David Williams (Alaw Goch)

The forgotten man of Aberdare

Below is a brief story of a man known as David Williams (Alaw Goch) he was never born in the valleys but became to love it as is home until untimely death. What David Williams did for this valley is immeasurable through is donations to churches and poetry below is a brief story of his amazing life. Why are these people who made the valleys never mentioned in the valleys.

(Most of this information came from part of his obituary which was translated from Welsh into English by Mr. Eric Evans for Cynon Culture)

Where he was born.

He was the son of a wheelwright who having been seized by a press gang and had the honour of being at Nelson’s side when he was shot down on board the “Victory”. Mr Williams was he eldest of three sons, and was born in a cottage called “Llwyn-y-draen” in the parish of Ystrad Owain in the Vale of Glamorgan on the 12th July 1809.

He arrived in Aberdare with his family in 1821, where he came tp play an important part not only in industrial history but also in the social and cultural life of the history of Aberdare.

His First Coal Mine

He set up his works on the land of Ynys Cynon in the year 1842 and from then until the hour of his death providence smiled upon him. He sank deep mines at great expense in Mountain Ash and Cwmdâr: but he then sold those to other people, so as not to add excessively to his own responsibilities.

To how few the same remark may be applied that the friendships he had formed in the time of his adversity he preserved in all their pristine vigour throughout the riper years of his prosperity. Many a man who had plied the mandrill, side by side with him could claim as a close friend to the hour of his death.

Poetry

He turned his attention to poetry around 1830 when he was 21 years of age, using the bardic name, Alaw Goch, for the first time in one of the eisteddfodau of Mynwent y Crynwyr (Quakers’ Yard). Little did he think then that the bardic name he adopted would become so well known and loved throughout the whole of Wales. As a bard, Alaw Goch occupied a position of considerable eminence and his generous hand will long be missed by the friends of Welsh literature.

He was one of the prime movers in getting the National Eisteddfod to Aberdare in 1861. In January 1862 he was publicly presented with a medal and an illuminated address at the Temperance Hall (The Palladium) for his contributions to the Welsh Life and to Aberdare.

His son Gwilym later Judge Gwilym married Emma Williams of Aberpergwm House Glynneath.

To how few the same remark may be applied that the friendships he had formed in the time of his adversity he preserved in all their pristine vigour throughout the riper years of his prosperity. Many a man who had plied the mandrill, side by side with him could claim as a close friend to the hour of his death.

Last Sunday morning, along with the day’s breeze, was borne the sad news that Alaw Goch had died. The news struck the feelings of the inhabitants with the same suddenness and fright as would a thunderbolt or the tremor of an earthquake. Half the day passed before half the people were able to convince themselves that the heartrending news was true. Their hope was that it was an unfounded rumour or, at least, that he had lapsed into a coma and that doctors and time would restore him to his usual good health. The previous Wednesday, Thursday and Friday he had been wandering around his worksites, conversing cheerfully and enthusiastically with scores of his workers. He had driven through the main streets of the town in his carriage, he had been making kind enquiries concerning how a number of his host of friends were faring and had spent considerable time in the office of the newspaper, ‘Y Gwladgarwr’ (The Patriot), on Thursday and Friday, discussing keenly and zestfully the poets and writers of his beloved land of his fathers. The apparent healthy glow of his face and his cheerful spirit had strengthened everybody’s hopes that many years lay ahead of him still.

On Saturday morning he woke up cheerily and the greenery of the park, the multi-coloured flowers of the garden, the sweet music of the birds, the balmy breezes of Spring and the joyful gambolling of the lambs were cause for the tender feelings of his heart to be tuneful like the strings of a harp.

Death accomplished its work in a trice, since it appears that our beloved Alaw had died on his feet, before he even fell. The tragic and long to be remembered event occurred between five and six o’clock on the evening of the last day of February, 1863. His beloved family were informed as gently and delicately as possible. Very soon his eldest son, Gwilym Williams, Esq., was at his side; and should it be possible for the heartache and love of a son to restore the life of his father,

Mr. Williams’ mortal remains were taken to his mansion in Meisgyn around two o’clock on the Sabbath morning and, before break of dawn, the sad news had reached his relatives in Aberdâr and - as he was so well known amongst all and held so dearly in the eyes of his workers, merchants and gentry - a cloud of sadness fell upon every congregation; and every family felt such emptiness and strangeness as if one of their own family had died. The shock and the fright had the entire population feel impotent. It was felt as if a mighty cedar tree had fallen and that a void had been created which would not be filled for a very long time. Without resorting to hyperbole, we would say that it appeared as if Aberdâr had lost its very heart; and no wonder, because Alaw Goch was one of those few men who had elevated a tiny and insignificant village into a beautiful and vital town containing some forty thousand souls.
His sympathy was so wide-ranging and his heart so warm and generous that he liked everybody and he was liked by everybody. At his funeral we see poets and authors, ministers of religion and priests, merchants and gentry, workers and overseers, walking sadly ahead of the coffin which contained the one they loved and behind it. He was taken in a hearse, followed by a host of other carriages, to Aberdâr and in the middle of town the coffin was taken out of the vehicle and his workers and neighbours were allowed that which they wished – an easing of their hiraeth by putting their shoulders under the bier to carry his coffin.


Mr. Williams was one of the founders of the newspaper, Y GWLADGARWR, and seldom did our little newspaper appear between then and now without some of the fruits of his thoughts gracing its columns. He edited the poetry content for many years and he took great delight in encouraging and supporting young poets. In our last issue there appeared his emotional series of englynion (verses in strict metre) on the death of Eben Fardd; and this week it falls to us to consecrate his respected memory. In that great meeting held in Aberdâr a little over a year ago to honour Alaw Goch, and in an address on behalf the nation and the state, the poetic and sonorous Ceiriog Hughes said,

To your face, Alaw Goch
Praise is not appropriate;
But behind your back, that is the place
Where praise becomes truly honourable.

Wherever there was dissension between master and workers, he and his people were always on good terms. If workers felt they had just cause to complain he would encourage them always to express so to him. Should sickness or death strike the homes of some of his workers, and they were at the time impoverished and in dire straits, just to go to him and say so, he had the heart to sympathise, a helping hand and a gentle word to raise spirits. He himself would visit those who were victims of accidents and would not depart without leaving evidence of his tender heart and generosity. For many years he used to meet his workers once a year to have supper together to formulate friendships and allow each one to gain trust and affection between each other. He assisted many of his workers to become homeowners; he rejoiced in their success and took great delight if their earnings were good come payday. At times he would tell the best earners, “You are the best man for me, for, if you are the one who earned most for himself, you are also the one who earned most for me.” Whilst there be coal cut in the Aberdâr valley, and whilst there be one coalminer living in the parish, Mr. Williams of Ynys Cynon will be remembered as a good master. As a poet, Alaw Goch was always ready with a verse and full of emotion. He had the ability to compose both merry and humorous poetry; but his best compositions were on themes of tenderness, sympathy and sadness.

As a Cymro (Welshman), Mr. Williams was a patriot from the bottom of his heart and to say that is a major statement - for his was no shallow, superficial heart. His house, his children and animals all bore Welsh names. All his supervisors and closest workers were Welshmen. He educated his dear children in the leading schools of both England and the continent whilst ensuring they were truly Welsh - of speech and spirit. They all spoke their country’s language as well as he did; and he himself did so as well as the likes of the ancient poets, Taliesin or Llywarch Hen. During recent years he had devoted his aspirations and his heart to the National Eisteddfod. He felt that Wales was a small country and that Welsh people were comparatively few in number; and so he yearned to delete the perceived boundary between north and south and unite both regions of the principality in one Eisteddfod which would be large enough to be influential in the development of his country’s mental abilities and its patriotic spirit. We believe that for some time the Eisteddfod has been having more of his attention than all his industries. He had set his mind, heart and spirit on seeing this institution becoming the medium for a new awakening and a new life for the ancient nation and, as Ceiriog so aptly put it in his poem in his honour on the joyous evening of presentation in his honour – 

For your love of your language and of your mother
And your love of the old mountains
That is the reason why
Wales loves you.

As a politician, Mr. Williams was liberal. He assisted in the campaign for the abolition of the church tax (tithe), in the establishment of a British School and in throwing back in their faces the contempt which the Education Commissioners sought to thrust upon our nation. He was selected time after time to every office of honour and trust which Aberdâr could bestow upon its sons; and in every circle and office he would give of his best. There is hardly one among the scores of Aberdâr chapels, to which Alaw Goch did not contribute generously and there is hardly an important venture founded in Aberdâr during the past 20 years in which he did not have a hand. Before his health started to fail, he was the chairman of almost every public meeting in the area and he always filled the rôle to each and every one’s complete satisfaction. We take great pleasure in recording his many virtues and good deeds; but the memory that he has traversed a journey over which he will not return causes our strength to fail and our writing pens to fall still. We must set aside our compositions and go to weep with the crowds, doing nothing further than to present to our readers the following powerful and characteristic englynion which Wales’ chief master of englynion composition, Caledfryn, sent us:

Behold the signs of mourning which have gathered.
There is an unattractive cover of incomparable thick clouds
and a deep fright over Aberdâr.
His wife weeps from grief –of which
no one has seen hiraeth like it;
his children weep from sadness
on seeing his death.
Weeping for one of the generous ones is what we see:
the poor people weep;
the right-hand man of this entire district
from his greatness has joined the departed.
The sad muse weeps for Alaw
and so do a thousand musicians;
in memory of him and his cheerful poetry
the poets weep for their right-hand man

What man, yes who for you, during his life
did so much for you?
After him, even when you’ve gone
there will still be weeping after Alaw Goch.