Gwent Archives

Our partners at Buglife Cymru will be holding an 'Evening of History and Wildlife' at Gwent Wildlife Trust's #SilentValleyNatureReserve. This free event is taking place on Friday 08 August - for more information, check out the posters below!

Please be aware that the due to the nature of these records, the language used can be distressing.

In 1906, St Cadoc’s Hospital was opened by the County Borough of Newport to provide mental health provision for the Borough. Patients from Newport being treated at Pen-y-Fal Asylum were transferred to St Cadoc’s. The catalogues for both hospitals can be found on here: tinyurl.com/3cw8pmv2

Sylwch os gwelwch yn dda y gall yr iaith a ddefnyddir, oherwydd natur y cofnodion hyn, beri gofid i rai. Maen nhw hefyd yn cynnwys gwybodaeth o natur sensitif ac mae rhai wedi eu cyfyngu am gant o flynyddoedd.

Yn 1906, agorwyd Ysbyty Sant Cadog gan Fwrdeistref Sirol Casnewydd. Cafodd cleifion o Gasnewydd a oedd yn cael eu trin yn Seilam Pen-y-fâl eu trosglwyddo i Ysbyty Sant Cadog pan agorodd. Mae’r catalogau ar gyfer y ddau Ysbyty i’w gweld ar ein gwefan yma: tinyurl.com/564mj4f6

There's still time to sign up for next week's workshop and assist the ‘Divergent Minds in the Archive’ project! The project is currently recruiting participants for the following workshops;

Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff, Tuesday 29 July, 10am – 4:15pm tinyurl.com/3etpkehh

Monmouthshire (later Gwent) Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs took an active part in the annual shows. This programme from 1969 shows the competitions which took place, including sheep-shearing and tug-of-war.

Ref: Pictorial/UskAgriculturalCollege

Many aspects of farming were included: livestock, machinery, forestry, horticulture, countryside sports, arts and crafts, food and drink.

Ref: Pictorial/UskAgriculturalCollege

Today sees the start of the #RoyalWelshShow! The Show was first held in 1904, at Aberystwyth. It was held annually at different locations, alternating between North and South Wales, until 1963 when its permanent site at Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells was established.

Ref: D1872

Cymerodd Ffederasiwn Clybiau Ffermwyr Ifanc Sir Fynwy (Gwent wedyn) ran weithgar yn y sioeau blynyddol. Mae’r rhaglen hon o 1969 yn dangos y cystadlaethau oedd yno, gan gynnwys cneifio a thynnu rhaff.

Ref: Pictorial/UskAgriculturalCollege

Roedd nifer o agweddau ar ffermio yn cael eu cynnwys: da byw, peiriannau, coedwigaeth, garddwriaeth, chwaraeon cefn gwlad, celf a chrefft, bwyd a diod.

Ref: Pictorial/UskAgriculturalCollege

Mae heddiw’n ddechrau Sioe Frenhinol Cymru! Cynhaliwyd y Sioe gyntaf yn 1904, yn Aberystwyth. Fe’i cynhaliwyd yn flynyddol mewn mannau gwahanol, rhwng y Gogledd a’r De am yn ail, tan 1963 pan sefydlwyd ei safle parhaol yn Llanelwedd, wrth ymyl Llanfair ym Muallt.

Ref: D1872

It also includes 9 year old Benjamin Evans who was admitted following an accident from a tram falling on him. Mary Haggerty and her 1 hour old child were admitted having been found confined in a field; and Ann Williams and Jane Burke are described as being “very large in the family way.”

Before the establishment of hospitals, many people would be admitted to the local workhouse infirmary for medical care. The Newport Workhouse admission and discharge register shows a number of Chartists admitted for gunshot wounds following the uprising at the Westgate in 1839.

Ref: CSWBGN/I/201

Mae hefyd yn cynnwys Benjamin Evans, 9 oed a gafodd ei dderbyn yn dilyn damwain wedi i dram ddisgyn arno. Derbyniwyd Mary Haggerty a'i phlentyn 1 awr oed ar ôl iddynt gael eu darganfod yn gaeth mewn cae; ac mae Ann Williams a Jane Burke yn cael eu disgrifio fel rhai "mawr iawn yn y ffordd deuluol".

Cyn sefydlu ysbytai, byddai llawer o bobl yn cael eu derbyn i glafdy’r wyrcws lleol i gael gofal meddygol. Mae'r dudalen hon o gofrestr derbyn a rhyddhau Wyrcws Casnewydd yn dangos nifer o Siartwyr a dderbyniwyd gyda chlwyfau gwn i'r cluniau a'r morddwydydd yn ystod gwrthryfel Westgate yn 1839.

Within the Rolls collection, you will find the recipe book of Mary Long. Written in 1828, the book contains a number of hand written medicinal recipes from ‘Dr Haygarths Cough Drops’ & a salve for bruises, burns and cuts (that includes bees wax and white lead!).

Ref: D361/F/1/E/9

O fewn y casgliad Rolls, fe welwch lyfr ryseitiau Mary Long. Ysgrifennodd y llyfr ym 1828, mae ynddo nifer o ryseitiau meddyginiaethol wedi'u hysgrifennu â llaw, o Ddiferion Peswch Dr Haygarth ac eli ar gyfer cleisiau, llosgiadau a briwiau - sy'n cynnwys cwyr gwenyn a phlwm gwyn!

Cyf: D361/F/1/E/9

Talking Kit: Newport County AFC x Goldie Lookin’ Chain

Part of Sport And Fashion Month 2025

As part of our #SportAndFashion celebrations, we’re diving into the world of football, fandom, and fashion with a very special collaboration.

The students from Charles Williams Primary have been hard at work exploring the history of their school using archive documents & more, so we are looking forward to seeing the results of their exhibition at St Cadoc's Church, #Caerleon.

Sharing this on the behalf of the ‘Divergent Minds in the Archive’ project. The project is currently recruiting participants for the following workshops;
Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff, Tuesday 29 July, 10am – 4:15pm tinyurl.com/3etpkehh

Are you a neurodivergent researcher who has used archives in your work? Or an archive, library or collections professional who would like to inform discussions on neurodivergent user access? Or a neurodivergent archive, library or collections professional who can offer insights into accessibility?

Rhannu hyn ar ran prosiect ‘Divergent Minds in the Archive’. Ar hyn o bryd rydym yn recriwtio cyfranogwyr ar gyfer y gweithdai canlynol;

Archifau Morgannwg, Caerdydd, Dydd Mawrth, 29 Gorffennaf, 10am – 4:15pm tinyurl.com/3etpkehh

Ydych chi'n ymchwilydd niwroamrywiol sy’n defnyddio archifau yn eich gwaith? Neu’n weithiwr proffesiynol mewn archif / llyfrgell hoffiai goleuo trafodaethau ar fynediad defnyddwyr niwroamrywiol? Neu’n weithiwr niwroamrywiol mewn archif / llyfrgell sy'n gallu cynnig mewnwelediadau i hygyrchedd?

Group of people at the seminar

seminar agenda

Really enjoyed today's seminar with Dr Radium Tam at @cardiffuni.bsky.social #OutoftheLamplight with contributions from @amc-waw.bsky.social @gwentarchives.bsky.social @amgueddfacymru.bsky.social and others

This particular remedy can be found in the first register of St Peter’s Church, Blaenavon. Dated 1810, this recipe for the bite of a mad dog claims to "prevent hydrophobia if given within nine days and has not been known to fail."

Ref: DPA74/1

Gellir dod o hyd i'r feddyginiaeth benodol hon yng nghofrestr gyntaf Eglwys San Pedr, Blaenafon. Daw’r rysáit ar gyfer brathiad ci cynddeiriog o 1810 ac mae’n honni ei bod yn "atal y gynddaredd os caiff ei rhoi o fewn naw diwrnod, ac nad ydyw wedi methu erioed."

Ref: DPA74/1

John Gwin’s Common Place book is possibly one of the most important sources for medicine in 17th Century Wales. Alongside notes recording family and community affairs, husbandry and agriculture, there are entries detailing cures for small pox, stiff knees and sore eyes.

Ref: D43/4216

Mae’n bosibl mai llyfr lloffion John Gwin yw un o’r ffynonellau pwysicaf ar gyfer meddyginiaeth yn yr C17eg yng Nghymru. Ochr yn ochr â nodiadau sy’n cofnodi materion teuluol, mae yna gofnodion sy’n manylu ar iachâd ar gyfer y frech wen a llygaid tost.

Ref: D43/4216

You will find us at the New Jerusalems conference this week! Looking forward to hearing a variety of talks about accessing/using New Town archives and potential future research opportunities.