Welsh Journals

ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1979 Spring and Annual General Meeting The Spring Meeting which was also the Annual Meeting was held at the School Room of the Congregational Chapel, Baker Street, Aberystwyth on 5 May. The Society's President, Capt. J. Hext Lewes, O.B.E., was in the Chair, and he extended a welcome to the 75 members present. The Honorary Secretary (Mr. Dafydd M. Jones) presented a summary of the Annual Report for 1978 and this was accepted. The Financial Report was presented by the Honorary Treasurer (Mr. W. Meirion Rees) and this was adopted. Mr. Rees indicated his desire to resign from the office which he had held for five years. This was accepted with regret and he was thanked for his services. In his place, Mr. R. R. Owen, Manager of Barclays Bank Ltd., Aberystwyth was elected Honorary Treasurer. The other Honorary Officers, Local Correspondents, and members of the Executive Committee were re-elected en bloc. The guest speaker was Mr. Moelwyn I. Williams, M.A., Ph.D., who, until his retirement in November 1978, was Head of the Department of Printed Books at the National Library of Wales. He spoke on "A Glimpse of Life in 17th. Century Cardi- ganshire". He painted a fascinating picture of a sparsely populated County where the family was an economic unit. The roads into, and within, the County were poor and little provision was made to accommodate visitors, but the salvation was the sea. In addition to the fishermen, farmers took a financial stake in the boats, and in time these small boats developed trade with coastal towns, and a flourishing ship-building industry commenced. This maritime trade resulted in the establishment of retail shops and among the items imported were books and later printing presses and these contributed to the cultural development of the County. On the proposition of the Reverend E. Pryce Jones, M.A., Llwyncelyn, seconded by Mrs. Elizabeth Maelgwyn Davies, Aberystwyth, a vote of thanks to the speaker was carried with acclamation, and officers of Baker Street Chapel were thanked for placing the room at the disposal of the Society. Summer Meeting This meeting was held at Neuadd Syr John Rhys, Ponterwyd, on 30 June. About 100 members and distinguished guests assembled, and the meeting was chaired by the Society's Chairman, Mr. J. E. R. Carson, LL.B., The Chairman extended a welcome to those assembled and stated that this day saw the culmination of efforts made by the Society extending over a period of 18 years. Towards the end of 1960, steps were taken by the Society to obtain permission to carry out remedial work on the ruins of Aberceiro-fach, the birthplace of Sir John Rhys. Unfortunately, despite the persistence of the Society, there were delays, and time and the weather took its toll of the roof and three walls. Less than twelve months ago, the Society was heartened to hear that the Central Electricity Generating Board had been granted permission and that it was prepared to lower the walls to a uniform height and prepare a bilingual plaque indicating the significance of the site. Future generations will be indebted to the Board for its generosity. Sir Idris Foster, M.A., F.S.A., who, until his retirement in 1978, had held the Chair of Celtic at Jesus College, Oxford, delivered an address on his predecessor, Sir John Rhys, and summarised the story of the young boy born at Aberceiro-fach, who, by his own endeavours, became Professor of Celtic at Oxford, and Principal of Jesus College, Oxford. Brief addresses were given by Dr. W. R. C. Crimmin, Group Manager of the Central Electricity Generating Board, Mr. Geraint W. Howells, M.P., Dr. D. A. Rees,