Capel Celyn Memorial Chapel

I remember when that was built. Just had a look and saw the pictures. My great aunt used to mention the original flooding. Good to see!

fairfraise some stones from the flooded buildings were used
to build it.

I certainly remember when the village was flooded

Anniebach Good morning. I've just seen your post but as I really know nothing about the Chapel to which you refer, would you tell me
more about it please. I know I can Google for information, but it's better coming from you. I will probably have heard about the history behind the memorial but at the moment it isn't ringing any bells (no pun intended).

We have passed Llyn Celyn many times travelling from Bala to Pwllheli to visit relatives. I believe it means 'Holly Lake'! I'm more familiar with Lake Vyrnwy and its history, where another village was flooded to supply water for Liverpool. There is also Llyn Brenig and Llyn Alwen which I have visited several times. My grannie lived in Alwen Cottage right next to the River Alwen. The lakes are all so beautiful, just tragic that people had to lose their homes. There are more in mid Wales, and a relative of mine died aged 27 in 1898 building the Elan Valley dams. These were to supply water for Birmingham.

Aldom if you are interested in Welsh history you will find it
interesting.

Capel Celyn was a village in the Trywern Valley, a private bill
was brought to parliment to flood the valley to provide water for Liverpool in 1960. Much anger but it was passed,

The villagers of Capel Celyn had to leave their homes and farms, they were told if they wanted to they could have the graves in the cemetery dug up and remains removed or accept
they would be under water, they would have to pay for removal
of remains and headstones themselves.

It was brutal, 40 years later Liverpool apologised! ! ! !

Do google it , it brought about Wales having a Welsh Office and
a Secretary of State for Wales

Thank you for replying

How heartless Annie. I imagine many of the villagers would not have been able to afford to move their loved ones’ graves or would have been torn as to whether it would be right to disturb them.

The village where my Yorkshire ancestors lived was flooded for a reservoir but I have yet to find out more about it but that was many years earlier, nineteenth century. You would have thought that by 1960 people would have become more sensitive to such things but obviously not.

^it brought about Wales having a Welsh Office and
a Secretary of State for Wales^

Ironic then, that one of those Secretaries of State for Wales looked like a fish out of water as he flapped his mouth around in an attempt to sing the National Anthem.

You would have thought that by 1960 people would have become more sensitive to such things but obviously not.

No, as it is the fairly recent past.
The PM was Harold Macmillan - "Most of you have never had it so good"
Obviously some more than others

Thank you Anniebach

The Prime Minster in 1965 was Harold Wilson, the same Prime
Minister who allowed the villagers of Aberfan to be forced to
pay towards the removal of the coal tips from the money donated to the disaster fund .

Tony Blair returned to money with interest to the fund

At least Blair will be remembered for one good deed then.

Anniebach

The Prime Minster in 1965 was Harold Wilson, the same Prime
Minister who allowed the villagers of Aberfan to be forced to
pay towards the removal of the coal tips from the money donated to the disaster fund .

Tony Blair returned to money with interest to the fund

Apologies, Anniebach I thought it was 1960.

Here is a link:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58569060

Callistemon thank you for the link, I wish I could go back there.

Yes the private bill was brought to parliament in 1960, the protests were still taking place when Wilson was PM in 1964.

Also in the village was a Meeting Place for Quakers in the 17th
and 18th centuries, they emigrated to Pennsylvania

That photo with the tall window and the blue light flooding through is beautiful.
Thank you Annie.

and Callistemon.

I'm happy to know that my water rates helped to restore something so poignant and beautiful.

This thread has evoked many memories of those days. I remember the protests and it was so awful for those moved out of their homes. It was covered on the Welsh news a lot. I'd forgotten about Harold Wilson and the aftermath of Aberfan.

I stayed with a great aunt in mid Wales a couple of times. She would point to the hills and warn me of the Free Wales Army (?) who were then mainly protesting about second homes in the area, I think. I went to Machynlleth on the bus with her one day, and she was very indignant when a FWA boy handed me some leaflets!

Gosh the ‘Free Wales Army’, they were my heroes in the 60’s,
they demonstrated against the flooding of Capel Celyn, as did I, and they demonstrated against the brutality of the government over the Aberfan disaster.

I wasn’t a supporter the night our elder daughter was born in
1969, my husband was in the police force, we were stationed in
Welshpool, that night he couldn’t come to the hospital, he was
out at Lake Vyrnwy because the Army were trying to blow up
reservoirs

You mean the FWA trying to blow them up?

Yes fairfraise they also set fire to some holiday homes

I've just read a long article in Daily Telegraph about Aberfan on 55th anniversary. Still heart-breaking after all these years. (My husband has short free online subscription). I thought of you Anniebach.

Thank you fairfraise yes 55 years but still vivid memories