: Cyffredinol

Wrth geisio creu darlun o fywydau pobl, yn enwedig rhai o’r gorffennol, y pethau bach sy’n aml yn dod â nhw'n fyw – broets neu docyn darlith efallai – ac mae dwy eitem yng nghasgliad Amgueddfa Cymru yn sicr yn gwneud hynny.

Mae'r ddwy yn perthyn i Cranogwen – enw barddol Sarah Jane Rees (1839–1916), capten llong, bardd, llenor, golygydd ac ymgyrchydd dirwest wnaeth fyw rhan fwyaf o'i hoes yn nhref fechan Llangrannog, Sir Aberteifi. Yno y cafodd hi’i geni, ac oddi yno fe deithiodd hi drwy gydol ei hoes nes dod erbyn troad yr 20fed ganrif yn un o ferched mwyaf adnabyddus Cymru. Dyma hefyd lle roedd hi’n byw gyda’i phartneriaid – Fanny Rees “Phania” (1853-1874) fu farw yn 21 oed, a Jane Thomas (1850-?) sy’n cael ei disgrfio yn y rhan fwyaf o’i datganiadau cyfrifiad fel ‘gweithiwr domestig’, ‘morwyn’ neu ‘glanhawraig’. 

Byddai Cranogwen yn aml oddi cartref, yn cyfrannu at fyrdd o brojectau ac yn darlithio, ond aeth ar ei thaith gyntaf ym 1866. Roedd hyn flwyddyn ar ôl ennill gwobr farddoniaeth yr Eisteddfod – oedd yn ddadleuol pan ddatgelwyd bod menyw wedi curo’r dynion. Felly, pan ddechreuodd ar ei theithiau roedd hi eisoes yn adnabyddus, fel y nododd un o newyddiadurwyr Y Gwladgarwr:

“Fe gofia y darllenydd mai y ferch ieuanc hon a gymerodd y wobr yn Eisteddfod Aberystwyth am y gan i'r Fodrwy Briodasol. Wedi clywed hynny, a deall hefyd bod ein beirdd blaenllaw, megys Islwyn a Ceiriog yn cystadlu, braidd nad oeddwn yn hanner credu fod rhyw 'faw yn y caws' yn rhywle.” [i]

Canolbwynt taith Cranogwen oedd ei darlith Ieuenctyd a Diwylliant eu Meddyliau, ond dyma hi’n ddiweddarach yn cynnwys dwy ddarlith arall, Anhebgorion Cymeriad da ac Elfennau Dedwyddwch – pob un yn trafod gwella cymeriad pobl. Gan ei bod hi'n darlithio yn Gymraeg, cafodd y darlithiau sylw yn y wasg Gymraeg a braidd dim sylw yn y wasg Saesneg. 

Dechreuodd Cranogwen ei thaith yn ardal Aberystwyth, felly gobeithio bod Jane wedi gallu mynd gyda hi i gynnig rhywfaint o gefnogaeth. Ond wrth i’w darlithoedd ddod yn fwy poblogaidd roedd Cranogwen yn teithio ymhellach oddi cartref, ac o fewn deufis daeth bron i fil o bobl i wrando arni yng Nghapel Brynhyfryd Abertawe – tipyn o her i unrhyw un felly gobeithio bod Jane yno i i’w chefnogi.

Lledodd y sôn amdani’n gyflym, ac fel y nododd un o newyddiadurwyr Baner ac Amserau Cymru: ‘Nid oes angen yn y byd myned i drafferthu rhoddi canmoliaeth i'r ddarlithyddes hon, o herwydd mae ei henw wedi myned eisoes yn eithaf adnabyddus bron trwy Gymru.[ii]

Roedd yn cael ei chanmol ym mhobman gan wneud i un newyddiadurwr feddwl i ddechrau na fedrai fod cystal ag yr oedd pobl yn ei ddweud: ‘a chan ein bod wedi clywed y fath ganmoliaeth iddi, yr oeddym yn dysgwyl ei bod yn dda. Ond ni ddaeth erioed un ddychymyg i galon neb o honom ei bod mor gampus ag y mae, ac mor feistrolgar ar ei gwaith.’ [iii]

Dro ar ôl tro cafodd adolygiadau gwych a tyfodd ei darlith awr yn ddwy awr a mwy wrth i bwysigion lleol ymddangos ar y llwyfan ochr yn ochr â hi, gan fynnu siarad hefyd. Heidiai beirdd lleol ati, gan ysgrifennu englynion iddi, a llawer o'r rheini'n cael eu cyhoeddi yn y papurau. Roedd merched hefyd yn dilyn ôl ei throed ac yn camu i’r llwyfan. 

Roedd hyn yn achosi pryder. 

Ddylai merched, yn enwedig ‘merched ifanc’ (roedd hi’n 27 ar y pryd) ddim darlithio, meddai’r dynion oedd yn cwyno bod merched yn siarad yn gyhoeddus ynamhriodol. ‘The inhabitants of South Wales,’ meddai'r Cardiff Times, ‘are running wild with the young ladies who are lecturing about the country [and] in the opinion of many eminent men this is going too far.

At the recent meeting of the Association of the Calvinistic Methodists held at Caernarvon, the Rev. Henry Rees, and eminent minister, whose name is known through the Principality, spoke against female preachers, and stated that it would be far more becoming in those who are fond of preaching to attend to those duties which belong to their sex. We are glad that a gentleman of Mr Rees’s standing has set his face against this new mania.[iv]

‘Ai nid gartref mae lle y merched hyn?’ gofynnodd Seren Cymru 'a ydym yn barod i weled ein heglwysi yn cael eu britho, os nad yn gorlifo â merched yn darlithio.’[v]

Anwybyddodd y rhan fwyaf o newyddiadurwyr y cwyno, a pharhau i ganmol Cranogwen. 

Roedd y sgyrsiau fel arfer yn cychwyn am 7pm gyda thocynnau yn 6d (tua £2 heddiw). Roedd y cynulleidfaoedd yn enfawr a nifer yn nodi sut y byddai gwrandawyr yn aml yn eistedd wedi'u cyfareddu am ddwy awr yn nodio mewn cytundeb, cyn rhoi cymeradwyaeth fyddarol iddi. Nodwyd bod elw bron pob un o'i sgyrsiau yn mynd i dalu dyledion capeli. 

Parhaodd Cranogwen i deithio drwy gydol 1867 ac mae dyddiad 2 Ionawr ar y tocyn sydd yn Amgueddfa Cymru. Does dim adroddiad papur newydd ar y ddarlith ym Mrynmenyn, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, ond gyda cymaint o ddarlithoedd a’r daith erbyn hyn yn flwydd oed, fyddai pob noson ddim yn cael yr sylw. 

Ym 1869–1870 aeth Cranogwen ar daith i’r Unol Daleithiau gan draddodi'r un math o ddarlithoedd – byddai angen i ni archwilio’r cofnodion mewnfudo i weld a aeth Jane gyda hi. 

Parhaodd Cranogwen â’i gwaith da ar ôl dychwelyd i Gymru, ac ar ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif dechreuodd ymwneud â'r mudiad dirwest, fel llawer o wragedd amlwg eraill. Roedd meddwdod, yn enwedig ymhlith merched, yn endemig wrth iddyn nhw geisio dianc rhag eu bywydau caled, a sefydlwyd nifer o undebau i geisio mynd i’r afael â hyn gan gynnwys Undeb Merched y Rhondda, a sefydlwyd ym mis Ebrill 1901. Roedd y mudiad mor llwyddiannus fe benderfynwyd ei ehangu, a Cranogwen, fel yr Ysgrifenyddes Defnyddol gyda’i chyfeiriad yn Llangrannog, yn allweddol yn newid yr enw i Undeb Dirwestol Merched y De (UDMD). Unwaith eto, roedd Cranogwen yn teithio'n helaeth gyda'r Undeb.

Wrth gyrraedd pob tref byddai aelodau’r Undeb yn gorymdeithio drwy’r strydoedd gan gario baneri, cyn aros mewn capel i weddïo, canu emynau a darllen o'r Beibl cyn gwrando ar areithiau gan aelodau blaenllaw. Byddai siaradwyr gwadd hefyd gan gynnwys menywod adnabyddus o Gymru fyddai’n denu'r cynulleidfaoedd yn eu cannoedd. Ar ôl y digwyddiad byddai te a theisen a chyfle i gymdeithasu, arian yn cael ei gasglu, a byddai pamffledi a bathodynnau ar gael i'w prynu. Yn dechnegol, broets yw’r enghraifft yng nghasgliad Amgueddfa Cymru, ac nid yw’n glir ai’r broetsys hyn oedd y bathodynnau fyddai Cranogwen yn eu gwerthu. 

Erbyn Rhagfyr 1901, roedd canghennau newydd o UDMD yn ymddangos ledled de Cymru ac erbyn i Cranogwen farw ym 1916 roedd 140 o ganghennau ar draws y De.

Roedd Cranogwen yn ddiflino, ac allwn ni ond rhyfeddu at ei hegni. Yn ogystal â’i holl weithredoedd da, roedd hi’n esiampl i gymaint o ferched ifanc i fod yn llenorion ac areithwyr, dim ots beth ddwedai’r dynion. 

Bu farw Cranogwen yn 1916 yn nhŷ ei nith yn Wood Street Cilfynydd, Rhondda Cynon Taf. ‘No other woman enjoyed popularity in so many public spheres'[vi] nododd y Cambrian Daily Leader. Yn anffodus, wyddon ni ddim pryd fu Jane farw, ond gobeithio y bydd y cofiant sydd i ddod gan Jane Aaron yn datgelu mwy. Prin bum mlynedd ynghynt roedd y ddwy yn dal i fyw gyda’i gilydd yn Llangrannog a thŷ yn y dref honno oedd y cyfeiriad a ddefnyddiodd Cranogwen am y rhan fwyaf o’i hoes. Waeth pa mor bell y byddai’n teithio, byddai bob amser yn mynd adref at Jane.  

Cofeb i Sarah Jane Rees, Llangrannog (WikiCommons)

[i]Y Gwladgarwr, 5 Mai, 1866 

[ii]Baner ac Amserau Cymru, 14 Ebrill 1866

[iii]Cardiff Times, 5 Hydref 1866

[iv]Seren Cymru, 4 Ionawr 1867

[v]Y Tyst Dirwestol Cyf. XIII rhif. 154 - Hydref 1910

[vi]Cambrian Daily Leader, 28 Mehefin 1916

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Autumn sends us an invitation to pause and admire the beautiful trees that surround us. It lays a vibrant carpet of colourful leaves welcoming us into the woods. In this once in a year spectacle, we advise that you wear comfortable shoes, take slower steps and mindfully redirect your gaze up to the sky to contemplate our magnificent trees. 

In St. Fagans National Museum of History, you can find some of the most beautiful specimens of trees planted by the Victorians and Edwardians that shaped our beautiful gardens. 

This year we celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Fern-leaved Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’) located in the terraced gardens of the castle. This magnificent and unusual specimen was planted in 1872 under the head gardener William Lewis. This cultivar was introduced in the UK in the early 1800’s and won the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 2002. The leaves are dark green and deeply serrated, turning golden before falling in autumn. This specimen has an impressive dark and smooth trunk with its girth measuring 3.67m in diameter. The Fern-leaved Beech is a Chimera, originated from a plant cell mutation of the Common Beech (Fagus sylvatica). An interesting fact is that occasionally some of the serrated leaves revert to the Beech leaf shape, when that happens it is advisable to remove the reverted branches as they tend to grow more vigorously than the cultivar.

Another magnificent feature that celebrates 150 years in St. Fagans is the row of London and Oriental Planes planted by William Lewis along the formal ponds overlooking the terraced gardens.  The London plane is a natural hybrid of the Oriental Plane and the American Plane. The Oriental (Platanus orientalis) and London Plane (Platanus x acerifolia) are distinguishable by their leaf shape with the Oriental Plane having more deeply lobed leaves. Many London planes were planted over 200 years ago in the squares of London, hence its common name. This tree can withstand high levels of pollution and was one of the few trees that could thrive in the soot-laden atmosphere of cities before the passing of the Clean Air Act in 1956. Did you know that this resilient tree can store around 7.423 kg of Carbon at maturity? Large trees like this play an important role in improving air quality by sequestering carbon dioxide, removing air pollutants and absorbing gases that are harmful to human health.

William Lewis was also responsible for the planting of the Pine Walk in 1870. This beautiful avenue of Black Pine (Pinus nigra) and Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) guides you through the path towards the old Orchard. These tall and majestic trees enclose the space resembling the walls of a Cathedral. The bark of the Black Pine is dark grey with ridges and the needles are longer than other Pines. The Scots Pine is the only Pine native to Britain, it has shorter and compact needles and a warm red upper bark. Unfortunately, in recent years we have lost some of our Pine trees, in order to preserve this historic feature, we have planted four new Black Pines along the path. 

As we take pleasure in admiring these magnificent trees in the present, we must thank some of the far-sighted people of the past who have gifted us with this wonderful legacy. Trees make our cities a more pleasant and healthy environment. They enhance biodiversity, reduce flood risk, improve air quality, provide shade, and reduce the urban heat island effect in summer months. If you would like to leave a valuable legacy for future generations, start by planting a tree.  

If you are visiting St. Fagans gardens this autumn, follow this Tree Walk Guide written by Dr. Mary Barkham to learn more about our outstanding tree collection. 

The act of drying flowers dates back to ancient times. In the past flowers and herbs were dried and utilised for decorative, medicinal and culinary purposes. In Medieval times they were used to repel insects and even conceal unpleasant odours. Drying flowers became a popular hobby and preservation method in the Victorian period in England. For thousands of years flowers have had a symbolic meaning in rituals, passages, religious activities and artistic expression. Dried flowers are now more fashionable than ever due to their everlasting beauty and convenience.

This year thousands of flowers were grown in the gardens of St. Fagans for the purpose of drying. They have been naturally air-dried and beautiful flower arrangements were created by our garden trainees. These are now available to purchase in the Museum store. 

Besides their outstanding and long-lasting beauty dried flower arrangements offer many advantages. They can be used in weddings as bouquets, buttonholes, corsages and centrepieces. Because they are dried, they do not require water. They can be bought months in advance and stored with ease, releasing the pressure of having to care for fresh flowers on the big day. They can also be kept and preserved as memories of such a special day. 

They are perfect for home decoration or gifting.  You can create permanent floral arrangements that will enhance your home without the need to buy fresh flowers every week. Did you know that imported fresh flowers can have 10 times the carbon footprint of flowers grown in the UK? Imported cut flowers are flown thousands of miles in refrigerated airplane holds. When grown in colder climates they need heated greenhouses which generate higher carbon dioxide emissions. Not to mention the use of pesticides and fertilizers used in the production of perfect blooms. Fresh roses in February? Not so rosy for our planet.

The cut flowers grown in St. Fagans gardens have been grown from seeds sown in April in our unheated greenhouses. They were planted outside in May when the weather was warming up and have been growing happily and healthily producing beautiful blooms throughout Summer. No pesticides, fertilizers or harmful chemicals were used in this process. Besides being grown sustainably the flowers also provide a source of nectar for pollinators including bees and butterflies. It is always a great joy to admire the hive of activity in our cut flower bed. 

The flowers are harvested in dry weather when they are partially or fully open. Excess foliage is removed, small bunches of flowers are tied together and hung upside down on bamboo canes or strings in a dark and dry area with good air circulation. The flowers are left to dry for two to three weeks until completely dry. Floral arrangements including bouquets, posies, buttonholes, corsages, floral crowns and wreaths can be created with dried flowers. 

There is a vast number of plants that can be dried and used in floral arrangements. Drying flowers such as lavender and hydrangeas or grasses such as Stipa gigantea and Pampas grass is a great way to get started. The stars of our cut flower garden this year are: Limonium sinuatum, Craspedia globosa, Helipterum roseum, Achillea millefolium ‘Cassis’, Limonium suworowii ‘Rat Tail’ and the soft grass Panicum elegans ‘Sprinkles’. 

If you are coming to St. Fagans National Museum of History, please visit our magnificent gardens and take a look at the beautiful floral arrangements available in the Museum shop. 

In 2020 Amgueddfa Cymru and Cruse Bereavement Support Cymru came together to support people across the country through their grief and create a lasting memorial full of memories to those lost during the time of Covid-19. It involved creating a square patch containing a memory of a loved one, in which ever way people chose, in whatever words or images they liked. Each patch created demonstrated a visual display of lasting memories of someone they loved who had died, created in unprecedented times.  50+ patches were sent to the Museum and have been carefully sewn together to form a Patchwork of Memories.

For the last two year we have all lived very different lives, with change to our normal the only constant. Losing a loved one is always hard but usually we have the comfort of others and collective mourning at funerals to help us say goodbye and share our memories.  However, a death in the last two years has meant many of us being cut off from our support networks and our rituals or remembrance being altered.  

Rhiannon Thomas, previous Learning Manager at St Fagans said about this project “Helping people with grief is something that I am personally passionate about. Having worked with Cruse Bereavement Support previously to support families I felt the Museum was able to help families dealing with loss in a different way.  Amgueddfa Cymru and Cruse Bereavement Support Wales came together to create a project based around creativity and memory, the aim being to make a lasting memorial to those who have died during the pandemic.” 

Creating something is not a new response to grief, there are several Embroidery samplers in Amgueddfa Cymru’s collections made in memory of loved ones or marking their passing.   This sampler by M.E. Powell was created in 1906 in memory of her mother.   Creativity during difficult times of our lives can help all of us to express deep held emotions that we do not always have the ability to put into words. 

Bereavement Support Days

Alongside the Patchwork of Memories initiative, the Cruse / Museum Partnership also provide a safe inspirational space for the increasing numbers of children and young people awaiting bereavement support and help meet the diverse needs of bereaved children, young people and families who benefit from coming together to rationalise, explore and understand that they are not alone in their grief. 

A series of quarterly Bereavement Support Days are held in partnership with St Fagans, for children, young people and their families experiencing grief and loss. There is specialist support from Cruse staff and volunteers along with art and craft activities provided by Head for Arts and immersive Virtual Reality experiences provided by PlayFrame, which are light-hearted, allowing people attending the chance to make and create things that can be taken home with them and or captured and stored into a virtual memory box. The activities available are designed to stimulate rather that prompt.

Here is the film created by PlayFrame on Ekeko, the virtual memory space they have been creating alongside this project, installing objects, memories and stories donated by participants into a virtual memory box for people to enter and explore:

https://youtu.be/KoQE00ff-rc 

And a link the virtual reality memory space itself: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/6371190072951353/

Alison Thomas, Cruse CYP Wales Lead said “Cruse Bereavement Support Wales provides in person support to children and young people within a variety of settings, so we see first-hand how difficult it can be for grieving children and young people. Their collective support on these days allows families the time and space to verbalise and begin to understand their loss and associated emotions. The focus of the Bereavement Support days is around children and young people, however, the benefits resonate through the whole family including the adults in attendance, some of whom require bereavement support on the day, most of whom stay for the duration and share a cuppa and chat with other bereaved parents and guardians. Following the session, the whole family can have a look around the Museum and spend time together in a safe and nurturing setting.”

Here are some of the written (in their own handwriting) evaluation feedback quotes from children, young people and parents / guardians who have attended the Bereavement Days:

'I feel calmer, less worried.  It was good being able to speak to people my age who understood what I'm going through.'

'I was very included in all the activities and was always involved in conversation.  There was a calm atmosphere making it easier to speak to people there.'

'I was very welcomed and was immediately approached by a friendly face.  It was very inviting and was easy to speak to people there.'

'HAPPY' ?

'Love ? happy'

'Thank you Diolch, Diolch ?'

A mother of one of the young people said 'I feel much better than I did.'

Another mother said 'All was lovely, made to feel welcome, everything we did was good and the girls enjoyed themselves.'

The two memory quilts will be competed by the end of August 2022, following which we will hold a final project event with Cruse Bereavement Support Wales on 25^th September at St Fagans National Museum of History, where we will display the two quilts and invite both the contributors who sent squares and the participants from the Bereavement Support Days to attend, along with the public, to see the quilts and share their experiences of taking part in the process.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales is home to a growing collection of objects exploring Wales’ LGBTQ+ history. Like the other collections, they’re all available to view online in the Collections & Research tab on the Museum’s website. The Collections Online features objects both in store and currently on display.

Though the collection is always available to freely view and people may read through the information about each object and learn in their own time, it is a shared view that it is important to celebrate and uplift the stories and lives of marginalised communities and bring forward hidden aspects of Welsh history. In doing this work we hope to normalise queer lives in Wales, and solidify the important role of diverse identities as part of Welsh culture.

To give an idea of the sort of objects we will be discussing in the Queer Tours projects, we would like to invite you to look through Collections Online, and consider not only contemporary queer icons who make our variety of Pride events so unique, or even famous historical figures who have secured a place in mainstream Welsh heritage, but the lives of the everyday person who may have had to live in secret, or whose activism was never properly recorded. Here we want to bring forward all of these lost stories, in the hopes that by sharing them we will continue to uncover more.

In an effort to bring attention to the LGBTQ+ Collection, we have developed the Queer Tours project to encourage the public to explore the variety of objects and better understand Wales’ queer heritage. This project has been developed by Amgueddfa Cymru Producers on behalf of the museum for the Pride season.

For the ever-growing variety of objects in the collection, and a want to reflect as many important aspects of this heritage as possible, several parts of this project have been developed or are in the process of being developed:

• A series of social media posts highlighting a selection of objects in the collection and their role in queer Welsh heritage that will be available on the Bloedd AC Instagram account.
• A digital tour video of St Fagans National Museum of History exploring objects currently on display and the way we can interpret the history of queer everyday life.
• A self-guided tour for visitors of St Fagans National Museum of History to follow the route themselves and become immersed in history themselves.
• A  special one-time-event in-person led tour is being developed so that attendees may enjoy hearing about the work at St Fagans National Museum of History and the continuing effort being put into the LGBTQ+ Collection.

It is our hope that this project be useful and educational to people not just during this Pride season, but will leave a lasting impact and change views of what queer heritage means in Wales.

All of this work is possible thanks to the Hands on Heritage support fund.