Introductions
My parents, Hywel and Sheila, first met on the dance floor of the University of London Union near Gordon Square in the Autumn of 1949. Whether that was one of those evenings when my father avoided paying by climbing in through the men’s toilet window remains unclear.
He was a medical student at the time, studying at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, but revising to retake his final medical exams which he had failed earlier that year.
My mother had moved to London to attend a one year course in Child Development; having previously qualified as a teacher of 2-7 year olds and then worked as a head of a nursery school in Birmingham.
After they had met, she has recollection of being in a class at the Senate House and getting a nudge from her friend sitting beside her, who pointed out Hywel, trudging along outside towards the library, with a cigarette dangling on his lip, to continue with his revision. This became a regular occurrence.
He was at this time, normally the life and soul of the party, his vices including beer, cigarettes, and the church, although the latter was dropped once he qualified. There are also rumours of amphetamines being used to help with all-night revision sessions.
South Wales
My father’s ancestors were tenant hill farmers near Swansea in South Wales.
My grandfather (David Rees), the eldest of five, was born at Llysnini farm in 1886, a farm that was to remain in the family for nearly 100 (?) years. The work was laborious, the farm somewhat isolated and education never a priority.
However, at the age of 10, David went to Penarth to live with his Uncle William who ran a grocer’s shop. Apparently he loved his time there and the education he was receiving at school, and the expectation was that he would eventually take over the business from his Uncle.
But this was not to last, as with the death of his father in 1899, he was recalled to the family home. His mother, with three other younger children, needed him as the eldest, still only 13, to help run the farm. There he remained for the next quarter century, until in 1924, after a 7 year engagement, he married Mary Davies, the miller’s daughter from Lliw Mill in Pontlliw a few miles away.
David and Mary were not staying at Llysnini farm. Instead they moved to a grocer’s shop in Barry, with the intention of finding a different farm of their own, away from the family tensions. However, in the end they decided to keep the grocery at 11 Vere St Barry, adding to it by acquiring the local dairy round. My grandmother ran the shop, my grandfather the dairy.
My father John Hywel, was born at Vere St in 1924, followed by his brother William Dewi four years later in 1929.
My father has told me of helping out sometimes with the dairy round, which was initially done by horse and cart with a large churn on the back. Each time the milk was laddled out, it first had to be stirred to ensure the milk and cream were thoroughly mixed, and no customer was given less than a fair mix.
I know little about his school life, but he did suggest to me a one time that he failed the 11-plus to get into grammar school. His parents, having been denied a good education believed in its importance. Instead he gained a bursary to go to Llandovery College in mid-Wales, probably starting there in 1937.
However, at the end of the autumn term in 1938 (?) he contracted Rheumatic Fever, supposedly diagnosed on his birthday. Recovery was slow, and he talked about eventually being able to start going for walks around Barry before being allowed to return to Llandovery College nine months later in September 1939. But he was never allowed to play sports again and when his call up papers came later in the war, he was automatically declared unfit for military service.
Although he couldn’t play sport at Llandovery, he was allowed to referee, sometimes when his younger brother was playing, with no favouritism shown. However, although Hywel was Head of School in his last year, he didn’t feel this was as good as the achievements of Dewi, who went to Llandovery with a larger bursary than Hywel had, and became captain of the 1st XI.