the Redeemer can only be inadequately described)
On October 4th 1948, the Western Mail published a tribute to mark his 90th birthday which was celebrated with a family party. “As straight as a guardsman, though a little hesitant owing to failing sight, Mr Meggitt, now the doyen of Cardiff businessmen, is physically well and mentally alert, but a confidant prevailed upon him to cancel a sea reservation to New Zealand”. That article concluded with tributes to his many years of public and church service.
Research on ancestry.com reveals that he died on 18th April 1950; his life was truly well lived.
Tony Hodge
Most people will have heard that vandals burned down the noticeboard/bee hotel on the Community Orchard. We shall be replacing it, but this will take a few months of planning and design. Meanwhile we shall be installing a smaller noticeboard near the planters, thanks to Martin Thomas.
