Welsh Journals

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206 BYE-GONES. May, 1879. styles, thought eminently English ; so English that his very grossness is not repulsive, that his broad sense of humour colours the whole of his wonderful picture. Now my humble attempts are in an entirely different direction, are the work of a man of different race—for I am a Welshman, and like my race possess only narrative power and picturesqueness, the attributes of the Celt, as distinct from those of the Norman Englishman as it is possible to imagine." Can any one give us the parentage and birth¬ place of the author of the Earthly Paradise ? E. ROYAL OAK HOTEL, WELSHPOOL.—In the Reprint of Bye-gones for 1878, which I have recently re¬ ceived, I find on page 126 an interesting account of Welshpool in the old Coaching days, taken from the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette, The article is headed "Royal Oak Hotel, Welshpool," and the house throughout the text is called the "Royal Oak." In the newspapers of the first quarter of this century, certainly, and I think at later dates, the house was always called "The Oak Inn." When was "Inn" changed to "Hotel," and the word "Royal" prefixed? As regards the former, my impression is that the word "Hotel" in Shropshire and on the Borders is a comparatively modern innovation. Blackpool. BUCKLEY OF BRYNDDU, ANGLESEA.-In a former communication I asked some particulars respect¬ ing Craig Howell (Feb. 26, 1879). In the same article in which I found that place mentioned there is also a notice of the above loyalist. The writer says of him that he re¬ sided near Llanfechell, and was one of the ancestors of Mr. W. B. Hughes, M.P. :— When he heard of the dethronement of King Charles, he swore he would not shave himself until the restoration of the monarchy, which oath he kept sacred, and for which cause he was called "Buckley y Parf." Such a zealous royalist was not to be despised; a party of armed men therefore came to Bryn- ddu one day to arrest him, but the two servant girls, taking each a long axe in their hands, met them, in a menacing attitude, at the threshold, and so kept them at bay, until their master was safe through the back, and far on his way to his chosen hiding place—a capacious cavern in Cremlyn Bay, and it is said that he spent most of his time there until the Restoration. Moreover it is currently reported that his provisions were carried to our hero regularly by some females from Llanfechell, by whom he had many illegitimate children while hiding himself in the said cave, and the Buckleys of Mynydd Mechell to this day are said to be descendants of these illegitimate children. The writer of this, who signs himself "O.G.," is very pronounced on the "dreadful atrocities" committed in that age by "the fiends " i.e., the Parliamentaries, and he gives some marvellous '' stories." His idea of a " hero " is somewhat hazy, if a man who runs away whilst a couple of women beat away the enemy, is his notion of one; and who behaves so badly to them afterwards, to boot! N.W.S. REPLIES. EMINENT WELSHMEN (Oct. 23, 1878.)— Yoxi have already given the names of sundry "eminent" Welshmen ignored by Mr. Williams, and known to the world only by the obituaries of magazines and newspapers. I have just met with another, the author of " many poetical effusions, in his native tongue, which do equal honour to his genius and his moral worth." His name was Thomas Jones; distinguished as " Rhaiadyr;" and by profession an Exciseman, dying in Frome in 1817. Anon. THE BICKERTON FAMILY (Aug. 21, 1878).— At this date "J.?.R." gave, from an old family record, some reference to this old family. In Notes and Queries of Mar. 1, 1879, there is an account of " Counsellor Bickerton," an eccentric Oxonion, who died early in this century, and whose portrait is preserved in the Bodleian Library. The writer (Mr. Rigaud) says, " Counsellor Bickerton claimed to be of a good family, from the county of Cheshire or borders of Wales, and of this old family he compiled the history and traditions, and printed them in a volume." This book he called— Multum Desideratum, or a Few Hints concerning the Bickertons, who lived in Cheshire after they came into England with William the Conqueror, and respecting S. Bickerton, A.B., C.P., Queen's College, Oxford, of the same Family. Together with a Concise Address to Friends, &c, to inform Them how they may be Rich and Happy in the Time Present and Future with a Representation of the Three Broad Arrows, the Family Coat of Arms of the aforesaid Person. Second Edition. Reprinted by the Desire of and to Accommodate the Friends who live at a Distance. There is no copy of this work in the Bodleian, Mr. Rigaud says. If any reader of Bye-gones has access to a copy a few of the "Hints" would probably interest others, besides the descendants of the " Bickerton Family." Nemo. SHREWSBURY SHOW IN 1804 (Oct. 16, 1878.) This "time-honoured pageant" seems to have received but scant attention from the editors and reporters, when the Shrewsbury papers were young and vigorous. Here is all that is said in the Salopian Journal, of June, 6, 1804 :— The Annual Festival of Shrewsbury Show took place on Mon¬ day last, at Kingsland, where the usual variety of amusements, aided by the fineness of the weather, attracted a numerous and respectable company. It may be that Proud Salopians of that date were too much absorbed in military spectacles to care much for mere tom-foolery ; and only a week earlier the same paper recorded at some length a water-procession on the Severn by the Mayor and Corporation, from Mardol Quay to the parade ground of the Shropshire Volunteers, who were assembled, to the number of nearly 2,000, to have colours presented to them by the Mayor of the county town. SCKOBBES ByRIG. MAY 7, 1879. NOTES. SIR WILLIAM MAURICE OF CLENENNEY. From Mrs. Brynkir (wife of Robert Wynn Brynkir of Brynkir, Esq., sheriff for Carnarvonshire in 1595) to her brother, Sir Wm. Maurice of Clenenney. (From the original at Brogyntyn) :— " Right wor'full and louing brother I com'end me vnto you hoping that you are in health—adioyninge vnto that my dailie preiers for the p'servac'on of your worshippes health &c, you shall vnderstand that my Ladie and my Cozen Jane Griffith are in health, and all we in gen'all at home, longeinge for your returne homwards &c ; Loving© brother the reporte of your Countrie men friends and nebours is that you should be warie heedie to solister you'r buissnes well at London, for here, within the Countie of the Marches, your worshippe and your men are deeplie fined, & noe shewed you any favour their, as you shall p'ceve in a letter written vnto me by Gruffith