Well, it looks like the history pages are taking
much longer to rebuild after being hacked and
wiped than at first imagined.. it might just
"appear" through 'God's Grace', and meanwhile,
probably the best Rhondda History collection
is at Treorchy library:
Treorchy Library
Station Road
Treorchy
CF42 6NN
'phone (01443) 773204/773592
Fax (01443) 777047
Email Treorchy.Library@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk
Most people have heard of the Rhondda - its coal
having once powered the UK's huge fleets - yet
few know what it means to Wales. Even the true
meaning of its name is unknown by most, & badly
misguided "histories" of the area, misinform...
The name "Yr Rhondda" means "the Good Way"
(literally, "the good trail") and it perhaps
reflects the fact that hundreds of years ago
a mysterious friar was commissioned to make
the whole of the greater Rhondda (Ystrad y
Fodwg) as given to God in law.
Certainly the Rhondda, with a unique Shrine
at its centre - Penrhys - was known for years
before coal, as a place where the traveller
could always pass through in peace & safety.
More, to be written here on this, 'God willing',
but in the meantime, here's a list of the Rhondda
collieries, as it's the single item most requested
...across the world.
LIST OF RHONDDA COLLIERIES, with opening dates;
(kindly compiled by Ceri Thompson, Curator,
Big Pit: Wales' National Coal Museum.)
As we all change and grow... making life whole,
we hope you like this song, "The Rhonddas' Soul"!
Who or what is the Rhondda? An impassioned vocal
by Poet, with Richard Gould's sizzling original music
and Efran Kaye's magic touch on bass, mouth organ
shaker and keyboard.
"Who Killed Dai Rhondda?" by Poet & Efran Kaye.
"The Rhonddas Soul" was written a few years back,
just after Poet had sold poetry door-to-door all
over South Wales, and was told by some, that the
Rhondda was crumbling a bit, but still had spirit.
Then, as the killing of the coal industry took hold,
with the Rhondda losing 36,000 jobs out of a total
population of 72,000, some were starting to say
"The Rhondda is dying" & one person said "Let it!"
In 2010, the landlord of what used to be a welcoming
(and famous) Club, in Treorchy, told Poet that
he was "on another planet", if he thought he
could put on a Benefit Show for the Rhondda...
as the Rhondda, as the landlord put it, was "dead".
So Poet went home and wrote this song, refusing
to accept that the spirit of the Rhondda could
ever die, as so many all over the planet hold
its living Spirit in their hearts:- NOT "dead"!!!
Now, there's a new mood of optimism, centred on
community activities around the Rugby Clubs...
