|
Blaina United RFC
Blaina ( cy, Blaenau ) is a small town, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Brynmawr and Abertillery in the unitary authority of Blaenau Gwent, ancient parish of Aberystruth, preserved county of Gwent and historic county of Monmouthshire. The place name is derived from the Welsh word ' "uplands". As of 2011, the town has a population of 4,808. Welsh language According to the 2011 Census, 6.3% of the ward's 4,808 (303 residents) resident-population can speak, read, and write Welsh.Welsh language skills by electoral division, 2011 Census Retrieved 13/12/21 This is above the county's figure of 5.5% of 67,348 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent (; ) is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. Its highest point is Coity Mountain at . Government The borough was formed in 1974 as a local government district of Gwent. It covered the whole area of five former districts and a single parish from a sixth, which were all abolished at the same time: *Abertillery Urban District * Brynmawr Urban District *Ebbw Vale Urban District *Llanelly parish from Crickhowell Rural District *Nantyglo and Blaina Urban District *Tredegar Urban District Brynmawr and Llanelly had been in the administrative county of Brecknockshire prior to the reforms, whilst the other areas had all been in the administrative county of Monmouthshire. Gwent County Council provided county-level services for the new borough. The new borough was named Bla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Partridge (soldier)
William Partridge was born in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire on 27 June 1858. William moved to Blaina, Monmouthshire when he was a young boy with his parents. He enlisted into the 24th Regiment of Foot at Newport on 7 June 1877 having previously served in the Royal Monmouthshire Militia. From Blaina to South Africa William was one of a draft that joined the 2/24th in South Africa in July 1878. In January 1878, he was one of the small garrison at Rorke's Drift which held out from over 12 hours when the mission station was attacked by a Zulu force of 4,500 warriors. Following the end of the Zulu war, William remained with the 2nd Battalion when it moved to Gibraltar, but was soon back in Great Britain. Marriage Whilst at the Regimental Depot in Brecon, William met, and in November 1880 married, local girl Mary Reeves. Mary was the sister to Sarah Reeves who in 1876 had married Corporal William Wilson Allen – Corporal Allen was awarded a Victoria Cross for his acti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Medal
The George Medal (GM), instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI,''British Gallantry Medals'' (Abbott and Tamplin), p. 138 is a decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, awarded for gallantry, typically by civilians, or in circumstances where military honours are not appropriate. History In 1940, at the height of the Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward many acts of civilian courage. Existing awards open to civilians were not considered suitable to meet the new situation, so the George Cross and the George Medal were instituted to recognise civilian gallantry in the face of enemy bombing, and brave deeds more generally. Announcing the new awards, the King said The warrant for the GM (along with that of the GC), dated 24 January 1941, was published in ''The London Gazette'' on 31 January 1941. Criteria The medal is granted in recognition of "acts of great bravery". The original warrant for the George Medal did not explicitly permit it to be awarded pos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emlyn A G Watkins
Emlyn A. G. Watkins GM (1926–2010), born in Blaina, Wales, was a British police officer, awarded the George Medal for "outstanding bravery and devotion to duty”. Award of the George Medal In 1975 while serving with the Greater Manchester Police as an Inspector in Rusholme, Manchester, he and three other officers tackled three men who had pulled a gun in an Indian restaurant, and was shot in the stomach. The severity of his injuries forced him to leave the police. When the men were arrested it emerged they were part of an IRA unit sent to assassinate North West VIPs. Five men, part of a Manchester- based IRA terrorist cell, were jailed in 1976 for a total of 627 years. References British police officers Recipients of the George Medal People from Blaina 1926 births 2010 deaths {{Wales-bio-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emlyn Watkins
Emlyn Watkins (21 September 1904 – 15 May 1978) was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Wales, and at club level for Blaina RFC, as a flanker, i.e. number 6 or 7, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales and Monmouthshire, and at club level for Leeds and Oldham RLFC ( Heritage № 259), as a , i.e. number 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums. Background Watkins was born in Blaina, Wales, and he died in Walsall. Playing career International honours Emlyn Watkins won caps for Wales (RU) while at Blaina RFC in 1926 against Scotland, Ireland, and France, and won cap(s) for Wales (RL) while at Leeds 1926(1927) 3(1)-caps. County honours Emlyn Watkins played right-, i.e. number 12, in Monmouthshire's 14-18 defeat by Glamorgan in the non- County Championship match during the 1926–27 season at Taff Vale Park, Pontypridd ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Watkins (rugby)
David Watkins (born 5 March 1942) is a Welsh former dual-code rugby international, having played both rugby union and rugby league football for both codes' national teams between 1963 and 1974. He captained the British and Irish Lions rugby union side, and made six appearances for the Great Britain rugby league team. With the Wales national rugby league team he played in every match of the 1975 World Cup, and with English club Salford he played more than 400 games over 12 seasons Background Watkins was born in Blaina, Monmouthshire, Wales, he played rugby union for Cwmcelyn Youth, as well as occasional games for Abertillery RFC Ebbw Vale RFC and Pontypool RFC, becoming a Wales Youth International. Rugby career Rugby Union Joining Newport RFC in 1961, he made his début for Newport on 2 September that year against Penarth RFC. In his first season with Newport the team won the Welsh Championship. Watkins played for invitational team the Barbarians during his first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mostyn Thomas
Mostyn Thomas (born Thomas James Thomas) (January 14, 1896 – August 17, 1984) was a Welsh operatic baritone, prominent in the first half of the 20th century. Early life He was born in Blaina, Monmouthshire, to Thomas and Ann. At the age of 13 he went to work underground in the local colliery. Voice His voice was discovered at the Ammanford Eisteddfod, and the local community of Blaina collected money for him to be trained at La Scala Milan. Mostyn has his debut as Tonio in Pagliacci ''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, "Clowns") is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who m ... ( Leoncavallo) in 1929. He sang leading baritone roles all over the world, settled in America and married a wealthy American widow. On February 13, 1923, Mostyn Thomas sang Dafydd y Garreg Wen to inaugurate the first radio broadcast b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents collectively known as Salvationists. Its founders sought to bring salvation to the poor, destitute, and hungry by meeting both their "physical and spiritual needs". It is present in 133 countries, running charity shops, operating shelters for the homeless and disaster relief, and humanitarian aid to developing countries. The theology of the Salvation Army is derived from Methodism, although it is distinctive in institution and practice. A distinctive characteristic of the Salvation Army is its use of titles derived from military ranks, such as "lieutenant" or "major". It does not celebrate the rites of Baptism and Holy Communion. However, the Army's doctrine is otherwise typical of holiness churches in the Wesleyan–Arminian tradition. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bramwell Booth
William Bramwell Booth, Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (8 March 1856 – 16 June 1929) was a Salvation Army officer, Christian and British charity worker who was the first Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army, Chief of Staff (1881–1912) and the second Generals of the Salvation Army, General of The Salvation Army (1912–1929), succeeding his father, William Booth. Biography Booth was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Halifax, Yorkshire, England. He was named after William Bramwell, a Methodist revivalist. The oldest child born to William Booth and Catherine Booth, Catherine Mumford, Bramwell Booth had two brothers and five sisters, including Evangeline Booth, Kate Booth, Catherine Booth-Clibborn, Emma Booth (The Salvation Army), Emma Booth and Ballington Booth. The Booth family regularly moved from place to place as William Booth's ministry necessitated until the family finally settled in London in 1865. Bramwell Booth was involved in The Salvation Army right from i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Florence Eleanor Soper
Florence Eleanor Booth (''née'' Soper; 12 September 1861 – 10 June 1957) was the wife of Bramwell Booth, Second General of The Salvation Army. Early life Born in Blaina, Monmouthshire, she was the eldest daughter of Dr Isabell Hawker Soper, a Plymouth physician, and his wife, Jane Eleanor (''née'' Levick), and had a sister Evelyn Mary and a brother Frederick. Her mother died in 1870 when she was nine years old. She was a gifted girl fond of reading and music and also had a secret ambition to become a doctor. The Salvation Army Florence had just passed her last school examination and was visiting her two aunts in London when she converted at a Whitechapel meeting she had attended as a sightseer. Here she heard Catherine Booth speak and made the decision to follow Christ and learn more about The Salvation Army. She became friendly with the Booth family including their son Bramwell. After making the decision to join the Army, by 1881 she had been promoted to Lieutenant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE (born 5 September 1959) is a Welsh rugby union coach who is currently an interim consultant for Ospreys, having previously coached Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the Director of Rugby at the Worcester Warriors until his resignation on 28 April 2010. He was the coach of the Welsh national rugby union team from 2004 until February 2006 and Leinster Coach from 1997 to 2000. He is the father of 3 children. Irish rugby union international Rhys Ruddock, Ciaran Ruddock and Katie Ruddock. Playing career Ruddock was born in Blaina, and played in the back row for his local team, Blaina. He also played for Tredegar and Swansea, making 119 appearances for Swansea and scoring 43 tries. He also played for Wales under-16s and Wales B, but his playing days were ended prematurely by an accident at work in 1985. Working as an electricity linesman, he fell from a pole, suffering serious injuries including three compressed vertebrae and a fractured skull. Coaching career Clu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Francis Philip Woodruff
Frank Richards a.k.a. Francis Philip Woodruff DCM, MM (June 1883 – August 1961) was a World War I soldier and author. Born in Monmouthshire, he was orphaned at the age of nine, and was then brought up by his aunt and uncle in the Blaina area of the South Wales Valleys in industrial Monmouthshire. The uncle, his mother's twin brother, and surnamed Richards, adopted Frank who then changed his surname. During the 1890s Frank Richards worked as coal miner and joined Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1901, serving in the British Empire forces in British India under the British Raj and Burma from 1902 to 1909, after which he transferred to the reserves. He is best known as the author of one of the most widely acclaimed memoirs of the Great War to be written by a ranker, ''Old Soldiers Never Die''. Career Richards, an orphan, was brought up by his aunt and uncle in Blaina, Monmouthshire, where, in the 1890s, he worked as a coal miner. He joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
