Hedd Ladd-Lewis Perthyn.


Hedd Ladd-Lewis

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-Tracing the family tree

-is an obsession for Welsh people.

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-We like to ask where do you come

-from and to whom are you related.

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-At the National Library

-in Aberystwyth...

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-..the Perthyn team is

-investigating some of your stories.

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-There are many colourful characters

-amongst us! Welcome to Perthyn.

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-The National Library

-is a mine of information...

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-..about every aspect of our history.

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-Over the past few months...

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-..we've received and researched

-stories from all parts of Wales.

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-The Perthyn team has been

-delving through each one.

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-Family scandals and countless

-mysteries have been unearthed.

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-One story which attracted our

-attention takes us to Pembrokeshire.

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-This is Hedd Ladd-Lewis.

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-I've arranged to meet him

-at his home in Boncath.

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-Hedd is trying to fill in

-the blanks on his family tree.

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-You have a keen interest in history,

-especially local history.

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-Most definitely,

-I'm interested in local history...

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-..and my own family's history.

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-Do you collect

-your family's stories?

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-I've collected the family's stories

-for many years...

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-..and I've catalogued them all

-before they've been lost forever.

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-The family have information

-and stories which are priceless.

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-If they're not recorded,

-they'll be lost forever...

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-..and that would be a huge loss.

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-This area plays a large part

-in your life.

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-You've also lived away from here.

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-Yes, I lived in London

-before returning to Wales.

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-It's nice being back in my

-home patch to raise my own family.

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-It's nice seeing them enjoying

-the life I enjoyed as a child here.

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-Looking at your family tree...

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-..war has played a large part in it.

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-A very large part.

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-Without a doubt,

-both sides have a military history.

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-On the one side, we have John Lewis,

-this character here.

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-He was my great-great-grandfather

-on my father's side.

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-The only thing I know about him

-is his name - John Lewis.

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-There's a family story about him

-fighting in the Crimean War.

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-I haven't been able to prove that.

-He was also born in London.

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-On my mother's side,

-we have John Emrys Ladd...

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-..my great-grandfather.

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-He joined the Army in 1917.

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-We have some information

-about that time.

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-My grandfather recorded

-some of his father's information.

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-My grandfather spent a lot of time

-with his grandfather...

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-..Charles Ladd -

-this gentleman here.

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-Here are Charles and Hannah Ladd.

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-We know that Charles and Hannah Ladd

-emigrated to Patagonia.

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-Did they?

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-That's very interesting.

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-They were out there for a period

-of time. We don't know how long.

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-We also know

-that they returned to Wales.

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-He was quite a character.

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-He has a mischievous face!

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-There's a half-smile in those eyes.

-There's a resemblance!

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-He was quite a character.

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-What would you like to find out?

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-Are there questions

-you'd like to ask on this journey?

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-There are many questions. I want

-to know more about John Lewis.

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-All I have is his name.

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-It's said that he fought in the

-Crimean War. I'd like proof of that.

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-I'd also like to find out

-if he was from London.

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-On John Emrys-Ladd's side...

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-..I'd like to learn about

-his time on the front line...

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-..on the Western Front.

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-How did he get there?

-What happened to him?

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-And I want to know why Charles

-and Hannah returned to Wales.

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-That's a big question.

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-Why?

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-What were their reasons?

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-Hedd is searching

-for two soldiers in his family.

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-One of them is John Emrys Ladd,

-his maternal great-grandfather.

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-He wants to start with his paternal

-great-great-grandfather, John Lewis.

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-He has very little information...

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-..apart from a family story

-and an old photograph.

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-Perthyn's Will Troughton

-is a photographic expert.

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-Hedd is off to meet him

-in the National Library.

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-Does Will have any answers

-to his questions?

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-By looking at the photograph...

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-..the first thing I notice

-is the format.

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-It's called a carte de visite.

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-These were popular from the 1860s

-until the end of that century.

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-We can see the name of the

-photographer - J Harrison Goldie...

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-..something street, Swansea.

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-J Harrison Goldie worked in Swansea

-from 1884 through to the 1890s.

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-Mr Lewis looks like

-a retired soldier.

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-His uniform looks as if it comes

-from the Crimean War.

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-That's very interesting.

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-It would be good to find out whether

-he had fought in the Crimean War.

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-That would be great.

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-Will thinks that the medals on John

-Lewis's chest are an indication...

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-..that he fought in the Crimean War,

-possibly in the bigger battles...

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-..Alma, Sevastopol and Inkerman.

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-Between 1853 and 1856...

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-..British, French,

-Turkish and Sardinian forces...

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-..fought against Russia

-in the Crimea, modern-day Turkey.

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-The Crimean War, a battle for power

-in the Middle East...

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-..is renowned for the massacre...

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-..during the

-Charge of the Light Brigade.

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-Despite winning the war...

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-..2,500 British soldiers

-were killed in the Crimea.

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-As a result of the soldiers'

-harsh living conditions...

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-..another 16,000 died from diseases

-such as dysentery and cholera.

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-The Crimean War

-transformed the relationship...

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-..between Europe's superpowers.

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-Can Will shed any light on John

-Lewis's possible role in the war?

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-We've found John Lewis's

-marriage certificate.

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-He married Elizabeth Morgans.

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-Soldier Scots Fusilier Guards.

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-The Scots Fusilier Guards

-were part of the first regiment...

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-..which supported

-the Light Division.

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-They fought in the Crimean War,

-and the date is important - 1852.

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-It's the year

-before the Crimean War began.

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-So, did he get married and then

-went to fight in the Crimean War?

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-That's a strong possibility.

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-Excellent. Well, well, well.

-Where did they live at the time?

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-In Westminster, London.

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-But he had been born...

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-But he had been born...

-

-..in Haverfordwest.

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-The full circle

-brings him back to Pembrokeshire.

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-Yes.

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-So he was originally

-from Pembrokeshire.

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-Well, well, well.

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-That's interesting, too.

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-I've always thought that his side

-of the family all came from London.

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-Oh, right.

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-I thought I had English blood, but

-it was traced back to Pembrokeshire.

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-We can confirm

-that John Lewis's name...

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-..is on the list of soldiers

-who fought in Crimea...

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-..and that he came

-from Pembrokeshire.

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-Hedd's maternal family

-also came from Pembrokeshire.

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-Many family members are buried

-in Blaenwaun cemetery, St Dogmaels.

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-He knows that his

-great-great-grandparents...

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-..Charles and Hannah Ladd,

-emigrated to Patagonia in 1881.

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-Perthyn has discovered...

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-..that the family was back

-in Pembrokeshire by 1891.

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-Hedd wants to know why they went

-to Patagonia in the first place...

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-..and why they returned.

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-He's come to see historian

-Dr Bill Jones...

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-..an expert on emigration.

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-Can he offer any answers?

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-When people emigrate, they don't

-emigrate for just one reason.

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-There are different factors.

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-In this case...

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-..it might have been

-Charles and Hannah's cultural dream.

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-It could also have been

-their material dream.

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-That's very interesting.

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-My mother told me that

-my great-great-grandfather...

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-..was a very cultural man.

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-He was interested

-in the Welsh language...

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-..and in Wales's culture.

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-Your family's passion

-for the Welsh language...

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-..must have played a part

-in their desire to visit Patagonia.

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-During the early years...

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-..a Welsh proto-government

-was established in Patagonia.

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-There was a Welsh-medium

-educational system.

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-Local government

-was administered in Welsh.

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-Settling in Patagonia...

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-..was the dream of minister

-and nationalist Michael D Jones.

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-It was an opportunity to establish

-a new independent Wales.

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-In July 1865,

-after two months of sailing...

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-..the Mimosa docked at Port Madryn.

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-Over 150 people were on board...

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-..the first Welsh settlers.

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-220 acres of land had been earmarked

-for the people who arrived.

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-With the promise of fertile land

-and a Welsh-language community...

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-..it was hoped that more people

-from Wales would settle there.

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-It was no Utopia.

-Life was difficult for them.

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-It begs the question

-why did they return to Wales?

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-Well...!

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-Charles and Hannah may have been

-disappointed with their experience.

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-Their dream might not have

-fulfilled their expectations.

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-There was a lot of friction

-between the Argentine government...

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-..and the settlers.

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-They were under pressure

-to teach Spanish in their schools.

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-They might have found

-living conditions too harsh.

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-Charles and Hannah went out in 1881.

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-There was a poor harvest in 1882.

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-They relied on the river.

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-If river levels

-weren't sufficiently high...

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-..or there was insufficient rain,

-they faced a period of famine.

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-Hannah was from a cultural area

-in Trewyddel...

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-..where there were chapels,

-societies and eisteddfodau.

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-Suddenly, she was alone on the

-Patagonian plains with her children.

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-She would have had

-no social connections.

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-It wouldn't have surprised me

-at all...

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-..that they returned

-because they longed for Wales.

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-Especially so if that longing...

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-..was reinforced by loneliness,

-living in a remote place...

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-..with very little communication

-between people apart from Sundays.

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-It might have given them

-a different view of Wales.

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-When people move away...

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-..they see the place

-they leave behind differently...

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-..to the way they see it

-when they live there.

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-People idealized Wales at the time.

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-There's a great excerpt

-in Nel Fach Y Bwcs.

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-She had left Wales as a young girl.

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-She notes that life in Wales

-was wonderful...

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-..and everyone spoke Welsh there.

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-By 1891, Charles and Hannah Ladd

-had left Patagonia...

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-..and were back on the farm

-in Trewyddel, Pembrokeshire.

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-It must have been difficult

-to set up home in Wales again.

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-At least they knew the local people.

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-They returned to their birthplace.

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-The 1911 Census notes that Charles

-and Hannah Ladd had seven children.

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-Four were born in Patagonia and

-three were born after they returned.

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-It also notes that only five

-were still alive in 1911.

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-This is the first time

-this detail appeared on a census.

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-What happened to the other two?

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-Perthyn has discovered

-their death certificates.

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-Now, then.

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-Lizzie Ladd had scarlet fever.

-That's what killed her.

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-Scarlet fever.

-She was six years old.

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-Here's the second certificate.

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-Garfield Ladd.

-He was also six when he died.

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-Dear me.

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-TB. Pulmonary tuberculosis.

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-This family suffered

-more than one heartbreak.

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-You can imagine how

-Charles and Hannah felt in 1917...

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-..when their other son,

-John Emrys, my great-grandfather...

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-..was sent away to fight in the war.

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-I'd like to know more

-about John Emrys Ladd...

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-..and what happened to him.

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-.

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-Hedd Ladd-Lewis has discovered...

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-..that John Lewis,

-his great-great-grandfather...

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-..fought in the Crimean War.

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-There's also another soldier

-in the family - John Emrys Ladd...

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-..the son of the Ladd family

-that emigrated to Patagonia.

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-John Emrys is Hedd's

-maternal great-grandfather.

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-Hedd knows that John Emrys

-fought in the First World War.

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-He's come to the South Wales

-Borderers Museum in Brecon...

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-..to meet historian

-Dr Gethin Mathews.

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-He's found John Emrys Ladd's

-military records.

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-This is his enrolment form.

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-It says that he enrolled

-in Brecon in September 1916.

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-Strangely enough, it notes that

-his desire was to join the RFC...

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-..the Royal Flying Corps.

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-But they had short lives.

-So, thankfully, he didn't join them.

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-This says that his health was A2.

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-That might explain

-why he didn't join the RFC.

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-He would have had to be A1.

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-Was he conscripted to join the Army?

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-Or did he join voluntarily?

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-During the first months

-of the war...

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-..many men volunteered

-to join the Army.

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-By the middle of 1915, it became

-apparent that more men were needed.

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-They introduced the Derby Scheme.

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-With conscription imminent...

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-..they encouraged men to voluntarily

-register for military service.

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-The Derby Scheme categorized men

-according to their age...

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-..and marital status.

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-John Emrys joined thinking

-he would be one of the last...

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-..called into action

-since he had a young family.

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-By September 1916,

-military conscription was in force.

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-He had no choice

-but to fight for his country.

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-The most interesting document

-we have of his military career...

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-..is his disciplinary record.

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-It shows that he was punished twice

-for missing a parade.

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-The first time,

-he received a slapped wrist.

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-The second time, he was confined

-to barracks for 10 days.

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-He might have just missed a train.

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-He could have gone home to

-visit his family and returned late.

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-That's interesting because it ties

-in with my grandfather's memories.

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-He tells of his unwillingness

-to return to the battlefield...

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-..on a cassette tape

-which I still have in my possession.

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-In 1917, when he returned to action

-for the final time...

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-..he didn't want to go back.

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-He was escorted to the train station

-to catch the train.

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-By then, he was probably aware

-of the atrocity of the trenches.

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-He perhaps knew what his destiny

-held in store for him.

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-On 19 April, 1917,

-a fortnight after reaching France...

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-..John Emrys was transferred

-from the South Wales Borderers...

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-..to the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

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-They had suffered terrible losses in

-the Somme and Mametz Wood battles.

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-They needed new recruits.

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-The 10th Battalion

-of the Royal Welch Fusiliers...

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-..were fighting in Arras

-in June 1917.

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-The Battle of Arras

-had taken place earlier in the year.

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-They wanted to strengthen

-the front line...

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-..and retain their territory.

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-They attacked the German trenches

-on 14 June, 1917.

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-It was a successful attack...

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-..but many British soldiers

-were killed or wounded.

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-I can see the name

-of my great-grandfather here.

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-John Emrys Ladd.

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-It says he was wounded.

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-He was wounded in battle.

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-He was one of the fortunate ones,

-plucked from no-man's land.

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-Unfortunately, he died

-the following day, on June 15.

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-That's something I wasn't aware of.

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-So many soldiers were killed

-in one relatively small battle.

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-That in itself is very sad.

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-What makes it even more poignant,

-if you read this...

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-..is the birth date

-of John Emrys's daughter.

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-She was born six days

-before he was killed.

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-So, he never met

-his third child, Bertha.

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-It's terrible.

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-They all grew up

-without knowing their father.

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-That experience was felt by tens

-of thousands of Welsh children...

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-..during this time.

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-Over 250,000 Welshmen

-fought in the Great War.

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-Like John Emrys Ladd,

-35,000 were killed.

0:21:010:21:04

-These are his belongings...

0:21:070:21:09

-..passed on to his widow

-after he was killed.

0:21:090:21:12

-"1 Cotton Bag...

0:21:160:21:18

-"..1 Pipe...

0:21:180:21:20

-"..1 Watch (Broken), 1 Purse...

0:21:210:21:23

-"..1 Cigarette Case,

-1 Lock of Hair...

0:21:230:21:27

-"..1 Identity Disc, Letters...

0:21:280:21:31

-"..1 Notecase, 1 Testament."

0:21:310:21:35

-Dear me.

0:21:350:21:37

-When I was old enough

-to realize things...

0:21:440:21:47

-..Benjamin James

-told me a story about my father.

0:21:480:21:52

-Charlie, my boy...

0:21:520:21:54

-..what a morning

-that morning turned out to be...

0:21:550:21:58

-..when your father went back

-for the last time.

0:21:580:22:02

-In he went, through the passage,

-up the stairs to the bedroom.

0:22:040:22:08

-He grabbed Freda and kissed her.

0:22:100:22:13

-Then, he grabbed you.

0:22:130:22:15

-He pulled you close to his chest

-and kissed you.

0:22:170:22:21

-That kiss will stay on your lip

-forever more.

0:22:220:22:27

-It's been

-such an interesting journey.

0:22:400:22:43

-John Emrys Ladd's roots

-are in this area.

0:22:430:22:46

-As part of this journey...

0:22:460:22:50

-..I've discovered that John Lewis's

-roots are also in Pembrokeshire...

0:22:500:22:55

-..in Haverfordwest.

0:22:560:22:57

-We've created a full circle here.

0:22:570:23:00

-It's strengthened my links...

0:23:000:23:03

-..and my family's links

-to this special part of Wales.

0:23:030:23:07

-There's the idea of belonging,

-belonging to one particular area.

0:23:110:23:16

-I hope I can pass that

-on to my children.

0:23:160:23:20

-I want them to have a sense

-of belonging.

0:23:200:23:23

-If my children can look out

-over their square mile...

0:23:250:23:29

-..and appreciate it

-as much as I appreciate it...

0:23:290:23:33

-..I'll be a very contented man.

0:23:330:23:36

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

0:23:560:23:59

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0:23:590:24:00

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