Poster advertising a Public Meeting organised by the Capel Celyn Defence Committee, Blaenau Ffestiniog, 19 September 1956

Description

The Capel Celyn Defence Committee (Pwyllgor Amddiffyn Capel Celyn) was established in March 1956, shortly after it had been announced that Liverpool Corporation was intending to build a new reservoir in the Tryweryn valley, drowning the village of Capel Celyn, north of Bala. The Committee launched a spirited campaign to oppose the proposal to drown Cwm Celyn. In addition to canvassing support from local authorities, individuals and national institutions, the Committee organised a series of protest meetings, conferences and rallies across north Wales and in the city of Liverpool. This poster relates to a public meeting which was held at Blaenau Ffestiniog, on Wednesday, 19 September [1956] at 7.30pm. The speakers included Moses Griffith, James Roberts, and Miss Elizabeth M. Watkin Jones, Secretary of the Defence Committee. Ultimately, however, the efforts to halt the building of the new reservoir failed and on 1 August 1957 the Liverpool Corporation Act was passed. Work began on the site three years later and was completed by August 1965. As well as losing their homes and land, the people of Capel Celyn also lost their village school and chapel. Some graves in the chapel cemetery were exhumed and moved to Llan-y-cil, while others were covered with concrete.