Horses have been closely connected with coal mining since the early days of the industry.  They have been used to transport coal from the collieries to the customer, have been used to power winding and pumping engines and, most importantly to move coal from the coalface to the shaft.

In 1878 the RSPCA calculated that there were over 200,000 horses at work in British mines. The numbers decreased as mechanisation became more common, but they continued to be used throughout the twentieth century. The last Welsh colliery horse was probably Robbie who retired from Pant y Gasseg Mine in 1999.

Most commonly known as ‘pit ponies’ by the general public but Welsh colliery horses were usually around 15 hands high – the same size as Henry VIII’s warhorses.  It is often claimed that they went blind, but a blind horse would not have been very useful underground and any animal which did lose its sight was usually brought to the surface as soon as possible.

Although they were essential for the production of coal before introduction mechanised haulage, use horses in industry has often been highly controversial. The owners argued that vital economic process winning while animal lovers regarded their as inhuman.

In between these opposing sides were the mineworkers, who may have felt sympathy for these animals. However, they could turn a blind eye to any callousness, or even be cruel themselves, if their pay packets were under threat.

Welsh colliery horses were usually around 15 hands high and males, mostly geldings but some stallions were kept.  The majority were of the Welsh Cob type but larger horses such as Shires and imported Belgian horses were also kept, especially on the surface or in main haulage roads. When stocks of horses were low, they could be obtained from as far away as America and Russia.  Smaller ponies, around 13 hands, were sometimes used for light haulage duties.

They had to be at least 4 years old before being accepted into colliery work. In 1893, the average life expectancy of a horse was between eight and nine years, with around 6% killed in accidents. By 1950s this risen ten fifteen although there were some on ‘light jobs’ still employment over twenty age.

By the 1930s, most horses worked between forty-five and sixty hours a week. After 1949 the maximum working hours were to be not more than forty-eight hours, and no more than seven shifts, per week.  They were also entitled to the same twenty-minute break as the men.

In 1938, colliers were entitled to an annual week’s paid holiday and the horses were usually allowed above ground as well. By 1948 both the colliers and horses got a two-week annual holiday.

By 1878, the RSPCA estimated that there were around 200,000 horses working in British mines.  By 1913 this had decreased to 70,000, because of improved mechanical haulage methods. In 1930 it was reported that 25 Welsh collieries had no horses at all. In 1947 there were some 8,000 Welsh colliery horses, by 1967 there were only 417. By the 1980s National Coal Board horses were being retired but, in smaller, ‘private mines’ horses were in use for a few years to come.

The last Welsh colliery horses, ‘Gremlin’ and ‘Robbie’ retired from Pant y Gasseg (‘Horses’ Hollow’) Mine, Pontypool, in 1999. They were sent to a RSPCA rest home in Milton Keynes, but Robbie found that boring and was loaned to the National Coal Mining Museum for England in Wakefield where he pulled light tubs of visitors around the site.  Robbie died on the 27^th April 2009, probably the last working Welsh colliery horse.

For many visitors to Big Pit, the most memorable parts are the underground and surface stables, still bearing the names of the horses that worked there. By the start of the 20^th century, there were around 300 horses working in Blaenafon coal mines with 72 working in Big Pit alone.

The last underground horse at Big Pit was brought up in 1972, but two horses continued to work on the surface until 1974.

Whether he was a ‘willing pet’ or ‘wretched pit pony’ the colliery horse shared the same conditions and dangers as the coalminer. They died in their hundreds from mistreatment, accident and explosion. We owe them a great deal, including the success of the industrial revolution.

If you can believe it, we keep a copy of every museum publication we produce. Yes, every flyer and brochure and after a while it starts to pile up! While in the process of ordering and categorising this mountain of coffee table litter and ephemera into a cohesive collection, it’s been fascinating to see the way that Amgueddfa Cymru’s branding has changed and evolved over the years. The logos and designs tell us not just about how the museum represents itself but also they tell us something about the time they were written in. So, let’s take a look at the museums branding and design over the decades.
In a museum brochure from 1968, the simplicity of the design is striking with its bold text and the solid red graphic of columns and pediment, which is the globally used symbol for museums (but more on that later). Yet for a modern eye it still looks old fashioned; there are no photos or even a colour gradient and it is printed onto plain white paper. The inside contains only small black text of museum department events, in a list, with little formatting. for example:
Zoology: In the Gallery near the Restaurant: Demonstration of Taxidermy of birds and mammals. 10am -12 noon

In 1969 we get a new look for monthly Programmes. This style sticks for the next decade. A bright solid colour fills the background, and the words “Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru National Museum of Wales” are in a large clear bold text. The front of each issue has a large single black and white image that takes up the centre of the cover. This is however the only image the programmes contain, but maybe as a result the images picked usually look dramatic and intriguing. There is something reminiscent of album cover art about them. In the December 1969 issue the cover features a picture of a lunar landing module and the moon from space. Inside are details of a 3-day exhibition where the museum had genuine moon rock on display.

In the 1980’s we get a new look again, which we can see in the museum’s monthly programmes. But if it wasn’t for the date, you might assume it to be older than it is. The writing is in a traditional serif font and each issue has the same image a marble fresco of a woman holding a picture of the Welsh dragon with Ionic columns in the background. It is the Seal of the National Museum of Wales. It is an architectural feature of the Cardiff site that you can see today above the entrance of gallery 1. 

It is an image that is meant to invoke a certain ideal of “The Museum” that it is grand, historic, noble, and “cultured”. The monthly programmes certainly work hard to solidify this visual brand, having the large logo/seal prominent on every issue that leans into the imagery we already associate with museums. As with the earlier 1968 programme both are invoking the image of the Museum as a grand marble Greco-Romanesque styled structure. This seal is then used in slightly different forms on all publications for the next decade and a half.

The icon for museums as a row of pillars with a triangle pediment on top is widely used. It is the image you will see on brown road signs or tourist maps to mark the location of a museum and certainly the National Museum Cardiff and the Roman Legion Museum do have that classic museum look complete with towering columns. It is an image that may well reflect what museums used to be like, opulent buildings that looked at foreign artefacts like Greek statues. But it is an image that now many museums are working hard to move away from.  Ultimately as an icon it doesn’t really capture or express the totality of what Amgueddfa Cymru is all about, a diverse and varied family of museums that celebrate Welsh life.

Then in 1995 there is a major rebrand. We have moved away from the traditional imagery of museums and galleries and instead have a range of icons that highlight the different parts of the museum’s collections including a spinning wheel, anchor, and steam powered machinery to name a few. It excellently highlights the diversity of what we have to offer. The graphics almost look like a website banner with clickable icons displaying the range of choices. The publications go through various changes over the following years with a greater focus on full colour photos, and a variety of graphics and fonts. The publications are exciting and colourful, but is there a downside? Some might see this iteration of publications as overly crowded and busy. Furthermore, there is no signal unifying image for Amgueddfa Cymru as an integrated organisation.

Then in the 2000’s a new rebrand ditched the icons and opted for words. The words “National Museum Wales” and “Amugueddfa Cymu” were placed at an angle to each other in a modern sans serif font for all publications. This echoes the priorities and vision of the museum in this era. Balancing the English and Welsh language at angles so that neither takes priority over the other. It is effective straightforward and unambiguous. However the thirty three characters at 45 degree angles do not work well on a small scale and can become cluttered and difficult to read. As more and more we switched to phones as our primary reading devices there was a greater need to have a clean simple design.

Since last year we have had a brand-new redesign. The Amgueddfa Cymru logo is written in a bold capitalized font, created for the Museum it emulates the look of an industrial brand like that which you would find on metal or bricks to show the maker; it reflects the industrial past of some of our national museums.  For social media, where space is limited, we have a simple “AC” icon on a red background. Clean and simple bold texts work well for online platforms and this process of simplifying graphics has happened across many brands over the past decade as reading from phone screens has become the norm. Amgueddfa Cymru’s new design uses only the Welsh language title, further simplifying the design and highlighting the museum’s commitment to telling the story of Wales, from its earliest times, through its industrial transformation to the modern day. The font highlights the special characters that don’t exist in English, such as the “DD” which is has been linked together in “Amgueddfa” further showing our pride in the Welsh language.

Ultimately there will be pros and cons to any logo or icon. Often it is about what is right for the time, and what is best for the medium the icons will be on. Do you have a favourite?

As the COVID-19 pandemic worsened over the winter of 2020, and the pressure on NHS staff increased, Amgueddfa Cymru wanted to use the national art collection in hospitals and care settings to provide solace for staff and patients.

Like many others, we watched in awe – and horror - as NHS staff made personal sacrifices day after day under unthinkable circumstances. We realise that we have seen only a fraction of what goes on behind-the-scenes, and asked ourselves what can we, as a museum, do to help?

As part of Celf ar y Cyd - a suite of projects launched in 2020  designed to find new ways for people to experience the art collection during the pandemic - we set out to work with health boards across Wales.

We wanted to give NHS and care staff the chance to make art part of their working day, and to decide for themselves how art can be incorporated into their work environment.

Since 2020, we’ve worked closely with health boards to continue this work that began from the pressures caused by the pandemic. We are delighted to launch the Palliative Care Packs, developed closely with Powys Teaching Health Board.

 

How are we working with Powys Teaching Health Board?

Powys Palliative Care packs are being developed to offer additional support to Powys Teaching Health Board’s palliative care teams.  These packs have been designed in partnership with staff at Powys Teaching Health Board and feature images of artworks from our collection, as well as digital resources, from audio descriptions to soundscapes. We hope that they will provide a compassionate, creative experience for patients, while also presenting opportunities for emotional support through conversation and sharing with friends, family members and carers.

We at Amgueddfa Cymru want to share the national art collection with as many people as possible, offering the opportunity to use our collections in ways that feel appropriate for all. Using Amgueddfa Cymru’s art collections to console and inspire has been our focus in working with Powys Teaching Health Board.

 

Funding and support

Amgueddfa Cymru support was made possible through Celf ar y Cyd. This started as a series of visual arts projects in collaboration with Arts Council Wales with the support of the Welsh Government, which challenged us to share the national art collection in new and innovative ways during the pandemic. The other strands include our digital visual arts magazine, Cynfas, and the 100 Celf – Art 100 exhibition. The Celf ar y Cyd website launched in June 2023, and offers the opportunity to browse, learn and be inspired by the contemporary art collection from the comfort of your own phone. Follow us on Instagram @celfarycyd for more.

‘Unknown Wales’ is an exciting day of free public natural history talks held each autumn at National Museum Cardiff. It features top speakers from all over Wales, talking about their newest nature discoveries and projects. The talks are short and accessible, and often great fun!

First held in 2011, the bilingual event is a collaboration between Amgueddfa Cymru and the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales. The conference is a popular highlight in our calendar, regularly attracting over 200 visitors in person and online. The Reardon Smith Lecture Theatre provides a impressive atmosphere in which to hear from people who work on the front line of natural history and nature conservation.

The event was initially created to meet two needs. The first was for a free public conference dedicated to the whole natural history of Wales. From the outset the intention was to cover Zoology, Botany, and Geology – three fundamental aspects of nature that aren’t always dealt with together. It aims to offer an event (and a platform) for everyone with an interest in natural history. The questions from the audience at the end of each talk give a flavour of the enthusiasm that’s out there, as well as the depth of each speakers’ knowledge! Held on a Saturday, the day is unusual in our events calendar in being aimed largely at adults (though anyone aged 12 and over can attend).

The second need was to emphasise that new discoveries are always being made, hence the name “Unknown Wales”. While the event always features famous Welsh nature reserves, familiar species, and well-worn conservation practices, we’ve always encouraged interest in frontiers. Many talks feature recent scientific discoveries (including those made at the Museum itself), or new approaches that are changing how people look at and live with Welsh nature. On occasion there has been controversy, as speakers grapple with the environmental issues and policies of the day. The variety of organisations and projects covered provide inspiration for those looking for career, study or volunteering opportunities in biodiversity.

In total over 80 speakers have helped build Unknown Wales into what it is, and to all of them we are most grateful. Particularly memorable talks include Tim Birkhead on birdsong evolution, Lynne Boddy on the diversity of fungi, Anne Bunker on Welsh seaweeds, and Derek Gow on beaver reintroduction (a situation that has changed drastically since 2011). TV celebrities Rhys Jones, Miranda Krestovnikoff, and Iolo Williams (twice!) have all taken part to lend their support to the initiative.

Subjects covered range from river pollution to heritage trees, caves, coal tips, dolphins, dinosaurs, and eDNA surveys. We have featured the latest updates on iconic species like Red Squirrels, Marsh Fritillaries, Natterjack Toads, and Manx Shearwaters. Plus, of course, the Glutinous Snail…an icon-in-waiting? Another good thing about covering the whole of Wales, including its more remote and quieter places, is that nearly everyone’s milltir sgwâr (square mile) has had a mention!

Several talks have come about through audience suggestions, helping the event evolve. We have sometimes toyed with the format, exhibiting specimens from the Museum collections, supplying goodie-bags, or holding a poster competition, book sale or quiz during the interval. The event moved online in the 2020 pandemic, before adopting the present hybrid event, which allows more people to take part.

Will there be more Unknown Wales to come? You bet! Welsh nature is always full of frontiers and mysteries, which move as times and techniques change. We look forward to the next event, and to many other opportunities to share these with other wildlife lovers.

Details for Unknown Wales 2023 are here.

This year we celebrate our heritage Welsh apples by exhibiting samples of fruits that are sustainably grown in our orchards located in Kennixton farm, Llwyn-yr-eos farm, Llainfadyn and the Castle Orchard. You will find our Apple Exhibition at the Kennixton barn, next to the Kennixton farmhouse in St. Fagans.

Every year our apples are harvested to produce apple juice. The crop of 2022 was our most fruitful to date generating 400 bottles that were pressed by the Morris family in Crickhowell. You will find the St. Fagans apple juice available for sale at the St. Fagans Museum shop and Gwalia store.

For centuries apples have been grown in most parts of Wales, holding a cultural pride of place as a fruit of choice. They have been grown in cottage gardens, small orchards, smallholdings and farms.  The skills of pruning, grafting and tending the trees were passed from generation to generation.

After the second World War fruit growing suffered a decline.  Even the formerly widespread production of cider in the south-eastern area came to an end. Nowadays apples are imported from distant regions of the world and are available in supermarkets throughout the whole year. 

It is our mission to preserve our heritage Welsh apple trees for future generations. In the orchards of St. Fagans, you will find Welsh apple varieties such as ‘Monmouthshire Beauty’, ‘Gabalfa’, ‘Channel Beauty’, ‘St. Cecilia’, ‘Baker’s Delicious’, ‘Croen Mochyn’, ‘Trwyn Mochyn’, ‘Bardsey Island’, ‘Morgan Sweet’, ‘Gwell na Mil’, ‘Diamond’, ‘Machen’, ‘Llwyd Hanner Goch’, ‘Pen Caled’ and ‘Pig y Glomen’.

If you are coming to the St. Fagans Food Festival this year, please visit our Apple Exhibition at the Kennixton Barn.