Welsh Journals

MY DEAR REVEREND COUSIN In this year of Jubilee celebrations I wish to begin this lecture1 by taking you back in time to another celebration which occurred on 4 February 1873. On that day, much as we have seen during the past year, Aberaeron was bedecked with flags and bunting, there were Chinese lanterns and candles glowing in the windows, and as dusk fell on that day the townsfolk made their way to the Town Hall and to the present Court House in that building. Sitting at the head of that gathering was a young man, and after he had been welcomed to the town and presented with gifts, he rose to his feet and spoke these words "I do not enter upon this day without being sensible of many responsibilities. I feel that these are great, especially as regards you people of Aberaeron, who are the prop and stay of the interests of that portion of my property with which you are more immediately connected. Your interests and mine are so closely connected that it is absolutely necessary that we should pull well together. We are each anxious that Aberaeron should have every facility of becoming a thriving prosperous town I once more pledge myself to the advancement of your interests." That young man was Alban Gwynne of Monachty, Pennant. The occasion celebrated was his coming of age to 21 years, and his entry into possession of the land and estates of Monachty, which included the lordship and manor of Llyswen, upon which had been built the town of Aberaeron. An examination of those words reveal that they are a statement of common interest, common design, and indeed of partnership. How was it then that this young man saw his own and indeed his family's destiny entwined with the future prosperity of this town of ours ? Was there an older family connection between the house of Monachty and Aberaeron ? In this lecture I hope to explain that link and to introduce you to the personalities who brought that connection about. Let us begin by going further back in time to 1793, and not to Monachty but to an adjoining mansion, that of Tyglyn in Ciliau Aeron. In that year there lived at Tyglyn a man by the name of Henry Jones. He was married and had one daughter, and in 1793 he was contemplating drawing up his will to dispose of his property after his death. He was a man of some substance. He possessed IT he Alderman E. Glyn Davies Memorial Lecture delivered at the Aberaeron Comprehensive School on 18 November 1977.