The terrible Dolgarrog Reservoir disaster of November 1925 in the Conwy Valley is the subject of my latest article in Welsh Country Magazine ( November 2019).Two dams, built to provide hydro-electric power for industrial purposes failed due to inadequate construction techniques. On a cold November evening 70 billion gallons of water poured down the hillside,…
Category: News
Local History Book Fair 2019
The annual Local History Book Fair will be held on Saturday 26 October 2019 in Swansea Museum. I will be there all day with my books and I will be giving a short talk about my novel In Knives We Trust at 11.50 am. Co-incidentally it is the 141 anniversary of Daniel Guy’s failure to…
History Book Fair 2019
Yes, it is that time of year again. On Saturday 26 October 2019 in Swansea Museum, the Local History Book Fair returnsI will be there, selling copies of all my books – and I accept cheques, cards and cash.I have also been asked to give a talk about the genesis of my novel, In Knives We…
St Julitta’s Church, Capel Curig
We had a very good visit to Capel Curig in Snowdonia. We managed to avoid the worst of the showers at St Julitta’s Church as we researched a future article about Alice Douglas Pennant who is buried in the beautiful graveyard. We can certainly recommend a visit to this grade 2 listed building on the…
Rebecca Uphill – Llandawke
On a beautiful September day we went grave hunting in Carmarthenshire. Down into Laugharne and then up into the hills, along narrow tracks to the abandoned church in Llandawke where we found the lonely grave of Rebecca Uphill, poisoned in 1850. It is such a story….To be published in Welsh Country Magazine soon…
The Story of Daniel James
My piece on page 7 of the September edition of Welsh Country Magazine is about the life of Daniel James, the man who wrote the words to the song Calon Lan, regarded by many as the alternative Welsh National Anthem. He was born in Treboeth in Swansea and had a tough life labouring in the…
Llywelyn Fawr
My piece in the July 2019 edition of Welsh Country Magazine is about one of the great treasures of Wales, the sarcophagus of Llywelyn Fawr , who for a short time in the twelfth century was the ruler of most of Wales.You can find it in the Gwydir Chapel of St Grwst’s Church in Llanrwst in…
Arise Evans (1607 – 1660)
I have been busy recently writing some articles for Welsh Country Magazine. I have enjoyed researching the lives of three interesting women and clarifying the locations of their graves. Amelia Earhart is remembered in Pwll and in Burry Port, the late Victorian novelist Allen Raine ( her real name was Ada Puddicombe) from Tresaith is buried…
Charlie Chaplin in Swansea
Appearing at the Swansea Empire during the first week of June in 1899 were “The Eight Lancashire Lads”, described as “Part Singers and Champion Clog Dancers.” They were in third place on the bill after the “charming light-comedy singer and specialist dancer” Miss Nellie Randall and what were described as “animated photographs” of the Epsom Derby.…
Radio Interview
The big news is that I am to be a guest on the Wyn Thomas show on Radio Tircoed on Friday 17 May 2019 at 5.00 pm to talk about my novel In Knives We Trust. So everything you need to know, you’ll hear it on your radio. And let’s be honest here. Radio might…