A portrait of Teddy Evans of the Antarctic, Evans of the Broke (1880-1957) 14 June 2013 Petty Officers William Lashly (left) and Tom Crean on board the Terra Nova on her return to Cardiff, 14 June 1913 Evans of the Broke (1880-1957) Teddy Evans was second-in-command of Captain Scott's ill-fated Antarctic expedition from 1910 to 1913 and, following Scott's demise, in command of the Terra Nova's journey back into the Roath Dock in Cardiff on 14 June 1913. In 1937, when this picture was painted, Admiral Sir Edward Ratcliffe Garth Russell Evans (Teddy Evans) was 57 years old and Commander-in-Chief of The Nore, an operational command position of the Royal Navy based at Chatham in Kent. He had had a distinguished naval career, most notably during the First World War when, in command of HMS Broke, he famously rammed a German destroyer in a battle off Dover in 1917. But he was also well-known to the public as second-in-command of Captain Scott's last Antarctic expedition from 1910 to 1913. This painting is one of a series of twenty portraits of eminent Welsh men and women commissioned by Sir Leonard Twiston Davies in 1937 for the National Museum from the artist Sydney Morse-Brown (1903-2001), Principal of Carmarthen School of Art and Inspector of Art in Schools in Wales. The other sitters were selected from a diverse range of fields; they included the playwright and actor Emlyn Williams (1905-1987), former Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Thomas Jones (1870-1955), David Davies, 1st Lord Davies of Llandinam (1880-1944), architect Clough Williams-Ellis (1883-1978), novelists Richard Hughes (1900-1976), Charles Morgan (1894-1958) and Hilda Vaughan (1892-1985) and the World Flyweight Boxing Champion Jimmy Wilde (1892-1969). Although claiming a Welsh ancestry, Evans' Welsh roots are obscure; he was born on 28 October 1880 in Marylebone in London; his father, Frank, was born in Oldham in Lancashire where his father, Henry Edwin Evans, was a provision merchant. After an unruly childhood, Evans joined the Royal Navy in 1896. In 1902, as a Lieutenant, Evans served as second officer on the Morning, one of two ships sent by the Royal Geographical Society to help free Scott's first expedition ship, Discovery, from the ice of McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. In 1909, Evans played on his tenuous Welsh links to seek support in Cardiff for a Welsh National Antarctic Expedition. But within a few months of floating his idea, he was told about Captain Scott's plans to return to Antarctica and was invited to join Scott as second in command. With him, he brought so much Cardiff and Welsh sponsorship that Scott named Cardiff the home port of the expedition ship, the Terra Nova. On Scott's second (and last) expedition, with William Lashly and Tom Crean, Evans was in a supporting sledging party which accompanied Scott to within 150 miles of the South Pole before turning back on 4 January 1912, leaving Scott, Lawrence Oates, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers and Edgar Evans to continue on to the Pole. Teddy Evans, Lashly and Crean were the last to see Scott's Polar Party alive. Evans himself came close to death on his return journey to the expedition base hut. Suffering from scurvy, Evans had to be dragged on the sledge by Lashly and Crean. On 18 February 1912, leaving Lashly with the severely ill Evans, Crean pushed on, alone, for the final 35 miles to get help. Crean and Lashly were later awarded the Albert Medal for saving Evans. After a period of recovery in England, Evans returned to Antarctica in charge of the Terra Nova to collect the expedition members and the Polar Party. On arriving at the base hut, with the ship decorated for celebration of a successful attempt on the Pole, he received the news that Scott and his companions had perished on their return journey. Now in command of the expedition, Evans brought the Terra Nova back into the Roath Dock in Cardiff on 14 June 1913. Evans' career culminated in a peerage in 1945, as first Baron Mountevans. He died in Norway on 20 August 1957.
Senghenydd Disaster: Mine inspector's notebook 17 May 2013 A young mother and baby wait for news The final death toll from the Senghenydd mine disaster on 14 October 1913 was 439 men. Some of the bodies were never recovered. It was the worst mining disaster in the history of the British coalfields. Below you can view pages from the notebooks made by the Inspector of Mines immediately following the explosion as he walked around the devistated workings. Senghenydd Mine Disaster: Inspector of Mines notebooks Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 3/4] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2] Notes made by the Inspector of Mines as he travelled around the devastated underground workings following the Senghenydd mine explosion on 14th October 1913 that killed 439 men. Courtesy of the National Coal Mining Museum for England [Notebook 1/2]
Sir Thomas Mansel of Margam and his wife, Jane 5 October 2012 British School (17th century)Sir Thomas Mansel (1556–1631) and his wife, Jane, Lady ManselOil on canvas, 121 × 125 cmNational Museum Cardiff This is a double portrait that shows a three-quarter-length view of Sir Thomas Mansel of Margam, a member of one of the wealthiest families in south Wales at the time.The Mansel family of Oxwich became wealthy by investing in monastic lands following Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. Sir Thomas was the MP for Glamorgan. He inherited the family house in 1595, which had been built on the site of Margam Abbey, near Neath.During the first two decades of the 17th century, this generation of the family commissioned several portraits in the formal heraldic style, such as this. The purpose of this type of portrait was not to show the personality of the sitter but to publicly display the social status and wealth of the family. Thomas Mansel - explore the painting Use the links below to navigate around the painting to discover more Hands Thomas Mansel Clothes Beard Jane Jane's dress Marigold Hands Double portraits were common during this time, but they were usually made to commemorate the expansion of a family’s wealth, status and power through marriage – not as a celebration of love. It is unusual to see an affectionate gesture such as holding hands portrayed. Thomas Mansel Sir Thomas Mansel is portrayed as confident and distinguished. By this time he was one of the richest and most influential people in south Wales. Not only had he acted as MP and Sheriff of Glamorgan on several occasions, he had been knighted, and in 1611 became one of the first ever to be given the title Baronet Clothes Sir Thomas wears a white doublet with delicate lace collars and cuff, and a dark tunic intricately embroidered with gold. These were not his everyday clothes, but would have been chosen especially for the portrait, to demonstrate his wealth and taste Beard Beards were considered a sign of virility, and were important fashion statements for men. Thomas Mansel wears his long and squared. Jane When Jane Pole married Sir Thomas Mansel, she became connected to one of the most powerful families in south Wales. This, however, wasn’t her first time – she had married twice before! Multiple marriages were not unusual in the 17th century. Life expectancy was low, and many unions were short-lived. Jane's dress Lady Jane wears a dark dress embroidered with gold and an elaborate lace collar and headdress, offset by a lavish triple-string of pearls. This was an age when new fashions and luxury materials like lace were being imported from abroad. Her costume was not of the latest fashion, and suggests the taste of an older generation. Marigold Lady Jane holds a marigold, also called Mary’s Gold. This may be a reference to their daughter Mary, who appears with her parents in another, almost identical portrait. Marigolds were often used to symbolise grief and comfort, so it may also refer to the death of Jane’s second husband.
Everything except the squeal 30 August 2012 Pigs were once an important part of everyday rural and urban life. They were the ultimate in recycling, converting waste into a useful product. They produced large litters and fattened quickly, eating anything from grass to scraps and leftovers. Killing a pig was a social occasion and friends and neighbours would often take it in turns to slaughter their pigs and share the meat. Share and share alike Bacon hanging from the loft. It shows the way the two pieces are kept separate to ensure they do not touch each other. Slaughtering would usually be carried out between early October and late March, thus providing families with a regular supply of fresh meat throughout the winter. Pork steaks and joints incorporating the ribs and back chain were the usual cuts shared among the community. Dishes prepared from the pig's offal (e.g. faggots and brawn) were also bonus gifts exchanged between friends and relatives, and this custom was practised in parts of south Wales well into the second half of the 20th century. The pleasant task of delivering the cuts of meat was generally allocated to the children, who would be given some money for their trouble. In some districts, this custom was known as hebrwng asgwrn (sending a bone). The remainder of the pig would be salted, and would serve as the main source of meat for the household throughout the year. Nothing Wasted Before the age of mass-produced footballs, children often used a pig's bladders to play ball, shown here with a quill inserted for inflating. Nothing was wasted. The pig's head would be boiled to make brawn. The pig's bristles could be used for brushes, its skin for making leather, blood for black pudding, and even its bladder for a football. It's no wonder that so many people kept pigs. Some even say that the 'piggy bank' acquired its name because it was fed the leftovers of people's small change until it was fat enough to be smashed, and the savings retrieved. Boiling a pigs head to make brawn Part of a film recording all the processes that resulted from pig killing. The work would follow the same pattern all over Wales, apart from making faggots. This would not normally happen in Gwynedd. In that part of Wales, the liver would be fried with onions as a main meal. Making liver and onions: Mrs Edith May Hughes This particular dish was popular as swper chwarel (the evening meal after returning home from the quarry) in the slate quarrying districts of north Wales. Oral history in Welsh: Mrs Edith May Hughes, Llannerch-y-medd, Anglesey describing how her mother used to prepare liver and onions. Mrs Hughes was born in 1904. "Then there was the liver. Mam had a big iron pan on the hob. And she'd cook the liver very slowly. She always had flour to hand, and a board. Then when she went to cut up the liver, there'd be flour on the board, and the liver would be put in it. She'd slice it, and dip it in the flour before frying it. The the onions would be fried, with the liver, slowly. There'd be a panful, by the time the liver was ready. She'd take the liver out, and make a pan full of good gravy with all these onions. The liver would be put in with it and would keep nice and tender, and hot. By the time we came home from school in the evening, you see." Mrs Edith May Hughes, Llannerch-y-medd, Ynys Môn. Born 1904. Recipe: half a pound bacon rashers one pound liver onions salt and pepper a little plain flour Slice the liver and toss in seasoned flour. Fry the bacon rashers lightly and lift out on to a warm dish. Fry the liver and chopped onion in the bacon fat and then place with the bacon. Make gravy by mixing a tablespoonful of plain flour into the fat in the pan, adding a little boiling water and stir well. Boil for a few minutes. Serve this dish with boiled potatoes.
A History of Doll-Making: A Welsh Perspective 10 August 2012 A male doll from the late 19th century Amgueddfa Cymru houses a fine collection of dolls dating from around 1800 to 2000. Made from a range of different materials, they all possess some link to Wales. From early wooden examples to contemporary plastic figures, the development of doll-making can be traced from simple, home-made items to mass-produced factory goods. Playtime in the Ancient World Past and present, children have always played - escaping to their own imaginary world is an integral part of a healthy and stimulating childhood. Primitive dolls from materials such as wood and clay have been found in Egyptian tombs dating from 1600 BC, and such figures were enjoyed as playthings in ancient Greece and Rome. The Middle Ages saw dolls being produced in Europe, and as the centuries progressed, so did the variety of materials employed to create dolls and toys in general. Doll classification Dolls are classified according to their head type. Most early dolls in the woodcarving areas of Germany and Austria were, unsurprisingly, made from wood. Wax dolls appeared during the 17th century, and by around 1800 composition dolls, namely mixtures of pulped wood or paper, were introduced in Germany. Papier-mâché, a type of composition and a cheaper alternative to wood, was a popular mix and its mass-production during the early-nineteenth century marked the beginnings of the German doll-making industry. The production of glazed porcelain, or china dolls during the mid-19th century meant that wax doll-making had halted by around 1890. Porcelain dolls boasted a shiny appearance, creating a very pleasing finish. Most were produced in Germany and France. Also common in both countries from around the 1860s were dolls of bisque (unglazed porcelain), which featured delicately painted faces and a most attractive skin colour. While the heads were of china, the dolls' bodies tended to be of leather or wood. Historically most dolls were representations of adult women, the French 'bebe', popular in the 1880s, depicted a younger girl for the first time. The 19th century was truly a golden era for the production of dolls, whether in wood, wax, or china, when most were made in Germany, France, England (and later in the United States). This anti-suffragette 'voodoo' doll is an unflattering and grotesque caricature of a suffrage campaigner. The anti-suffrage movement used images such as this in cartoons and posters to ridicule and insult women who wanted the right to vote. An Edwardian suffragette rag doll, c.1890-1900 Set of three miniature bisque dolls, c.1920-25 Whereas travelling fairs and markets commonly sold toys and dolls during the pre-industrial era, by the 19th century more permanent toyshops had been opened to sell goods on a regular basis. Undressed dolls were often purchased, after which mothers or their daughters sewed their own outfits, either following their own designs or shop-bought patterns. The sewing of the body is a good indication of a doll's date, for sewing machines were not generally used until about 1870. By this time, dolls were generally becoming less of a luxury item and more affordable for a larger audience. In Wales, however, until the mid-20th century few Welsh families had money to spend on anything save life's essentials, which usually meant creating one's own forms of entertainment and amusement. Dolls were made by local craftsmen or a child's parents from wood or cloth, thus being rather unsophisticated, yet, at the same time, often charming and full of character. Owing to new production methods, the toy industry in Britain was transformed following the Second World War by the emergence of new, cheaper materials, such as plastic. Prices dropped as toys and dolls became available for all children. Hard plastic dolls were first manufactured in the 1940s, and from then on, such brightly coloured and fashionable new creations led to the demise of home-made items, which appeared rather dowdy in comparison. The internationally successful Barbie doll first hit the shelves from America in 1959 and nowadays, large toy shops stock a staggeringly large array of dolls, many of which are based on female characters from popular films and television programmes. The Museum's doll collection continues to grow and it is important that contemporary examples are collected to reflect the changing nature of doll-making as new materials and techniques are introduced into the market. Welsh connections remain essential, with the doll needing either to have been made or played with in Wales before it can be accessioned. The Museum is particularly proud of its Welsh costume dolls, ranging from rare mid-19th century pieces to a 1999 'Cool Cymru' Barbie smartly donned in Welsh dragon dress.
