Gwent Archives

Ydych chi wedi ymweld ag archif rywdro? Wedi meddwl am y peth ond erioed wedi mynd? Ydych chi’n eu defnyddio ar-lein? Neu ydych chi’n caru treftadaeth o bob math?

Carem ni glywed gennych chi.

🗓 Mae’r arolwg yn cau 15 Mawrth
🔗 Dolen / buff.ly/9sRZKlO

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Mae archifau Cymru yn llawn deunydd sy'n ffurfio pwy ydym ni. Drwy Archifau Cymru Byw / Archives Wales Alive, mae archifaucymru.bsky.social yn archwilio sut mae pobl yn ymgysylltu ag archifau; beth sy'n gweithio'n dda, beth sy'n teimlo'n frawychus a beth allai fod yn well.

ARCW archive audience survey Arolwg cynulleidfa archif CAChC Helpu i lunio dyfodol archifau yng Nghymru Mae'r arolwg hwn yn cael ei gynnal gan Monument Marketing ar ran Cyngor Archifau a Chofnodion Cymru (CAChC) yn rhan o…

Have you ever visited an archive? Thought about it but never quite gone? Use them online? Or simply love heritage in all its forms?

We’d love to hear from you.

🗓 Survey closes 15 March
🔗 Link in bio / buff.ly/9sRZKlO

Be part of shaping the future of archives in Wales.

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From family trees to forgotten stories, Wales’ archives are full of material that shapes who we are. Through Archifau Cymru Byw / Archives Wales Alive, @archifaucymru.bsky.social is exploring how people engage with archives; what works well, what feels daunting, and what could be better.

Dewch i'n sgwrs ar 18 Mawrth, sy’n archwilio bywydau'r menywod yn llyfrau Carchar Brynbuga!
Bydd yn digwydd yn Archifau Gwent a gallwch gadw lle trwy enquiries@gwentarchives.gov.uk

Come to our talk on 18th March exploring the lives of the women in the Usk Gaol books!
Taking place at Gwent Archives, you can book your place at enquiries@gwentarchives.gov.uk

“A Dark Saint David’s Day"

In the early hours of 01 March 1927, an underground gas explosion at Marine Colliery, Cwm, killed 52 men. Rescue teams from Abertillery, Abercarn, Crumlin, Six Bells and more came to assist. The cause of the explosion was never found.

Ref: D6108

“Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Tywyll"

Yn oriau mân 01 Mawrth 1927, lladdodd tanchwa nwy dan ddaear yng Nglofa’r Marine, Cwm, 52 o ddynion. Daeth timau achub o Abertyleri, Abercarn, Crymlyn, Six Bells ac eraill i gynorthwyo. Ni chanfuwyd achos y danchwa.

Ref: D6108

According to ‘Chepstow Castle: It’s History and Buildings’, which can be found in our Library, when Chepstow Castle was preparing for Edward and Hugh’s arrival they purchased “43 oxen, 40 pigs, 80 sheep, 180 salmon, 40 quarters of oats, 20 quarters of beans and 80 waggon loads of hay”.

Edward had a significant relationship with Hugh Despenser, Lord of Glamorgan. After Edward’s wife, Isabella, invaded England in 1326, Edward and Hugh fled to Chepstow and Caerphilly castles seeking safety.

Another individual in both the Monmouthshire and Gwent LGBTQ+ Timelines, is King Edward ll.

Yn ôl ‘Chepstow Castle: It's History and Buildings', sydd ar gael yn ein Llyfrgell, wrth i Gastell Cas-gwent baratoi at ddyfodiad Edward a Hugh fe brynwyd "43 ych, 40 mochyn, 80 dafad, 180 eog, 40 chwarter o geirch, 20 chwarter o ffa ac 80 llwyth wagen o wair".

Cafodd Edward berthynas arwyddocaol â Hugh Despenser, Arglwydd Morgannwg. Ar ôl i wraig Edward, Isabella, oresgyn Lloegr ym 1326, ffodd Edward a Hugh i gestyll Cas-gwent a Chaerffili i geisio lle diogel.

Unigolyn arall ar Linellau Amser LGBTQ+ Sir Fynwy a Gwent, yw'r Brenin Edward ll.

You can access a copy of the winning poetical works from the 1924 Eisteddfod here at the archive (MiscMss1389). A transcription of the poem can be found here in Welsh (buff.ly/QHbX9AI) and in English (buff.ly/z463Jsu).

The decriminalization of homosexuality was not actioned until 1967, showing how contentious this would have been at the time. Since 1924, society has become more accepting of queer media. The recent 2024 Eisteddfod honoured ‘Atgof’ as the subject of the crowning, won by Gwynfor Daffydd.

Edward Prosser Rhys was crowned for his poem ‘Atgof’ at the 1924 National Eisteddfod in Pontypool Park. The poem sparked controversy at the time due to the nature of its content, as Prosser spoke of sex but also of sex with another man.

Gallwch gael mynediad at gopi o'r gerdd fuddugol yn Eisteddfod 1924 yma yn yr archif (MiscMss1389). Mae trawsgrifiad o'r gerdd i'w gweld yma yn Gymraeg (buff.ly/QHbX9AI) ac yn Saesneg (buff.ly/z463Jsu).

Anrhydeddwyd ‘Atgof’ yng Nghystadleuaeth y goron yn yr Eisteddfod ddiweddar yn 2024, a chipiwyd y goron gan Gwynfor Dafydd.

Ni chafodd gwrywgydiaeth ei gyfreithloni tan 1967, sy’n dangos pa mor ddadleuol y byddai hyn wedi bod ar y pryd. Ers 1924, mae cymdeithas wedi dod yn fwy parod i dderbyn cyfryngau hoyw.

Coronwyd Edward Prosser Rhys am ei gerdd 'Atgof' yn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 1924 ym Mharc Pont-y-pŵl. Roedd y gerdd yn bwnc llosg ar y pryd oherwydd natur ei chynnwys, am fod Prosser wedi sôn am ryw ond hefyd am ryw gyda dyn arall.

If anyone knows anything about this mysterious artist – please let us know in the comments!

With some detective work, we’ve discovered the cartoon was likely created by a P J Brown. This artist seems to have created cartoons regularly at this time for both the Abergavenny Chronicle but also the Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser.

The following cartoon appears in the Abergavenny Chronicle on 17th September 1909.

Os oes unrhyw un yn gwybod unrhyw beth am yr artist dirgel hwn - rhowch wybod i ni yn y sylwadau!

Gyda rhywfaint o waith ditectif, rydyn ni wedi darganfod ei bod yn debygol i’r cartŵn gael ei greu gan P J Brown. Ymddengys bod yr artist hwn wedi creu cartwnau'n rheolaidd ar yr adeg hon ar gyfer yr Abergavenny Chronicle ond hefyd i gyhoeddiadau o'r enw Flintshire Observer Mining Journal.

Mae'r cartŵn canlynol yn ymddangos yn yr Abergavenny Chronicle ar 17 Medi 1909.

This means almost 75% of the collection are now in their permanent locations! Overall, it was an incredibly successful week and we’re already planning for our next collections week in September.

Our conservation team also worked hard on the collection throughout the week repackaging, labelling and shelving specialist items. Over the week, 26 bindings and 18 bundles of photographs were labelled, packaged and shelved.

The team worked on the Newport Rugby and Athletic Club Collection and throughout the week were relabelling, weighing and moving items to their permanent location. In total the team relabelled, weighed and moved 139 boxes to their permanent location.