Collections Online

Philip Jones Griffiths captures the mischief of four young boys in this photograph. Part of Griffiths’ Welsh Portfolio, it shows the character, grit and cheekiness of the children of the Rhondda Valleys. In 1997, when this photograph went on display at National Museum Cardiff, a callout was made by the Western Mail and South Wales Echo newspapers to find these four young friends. Brothers Ieuan and John Rees, as well as Alan Jones and William George (left to right) were recognised by the brothers’ sister Irene, but none of them could remember the photograph being taken! When interviewed by the Western Mail, Alan Jones said “I can’t remember it at all but we were pretty mischievous in those days and this photograph really sums it up. When you look at us close up I don’t really think we have changed that much at all.”.