National Eisteddfod of Wales 1958, Ebbw Vale

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18 negatives : b&w. National Eisteddfod of Wales 1958, Ebbw Vale.

Image 1: So near, and yet --- the Rev. D Emlyn Lewis ("Yr Asgell Fraith") in the Literature Tent on Tuesday afternoon listening to the crown competition ajudications. Dr Peate condemns his poem as "prose from the tenth class"; Euros Bowen applauds his "detailed observations" and W J Gruffudd feels that the bard "had no control over his muse". The Rev. D Emlyn Lewis comes from Garnant, Ammanford originally and is a vicar at Capel Bangor. Seen with him here is his wife, Madamme Decima Morgan Lewis, the famous singer.
Image 2: The Rev. D Emlyn Lewis.
Image 3: At Ebbw Vale there was a new competition in the children's section - a reciting competition for those under twelve year old and who are Welsh learners. And here are the four who were competing on stage in the overflow pavilion on Tuesday morning. They were reciting "Coeden Afalau", T Rowland Hughes, a piece which was challenging even for Welsh speakers, according to the judges, W H Roberts and Jennie Eirian Davies. But the girls faired well and the judge gave a prize to every one of them - twenty five shillings to Carol Amanda Jones, Ystalyfera; fifteen shillings to Patricia O'Neale, Pontarddulais; and six and three each to Helen Wilkinson and Winonna Owen from Frynmawr. With the girls is Mr Gwilym Aneurin Jones from Benbre, who was in charge of the proceedings; he has previously won the reciting competition at the National Eisteddfod five times.
Image 4: 'Teulu'r Mans' actors on the Eisteddfod field congratulating the crowned bard, Mr Llewellyn Jones, from Llanbadarn Fawr. Seen from left to right are: Emlyn Jones (Producer), T H Evans (Ifan Jenkins), Llewellyn Jones, Dilys Davies (Annie Mary), D Jacob Davies (author), Gwilym Morris (author), Cynddylan Williams (the Rev. Goronwy Bowen) and Eluned Phillips (author).
Image 5: Pamela Davies, from Wrexham, who learnt Welsh at a night school and who was awarded a prize for folk singing over 21.
Image 6: This year there was a new Lady on the Eisteddfod field - Lady Amy Parry-Williams, who had her hands full with all the work needed with judging the folk singing competitions.
Image 7: 'The most faithful members by far' was how Mr B Davies, conducter of Llwydgoed (near Aberdare) youth band describes these four young girls: Gloria Bramwell (14 oed), Junita Wiggs (15), Janice Wiggs (13) and Christine Edmunds (14). This was the first time the band had appeared on stage at the National Eisteddfod.
Image 8: There were more large choirs in Ebbw Vale than was seen in any Eisteddfod since the war. And the "Y Cymro" cup was awarded to Ammanford Choir, who was awarded nine marks more than the choir closest to them. Here are the marks: Rhydaman, 180; Llanelli, 171; Sciwen, 170; Broughton, 170; Merthyr Tydfil, 161. Here are some members of the winning Ammanford choir with their conductor, Mr Hywel G Evans.
Image 9: It was light. Shirley Richards could not see any of the Eisteddfod activities at Ebbw Vale. She has been blind since she was eight months old. Nonetheless she enjoyed herself as much as everyone else. And thanks to the school for the blind at Brigend, everything on stage was light and clear for her. It was at this school that Shirley learnt Welsh, taught by Miss Thomas, from Sciwen, and Miss Llewelyn from Llanelli. She was there for ten years - and by now she can talk Welsh fluently by now. Her family in Tredegar - her mother and father, and her two sisters - cannot speak a word of Welsh. But Shirley says: "They are extremely glad that I am able to speak the language". Chatting with her on the Maes is Miss Sali Jenkins, a teacher at Cwm Padarn school, Llanbadarn fawr, who was sitting next to her at the Eisteddfod.
Image 10: Mr Saunders Lewis addressing the crowd from the Eisteddfod stage as president of the day, on Thursday.
Image 11: Aberporth singers were extremely successful at the Eisteddfod with their mixed youth choir, women's choir and the 'penillion' choir. Seen here is the women's choir.
Image 12: Buddug Davies, from Aberporth, who came first on the harp recital (open) at Ebbw Vale. Image 13: Denbigh Grammer School reciting party won first prize at the festiva.
Image 14: Dotwen Williams, from Benrhyndeudraeth, who came first with John Llewelyn Thomas for penillion singing between 18 and . The talented young harpist from Maesteg - Telynores y Llwyni (Ann Griffiths) - provided accompaniment for them.
Image 15: ealth to the Prince. There was much folk dancing at Ebbw Vale.The evening folk dancing gatherings (twmpathau) attracted several hundreds of young people. And here is the lady who, to a certain extent, has been responsible for re-discovering the old Welsh dances: Mrs Lois Blake, an Englishwoman from Liverpool, who came to live to Llangwm. She and her colleagues at the Welsh Folk DancingAssociation did a great deal of research in this field. And the Urdd transformed the dances from paper to the dance floor. At the 'twmpathau' in Ebbw Vale a completely new dance was introduced by Mrs Blake - "Iechyd i'r Tywysog" ('Health to the Prince'). According to Mrs Blake, is traditional to create a new dance for special occasions. And the occasion in this case, of course, was that Prince Charles had become Prince of Wales. The new dance is danced to the tune of "Y Gelynnen".
Image 16: Two ladies (middle) who have given such a lot to music in Wales in various ways - Telynores Eryri and Mrs Dilys Wynne Williams, Caernarfon. And here are the two in the Gorsedd white robes. Telynores Eryri and Telynores Dywyrd were promoted from the green robe section to the white robe section this year and Mrs Wynne Williams became a member of the Gorsedd for the first time in Ebbw Vale, and went straight to the Honorary Guild.
Image 17: Qualiton Record Company celebrating the opening of their new records factory at Pontardawe. Before this development all the records were produced by a large London company.
Image 18: A break in the proceedings for a bite to eat and a cup of tea. Not quite warm enough to take your coat off in Ebbw Vale at the beginning of the week, but not quite cold enough for Mr B Jones (left), Mrs R T Lloyd, Huw Jones (two years old and in his second Eisteddfod), Mrs Nancie Jones and Miss Morfudd Lloyd, from Troedyrhiw, to go indoors for their lunch.

• http://hdl.handle.net/10107/1488183 (link opens in new window)