Captain Scott sails from Cardiff David Jenkins, 9 June 2010 The Terra Nova loading in Bute East Dock, Cardiff, June 1910 F.C. Bowring (front left) and Daniel Radcliffe (front right) with Commander E.R.G.R.Evans (in top hat) aboard the Terra Nova in Cardiff, 17 June 1913. Scott's Terra Nova leaving Cardiff, 15 June 1910 Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) in about 1905 The SS Terra Nova On 15 June 1910 a large, excited and noisy crowd cheered a heavily laden ship as she left the Roath Basin in Cardiff's docklands. SS Terra Nova was headed south — to Antarctica. On board were Captain Robert Falcon Scott and members of his British Antarctic Expedition , who aimed to be the first to reach the South Pole. Welsh Coal The Terra Nova had arrived in Cardiff five days earlier to finish preparations for the voyage and to take on fuel. 300 tons of Crown Patent Fuel, 100 tons of steam coal and 500 gallons of engine and lamp oil were donated by Welsh coal companies. All the cooking utensils were given by the Welsh Tin Plate Company of Llanelli and even Scott's sleeping bag was bought with funds raised by the County School in Cardigan. In addition to support in kind, a further £2,500 was raised in Cardiff, more than from any other city. Locally, the largest individual donors, and two of the expedition's most enthusiastic supporters, were the leading Cardiff shipowners Daniel Radcliffe and William J. Tatem . They played an important role in fund-raising and raising sponsorship from throughout the south Wales business community and in the provision of dock facilities for the Terra Nova. There was so much support in Wales for the expedition that Cardiff was designated the Terra Nova's home port and it was to Bute Dock that she returned at the end of the expedition on 14 June 1913. Why Cardiff? In June 1909 William Davies, editor of the Western Mail, met with the young naval officer Lieutenant E.R.G.R. Evans, who was planning his own Antarctic expedition. Davies was very keen on supporting what he initially saw as a Welsh National Antarctic Expedition — Evans's grandfather was probably from Cardiff — and thought that there would be support for such a project from Cardiff businesses. Soon afterwards, Evans learned of Scott's planned expedition and joined him as second-in-command, bringing with him the support of the editor of the Western Mail and the prospect of Welsh sponsorship. Davies was instrumental not only in rallying business and public support in Wales for Scott's expedition, but in persuading his compatriot, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Lloyd George, to provide a government grant of £20,000. Arguably, without the influence of Davies, the support of the Western Mail and the Welsh shipowners, Scott's expedition would not have left in time to reach the Pole in 1912. Welsh connections There was another Evans in the Terra Nova's crew, Petty Officer Edgar Evans from Rhossili, Gower. He had been to Antarctica with Scott on his Discovery expedition of 1901-4, and was chosen by Scott to be a member of his polar party on the 1910-12 expedition. Evans was the first to die on the return march from the South Pole. Commemoration Scott's links with Cardiff are commemorated by the lighthouse erected in 1915 in Roath Park Lake and the bronze plaque of 1916 on the staircase in City Hall. In June 2003 a commemorative sculpture was unveiled in Cardiff Bay.
Working Abroad - Welsh Emigration 9 February 2010 Welsh industrial emigration: The legacyIn the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, millions of people across the world moved to different countries looking for work. They wanted to improve their lives, try new working practices, or have adventures in different lands.Many people left Wales and took traditional Welsh industrial skills with them. Some helped create continuing economic success in the countries they moved to. Some made huge fortunes, finding fame. Others led more quietly successful lives, settling down and raising families. Some returned to Wales after time abroad, others were never to see this country again.Here we look at the various industries from Wales that supplied workers and expertise around the world. What were those industries and skills? Where did the workers go? What values and traditions did they take with them? What impact did their leaving have on the country they left behind? Welsh coal mine, Kentucky Coal"Wales experienced a spectacular boom in coal mining in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The world looked to the Welsh mining industry for expertise and advice."[see more] Burra Burra copper mine, 1874. Copper"The world of copper smelting was led by Wales in the 19th century. The works around Swansea and Holywell supplied over 50% of the world's copper."[see more] John Davies of Talsarnau, Gwynedd, with his brother and friend. They are seeking gold in Queensland, Australia in the 1880s Gold"Gold has been mined intermittently in Wales for thousands of years, but the industry never employed huge numbers of workers. Despite this, many Welsh emigrants joined the famous 'Gold Rushes' of the 19th century."[see more] Welsh workers in the ironworks at Hughesovka, John Hughes is second from the right in the front row Iron"Wales was at the forefront of the development of the iron industry in Britain and it is therefore not surprising to find Welsh people leading the industry across the world in the nineteenth century."[see more] Bangor, Pennsylvania Slate"Slate was used in Europe as a roofing material. Welsh slate was exported across the world for prestigious building projects. The discovery of slate deposits in different countries became one of a number of economic factors that influenced Welsh workers to move to those areas."[see more] Lithgow Steelworks, New South Wales, Australia, 1920s Steel"Iron working centres often adapted themselves to the creation of steel, a stronger, more versatile material. Unsurprisingly Welsh workers played an important part in this change."[see more] Metropolis built for William Thomas in 1887 Shipping"Wales has a 1,200km (750 mile) coastline and a long tradition of seafaring. Welsh sailors travelled around the world, exporting Welsh goods and importing raw materials for industry. Welsh shipping lines were among the best-known in maritime trade and the company owners were amongst the richest."[see more] Quarrying stone, Randolph, Wisconsin Metal Mining"Wales has a 1,200km (750 mile) coastline and a long tradition of seafaring. Welsh sailors travelled around the world, exporting Welsh goods and importing raw materials for industry. Welsh shipping lines were among the best-known in maritime trade and the company owners were amongst the richest."[see more] John Williams Tinplate"The manufacture of tinplate was another area where Wales held a virtual monopoly in the world. South Wales accounted for over 80% of world production in the early 1890s."[see more] Morgan C. Jones, (on the right), nephew of Morgan Jones and working for the same company Other Industries"Not all Welsh people worked in the 'traditional' heavy industries of Wales of course. Many worked in other industries and many transferred the skills they learnt in mines, foundries and works to other places of work."[see more] Cartoon from the Western Mail, 1928 Migration Patterns"Not everyone who left Wales for a new life abroad stayed away. Many people returned home for various reasons. This is called back migration."[see more] Breaker boys in Pennsylvania. Many Welsh boys in the USA began work in this way at an early age. Radicalism"Welsh industrial workers came from areas that had well organised unions. They had a reputation for standing up for their rights, safe working conditions and decent pay."[see more] Old Saron Church, the first Welsh church in Minnesota, 1856 Welsh Culture"Like many emigrants, Welsh people took their culture with them to the new countries. In a strange, new place, keeping the songs, stories, languages and traditions of home alive helped emigrants to deal with the unfamiliarity."[see more] Preparing food for a Gymanfa Ganu (singing festival), Peniel Church, Pickett, Wisconsin,1946. Women"The majority of industrial workers were men but women of course formed an important part of migrant communities."[see more] California, USA Place names"It was common for emigrants of all nationalities to name their new settlements after places in their home countries. This provided a sense of identity and a link with home."[see more]
Working Abroad - Welsh Emigration: Copper 19 September 2008 Remains of the copperworks at Burra Burra, New South Wales, Australia Burra Burra copper mine, 1874. Morris Stores, Swansea, Tasmania George Mitchell The world of copper smelting was led by Wales in the 19th century. The works around Swansea and Holywell supplied over 50% of the world's copper.The US copper industry vastly outstripped the Welsh copper industry. In Australia there were huge deposits of copper ore which led to the growth of smelting towns around the Spencer Gulf, South Australia from the 1860s. The workers were migrants, almost exclusively from the Swansea region, in the early days.The mine and smelting works in Burra Burra, South Australia were Welsh owned with workers recruited in the Loughor and Llanelli area. It was the establishment of these smelters that eventually broke Swansea's undisputed dominance over the world copper markets.As British and European copper sources became depleted, Swansea began to import copper ore, from countries such as Chile. In the 1860s Welsh smelters helped to establish works in Chile and today that country is among the largest producers in the world.George MitchellBorn in Swansea in 1864, Mitchell trained in the local copper works. He emigrated to the USA in 1888 and worked in several copper mining and smelting companies around the country. He owned mines and property from Mexico to Alaska but his huge copper smelting plant at Swansea, Arizona was a commercial failure and ruined him.
Working Abroad - Welsh Emigration: Coal 19 September 2008 Miners cottages, Denniston,New Zealand Main Street, Thirroul, New South Wales, Australia. Welsh coal mine, Kentucky Lewis Williams, Loaned by Hywel Gwyn Evans Tong Colliery, Kaiping, China. Letter from Lewis Williams written 12 February 1889. Loaned by Hywel Gwyn Evans Wales experienced a spectacular boom in coal mining in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The world looked to the Welsh mining industry for expertise and advice.As other countries developed their own economies they also began to exploit local sources of coal. The skills of Welsh miners led to them being recruited by foreign mining companies. The miners were offered generous wages to develop and manage foreign mines. Welsh miners were found in large communities in the coalfields of Australia and America. Welsh mining engineers helped to develop the industry in South Africa and even China, which is, today, the largest producer and user of coal in the world.Welsh miners were also to be found in England. There was a large Welsh community in Kent, where the coalfield was developed in the early 20th century.The most important areas of coal production by Welsh miners outside of Wales were in the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, in the USA.The town of Scranton in Pennsylvania became the centre of the largest concentration of Welsh people outside Wales. Many street names reflect the Welsh heritage of the area, for example, Jones Street, Evans Court and Eynon Street.Chapels were common and built in the Welsh style and the Welsh language was in common use, supported in the chapels and eisteddfodau as well as newspapers.Even when financial backers of mines were not Welsh or of Welsh descent they often preferred to employ experienced Welsh mine managers. These, in turn, tended to employ Welsh miners.Although this often created a strong camaraderie among the Welsh in the mines it sometimes caused difficulties among miners of other nationalities working alongside them.Lewis WilliamsBorn in Rhiwfawr, Upper Swansea Valley, Williams was a collier who studied in night-school to become a mining supervisor. He was recruited with two other Welshmen to operate the first modern coal-mine in China. He travelled to Kaiping in 1888 and letters home show he enjoyed the work but he unfortunately died of cholera in June 1889.Joseph PughBorn in Pantygorlan, Cardiganshire in 1854, Pugh was a lead miner who emigrated to the USA in 1869. He returned to Wales two years later to work in coal mines at Dowlais, Aberdare and Cwm Rhondda until 1880. He then returned to Pennsylvania and became famous for sinking deep and profitable mines, dying in 1903.
Working Abroad - Welsh Emigration: Gold 19 September 2008 John Davies of Talsarnau, Gwynedd, with his brother and friend. They are seeking gold in Queensland, Australia in the 1880s
