I’m home as I write this and listening to the mellow strains of Côr Meibion Bro Aled. I felt the tug of the land in Holyhead, Angelsey, the birthplace of my great grandfather, who emigrated to Australia in 1916.
Our time in Wales was far too short, but solidly packed with memories and impressions. My first and abiding impression is that of immense generosity and hospitality. My uncle Ian was the family historian and my Aunt Chris wrote to relatives in Wales with whom Ian had corresponded before he passed away in December 2016. Merfyn (the grandson of my great grandfather’s sister) responded with news of family in Wales and subsequently offered to show us around the family historical sites.
Angelsey is an island on the North coast of Wales, closer to Dublin than Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Welsh is the predominant language and although Wales has not been a separate country to England since its conquest in 1283, there is a sense of a separateness here, and a distinct culture.
Merfyn asked for our North Wales wish list and incorporated it into a very full day, taking us to significant places in Angelsey. I’m glad I mentioned I wanted to see Beaumaris Castle, not being quite castled out at this point. Merfyn is a retired history teacher, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He’s also a member of a wonderful male voice choir, Côr Meibion Bro Aled. I’ve heard that all Welshmen sing, and Merfyn is in two choirs, travelling four hours a week for rehearsals.
We then headed for Holyhead Island, firstly to the remote South Stack Lighthouse, built in 1809 to warn passing ships of the nearby dangerous rocks, and then to the tiny town of Cymyran, to see the family home (then the dwelling for four families). The house still stands on a rugged and remote shore, separated from the mainland for much of the day by the tide, though it is now a beautifully renovated holiday home owned by an English family.
Edward Hughes, the eldest of nine children, was born into a family of fishermen who also had a long history serving in the Rhoscolyn lifeboat, going back to at least 1855. In 1920, two of Edward Hughes’ brothers were amongst five members of the lifeboat Ramon Cabrera who drowned trying to save the crew of a steam ship. Merfyn took us to the Rhoscolyn cemetery, where a memorial to the five crew members has been erected, recently renovated by the local RNLI Volunteers. The graves of other family members are also here.
We stopped at a couple of popular Anglesey beaches and then had dinner at the White Eagle pub in Rhoscolyn, reputedly also frequented by Prince William and Kate.
Our final stop was to see my grandmother’s cousin Hamlet. Hamlet and Megan gave us a warm welcome, including traditional Welsh cookies. It was astonishing to see the similarity in characteristics between Hamlet and my grandmother, Myfanwy. Hamlet and Merfyn sometimes slipped easily into their first language of Welsh, now once more being taught in Welsh primary schools . Hamlet and Megan live next door to the home where Hamlet was born.
We hope to one day see some of the Welsh family visit Perth.