St Fagans' Heritage Apples

Elin Barker, Garden Conservator , 27 January 2025

In the quiet of winter, the gardens of St Fagans National Museum of History are alive with activity. January is the perfect time to prune apple trees, ensuring healthy growth and a good harvest later in the year. At St Fagans, the orchards are home to several heritage apple varieties, each with its own fascinating name and story.

One such remarkable apple is Gwell na Mil, meaning "Better than a Thousand." This variety, known as Seek No Further by English speakers in Monmouth, dates back to at least the 1700s and was mentioned in the Cambrian Journal of 1856. Another is the Pig y Golomen, or "Pigeon’s Beak," a traditional variety from Pembrokeshire, with a name inspired by its distinctive shape. There’s also Morgan Sweet, a favourite among Welsh miners, who valued its refreshing flavour during long shifts underground.

These apples, along with others, can be found in the many orchards across St Fagans. The old trees not only provide fruit but also act as vital habitats for wildlife. Birds, insects, and bats all rely on the orchards for shelter and food.

Every year, the apples are harvested and taken off-site to be pressed into juice, which is then sold in the museum shop. This annual cycle of care, from winter pruning to autumn harvesting, keeps the orchards healthy and productive and reflects traditional care that has supported orchards for generations.

January is also the season for wassailing, an ancient tradition to bless apple trees and ensure a good harvest. Wassailing often involves singing, offering cider to the trees, and sometimes driving away bad spirits. The museum’s collections feature beautiful wassailing bowls, traditionally used during these celebrations. Visitors can see some examples of these in the Gweithdy gallery, including pieces of Ewenny pottery.

January in the orchards is a time to reflect on traditions and care for the future. The pruning done now ensures the trees remain healthy and productive for years to come, continuing a cycle that has been part of Welsh rural life for centuries.

Weather Data for December

Penny Dacey, 22 January 2025

Hello Bulb Buddies,

We hope you’re enjoying taking part in the Spring Bulbs for Schools Investigation. This project helps us all learn more about how the weather affects the growth of plants—and your observations play a key role!

As part of the project, please remember to upload your weather data to the Amgueddfa Cymru website. By uploading the data collected so far, we can use it to predict when our plants might flower. It’s exciting to think that your contributions will be part of a bigger picture encompassing schools from across the UK. Your data is really important to us, so please upload everything you’ve documented so far by the end of January!

A Month of Wild Weather

Let’s take a moment to look at the weather from December. It was an eventful month, and this has had an impact on our gardens and bulbs. Here’s a quick weather overview:

- Storm Darragh (6th–8th December) brought heavy rain and severe gales (wind), especially to Wales and southwest England. It was the fourth named storm of the season, and it caused disruption from damaging winds and a lot of rainfall. A rare red weather warning was issued during this multi-hazard event.

- After Storm Darragh, the weather calmed and we saw colder conditions, with frost and freezing fog, especially in Scotland.

- December overall was milder (warmer) than average, with a provisional mean temperature 2.0°C above the long-term average. This made it one of the warmest Decembers on record! 

- Rainfall was also above average. Flooding occurred in parts of northwest England and Scotland on the 30th and 31st due to heavy rain.

- It was a dull month, meaning there was less sunshine than average (a total of only 24.3 hours of sunshine!)

What Does This Mean for Our Spring Bulbs?

All this rain and mild weather might mean that our bulbs could flower a bit earlier than expected! It’s important to keep measuring and recording your data to see how the conditions in your area compare to others across the UK.

A Few Tips for Uploading Your Data:

- Double-check your rainfall and temperature measurements before uploading.

- Add any interesting comments about what you’ve noticed in your garden - has the weather affected your bulbs?

- Don’t forget to upload your data weekly to the Amgueddfa Cymru website so that we can all track the progress together.

Looking Ahead

Remember to look out for early signs of spring and share these either with your comments, by email or on X/Twitter. We’re expecting more growth from our plants throughout January, so remember to keep a close eye on them.

Happy investigating!

Professor Plant

December's comments:

Bulb Growth Observations:

Langbank Primary School: Most of the pots/bulbs are starting to grow.
Professor Plant: Fantastic news! Your bulbs are waking up, spring must be just around the corner. 

Ysgol Tycroes: Nearly all of our bulbs now have shoots coming out of them.
Professor Plant: Well done! Shoots are a sign that your bulbs are healthy and happy. Keep observing for any changes.

Ysgol Llanddulas: Some of our bulbs have grown a lot. No flowers still.
Professor Plant: That’s perfectly normal. Flowers take time, so keep visiting your plants to see how they grow!

Henllys Church in Wales School: It felt a lot colder than it was this week, and our bulbs are trying to push through the soil.
Professor Plant: Bulbs are incredibly resilient! Even in cold weather, they’ll keep growing. Great observation!

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: Most of our plants have shoots now. We think they are mostly the daffodils pushing through.
Professor Plant: Spot on! Daffodils tend to grow quickly this time of year. It will be interesting to see if the crocus grow later but bloom first!

Langbank Primary School: We spotted signs of growth in some of our pots today and 2 of the bulbs planted in the ground.
Professor Plant: Brilliant! It’s exciting to see both potted and planted bulbs thriving. Well done for watching them!

Clonalig Primary School: Lots of bulbs are beginning to shoot up, and the mystery bulbs’ shoots are well up.
Professor Plant: How exciting! Mystery bulbs add a layer of fun and soon, you might be able to tell what they are. Keep observing closely.

St John The Baptist Primary School Portadown: We noticed some of our plants have some green shoots appearing.
Professor Plant: That’s excellent news! Green shoots are the first step towards a beautiful display. Keep up the good work!


Cold Weather and Ice:

Cornist Park C.P: There is a lot of snow, and it is very cold. The wind makes it feel like -1 degrees.
Professor Plant: Brrr! The snow can make things challenging for plants, but your bulbs are hardy and will continue growing underground. It's interesting how we feel the weather, some days feel colder to us even when the temperatures the same. This can be for reasons like wind chill, humidity, and sunlight.

Stanford in the Vale Primary School: Very cold, and the ice has settled in.
Professor Plant: It’s amazing how bulbs can survive icy weather. I hope you are all staying warm too!

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: Lots of snow and ice covering our rain gauge all week.
Professor Plant: Snow and ice can be tricky for measuring rainfall. It's fun to bring the rain gauge inside and take the reading after the ice has melted. 

Pil Primary School: There was hardly any rainfall this week, and it was very cold.
Professor Plant: Cold, dry weather is tough, but it’s good to see you’re keeping up with observations. Well done!

Ysgol Tycroes: It felt really cold this week.
Professor Plant: It can feel extra cold in winter, but your bulbs are well-equipped to handle the chill. Make sure you wrap up warm when going outside to take your readings.


Rain and Storms:

Scotstoun Primary School: The rain gauge has been full for some time now - it has been full due to torrential rainfall in December.
Professor Plant: Good observation. Remember to empty your rain gauge after taking each days reading!

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School: Monday 6th January includes rainfall from over Christmas. Snowfall on the night of 3rd January melted.
Professor Plant: Melting snow often adds to your rainfall measurements. Great work noting the context, it’s very helpful!

Rhayader Primary: Over 50mm of rainfall after the weekend, with Storm Darragh. No temperature readings as school was shut due to no electric after the storm.
Professor Plant: That sounds like a wild week! Storm Darragh brought lots of rain, well done for recording what you could. Thank you for sharing the impact that the storm had on your school. 

Ysgol Pentreuchaf: Yr ysgol ar gau Dydd Llun, dim trydan yna yn dilyn Storm Darragh.
Professor Plant: Storm Darragh caused so much disruption. Diolch for keeping up with your records despite the challenges!

Ysgol Gymraeg Morswyn: 7-8/12/24 - Storm Darragh.
Professor Plant: Storm Darragh made quite an impact! Thank you for noting the storm in your comments.

St Mary’s Primary School - Newry: There was lots of rainfall collected on Monday because of Storm Darragh.
Professor Plant: Great job recording after the storm. That rainfall will help hydrate the bulbs in the soil.

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: There was a storm—that is why there is no record for some days.
Professor Plant: Storms make recording tricky, especially big storms that might cause school closures. You’ve done well to note the circumstances—thank you!


General Weather Observations:

Cornist Park C.P: Today it is cloudy and dark. It is damp and cold.
Professor Plant: Cloudy and damp conditions can be tough, but bulbs still grow under the soil. Well done for getting outside and monitoring!

Meldrum Primary School: Not as much rainfall this week as previous weeks, but there is still a general amount of rainfall.
Professor Plant: Great observation. A balance of rain is important for bulbs, they’ll appreciate the moisture in the soil.

Pil Primary School: There has been lots of rain on Thursday. I got wet reading the temperature and rainfall this week.
Professor Plant: Thank you for your dedication! Your readings are invaluable - great work braving the rain.

Mountain Lane School: Storm Darragh on Fri/Sat.
Professor Plant: Thank you for recording such significant weather events. 


Holiday or School Events:

Stanford in the Vale Primary School: It was hot during the first 3 days but then it got a bit colder. Also, Merry Christmas!
Professor Plant:  Hope you had a Merry Christmas too! Thank you for your weather observations. 

Wellshot Primary School: All of our school Christmas shows and parties took over the first few days, but we made sure to update the last 2 days.
Professor Plant: Great teamwork! Balancing festivities and science is impressive, well done!

Mountain Lane School: Nadolig Llawen.
Professor Plant: I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas too! 

Ysgol Porth Y Felin Christmas holidays/yay!
Professor Plant: Thank you for keeping your weather records up to date right up to the holidays!

Strike Stories: Ross Mather (retired police constable)

Ross Mather, 16 January 2025

In this series of Strike Stories we hear the highs and lows of that life changing year through the eyes of miners, families, police officers and politicians as they recall what life was like in 84–85.

The Strike Stories form part of the Streic 84–85 Strike exhibition which is on display at National Musem Cardiff until April 27 2025.

© Mike Thompson

Ross Mather, retired police constable.

I was the lead escort for the first miner to go back to work in Wales, at Cwm Colliery. So it was me, in the patrol car, a special patrol group in a van and we were escorting the taxi transporting the miner.

That meant an early start. I’d get to work for 1.30am, to sort the patrol car out. It had spot lamps on the roof so we could see the way ahead, lighting up bridges to make sure it was safe to go under them. There had been word of some sort of ambush. I’d check the route every single day – and I’d take different routes so there was no consistency. No-one knew which route I’d choose on any given day, not even my Chief Constable. You just made sure it was as safe as possible. We knew something had been planned but nothing ever happened, until the awful day the second taxi was attacked.

Each day, I’d take them past the picket lines and the police. In truth, in Wales, we just saw a bit of pushing and shoving, as you’d expect. There was no real violence, because of the relationships we had. A lot of the pickets had relatives in the police force. A lot of the police had relatives underground. There was a lot of sympathy on both sides. I lived in Church Village and knew quite a few miners, we’d have a pint together in the pub. I knew they were stealing discarded coal waste from the old tip at Cwm Colliery, down the back lane – but it was never coal anyone was going to sell. It was theft, even though it was an old spoil tip. But I knew that if I had kids, I wouldn’t have let them go cold, either. I’d turn a blind eye. We all knew that there’d be a day when things would all go back to normal – and we’d all have to live together, back in our communities. We needed to live and let live, to an extent. But there’s still resentment in a lot of those valleys.

It was interesting how this sense of community played out. For much of the strike, the strikers on our patch were all out – so there was literally nothing to police, it was all quiet. At those times we were called across the border to help out in other locations – there’s a Mutual Aid arrangement in England and Wales where officers can be called in to help colleagues in other forces, where needed. So we’d find ourselves in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire... often we’d be despatched to a junction on the M1 to turn back cars, cans coaches that seemed to be carrying miners. We’d patrol back roads applying local knowledge, too. It was mostly respectful on both sides. There were a lot of rumours flying about in those days about army personnel dressed up as police, phone tapping, all sorts. None of them were true.

When we worked at certain mines, the miners welcomed the South Wales force. It was different from other parts of the country. So many of us sympathised because of the communities we lived in, ourselves. We understood what they were standing up for, their livelihoods and communities. You won’t find ex-pickets who claim that the police don’t understand – we did. We do.

Everyone likes to think of it as ‘police in riot gear’ but it wasn’t like that. Orgreave was, but that was orchestrated by Scargill and Thatcher as a one-off. It never happened in South Wales. Mostly it was good natured, a bit of jostling, but very little violence. In South Yorkshire they used to be pleased to see us. We’d swap our three feathers badges for an NUM one, pass on the odd sandwich from our lunch bags. They liked us because we understood.

When the rumours of taxi attacks started circulating, the general feeling everywhere, miners and communities and police alike, was one of: don’t be so bloody stupid, that just doesn’t need to happen. Then it did, on the Heads of the Valleys Road. We couldn’t believe it.

Kids in Museums Takeover Day at National Wool Museum

13 January 2025

As part of Kids in Museums Takeover Day Ysgol Penboyr pupils enjoyed creative Christmas decoration workshops.

Craftsperson, Non Mitchell, taught pupils how to wet felt Christmas baubles and make Christmas God’s Eyes.

Ellie Smallcombe facilitated Christmas decoration weaving workshops, a good time was had by all!

Strike Stories: Les Jackson (miner)

Les Jackson, 10 January 2025

In this series of Strike Stories we hear the highs and lows of that life changing year through the eyes of miners, families, police officers and politicians as they recall what life was like in 84–85.

The Strike Stories form part of the Streic 84–85 Strike exhibition which is on display at National Musem Cardiff until April 27 2025.

© Getty Images / Alamy

Les Jackson (miner, Mardy Pit)

I left school at 16 to be a panel beater on £9 a week. But I had a chat with my brother-in-law and found out he was making £80 a week. I couldn’t get to the Pit fast enough. I was accepted at 17, excited by the money, and just wanted to get in as quick as I could.

I started in 78, 79. Did my basic training in Tondu, there was a simulation centre there. They teach you how to make a pack – pack out the sides where you’re working so no dangerous gases can seep out. But nothing frightened me, not going down in the cage, nothing. You’d sometimes have to take your belt off, it was so tight. Sometimes we were physically sick, you just don’t expect it.

The next bit was training on a four-foot face. They’d send us slim lads in because it was so tight. At one point, in face training, I was working on a lower face, just a bar above you. We’d cut the height in and the bigger blokes would go in after that. Once you’re trained, as soon as there’s a space you’re in. I knew everybody on the face and the first time down, they made a big fuss of me. There’s a really strong feeling of togetherness. And that sense of community was what we were fighting to save, under and above ground. It was more than just a job.

When I joined, I thought it was a job for life. I worked until the day the pit closed.

In ’84, Thatcher wanted us to go on strike. She’d stockpiled coal, got everything ready, and announced the closures. It was a deliberate provocation to get all of the trade unions to toe the line. She thought if she broke us the others would fall into place. But she hadn’t bargained on us having such a strong one. The first one I picketed was Caerphilly. We walked up and got a load of abuse from the wives on the way up to the colliery gates. But we formed the line and talked to the guys showing up for work – they turned back, didn’t go to work. Though we did hear that a few had gone in over the mountain. It wasn’t always like that though – once, they came to work, stopped to talk to us, agreed a management meeting to decide and came back out and told us they were joining us on the line. Once we’d gone the afternoon shift resumed business as usual!

We travelled all over the country. Orgreave was the one that changed everything. It was lovely weather, balmy and warm. A beautiful day. We’d slept on the pavement outside the NUM building.I was driving a transit. Usually, we’d always get stopped by the police. This time they stopped and spoke to us and said ‘We know where you’re going.’ But instead of turning us round or blocking the way, they ushered us on and directed us to a parking space. It was a trap.

Once everyone had gathered, I was right in front. I was a youngster, I was carried along, feet off the ground. Stones were raining down on us. The police suddenly opened up, a huge gap, and there were horses coming straight at me. I turned and ran, as fast as I could go. I leapt into a bush. Others jumped on top of me. More police were coming at us with batons. The guy on top of me was getting battered. I managed to get out and run. There was a three foot wall and I leapt over it – to find that it was six foot on the other side. And there, right in front of me was a load of police dogs on long leashes. I ran towards town – a woman shouted ‘Quick, get in here’ and I escaped out the back of her house into the local shopping centre where I caught my breath. Scargill showed up later that day, he came down the grassy bank towards the protest. He was arrested for inciting a riot.

I was due to get married on 22nd July and had my stag night at Blackwood Bierkeller. A few days beforehand, some coal lorries from a local firm had been torched, allegedly by some of the pickets – the police had had my card marked for a while, for some reason. There were convinced it was me and wanted me out of circulation. There were 45 of us on the stag do – a fight kicked off, and plain clothes police were involved. I lashed out and got arrested and was banged up for a week till two days before the wedding whilst they tried to pin it on me. I got married - my family had all chipped in to make sure it happened and that we’d have a nice honeymoon, despite how tough it was for everyone financially.

So, off we went on honeymoon and whilst I was away, the police dropped a leather jacket at my house and told the lodger they’d found my jacket. It wasn’t mine. They dropped by the day after I got back to search my house and arrest me for stealing a leather jacket. Then I got fined £200 for the stag do – and they agreed to let me defer payment for a bit as I had no money. Two months later they were on the doorstep again, trying to arrest me again for non-payment of the fine they’d ‘agreed’ to let me defer. They were determined to get me, one way or another.

I got a big family. They made sure we didn’t go without and my sister lent me the money to pay the fine and keep me out of prison. I was one of the lucky ones – I had a lodger which helped cover the mortgage interest and I was allowed to take out an endowment to cover the rest – that’s a whole other scandal.

We were getting wind that some NUM members had been having meetings to try and get us back to work because they knew we couldn’t win. When the news came that the strike was ending and we were ordered back to work, I was utterly heartbroken. We weren’t given a vote, just told to go back. I felt embarrassed at what I’d put everyone through. Let down by the powers that be – all kinds of feelings. I felt terrible because we’d lost.

I had to turn back the clock, I’d do it all again. It built me.