June 2008 Archives

Information has reached me about a Women’s History Roadshow to be held at Caernarfon Record Office on Saturday, 28 June, 11am - 3pm (entry free). This is being organised by Archif Menywod Cymru / Women's Archive of Wales (WAW) which exists to promote the study, and to rescue and preserve the sources, of women's history in Wales. Their aim is to rescue material of all kinds which relate to women’s lives in Wales and to ensure it is properly cared for and preserved, and made accessible (subject to any restrictions) to anyone interested.
The task of recovering women’s history in Wales is urgent and pressing. Central to the reclamation of this distinctive history is the active process of tracking down, rescuing and conserving historical sources which throw light on women’s lives. The past cannot be reconstructed without authentic historical sources.
WAW collect a broad range of archival, photographic and other material sources which illustrate the history and heritage of women in Wales, and their experience in a range of spheres including the domestic, political, religious, economic, cultural and social. They particularly seek diaries, scrapbooks, the minute books of women’s organisations, literary manuscripts, photographs and similar materials. Their collections are deposited in WAW’s name in existing record offices in Wales, and in the National Library of Wales, where they are properly cared for, and where they can be accessed by researchers subject to any restrictions put on a collection.
Roadshows are a means of getting the public involved and are based on the popular model of the Antiques Roadshow. The public are being invited to bring memorabilia which tell us about the lives of women in Wales. As well as one-to-one discussions about the historical (as opposed to monetary) value of family or organisational records, each roadshow will also include talks and exhibitions, advice on conservation, and on safeguarding material for posterity.
Experts on hand at the Roadshow will give advice on conservation and preservation as well as discussing the historic value of the items. Items can be deposited with the Archive or copied for the Women's Archive of Wales’s website.

Professor Deirdre Beddoe, Emeritus Professor of Women's History at the University of Glamorgan and President of the Women’s Archive of Wales, will be among the experts viewing items at the Caernarfon roadshow, as will Catrin Stevens, author and historian, and local archivists will provide the vital local link. Catrin Stevens said: “People are often unaware of the significance of many items, and may throw them away without realising their potential value – there is a lack of material about women of the twentieth century, and women in general, especially ordinary women.�
If you have any material of this nature amongst your family records I would urge you to take it along to the Roadshow in Caernarfon on Saturday June 28th. A total of 17 Roadshows are being organised throughout Wales over a period of 2 years. One has already been held in Dolgellau and the next opportunity in this area will be in Anglesey on April 25, 2009. Even if you haven’t got relevant information it could still be an interesting event and you could learn a lot about how records are kept in public archives.
For more information about the Caernarfon Roadshow, contact Rhiannon Gomer on 01341 420168 or email rhiannon.gomer@womensarchivewales.org, or visit the website: www.womensarchivewales.org.

Caernarfon Archives closed in June
The Gwynedd Archives in Caernarfon will unfortunately be closed to the public throughout the month of June due to maintenance work (Apart from the Roadshow on 28 June).

Ynys Môn Archives Service
The special “Ask your Archivist� introductory sessions continue with one session in July as follows:
• Have you wondered how to start tracing your family history?
• Have you ever wondered about the history of your house?
• Do you want to know more about a subject or a place on Anglesey?
• Then come along and ask Anne Venables. You can get advice on how to go about doing your own research which includes how to use the Anglesey Archives in Llangefni. Once you’ve started you’ll find it hard to stop!

By appointment only: If you wish to attend any of the sessions listed in the following libraries you should telephone 01248 752083 to book your place.

Llangefni Monday, 7 July 2-7pm

The photo shows officers of the Gwynedd Family History Society together with the Rev. Dr D. Ben Rees and his wife Meinwen following his lecture at the Society’s AGM on Saturday 17 May. Seated in the photo are Mrs Meinwen Rees, The Rev. Dr. D Ben Rees and Society Chair Myfyr Hughes. Standing are myself, Llew Williams (Vice-Chair), Bryan Jones (General Secretary), John Barlow (Librarian) and Gwyndaf Williams (Publications Officer).

Ben Rees spoke on “Gwynedd Families in Liverpool and Bootle since 1800� and he gave numerous examples of Gwynedd people who came to undertake a range of different roles in the life and development of Liverpool. He is an expert in this field having written or edited numerous publications including “Cymru Lerpwl a’r Cyffiniau, Cyfrol 1�, now sadly out of print, and “Cymru Lerpwl a’r cyffiniau yn yr Ugeinfed Ganrif, Cyfrol 2�, both published by Cyhoeddiadau Modern Cymraeg Cyf, 32 Garth Drive, Liverpool, L18 6HW. These are excellent reference books.

The talk was attended by members from all 6 Branches of the Society in Gwynedd and some members from Clwyd. Following the talk there followed an interesting question and answer session and an opportunity for people to mix, revive friendships and acquaintances and discuss common interests. One of the great things about belonging to a Family History Society is that you meet people who are always prepared to give guidance to newcomers and share experiences and through this there’s always a possibility that you might meet a distant cousin.

You may notice that I’m wearing a medallion in the photo. This is because that at that stage I was acting in my capacity as Deputy Mayor of Caernarfon. I’d been installed on the previous Thursday evening and was delighted that my first official duty in this position was to welcome Ben Rees to Caernarfon. This gave me enormous pleasure because of my involvement with the Society and because of my friendship with Ben Rees since college days.

At the Mayor installation ceremony on the Thursday evening my proposer and seconder said a few words about me and mentioned my interest in family history and my family connections with Penmachno and Llithfaen. After the formalities, Lis Jones, the Mayoress of Bangor, told me that she was also researching her family history and had family connections in Llithfaen. I asked if by any chance she was related to the Victoria Inn family and, to my surprise, said that she was.

My great grandparents John and Jane Roberts kept the Victoria Inn (now Tafarn y Fic) from the 1870s onwards and I remember their daughters, my grandfather’s sisters Hannah and Minnie, keeping the pub in the 1940s and early 1950s. It turns out that Lis’s great grandmother Laura, was Jane’s sister and had spent time helping out in the inn before marriage. I had found a new third cousin!

I had previously found John and Jane’s wedding records and therefore knew that her parents were John Hughes and Ellen Thomas from Efailnewydd but I hadn’t had time to investigate any further along this branch of the family tree. Lis has now offered me the benefit of her research and this is a fine example of we all try to help each other.

Caernarfon Archives closed in June

The Gwynedd Archives in Caernarfon will unfortunately be closed to the public throughout the month of June due to maintenance work.

Ynys Môn Archives Service

The special “Ask your Archivist� introductory sessions continue during June and July as follows:

• Have you wondered how to start tracing your family history?
• Have you ever wondered about the history of your house?
• Do you want to know more about a subject or a place on Anglesey?
• Then come along and ask Anne Venables. You can get advice on how to go about doing your own research which includes how to use the Anglesey Archives in Llangefni. Once you’ve started you’ll find it hard to stop!

By appointment only: If you wish to attend any of the sessions listed in the following libraries you should telephone 01248 752083 to book your place.

Rhosneigr Wednesday 4 June, 2-4.30 pm
Beaumaris Monday 9 June, 4- 7pm
Moelfre Monday, 16 June, 2-5pm
Llangefni Monday, 7 July 2-7pm