0:00:00 > 0:00:00- Subtitles
0:00:00 > 0:00:02- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:00:16 > 0:00:19- Over the past 250 years...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21- ..Wales has been transformed.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Iron, copper, slate and coal - were the raw materials...
0:00:26 > 0:00:30- ..that turned our country - into an industrial nation...
0:00:30 > 0:00:32- ..the first of its kind - in the world.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36- For it to evolve and grow...
0:00:36 > 0:00:40- ..it required - more than just natural resources.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45- Education, faith, language - and politics were crucial.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- These days, some people claim...
0:00:48 > 0:00:52- ..that Wales - is the first post-industrial nation.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56- Machines might have prompted - the Industrial Revolution...
0:00:57 > 0:01:00- ..but it was people - who were at the helm.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04- Born out of exceptionally hard - working conditions...
0:01:04 > 0:01:08- ..a new working class - created its own future...
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- ..and formed contemporary Wales.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15- This is their history, - our history...
0:01:16 > 0:01:19- ..and the history - of how a modern Wales was created.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35- To which country - are you most patriotic?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39- Britain? Wales?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42- Or both?
0:01:50 > 0:01:53- Over the past 70 years...
0:01:53 > 0:01:58- ..the Red Dragon and the Union Jack - have been competing for priority...
0:01:58 > 0:02:01- ..in the hearts and minds - of the Welsh nation.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04- Since WWII, the pace of life...
0:02:04 > 0:02:07- ..has increased at a rapid rate.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11- Our allegiance - to symbols of national identity...
0:02:12 > 0:02:14- ..has also changed at a fast rate.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19- The result of that provides an - exciting conclusion to the story...
0:02:19 > 0:02:21- ..of how - a modern Wales was created.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28- Throughout the series...
0:02:28 > 0:02:32- ..I've traced the history of my own - family over the past 250 years...
0:02:33 > 0:02:38- ..who were among tens of thousands - of Welsh-speaking compatriots...
0:02:38 > 0:02:40- ..who came from rural Ceredigion...
0:02:41 > 0:02:44- ..to the coalmining valleys - of South Glamorgan.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- In this final chapter...
0:02:48 > 0:02:52- ..I'll be exploring the Edwards - family's recent history...
0:02:52 > 0:02:57- ..as we move homes, change jobs...
0:02:57 > 0:03:00- ..and witness - the remarkable events...
0:03:00 > 0:03:04- ..that have changed the nation's - attitudes to the two flags...
0:03:05 > 0:03:08- ..and led to - the creation of a modern Wales.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- 26,000, so I think - that's a yes all round.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19- 1939.
0:03:19 > 0:03:25- The outlook is very bleak - as a new generation of young men...
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- ..leave for war.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31- Wives who lost their husbands - in the Great War...
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- ..now face the possibility - of losing their sons.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- Brothers and sisters are parted.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45- For the older generation...
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- ..it brings back memories - of the First World War...
0:03:48 > 0:03:52- ..in which - 40,000 Welshmen lost their lives.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58- There wasn't meant to be another war - after the First World War...
0:03:59 > 0:04:01- ..the Great War.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04- It was heralded - as the war to end all wars...
0:04:04 > 0:04:09- ..but within a generation, - the world was ablaze once again.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14- Great Britain and its allies were at - war with Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19- But there was - a fundamental difference this time.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- The methods of war had changed.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23- Technology had changed...
0:04:23 > 0:04:27- ..and weapons - were more powerful than ever before.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34- German aircraft bomb Wales...
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- ..targeting ports and industry.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41- For three fateful nights...
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- ..70 aircraft launch - an air raid attack on Swansea...
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- ..killing 230 civilians.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53- Huge flames - rip through the city centre.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- "This is the BBC Home Service. - Here is the news.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00- "Two German supply ships - have been bombed off Norway..."
0:05:00 > 0:05:03- The war brings about change, - and not only for the cities.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08- Thousands of England's children - seek refuge as evacuees.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- They have very little knowledge - of life in rural Wales.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15- Wales is new - and unfamiliar territory.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22- Some, but not all, who move to Welsh - -speaking areas learn the language.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- People are urged - to grow their own food...
0:05:29 > 0:05:32- ..and to avoid wastage - to help the war effort.
0:05:33 > 0:05:39- War makes it difficult to import - food, so a system of rationing...
0:05:39 > 0:05:44- ..is introduced - to ensure that everybody is fed.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- There is still - some fun to be had during wartime.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- American soldiers in Wales...
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- ..add a little Hollywood glamour - to local dances.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- War changes Wales.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01- People who would never have met...
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- ..are getting to know each other - and having new experiences.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18- When victory is declared...
0:06:18 > 0:06:22- ..it is cause for celebration - in every street in the country.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27- By 1945, my mother's family had - long since settled in Blaengarw...
0:06:27 > 0:06:31- ..a few miles north of Bridgend.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38- The people of the Garw Valley - waved their banners...
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- ..and there was little doubt - over which banner to wave.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44- The Union Jack.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- Mam-gu and her family...
0:06:51 > 0:06:56- ..along with her neighbours - in Bryn-Bedw Street, Blaengarw...
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- ..lived in - reasonably primitive conditions...
0:07:00 > 0:07:04- ..with a toilet in the backyard, - a tin bath in front of the fire...
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- ..and no central heating.
0:07:06 > 0:07:12- Wales was in dire need of an - improvement in living standards...
0:07:12 > 0:07:17- ..as the residents in these houses - and in every community can testify.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22- The problem is, - it is only British institutions...
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- ..that have the power - to alter the situation.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28- The Eisteddfod and the University...
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- ..are Wales's - only national organisations.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- Wales is still without - its own capital city.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- People's sights turn to Westminster - for the 1945 election.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45- Though it is - Conservative Winston Churchill...
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- ..who leads the country - during the war...
0:07:48 > 0:07:53- ..the electorate turn to Labour - to create a modern Britain.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58- The Labour Party - won the 1945 election...
0:07:58 > 0:08:02- ..based on its promises - to rebuild the country...
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- ..by building houses - and aiding the unemployed.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- Before long, the heavy industries - of coal and steel...
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- ..would go from being privatized - to nationalized...
0:08:14 > 0:08:17- ..which is in keeping - with traditional Welsh values...
0:08:18 > 0:08:20- ..of which unity is paramount.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24- Unity of the collieries, the co-op, - the chapel and the choirs.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29- This attributed - to a wider, ambitious agenda...
0:08:29 > 0:08:31- ..to ensure fairness.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34- A socialist agenda.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39- We have to be resolute about it...
0:08:39 > 0:08:41- ..and clear about it...
0:08:41 > 0:08:45- ..and so we can only safeguard - employment for British workers...
0:08:45 > 0:08:48- ..by socialist planning - in Great Britain and beyond.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54- Labour leaders have promised change - in every British province.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57- One of its most prominent figures - is Aneurin Bevan.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02- Bevan was born in Tredegar in 1897.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- He left school at 13 years of age.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14- As a young 20-year-old, - he developed a pioneering scheme...
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- ..to ensure - medical care for miners...
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- ..funded by the miners themselves.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30- Bevan becomes Health Minister - and insists on treating Britain...
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- ..the way he treated Tredegar.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40- It's hard to imagine now...
0:09:40 > 0:09:43- ..but the advent - of the National Health Service...
0:09:43 > 0:09:47- ..provided great comfort - to my mother's family...
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- ..and millions of others - with dangerous jobs.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- For the first time, the Edwardses - and their countrymen...
0:09:55 > 0:09:58- ..were assured - of medical treatment...
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- ..without having to worry - about the cost.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08- There were improvements in health - and safety underground too...
0:10:08 > 0:10:12- ..as the colliers - seized ownership of the mines...
0:10:12 > 0:10:16- ..in another of the socialist - government's popular measures.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24- It wasn't just the coal industry - that benefited from new investment.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31- By the end of the 1940s...
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- ..they were - draining the marshlands...
0:10:35 > 0:10:40- ..moving the dunes and raising the - level of the ground by 3 metres...
0:10:40 > 0:10:45- ..to make way for the most - modern steelworks in the world.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58- A stone's throw away in Baglan, - they are treating chemicals...
0:10:58 > 0:11:00- ..and oil in Llandarcy.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03- Swansea Bay is thriving...
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- ..with the latest - industrial technology.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13- The workforces - of the modern industries...
0:11:13 > 0:11:15- ..want modern homes too.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- The sprawling - Sandfields Estate is erected.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24- These new structures are much better - than the valleys' terraced houses.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28- Some of our Welsh homes...
0:11:28 > 0:11:31- ..copy the latest trends - from America...
0:11:31 > 0:11:36- ..and acquire all kinds of gadgets - to facilitate housework.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- "The woman - who proudly owns a new Hoover..."
0:11:39 > 0:11:44- We were producing many of the modern - electrical goods here in Merthyr.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- The Hoover factory was booming.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57- But the Hoover wasn't the only sound - to reach us from across the pond.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- # It was St David's Day
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- # When we docked in Tiger Bay #
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- Pop and rock'n'roll dock too.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11- Finally in 1955...
0:12:11 > 0:12:15- ..Cardiff is officially - recognized as Wales's capital city.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21- But its origins as a cosmopolitan - city go much further back than that.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- # Tiger Bay #
0:12:25 > 0:12:29- Tiger Bay was a melting pot - of cultures from all over the world.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33- The majority of immigrants were men.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36- They were seamen - who'd married women from Cardiff...
0:12:37 > 0:12:38- ..and neighbouring valleys.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45- Their children - shared a very special upbringing.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49- What are you? A queen or a princess?
0:12:49 > 0:12:53- Sunday school adopted - the black American Gospel feel.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04- There were Muslim marches that - were founded, believe it or not...
0:13:04 > 0:13:08- ..on the Catholic customs - of the Bay's Irish contingent.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11- But change - was on the horizon here too.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- The city's sage planners...
0:13:14 > 0:13:18- ..were intent on demolishing - the docks' terraced houses...
0:13:19 > 0:13:22- ..replacing them - with high-rise blocks of flats.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28- By the time I was born - at the start of the 1960s...
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- ..new homes - were being built everywhere.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37- New housing estates were located - closer to modern workplaces...
0:13:37 > 0:13:41- ..factories and offices - in cities and major towns.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46- People were beginning - to move out of the valleys.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50- Soon, my parents - were forced to do the same.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53- They started married life - in the Garw Valley...
0:13:53 > 0:13:55- ..my mother's native area...
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- ..but my father was appointed - as a lecturer in Swansea.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02- They had no option but to move.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05- The most important thing for them...
0:14:05 > 0:14:09- ..was to live in a close-knit, - Welsh-speaking community...
0:14:09 > 0:14:11- ..and ideally in a village.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- So, naturally, - Swansea wasn't an option!
0:14:14 > 0:14:19- They looked around Llanelli - and neighbouring villages...
0:14:19 > 0:14:23- ..before settling here - in the village of Llangennech...
0:14:23 > 0:14:25- ..a relatively large village...
0:14:25 > 0:14:31- ..but a village in which the Welsh - language was alive and buoyant.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- But that wasn't the case everywhere.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50- The Welsh language was under threat, - even in its traditional strongholds.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55- Some of Wales's more traditional - areas were facing major change.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03- Over the years, - my mother and father...
0:15:03 > 0:15:08- ..regularly visited this village - in the family's native area...
0:15:08 > 0:15:11- ..around Aberaeron - on the Ceredigion coast.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15- For centuries it has been - a Welsh-speaking community...
0:15:16 > 0:15:20- ..with its residents upholding the - traditions of the chapel and church.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26- The beauty of the region - has always attracted tourists.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- But now that people have more - free time and disposable income...
0:15:30 > 0:15:35- ..they begin to settle here from all - parts of Wales and from England...
0:15:35 > 0:15:39- ..which puts a strain - on the old traditional way of life.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43- Another modern invention...
0:15:43 > 0:15:46- ..leads to - the Anglicization of rural areas.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50- TV can be awkward.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52- It's the mountain, see.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55- But extra transmitters - are coming along.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59- It took time for television - to reach all parts of Wales.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06- But over time, it reaches the heart - of the remotest areas of Wales.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- It's a popular medium...
0:16:12 > 0:16:15- ..although some - are beginning to worry...
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- ..that the raft - of English programmes...
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- ..will adversely affect - Welsh-speaking households.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- Soon, there was - a far more direct threat...
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- ..to the longevity - of Welsh-speaking strongholds.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- In 1961, - despite a major public backlash...
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- ..Parliament discusses a bill...
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- ..to turn River Tryweryn - into a reservoir...
0:16:50 > 0:16:52- ..to supply water to Liverpool.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- It means sinking - the village of Capel Celyn.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01- Only one of - the 36 Welsh MPs refuses to vote.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- The other 35 MPs - vote against the motion.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07- But the bill is passed regardless.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12- It's a quiet setting these days...
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- ..but losing - a Welsh-speaking community...
0:17:16 > 0:17:20- ..has ramifications - for the Welsh language...
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- ..over forthcoming decades.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- 50 years later, the era's - most famous piece of graffiti...
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- ..still declares - its message to the nation.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- Remember Tryweryn.
0:17:46 > 0:17:46- .
0:17:47 > 0:17:47- Subtitles
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:17:52 > 0:17:56- The early 1960s - is a significant period...
0:17:56 > 0:17:59- ..in the struggle - to create a modern Wales.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- In a radio lecture - broadcast in 1962...
0:18:02 > 0:18:05- ..author and nationalist - Saunders Lewis...
0:18:05 > 0:18:09- ..claims the Welsh language will - die out by the end of the 20thC.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14- "It is only by revolutionary methods - that success can be achieved."
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- You don't have to be - a militant radical...
0:18:17 > 0:18:22- ..to realize that democracy in Wales - in the early 1960s was defective.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- The Tryweryn debacle proved...
0:18:25 > 0:18:28- ..that Westminster - could enforce change in Wales...
0:18:28 > 0:18:33- ..without permission and - without the backing of Welsh MPs.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- It's strange because - the pressure to implement change...
0:18:37 > 0:18:40- ..came from an undemocratic source.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- That unelected body...
0:18:43 > 0:18:48- ..was the Council for Wales and - Monmouthshire, to give it its title.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- Its representatives - urge the government in London...
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- ..to create a new department.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59- And this is it - the Welsh Office.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- The Labour Party - wins the 1964 general election.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08- Llanelli MP and - former collier James Griffiths...
0:19:08 > 0:19:12- ..returns to Cardiff and - its new offices in Cathays Park...
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- ..as the first - Secretary of State for Wales.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- But for the supporters - of Plaid Cymru...
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- ..a Welsh Office under - British governance is insufficient.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29- They continue campaigning - with the wind in their sails.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33- Gwynfor Richard Evans...
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- ..16,179.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41- Gwynfor Evans' victory in - the 1966 Carmarthen by-election...
0:19:41 > 0:19:46- ..suggests success for nationalists - by parliamentary methods...
0:19:46 > 0:19:49- ..rather than - solely revolutionary methods.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54- It's a shock to the political system - and a cause for celebration.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00- But three months later, - the Welsh nation is in mourning...
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- ..with the rest of the world - sharing in its grief.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- This is the memorial - to the Aberfan disaster.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16- "To those we love - and miss so very much."
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- On 21 October 1966...
0:20:24 > 0:20:28- ..a huge colliery spoil tip - collapses onto 20 homes...
0:20:28 > 0:20:30- ..and Pantglas Junior School.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- 28 adults...
0:20:36 > 0:20:38- ..and 116 children are killed.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45- During the ensuing tribunal...
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- ..Lord Robens - denies until the very end...
0:20:48 > 0:20:51- ..that the Coal Board is culpable...
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- ..forcing the bereaved families...
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- ..to endure - a long and unnecessary inquiry.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07- Robens blatantly refuses to pay - for the removal of the coal tips...
0:21:07 > 0:21:12- ..which still stand - above the village of Aberfan.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21- The Aberfan tragedy is the gravest - disaster of modern Wales.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26- It also highlights the disparity - between ordinary folk in Wales...
0:21:26 > 0:21:31- ..and the masters of industry, who - govern throughout the British Isles.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48- Wales and Britain, though they have - an ancient and close connection...
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- ..they are sometimes poles apart.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54- By the end of the 1960s...
0:21:54 > 0:21:59- ..tensions surface during - a ceremony at Caernarfon Castle.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- I, Charles, Prince of Wales...
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- ..do become - your liege man of life and limb.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08- Opinion polls show - the majority of the population...
0:22:08 > 0:22:12- ..welcome Charles' investiture - as the Prince of Wales.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20- The same polls show the majority - also want independence for Wales...
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- ..which is ambiguous, - to say the least.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27- # Gwlad, gwlad
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- # Pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad #
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Unlike the support - for our rugby teams.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41- A new decade saw the dawning - of a golden era of rugby in Wales.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43- As a schoolboy in Llanelli...
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- ..I attended a spectacle...
0:22:46 > 0:22:49- ..the likes of which - would never be seen again.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54- Demolish and rebuild.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59- That is the story of the Llanelli - rugby team over recent years.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- This is the site - of the former Stradey Park.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05- Rugby's headquarters - has since disappeared.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10- There's a feeling of emptiness here, - which is no surprise...
0:23:10 > 0:23:15- ..since this was the meeting place - for tens of thousands of people.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21- I have very vivid memories - of being here on 31 October 1972...
0:23:21 > 0:23:26- ..when Llanelli - beat the All Blacks 9-3.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- I had paid five pence - to get into the ground...
0:23:29 > 0:23:33- ..and had brought along chairs - from the nearby school.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- That's a very noteworthy example...
0:23:36 > 0:23:40- ..of an entire community - coming together...
0:23:40 > 0:23:43- ..to enjoy and to appreciate.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45- Bated breath.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- For the town's schoolboys...
0:23:48 > 0:23:52- ..Stradey Park was - the centre of the universe that day.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00- We had a lot to learn!
0:24:02 > 0:24:08- West Wales was a long way from the - centres of British power and wealth.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- The country's economy - was far from buoyant.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19- In 1975, the Labour government - must close Ebbw Vale's steelworks.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- RAUCOUS YELLING
0:24:23 > 0:24:25- I'm not going to stand here...
0:24:25 > 0:24:29- ..and say something that might be - popular in Ebbw Vale tomorrow.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34- With a sharp rise in oil prices...
0:24:34 > 0:24:39- ..British industry is unable - to compete in international markets.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42- Between 1976 and 1979...
0:24:42 > 0:24:44- ..60,000 jobs in Wales are lost.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52- The socialist hopes of the 1940s - and 1960s have been dashed.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57- In this period - of anarchy and tension...
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- ..the people of Wales take part...
0:25:00 > 0:25:05- ..in one of the 20th century's - most ferocious political campaigns.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09- The Labour government - proposes a devolution measure...
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- ..culminating - in a referendum on 1 March 1979.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19- Give a massive no - for the Welsh Assembly.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26- The people of Wales - wholeheartedly reject the measure...
0:25:26 > 0:25:30- ..with a resounding 4-1 majority.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34- There is still consternation - about the nature of that vote.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39- People like my parents - regarded it as shameful...
0:25:39 > 0:25:41- ..and a national embarrassment.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- We're really going... - if we want extra resources...
0:25:46 > 0:25:48- There's also another opinion...
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- ..which suggests that - the people of Wales were suffering.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57- They were suffering economically - and suffering from unemployment.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- They had one clear priority.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04- That priority was finding work.
0:26:07 > 0:26:07- .
0:26:11 > 0:26:11- Subtitles
0:26:11 > 0:26:13- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- St David's Day, 1979...
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- ..and the people of Wales - vote in a referendum.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24- The Labour government - offers an assembly in Cardiff.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28- With an - overwhelming majority of 4-1...
0:26:29 > 0:26:32- ..the Welsh nation says, - "No, thank you."
0:26:32 > 0:26:37- One must ask how - we got from that resounding no...
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- ..to the eventual yes?
0:26:40 > 0:26:44- When I worked in this place - as a political journalist...
0:26:45 > 0:26:49- ..this is where major - decisions about Wales were made.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52- This is Westminster Palace...
0:26:52 > 0:26:55- ..home to - the United Kingdom Parliament.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01- Above there is evidence confirming - Wales's place in the constitution.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04- But the nature of power has changed.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08- The responsibility for health, - education and transport...
0:27:08 > 0:27:13- ..has shifted from Westminster to - the National Assembly in Cardiff...
0:27:13 > 0:27:15- ..and to the Welsh Government.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17- It's an almighty change...
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- ..and the process of establishing - that change is quite remarkable.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30- Margaret Thatcher - is elected Prime Minister in 1979.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33- The new government - reneges on its promise...
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- ..to establish - a Welsh-language TV channel...
0:27:36 > 0:27:38- ..which prompts a protest.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- This might be the final campaign - for Gwynfor Evans...
0:27:42 > 0:27:46- ..since the Plaid Cymru leader - threatens to fast until death.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48- But he wins the day.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50- The government - has been humiliated...
0:27:50 > 0:27:54- ..and defeated by - a comparatively small people.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58- It's a great victory - for the Welsh language.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02- S4C begins broadcasting.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04- This was television...
0:28:04 > 0:28:08- ..something that was once regarded - as a threat to the language...
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- ..is now finding - a place in the sun.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16- It's beautiful in summer - along the coast...
0:28:16 > 0:28:20- ..especially if you've - plenty of money in your pockets.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- For those with good jobs...
0:28:23 > 0:28:26- ..living standards - improve once again in the 1980s.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33- The Thatcher government favours - the individual over the community.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- Some of its policies are popular...
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- ..such as the right - to buy your own council house.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45- But owning a holiday home - is another matter.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50- 200 properties are attacked...
0:28:50 > 0:28:53- ..in the Welsh-speaking strongholds.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56- Though many are arrested...
0:28:57 > 0:29:01- ..there's still no certainty about - the identity of Meibion Glyndwr.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08- Quiet support for the cause - in many Welsh-speaking areas...
0:29:08 > 0:29:12- ..suggests that people doubt - whether the Tory government...
0:29:12 > 0:29:15- ..is doing enough for the language.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19- Jobs were under threat too.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26- The government demolishes - Shotton Steelworks...
0:29:26 > 0:29:28- ..leading to 6,500 job losses.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35- The changing industrial landscape - of Wales was obvious to all...
0:29:35 > 0:29:37- ..including the young.
0:29:39 > 0:29:44- It's hard to believe how much this - area has changed since the 1970s...
0:29:44 > 0:29:47- ..when I was - a schoolboy in Llanelli.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49- I had a view of this area...
0:29:49 > 0:29:53- ..from the classroom - of the school in the distance.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55- A huge investment had been made.
0:29:55 > 0:30:01- A brand new steelworks - was opened in this very spot...
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- ..creating - thousands of jobs in 1978.
0:30:05 > 0:30:10- Within three years, the site - had closed and the jobs had gone.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13- It was a huge blow - for the people of Llanelli.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16- People started to question...
0:30:16 > 0:30:19- ..whether it was wise - to trust Westminster.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23- The majority still - looked to London for answers...
0:30:23 > 0:30:27- ..but things - were beginning to change.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36- This change of heart - might well have occurred...
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- ..as a result of - the 1984-85 miners' strike.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42- It was a dispute - between the miners' unions...
0:30:43 > 0:30:46- ..and the Conservative government.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50- Thatcher supported - British Coal's move...
0:30:50 > 0:30:52- ..to close unprofitable coal mines.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57- For many women, this was - an attack on their livelihoods...
0:30:57 > 0:31:01- ..their children's future - and their communities as a whole.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04- Whatever their opinions - about the strike...
0:31:05 > 0:31:07- ..many Welsh people believe...
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- ..that the best way - of protecting Welsh communities...
0:31:11 > 0:31:15- ..is by making decisions - about Wales in Wales.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22- After over a year on strike, - the miners returned to work.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28- Maerdy miners marched back to work - to the sound of a brass band.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33- Their heads were held high - though they had lost the battle.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- There was more bad news in store.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39- Five years later - Maerdy colliery was closed.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43- This is the final load of coal - to leave the Rhondda.
0:31:43 > 0:31:48- British Coal decided to close - every one of the mines in Wales.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52- The Welsh coalmining - industry vanished.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55- But it's worth - highlighting one point.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- The strike brought about - fundamental change...
0:31:59 > 0:32:02- ..for men and women.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06- A change in attitude - and perspective.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08- There's a strong belief...
0:32:09 > 0:32:13- ..that the way of governing Wales - in the 21st century...
0:32:13 > 0:32:16- ..is one of the results - of the Great Strike.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28- The political parties - that supported the miners...
0:32:28 > 0:32:31- ..had learnt how to work together...
0:32:31 > 0:32:34- ..despite disagreeing - on other matters.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39- Support for the coalfields - from the west and the north...
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- ..united communities across Wales...
0:32:42 > 0:32:46- ..from very different - historical backgrounds.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- That proves significant...
0:32:50 > 0:32:55- ..when another referendum - for devolution is held years later.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58- But even during - the Thatcher years...
0:32:59 > 0:33:02- ..there are some elements - of devolution at work...
0:33:02 > 0:33:06- ..despite the outcome - of the 1979 referendum.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- Wales's public persona - is in the process of changing.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13- The ancient institutions - are familiar to us all.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17- Aberystwyth University, - the National Eisteddfod...
0:33:17 > 0:33:19- ..and the National Museum.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- But what about - the less well-known bodies?
0:33:22 > 0:33:28- During the 1980s, one civil servant - created a list of national bodies.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31- There were 450 of them in total.
0:33:32 > 0:33:37- It was devolution by committee... - by quango, if you like.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39- Gradually and discreetly...
0:33:39 > 0:33:44- ..under the centralized - Thatcher government...
0:33:44 > 0:33:47- ..Wales is being governed - in a different way.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55- John Major, - the next Conservative leader...
0:33:55 > 0:33:59- ..introduces a new language bill.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03- It safeguards the Welsh language, - especially in schools.
0:34:03 > 0:34:08- Welsh-medium education is thriving - in the former coalfields.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12- Parents are identifying more - with Wales than Britain...
0:34:13 > 0:34:17- ..and the door - to devolution is opened once more.
0:34:22 > 0:34:22- .
0:34:25 > 0:34:25- Subtitles
0:34:25 > 0:34:27- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:34:33 > 0:34:36- Soon after the miners' strike - ended in 1985...
0:34:37 > 0:34:42- ..British Coal decided to close the - Garw Valley's remaining coalmine.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- ..by burning the NCB flag - right in front of them.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49- This is all - the contempt that they should have.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53- As a young reporter, - I witnessed this historic day...
0:34:53 > 0:34:56- ..in the village - where my mother was raised.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58- The miners' anger was evident.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03- When the nearby Ffaldau colliery was - closed, the Coal Board promised...
0:35:03 > 0:35:06- ..that the Garw colliery - had a prosperous future.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10- The aim of the miners, - their family and friends...
0:35:10 > 0:35:15- ..was to vent their anger - at the NCB's dishonesty.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18- I feel awful.
0:35:18 > 0:35:19- How do the men feel?
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- How do the men feel?- - They feel exactly the same as me.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23- There's no work around.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- As a 49-year-old man, - there's no work, just dole.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- Where are we going to find work?
0:35:29 > 0:35:31- Where are we going to find work?- - What do you think of the NCB?
0:35:32 > 0:35:33- They're very bad men.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37- It's the end of an era - in the Garw Valley's history...
0:35:37 > 0:35:41- ..as one of South Wales's - most prosperous coal mines closes.
0:35:41 > 0:35:47- As they march through the valley, - Blaengarw is silent and bleak.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51- It was a very bleak day.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55- The site of the former coalmine...
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- ..is now very peaceful - and very different.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02- There's no visible trace - of the hostility and anger...
0:36:02 > 0:36:06- ..that was so typical of that time - when the strike ended.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19- But the anger, encapsulated in - the burning of a banner, cut deep.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24- The following year, when a BBC - film crew returned to the valley...
0:36:24 > 0:36:28- ..there was nothing - for the young people to do here...
0:36:28 > 0:36:32- ..except film the demolition - of the colliery's buildings...
0:36:32 > 0:36:37- ..and wait for their next payment - of unemployment benefit.
0:36:39 > 0:36:44- One of the residents interviewed at - the time was Mrs Muriel Protheroe...
0:36:45 > 0:36:47- ..my grandmother.
0:36:47 > 0:36:52- She welcomed the efforts to rid the - area of coal tips opposite her home.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56- I'm pleased about that.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00- They've been here for as long - as I've lived in this valley.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02- It would be worth their while...
0:37:02 > 0:37:07- ..if they did more - for the area's young people.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13- Concern over job shortages - lasted an entire decade.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20- There was a feeling - that the government in London...
0:37:20 > 0:37:24- ..was slavishly following - its economic policy...
0:37:24 > 0:37:29- ..and showing no concern for - the future of young people locally.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32- When Labour - came back into power in 1997...
0:37:33 > 0:37:35- ..with a referendum on devolution...
0:37:35 > 0:37:39- ..it was an important factor - in the minds of many.
0:37:42 > 0:37:47- It's obvious that people's opinions - changed significantly...
0:37:47 > 0:37:51- ..between the 1979 referendum - and the 1997 referendum.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55- The biggest shift - in opinion happened...
0:37:55 > 0:37:59- ..in the South Wales valleys, - in areas like Blaengarw...
0:37:59 > 0:38:02- ..where my mother - and grandmother were raised.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06- There were enough - Labour supporters...
0:38:06 > 0:38:08- ..who convinced themselves...
0:38:08 > 0:38:11- ..that devolution - was a means of protecting Wales...
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- ..from Conservative policies.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- But when the vote came in 1997...
0:38:16 > 0:38:21- ..nobody predicted that the outcome - would be so closely contested.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30- The Welsh are being offered a - modest measure of self-government...
0:38:31 > 0:38:33- ..but will they take it?
0:38:33 > 0:38:35- There was tension in the studio.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38- So I think that's a yes all round.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42- Well, look at that.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47- It was relief and joy in the end - for the yes campaigners.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49- Good morning.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53- And it is - a very good morning in Wales.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58- Welsh Secretary Ron Davies - was determined...
0:38:59 > 0:39:03- ..to flout any suggestion that - the small majority was insufficient.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- We got the majority.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09- But the narrow outcome...
0:39:09 > 0:39:12- ..proves a disadvantage - for the new assembly.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- Every simple question - is scrutinized...
0:39:18 > 0:39:23- ..showing the fragility of - the new establishment's credibility.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25- Who should lead the Senedd?
0:39:25 > 0:39:29- Did it require a new building? - If so, did it have to be in Cardiff?
0:39:30 > 0:39:34- The Assembly finds it difficult - to make an impact across Wales.
0:39:35 > 0:39:36- During its first decade...
0:39:37 > 0:39:41- ..politicians have - no better luck with the economy...
0:39:41 > 0:39:46- ..than the British government - which has existed for centuries.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50- Large swathes of Wales - still receive European funding...
0:39:51 > 0:39:52- ..for the most deprived areas.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- Wales's education results - are inconsistent...
0:39:56 > 0:40:00- ..and there are serious - health and social problems.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03- But there are also - a few successes...
0:40:04 > 0:40:07- ..such as the effective - cooperation of farmers...
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- ..during the foot and mouth - epidemic in 2001.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15- The principle gains valuable ground.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19- Welsh affairs - should be dealt with in Wales.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- This series - has traced my family's history...
0:40:36 > 0:40:38- ..over the past 250 years.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43- I began my journey at the grave of - Nathaniel Edwards, born in 1759...
0:40:43 > 0:40:47- ..during a time - before ground-breaking changes...
0:40:47 > 0:40:52- ..impacted on rural life, which led - to the creation of a modern Wales.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55- How long has the house been here?
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- A descendent of his and a - relation of mine, Dafydd Edwards...
0:41:00 > 0:41:03- ..still farms - the same land near Aberaeron.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07- None of the farms nearby - belong to their original owners.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10- I only have one Welsh neighbour.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15- All the young people - have moved to cities...
0:41:15 > 0:41:17- ..such as Cardiff and London.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21- There's no work locally - in the countryside.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24- It's that which is killing us, - more than anything.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26- Moving in search of work...
0:41:27 > 0:41:29- ..is a familiar pattern - in my family's history.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34- That's why my mother's parents moved - to the coalfield a century ago.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36- But here in the Garw Valley...
0:41:36 > 0:41:40- ..the history of the Welsh language - is very different.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44- This building - is a former grammar school...
0:41:44 > 0:41:48- ..where my mother was a pupil and - later where my father was a teacher.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51- When Dad was a Welsh teacher here...
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- ..only a handful - spoke Welsh fluently.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58- Today it's the Garw Valley's - Welsh-medium primary school.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01- Hundreds of children - speak Welsh here.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04- For the first time in decades...
0:42:04 > 0:42:07- ..speaking Welsh - in the valley comes naturally.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13- But will the schoolchildren find - work in the valley in years to come?
0:42:13 > 0:42:15- That's another story.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26- Nobody these days - lives in close-knit communities...
0:42:26 > 0:42:29- ..where everyone - works in the same field.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- Commuting to work...
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- ..is the daily norm - for the majority of people...
0:42:35 > 0:42:37- ..both male and female.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42- Wales is changing - faster than ever before.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45- But in an age - of international commerce...
0:42:45 > 0:42:48- ..and global communication...
0:42:48 > 0:42:51- ..our identity as a nation - is getting stronger.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56- Perhaps it is more prevalent among - non-Welsh-speaking Welsh people.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00- They have always - flown the Welsh flag...
0:43:00 > 0:43:03- ..when supporting the national team.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07- But these days, they're far more - aware of their contribution...
0:43:08 > 0:43:10- ..beyond the sporting arena...
0:43:10 > 0:43:14- ..and the part they play - in the creation of a modern Wales.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19- As every country in the UK discusses - the nature of that union...
0:43:19 > 0:43:25- ..Welsh identity now accommodates - a diversity of the modern Welsh.
0:43:27 > 0:43:32- You don't have to live in Tiger Bay - to co-exist with different races.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38- Cardiff's docklands - have been transformed.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41- Their history and people - are scattered...
0:43:42 > 0:43:44- ..like many of Wales's communities.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46- But miraculously...
0:43:47 > 0:43:52- ..in a world that's modernizing - and globalizing faster than ever...
0:43:52 > 0:43:54- ..a new Wales - has emerged in the Bay.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00- One of the most - astounding changes...
0:44:00 > 0:44:02- ..is political change.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06- There is now an element of power - here in Cardiff Bay.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09- The power to change present day...
0:44:09 > 0:44:12- ..and the power - to change the future of Wales.
0:44:13 > 0:44:17- Unlike the situation - when I first started reporting...
0:44:17 > 0:44:21- ..any young reporter specializing - in parliamentary affairs...
0:44:22 > 0:44:24- ..can remain in Wales - to hone his skills.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30- The 2011 referendum, - which attracted few voters...
0:44:30 > 0:44:35- ..supported the Assembly's - legislative powers.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37- Wales has said yes.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43- Today, an old nation came of age. - Thank you.
0:44:45 > 0:44:49- Devolution is a process, - not an event, as the saying goes.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52- History provides - a very useful lesson for us.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54- Every generation...
0:44:54 > 0:44:59- ..builds upon the foundations - laid by the former generation.
0:44:59 > 0:45:04- If that doesn't happen, - then things begin to deteriorate.
0:45:09 > 0:45:14- Throughout our history, and - especially during the modern age...
0:45:14 > 0:45:17- ..there were times - when Wales was at the cutting edge.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21- In the battle for civil rights...
0:45:22 > 0:45:26- ..and in the race to develop - new industrial technology...
0:45:26 > 0:45:30- ..prominent Welshmen - have led the way.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35- Having fought - for democracy and justice...
0:45:35 > 0:45:38- ..free education and healthcare...
0:45:38 > 0:45:41- ..welfare of the elderly, - unemployed and poor...
0:45:41 > 0:45:45- ..a modern Wales - has been created for all.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50- But there's a price to pay - for ingenuity and leadership.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54- In the modern Wales of today, - change is afoot everywhere.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58- Here in Llanelli, - Stradey Park has been demolished...
0:45:58 > 0:46:01- ..to make way for Parc Y Scarlets...
0:46:01 > 0:46:06- ..where Ray Gravell keeps - a watchful eye on the place.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09- Change is certainly not - an easy thing.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12- There were plenty - of people in Llanelli...
0:46:13 > 0:46:16- ..who were opposed - to moving the home of rugby.
0:46:16 > 0:46:21- But new circumstances bring about - new conditions and new demands.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24- If you're going to - adapt positively to them...
0:46:24 > 0:46:26- ..then you have to change.
0:46:29 > 0:46:34- The Edwardses of Cardiganshire - had learnt that lesson.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37- As they escaped to Ohio - or moved to the coalfields...
0:46:37 > 0:46:40- ..this family, - like thousands of others...
0:46:40 > 0:46:45- ..capitalized on the opportunity and - faced the future with confidence.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48- History is important to us.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51- Tradition is important to us.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54- Understanding - our ancestors' journey...
0:46:54 > 0:46:59- ..helps us appreciate the nature - and character of contemporary Wales.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03- Wales has always been - prepared to adapt...
0:47:04 > 0:47:06- ..and influence the world.
0:47:06 > 0:47:11- Modern Wales is - essentially a confident nation.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13- I believe old Nathaniel Edwards...
0:47:14 > 0:47:17- ..would certainly - have approved of that.
0:47:45 > 0:47:47- S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.
0:47:47 > 0:47:48- .