Go to War on an Egg

Those of us of a certain age may well remember Tony Hancock on TV in the adverts of the Egg Marketing Board in the 1950s and 1960s, ‘Go to Work on an Egg’. 

The virtues of the humble egg were recognised long before that though, and eggs were in great demand during WW1 as a food for our fighting men, in particular those recuperating in hospital. But there was a problem. How on earth do you get hold of millions of eggs, and transport them to the Front? By the time WWII came along, the problem had been solved. Powdered Egg! Imported from the USA in tins, it could be easily transported. But how to solve the problem before that? The development of battery cages lay many years in the future. Chickens lived on farms, in flocks, and laid eggs that were collected by hand. Mass production of eggs did not exist, they were generally for fairly local consumption.

Cambrian News, 7 Sept 1917

So began the National Egg Collection for the Wounded in November 1914. This was a campaign for people to collect eggs and send them in to collection centres for distribution to hospitals for the wounded. The Aberystwyth area played its part in the campaign: children in particular played an important part, as it was something they could all do to ‘do their bit’. It seems that a lot of the actual collections tended to be in the rural areas, as there were only a limited number of chickens in Aberystwyth. 

Cambrian News 19th May 1916

In the towns, collections were held to raise money to buy eggs instead. Again, this was something that the children could get involved in – there are records of Boy Scout and Girl Guide groups, as well as schools, getting involved. In August 1915 the Girl Guides in Aberystwyth contributed 835 eggs to the cause. The newspapers record campaigns by the children and schools in many of the villages around Aberystwyth. In some cases the school logbooks (held at Ceredigion Archives) mention the results of the school collections. 

The collecting wasn’t limited to children, as indicated in the Cambrian News, 23 April 1915:-

“For the Wounded. It is worthy of note that in the present crisis a man can perform the duties of a patriot in many ways without being a. soldier. An illustration of this is afforded by Mr. Albert R Doughty, of Aberystwyth, who is in charge of the County Council steam roller, and has undertaken the patriotic task of collecting eggs for wounded soldiers. Mr. Doughty throughout the day is employed steam rolling. As soon as he is free he, with the heart of a patriot, visits the farms in the locality. Llanddewi district has honourably responded and 1,126 eggs, with 12s. 2d. in cash, have been forwarded to the National Egg Collection Committee, London, through Mr. Doughty's exertions." 

Although the egg collection scheme was intended to provide eggs to the main military hospitals, some went to the local Red Cross Hospital on the Promenade, in what is now the Gwalia building, the former Theological College. The eggs often had the name of the donor written on them, which allowed the recipients to send letters of acknowledgement:

Cambrian News 22nd October 1915

By the end of the War the national campaign had collected over 41 million eggs for the wounded troops. But the campaign did not end on Armistice Day, and it would take many months and years for life to return to normal. Even though the guns had stopped, there were still many thousands in hospital needing care and feeding. In addition there was now the matter of the returning former prisoners of war, many of whom were in very poor physical condition and eggs were now needed to help get them back to health.

Cambrian News 23rd February 1917

Blog by Nigel Callaghan, project volunteer 

Ardwyn County School and Nicolas Laoureux, Belgian Refugee and Celebrated Violinist

Ardwyn was the local co-educational county school, founded on 6 October 1896, closing in 1973 when the Comprehensive school system came into being.  Ceredigion Archives holds the School book, volume 2 of which covers the WW1 years from 1913 to 1922.  As well as being a school record, it also indicates how the War impacted on school life in many ways including admission of Belgian refugee children, the use of school kitchens by the Red Cross, school gardens growing food for the War effort and boys encouraged to take Cookery classes.

One of the most exciting elements in the Ardwyn School Book is the record of five Violin Recitals given to the School by the celebrated Belgian violinist M. Nicolas Laoureux, who with other members of his family, was a refugee in Aberystwyth from at least December 1915 to March 1917.

From left to right: Nicolas Laoureux, Marguerite Tasnier (sitting, Nicolas' wife), Jeanne Laoureux, sister of Nicolas, Louise Van den Heede, an aunt of Marguerite De Guchtenaere, Marguerite De Guchtenaere (sitting) and Marcel Laoureux

It appears that little is known beyond Wales about Laoureux’s connection with our town, and I am undertaking further research in order to contribute to this field of enquiry.  This blog therefore gives only my initial findings to date. The photos of Nicolas and his family in this blog, and related biographical information, are taken from a violin tutor website (http://beststudentviolins.com/Laoureux.html) created by Connie Sunday, to whom I am indebted for permission to reproduce them in this blog. 

The transcriptions of the entries in the Ardwyn School book carry a recurrent theme of praise for Nicolas’s courage in pursuing his music while suffering exile from his homeland.  

Nicolas and his son Marcel, after the prize for Virtuousity was awarded in 1905

The Headmaster David Samuel meticulously records the appreciation shown to Nicolas and his daughter Hilda (accompanist and piano soloist) for all the recitals they gave to the school, in glowing terms such as ‘the violinist showing his marvellous powers as an executant and interpreter’.  Both the School concerts and those given all over Wales raised money for the Belgian Refugee fund and the Auxiliary Red Cross Hospital at Aberystwyth.

The entries acknowledge the difficult circumstances for their being in Aberystwyth as Belgian refugees.  The Laoureux family were among 91 artists rescued from Belgium ‘on the last but one boat to get away’, through the humane offices and generosity of the sisters Gwendoline and Margaret Davies of Llandinam.

This extract from the speech of the chairman of Governors (Rev R.J. Rees M.A.) after the fourth School recital in February 1917 seems to reflect the humanitarian and artistic values of the School, and to justify the efforts of the Davies sisters to bring the best of Belgian musicianship to Wales:

“The recital was listened to by the pupils with rapt and sympathetic attention, and cheered the several pieces with delight.  M Laoureux was much pleased with his reception. […] Here was a man in exile from his country who had lost much that was dearest to him; still he held the highest things, these had not been lost to him.  He gave them all an important lesson which should make us independent of our circumstances, that we should have our true kingdom and empire with us.  He had given them all something which was a forecast of the uniting of the nations after the war – the programme had included German, Hungarian, Polish music, and enemy as well as ally had contributed to our delight.”

Programme written and signed by Nicolas

However, it is the record of the 5th Recital, during Lent term 1917, that gives us the fullest picture of how much the Laoureux family’s contribution to the musical life of our town was valued and appreciated.  This would be Nicolas’s final recital before taking up a position of conductor and leader of an orchestra in Harrogate:

“Here was a man who an exile from home and country, had lost almost everything; still had one thing which no tyrant or barbarism could deprive him of – the music which was in his soul, and was a possession for ever.  He promised, however, that when he revisits our town, he will also visit the school and add yet another to those wonderful recitals which will ever remain fixed in the reminiscences of those who have been privileged to enjoy them.  They can never pass into nothingness.”

The violinist was presented with an address in French, executed by Eluned Gwynn Jones, a pupil of the school.  The entry records the English version:

 “Dear Sir – on the occasion of your fifth violin recital, we desire to offer our sincerest thanks for the great interest you have taken in our school and its welfare.  Your suavity, your readiness to meet our own wishes, your giving of your very best to us – all this has touched us very deeply.  We have admired the brilliancy of your playing and perfect mastery over this wonderful instrument. […] Those of us who have had these advantages will carry with them, while life lasts, the recollections of these five delightful concerts; and we can never forget their elevating and educative character.  You have taught us a noble lesson.  An exile from your country, you have carried with you something which no tyrant, no cruel or brutal circumstances can rob you of.  How thoroughly we all appreciated your marvellous efforts has been deeply shown by the deep and attentive listening accorded to your masterly playing. […] And when the time arrives for your return to your own beautiful Brussels, we are sure that you will have pleasant reminiscences of your temporary home in the little town in Wales which we also think beautiful.”

The next steps in the research are two-fold: to find out more about the family’s activities in Aberystwyth and Wales, and what became of them after leaving Aberystwyth in March 1917.  Nicolas did return to his native Brussels but he would endure yet another war affecting his homeland.  He does not appear to have refugeed during WW2, but died in Belgium at the age of 82 just as that war ended.

Blog by Lynne Blanchfield, project volunteer

“The photos of Nicolas and his family in this blog, and related biographical information, are taken from a violin tutor website (http://beststudentviolins.com/Laoureux.html) created by Connie Sunday, to whom I am indebted for permission to reproduce them in this blog.”

Archives in the UK - third and final part

3. ‘Points to ponder’

Archivists act as intermediaries between users and what they want to us. They help users and researchers to understand the nature of the archives and why they were created and also provide guidance on sources for particular interests.

It is worth remembering that archives were not created with the needs of future researchers in mind!  Researchers must rely on what was recorded for whatever purpose in the hope of finding information they need.

3.1 What are the main issues affecting archives today?

Preservation of traditional ‘pen and ink’ media (parchment and paper) largely depends on good storage and handling, and these documents can be read without technology.  Photographs, sound and moving images have particular preservation needs; some also need technology, often obsolete, to hear or see them!

Modern media, ‘born digital’ records and ‘capturing the web’ are increasing challenges requiring new skills. It is necessary to select what should be preserved before it disappears, and to actively preserve the content.  Preservation systems must be established, and the technology to enable continued access.   

Archivists and users face increasing challenges:  

·         Languages:  Dealing with language as used in the past is not easy and many people have difficulty understanding complex sentence structure, how vocabulary and spelling have evolved, and technical terms which continued in use for reasons of legal validity.  English spelling was not standardised before the 18^th century, and legal documents through the ages are unpunctuated and full of ‘common form’.  Archaic English is not the only challenge: Latin was used for formal records until the 1730s; French is significant in the later Middle Ages; written Welsh survives from early medieval times; Anglo-Saxon is another hurdle, and the medieval ‘Insular’ style of writing in Ireland was used for the Irish language into early modern times.

·         Reading historic writing styles: The styles are distinctive, and the letter shapes appear strange to modern readers. The writing may also be ‘rapid’ and not carefully formed.  Abbreviation systems and archaic names, numbers, dates, measurement units and accounting are all part of the reading challenge if the content is to be understood. ‘Hit and miss’ approaches or guess work will not succeed: a systematic approach (and good teaching!) is essential.  By today, less emphasis on teaching cursive writing is a major concern for future ‘archive literacy’ because young people will find it more difficult to engage with our documentary heritage.  

·         Digitisation of large archival resources creates new challenges:  Researchers who use online census and other data for information back to the mid-1800s often want to go further with original sources, but they lack the experience they would have gained from using more recent original sources.  Inaccuracy of transcription in preparing digital resources is an even bigger challenge, because serious inaccuracy in personal and place names results in major problems for researchers.

3.2 How should I ‘cite’ archival documents?

Guidance available in ‘Style Guides’ for ‘citing’ or ‘referencing’ the sources used for research usually focuses on print and digital formats and is not very helpful for archives.  Also, most guidance assumes that an author’s name is known, but this not necessarily the case for archives.  The purpose of good citation and referencing is to enable anybody to locate or ‘request’ the same source easily, so it is wise to use a practical, logical system which is easily understood and represents good practice.

The following elements should be noted in sequence:

·         name of the repository (e.g. National Library of Wales, or NLW)

·         name of the collection (e.g. University of Wales Miscellaneous Papers)

·         full reference code for the individual item concerned, and

·         If the item is a volume, you will also need to give the page or folio reference.

This method works well, even when using several items from a collection.  In such cases, the first citation note should give the repository name, the collection name and the reference code etc., and then state that subsequent references to items from the same collection will include the abbreviated collection name and the reference code or number.  From that point onwards, you may consider placing the references within round brackets in the text.  You may also find that you can group your references by stating, e.g., ‘all details given in this paragraph/section are drawn from numbers 1-5 in the same collection’.  If you are using a single item that is not part of a collection, such as a diary, you should follow the same principles by giving the name of the repository, the name of the item and the reference code etc.

3.3 Why are some archives and records ‘closed’ and not accessible?

·         Closure rules: For many decades, Public Records, which include the records of central UK government and now the devolved nations, were closed to public access for 30 years while they remained within the creating departments. That rule has now changed to 20 years. Until the 21^st century, all census data was closed for 100 years, but this has now been challenged, especially because of the significance of the census data from 1921 which will reveal important detail on the effects of WW1.

·         Privacy legislation obviously affects some kinds of archives and records, such as adoption and medical records, and very recent documents containing personal details. The Data Protection Act of 1998 played a major role in privacy control in the UK, but this changed on 25 May 2018 when the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and new Data Protection Act in the UK (which aligns with GDPR) came into force.  Both emphasise the importance of privacy and also the right to access your personal details and ensure that they are accurate.  

·         Freedom of Information (FoI) restrictions: The UK’s Freedom of Information Act 2000 has prescribed methods for requesting information held by ‘public authorities’ and is up-dated as necessary.  However, there are clearly defined exceptions where requests can be refused.  FoI legislation in Scotland is slightly different.

3.4 A useful website about using archives at De Montfort University Library: See: https://libguides.library.dmu.ac.uk/c.php?g=335958&p=2289975

A folio from The Black Book of Carmarthen, which was written in the mid-13^th century and contains mainly Welsh poetry.  It is thought to be the earliest surviving manuscript written solely in Welsh.

Blog by Dr Susan J Davies, member of the Aberystwyth at War Project Steering Group

Nanteos and the Great War

Nanteos was  the home of the Powell family for over 250 years.  They were influential members of Parliament and played a huge part in the development of Aberystwyth and the county of Cardiganshire.  The 1911 census shows William Beauclerk Powell  (1835 – 1911), father of Captain Edward Athelstan Lewis Powell (1870 – 1930) living at Nanteos in 1911 with his wife Anna Marie Lewis and their  staff of eight servants.  

From 1901, Edward Powell became increasingly involved in the affairs of the estate but it was only yielding a net income of £2,000. So in 1909 there was a major resettlement with the principle object of ensuring the continuation of the estate in the family and of minimising estate duty.  Edward’s parents both died in 1911 and death duties of less than £6,000 had to be paid which involved the sale of Trefedlin Farm. 

Nanteos Mansion

Edward Athelstan L. Powell answered the call to arms when war broke out in 1914. He saw active service in Mesopotamia, while his nineteen year old son William  Edward George Pryse Wynne Powell  fought in France.  William had been commissioned into the Welsh Guards and by the summer of 1918 he was in command of King’s Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, which was attached to the 3rd Brigade Guards Division. 

One of the last actions fought by the Welsh Guards, on  6th November 1918, was  capturing the village of Amfroipret and nearby Bavi. William was killed during the attack. He was originally buried at Buvignies, but his grave was moved after the war to Maubege-Cente-Cemetery, France. There is a memorial to the last heir of Nanteos in St. Padarn’s Church, Llanbadarn as well as one to him in Llanbadarn. 

William  Edward George Pryse Wynne Powell

Edward Powell was disconsolate after the death of his son, as a suitable heir to the estate was not available, and consequently he secured a series of legal arrangements permitting him to dispose of parts of the estate as and when he pleased. His death in 1930 brought about the final extinction of the male line of the Powells of Nanteos. 

Post by one of our project volunteers

Sources: Ancestry.com and ;Nanteos a Welsh House and its Families, edited by Gerald Morgan

Picture of William  Edward George Pryse Wynne Powell is also in NLW Aberystwyth