Welsh Journals

Editorial Histories of People and families are, after all, the real units and Families. entities of history, not arguments and abstractions and it is odd that, though historical biographies are popular and numerous, we have few family histories to compare with them." (A. L. Rowse Sunday Times, 12. 1. 195 8). Local In a study of the folklore of a townland in County Traditions. Down, Mr. R. H. Buchanan states that for many of the people dates have little significance but personal- ities are remembered long after their deaths. This is largely because their memory is linked with a certain place in the townland mention of a ruined cottage, for example, is usually sufficient to produce a string of anecdotes about the people who once lived there." (Ulster Folklife. Vol. 2 (1956), p. 56). It might prove interesting if members would make enquiries about the many deserted homesteads in the county, and find out whether our memories are as good as those of the people of County Down. If any such information could be obtained, it might throw colourful light on our history. Waggons. The Report of the Museum of English Rural Life (Reading) for 1956 contains photographs of eight differ- ent kinds of waggons. These represent some of the seventeen specimens which the Museum has collected from fourteen English counties. The eight illustrations show how vehicles, made by expert local craftsmen, vary from district to district, in accordance with local conditions, requirements, and traditions. The waggon with its team of horses and their jingling harness is almost a thing of the past in our county. It is to be hoped that specimens of Montgom- eryshire vehicles, including waggons, carts, traps, shandries, sledges, and slide- cars-if one of the latter can still be found-will be preserved for the future, though they may have to remain in their owners' care until the county can make provision for their safe-keeping. In the meantime, would some one undertake to make a photographic record of surviving types of the county's vehicles, to- gether with a written record, where possible, of their dates and makers. Railways. On May 1st, 1860, the railway was opened from Os- westry to Pool Quay (mineral). On August 14th in the same year, this section began to carry passengers. In 1861, on May 27th,