He was born at the Rose and Crown Inn, Mill St Trecynon, Aberdare, is father’s name was John Jones and was a carpenter by trade, he was the grandson ofa well-remembered “blind vicar” of Llanishen Church near Cardiff, and was regarded as a very intelligent man. His mother name was Margaret daughter of the Rev. David Hughes Rhigos Pontneddvaughn. She was well educated and a very shrewd woman. In addition to the gifted Caradoc they had two other sons John and David, Caradoc being the youngest, John the oldest is celebrated as a violinist and is one of an exceedingly able mathematicians. As evidence of his great talent it may be mentioned that he was engaged by the Russian Government to solve some problems which had confounded all others, but which he succeeded in explaining. After this he was engaged as mathematician at one of her Majesty’s dockyards, where he remained for some years, but at present he is employed at Dawson’s great foundry in Sydney Australia. It is interesting to trace this elder brother’s “hours of ease” after his day’s labour at Abernant as a pattern maker, to which trade he served is time, with his violin in hand amusing himself, and giving at the same time an impulse to the spirit of his little brother “Griff” (Caradoc) which not only has had the effect of distinguishing his own family, but of adding luster to wild Wales, the country of his birth.
Worked as a blacksmith
He has worked as a blacksmith at Gadlys, Sciborwen, Cardiff, Pontypridd (chain works), Abernant and Lletty Shenkin, which he left 5 years ago. As presenting a picture which will enable the world to judge of the difficulties he had to encounter in studying music, it may be mentioned that not long ago a friend asked him what was the nature of his work his work at Lletty Shenkin. “Well,” was his reply, “I worked with four other blacksmiths, and had to look after the water pipes underground. But the work was of such a nature that it destroyed a suit of clothes every couple of months and this did not pay. A friend told me that the Clarence Inn “33A Canon St Aberdare” was to let and I took it. From then I went to the Fothergill Arms “15 Victoria Square Aberdare”, and ultimately came to Treorchy.” His present wife is the daughter of the late Mr. John Williams. Manager of Letty Shenkin colliery, a man universally respected by all who knew him.
Music
It is asserted by those that know the family well that from 6 to 7 years of age Caradoc manifested remarkable aptitude and fondness for music, and his brother John taught him at that early age to play the violin, but he was so short at the time that the violin had to rest on the floor, a la violoncello and people who are not yet old remember with what delight they would visit “the Crown” to hear John and little “Griff” playing the violins together. The father died when Caradoc was very young, and to this may be attributable the fact that the youthful prodigy did not obtain a technical musical education, which it was intended that he should have had, but misfortune had ne barriers for Caradoc; he mounted over all obstacles. It is said of him that his great hobby as a boy was concerted music, if he could associate himself with those who could play musical pieces in concert with him he was extremely happy. His chief associate of course was his brother, but one or two brothers joined him now and again. His brother ultimately went away and “Griff” commenced the earnest business of life learning a trade of a blacksmith, and earning what is known in Wales as bara a chaws “a crust or bread and butter” for himself. But it is pleasant to remember that the roar of the forge did not destroy his fine ear for music, and that he still under all difficulties was an earnest disciple of Apollo, and that his beloved art was his chief solace in his spare moments, after the hours of labour. After his brother went away he, without the aid of any master, studied the works of the great masters in the world of music, hoarding his pence, then “Y pris yn fawr a’r pris yn fach” (the price is small’ meaning that some were expensive, while others ones are cheap) to purchase the works of Handel, Mozart and others., He gradually became to be distinguished at those nurseries for intelligence and mental culture-our eisteddfodau and is today one of the chief ornaments.
Choir
He was first violinist in the Aberdare Philharmonic Society, and subsequently became the leader of that successful choir.In 1872, he was appointed conductor of the Welsh choir which competed for the one thousand guinea challenge cup, and a prize of 100, offered by the Crystal Palace Company.
The prizes he has won at eisteddfodau for excellence in music are by far too numerous to be mentioned here. Wherever he competed he invariably carried away the trophy, twenty years ago he formed his first choir, which is the model upon which the South Wales Choral Union as formed. It was composed of picked voices from the choirs of Aberdare and district and was established to compete for the chief prize for the best rendering of “Hallelujah to the Father” (“Mount of Olives”) at Aberavon Eisteddfod. The choirs had formed and were prepared to enter the list, but when the time came to send in their names as competitors they were in some perplexity as to what name to adopt. After some consideration one of the members called out “name it” Cor Caradog” (Caradoc’s choir). Be it remembered the leader’s name up to this time was simply Griffith Jones. The title was at once adopted, and Mr. Jones has been known ever since as eisteddfodau as Caradoc. His choir went to the eisteddfod at Aberavon, and carried away the prize in the face of several choirs who competed. Straws thrown up into the air will indicate the direction of the wind current; a passing incident in some instances will effectually revel the sentiments of a nation. There is a choir of the descendants of the ancient British people – of a people whom the Romans termed the Silurian’s-in a moment of anxiety as to the name to adopt on the eve of a struggle for supremacy, but this time in music, receiving a name from, as it were, the echoes of their ancient mountains, the ever-glorious name of Caractacus (Welsh Caradoc). His choir was successful next at Carw Coch Eisteddfod, Aberdare Valley, again at four annual eisteddfodau at Aberdare, the pieces competed in being “Rise up arise” (Mendelssohn); “The heavens are telling” (Haydn); “The Earthquake” (Owen Alaw); “The kingdoms of the earth” (Lloyd).
The next great eisteddfod was at Pontypridd, when his choir won the chief prize for the rendering of “Thanks to be God” (Mendelssohn), one of the chief events of his life was winning the one of the prizes at the great eisteddfod held at Neath on the 24th and 25th of September 1860. The renown of his splendid choir, which was then known at the Aberdare United Choir, he retaining the old name, had stirred up the musical talent of South Wales, and no fewer than fifteen great choirs disputed the field with the Aberdarians, The Chorus was “The heavens are telling,” Caradoc was again the victor, receiving a heavy purse of gold and a silver medal. Then followed victories at Llanelli and Llandilo, the pieces being “Be not afraid,” “Worthy is the lamb” and the Amen Chorus” (Messiah). Again at Newport eisteddfod, the chief event during his last three years of his life in Aberdare, 1868, 1869 and 1870, were is successes at the Swansea eisteddfodau. In the first named year the prize was £20, with a baton; the second £25, with a beautiful metronome; third £30, with a medal. He has at all times been most generous in aiding every good cause with his great musical talent, as the people of Aberdare, Cwmbach and the surrounding districts can testify, generously giving his labours free of charge when the debt upon a chapel was to be cleared or any other good cause of a similar nature. Sometimes he would be thanked; at other times he would be treated as if the recipients them to receive, and probably they were not wrong.
The Rhondda Years
In 1870 his faithful “did guards” the Aberdare United Choir, whom he had so often led to victory , heard with deep regret that he was about leaving them, but not to go in captivity, but into a land flowing with milk and honey-the Rhondda Valley. He had rented of Messrs. Insole and Son, who cannot fail to be proud of their gifted tenant, the Treorchy Hotel at Treorchy. He devoted himself almost exclusively to his business after his arrival in the Rhondda Valley. He would now and then attend concerts and delight the audience with his old friend the violin. But the remnant of the “old guard” at Aberdare heard of the Crystal Palace prize and at once thought of their “old general” behind his counter in the neighboring valley. He was consulted, and expressed his willingness to lead the singers of South Wales to snatch away, if possible, the national prize from the center of England, and “out of the mine they came.” The result is well known. He has, with his choir, made Wales better known, and as astonished the world.
In 1872, he was appointed conductor of the Welsh choir which competed for the one thousand guinea challenge cup, and a prize of 100, offered by the Crystal Palace Company. The choir secured the trophy without a contest, but in the following year, when they had to meet a crack London choir, known as the Paris Prize Choir, under the leadership of Mr Proudman, they were again successful.
During his residence in the Rhondda Valley, he formed a choir for the purpose of performing oratorios and other works, but shortly afterwards he removed to Cardiganshire, and afterwards to Cardiff and Pontypridd. In the latter town, he formed a choir which performed, with much success, at the Pontypridd Eisteddfod in 1893.
