PENARTH COMMEMORATIVE EVENT A HUGE SUCCESS

A packed Windsor Arms gathered to enjoy a special event on the evening of January 7th in

commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the first meeting of Y Mudiad Cymreig (The Welsh

Movement), a group which was eventually to lead to the formation of Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales.

Left to Right: Chair of Plaid Cymru Penarth Branch, Adrian Roper, Alun Ffred Jones AM, Professor Richard Wyn Jones of Cardiff University, and Chair of Plaid Cymru History Society Dafydd Williams

At the event, guest speaker Professor Richard Wyn Jones outlined the historical importance of the meetings held by Y Mudiad Cymreig and how they led to links with nationalists in North Wales and the official formation of Plaid Cymru the following year.

He explained how policies drawn up by the group became the policies of Plaid Cymru in its early years.

The historic movement was founded at a secret meeting, held in Bedwas Place in Penarth on January 7, 1924, and led by the lecturer and dramatist, Saunders Lewis, who lived in the town for many years.

As well as Saunders Lewis, the first historic meeting was attended by the historian, Ambrose Bebb, and the owners of the house in which it was held, the historian and Welsh scholar, G. J. Williams, and his wife, Elizabeth.

The audience gathers in eager anticipation of the talk by Professor Richard Wyn Jones

The highly successful event was jointly organised by the Plaid Cymru History Society and Penarth's own branch of Plaid Cymru, and was attended by about a hundred people, including a television crew.

A packed room heard Penarth Branch Chair Adrian Roper welcome Prof. Jones, party members and supporters, and local residents interested in the history of politics in Penarth.

The meeting was chaired by Assembly Member Alun Ffred Jones, a grandson of the Rev Ffred Jones, who joined the group shortly after the first meeting.

After an informative and entertaining speech by Professor Jones, questions were fielded from the audience leading to a great deal of interesting discussion. Eventually, the evening was brought to a close with a vote of thanks to the speakers, given by the Chair of the Plaid Cymru History Society, Dafydd Williams.

Penarth UK Parliament candidate, Ben Foday (right) and National Assembly candidate Dr Dafydd Trystan Davies (second left), with Alun Ffred Jones AM and Professor Richard Wyn Jones

Among the audience at the commemorative event were the UK Parliament and National Assembly candidates for Cardiff South and Penarth, Ben Foday and Dr Dafydd Trystan Davies, who was elected as the party's national Chair last year. 

Dafydd Williams with the Women in Plaid exhibition

The event also included an exhibition by Plaid Cymru History Society to celebrate the extraordinary contribution made by women during the early years of the party.

PENARTH'S SECRET ROLE IN WELSH HISTORY

An event to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the first meeting of Y Mudiad Cymreig/The Welsh Movement, which led to the formation of Plaid Cymru the following year, is being held in Penarth in January.

The historic meeting was held at 11 Bedwas Place in Penarth on the evening of January 7, 1924, and the commemorative event is being held at the Windsor Arms on Tuesday, January 7 (7.30pm).

It is being organised jointly by the Plaid Cymru History Society and the Penarth Branch of Plaid Cymru.

The guest speaker will be Professor Richard Wyn Jones, the eminent historian, political commentator, author and broadcaster. At the 1924 meeting, a small group of nationalists, led by the lecturer and playwright Saunders Lewis, began drawing up a set of aims and policies intended to rescue Wales from political and cultural oblivion.

As well as Mr Lewis, that first meeting was attended by the historian, Ambrose Bebb, and the owners of the house, the historian and Welsh scholar G. J. Williams and his wife, Elizabeth.They were joined at a later meeting, on February 5, 1924, by D.J. Williams and Ben Bowen Thomas and at their March meeting by the Treorchy minister, the Rev Ffred Jones, the grandfather of folk singer and former Plaid President Dafydd Iwan and of Assembly Member Alun Ffred Jones, who will be chairing the anniversary meeting.

The group met in secret throughout 1924 and, at about the same time, another group of nationalists were meeting in Gwynedd.

Saunders Lewis

Early in 1925, the leader of the northern group, H.R.Jones, contacted Saunders Lewis to invite him to help with the creation of a new political party. The two groups stayed in close contact and, on August 5, 1925, Mr Lewis and the Rev Ffred Jones travelled to Pwllheli to join H.R. Jones and three others – Rev Lewis Valentine, scientist Moses Griffiths and carpenter D.E. Williams - at a meeting which established Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru as the National Party of Wales.

Some of the policies which were forged in Penarth by the Welsh Movement have been long abandoned, but the vision of a party with, in D.J. Williams’ words, “the specific aim of delivering to Wales, in the fullness of time, self-government and its own parliament, along with all the privileges of a free nation” became a reality.

The rebirth of Wales as a self-governing nation can be traced back, in no small part, to those secret discussions at Bedwas Place in 1924.

It is hoped that guests at the commemorative event will include descendants of the Welsh Movement’s principal members and representatives from the Pwllheli branch of Plaid Cymru.

Tickets (£10 a head to include buffet) are available from Rowland Davies, of the Penarth Branch, at ardbear@btinternet.com or on (029) 20702603 or 07769 195025, or from Alan Jobbins, of the Plaid Cymru History Society, at asjobbins@btinternet.com or on (029) 20623275 or 07790 868686.