HIRWAUN CHARTIST DAY 19 September 2009.

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Well attended event, but I thought that the Chartist Connection with Hirwaun was a bit laboured, personally I am of the opinion that Hirwuan is better sticking to the history of it's prominent position regards the 1831 Insurrection on the whole ignored and otherwise played down by those historians; Huw Williams and Les James who were the giving talks at this event.

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For me the most illuminating matter that came out of the talks was the strength of the Scotch Cattle in the Cynon Valley, I was aware of a Scotch Cattle incident in Aberdar about 1850 when a 'bomb' was thrown into the house of a black leg. However, there is more to the Scotch Cattle and the Cynon Valley than that which requires some looking into. I am further aware that the Scotch Cattle were a product of the 'Black Domain' that is of the Gwent Coalfields, so perhaps it is no surprise to find them in the Coal mining area of the Cynon Valley but still quite a leap from Gwent to there, and in time to, from the 1830s to the 1850s. Interesting, a matter to be further looked into.
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.Highlight of the day was talk given by John Humphries on John Rees, labelled as the ''Man with the finger on the trigger''. The Man from the Alamo - Google Books Result by John Humphries - 2005 - History - 322 pagesRees' spectacular journey from the bloodied sands of Texas to the last armed uprising on British soil is only one of the stories told in this history book.books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1589803353... - .This talk sparked off a lively debate as historian Les James took on the author Humphries, as Humphries doubted if there was a great political purpose the Newport 1839 Rising, and certainly saw no evidence in his research for a planned uprising.

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On the other hand historian present believed there was such motives but both would have disagreed with Ifor Wilks that there was any 'Welsh Nationalist' motives ploting to establish the beloved 'Silurian Republic' fondly favoured by past and present day Welsh Republican Romantics. Whilst Republican David Lawrence suggested that John Rees might have been an Agent Provocateur, and put forward reasons worthy of consideration. I threw my bit into the debate which I will not repeat here, as if you read this blog you will come to know my line of reasoning in such area and related matters.

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These Chartist events are certainly worth attending, and there are plenty more on way. Information on which I will publish on the next post.

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Gethin Gruffydd.