Stori Margaret Williams Portreadau

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-# Search the whole of Wales

-# For the place

-where the cuckoo sings her song.

-# If you receive

-a heartfelt welcome

-# Don't worry - that's Anglesey.

-# Fly northwards

-towards Brynsiencyn,

-# Don't hesitate by the tower.

-# When you see Lake Traffwll

-# Make your nest

-in Glandwr garden. #

-I'm still known as Margaret Bryn

-in Anglesey and Caernarfonshire.

-Margaret Brynsiencyn, of course.

-I've been fortunate

-to sing all over the world.

-I was born in my Grandmother's

-house, 'Arwel', in Brynsiencyn.

-The villagers all know me

-as Margaret Arwel.

-Margaret Bryn was my stage name.

-Our home was in the middle

-of the village - 2, Terfyn Terrace.

-It was lovely there.

-The view from the upstairs window

-was magnificent.

-We could see across Menai Straits,

-the mountains, Caernarfon castle.

-# That's where

-the world is blue and green,

-# There's dazzling white snow

-on the mountain tops.

-# That's where

-the stream and sea meet,

-# Where an eagle flies

-over the hill. #

-I was more or less an only child.

-My two brothers were

-much older than me.

-My eldest brother

-lived with Nain in Arwel.

-My other brother and I

-lived in Terfyn Terrace.

-Nain, my father's mother,

-came from Bodfari, Denbighshire.

-She came from a family

-of church-goers in Denbighshire.

-My father was a churchman.

-One brother attended

-church with my father.

-My eldest brother and I

-went to chapel with Mam.

-I'd occasionally go to church

-with my father and elder brother.

-I preferred the church service

-when I was a child...

-..because of being involved

-in the act of worship.

-You didn't just sit there,

-listening to a lengthy sermon.

-# Morning has broken,

-like the first morning,

-# The blackbird sings

-a song from the hedge.

-# Thanks for the morning,

-# Thanks for the music,

-# Thanks for being a part

-of such a wonderful world. #

-My father worked in the quarry.

-At 4.00am, he and a handful

-of quarrymen from the village...

-..walked from

-Brynsiencyn to Moel-y-Don ferry.

-They sailed across the river.

-They would walk to Llanberis

-to the quarry in all weathers.

-And that was the pattern

-on their homeward journey.

-# A 10-year-old lad

-walked to work one morning,

-# Many years ago.

-# Hope flashed in his blue eyes,

-# Lighting his young eyes

-with hope for the future. #

-My father had a lovely tenor voice.

-He had a very soft voice.

-He led a singing group.

-Mam played the piano,

-my brothers sang.

-I was too young to go with them!

-Perhaps that's where it came from.

-I thought to myself,

-'I'll do the same one day!'

-They were happy times,

-because singing filled the house.

-Anglesey

-has countless minor eisteddfodau.

-Concerts are held

-all over the island.

-That's where Margaret started out.

-What's so marvellous about her...

-..is the way she's carried it

-with her every step of the way.

-She's ventured down other paths.

-But the core

-is in her Anglesey roots.

-This is Dr John Williams' chapel,

-Horeb, in Brynsiencyn.

-It was the focal point

-of my life for years.

-We lived for the chapel

-because everything happened here.

-For as long as I can remember,

-Mam was a chapel organist.

-When I was about 14,

-we sat next to the deacon's bench.

-Uncle William led the singing.

-If an organist failed

-to turn up on a Sunday morning...

-..he would beckon to me,

-and I'd run to the organ.

-I'd make a point of praying

-the organist wouldn't turn up...

-..just so I could play the organ.

-I was one of the chapel organists

-for a long time.

-ORGAN MUSIC

-I remember my first performance,

-at Bryn infants' school.

-My class performed 'The Hen

-and Her Chicks.' I was the hen.

-The other pupils were the chicks,

-who were on their knees.

-I sang as I rummaged for food.

-I remember one verse.

-# If I can reach the field of corn,

-# You can shelter under my warm

-wing. I'll keep you safe there. #

-All the chicks clucked behind me!

-I'm sure all my Brynsiencyn

-friends remember that.

-We loved it!

-I was dressed as a hen, too.

-From Brynsiencyn, I went to

-Beaumaris secondary school.

-I was fortunate again,

-because of a teacher...

-..who didn't teach Music as

-a subject, but gave singing lessons.

-Mr William Bacon

-was a brilliant musician.

-He formed a group

-of classical musicians.

-We used to broadcast

-from the BBC in Bangor.

-I was one of three altos.

-There were 3 middle voices,

-3 sopranos, and instrumentalists.

-I was rather disappointed

-in Beaumaris.

-Music wasn't studied

-as an 'O' or 'A' level subject.

-Mam and I went to the village

-county councillor, Willy Jones Post.

-He went to Llangefni to meet

-with the Education Committee.

-They said we'd have to pay seven

-shillings and sixpence a lesson.

-I was already having

-singing and piano lessons.

-There was no way

-we could afford any more.

-I couldn't take 'O' level music.

-The following year, the headmaster's

-son was sitting his 'O' levels.

-And Music appeared

-on the school syllabus.

-Three of us sat 'O' level music.

-I had to cram a five year

-course into one year.

-It was quite easy

-if you sang and played the piano.

-I studied Music

-as my main subject in college.

-# I'm weak and tired,

-# Lost in the world,

-# 'Til I can come home day. #

-From the age of 13, my life

-seemed to be one long journey.

-I lived on the buses -

-I think I kept Crossville going!

-I would go to Bangor for lessons

-with Mrs Sykes Jones.

-I caught the school bus

-to Menai Bridge.

-I'd catch another bus to Bangor,

-and yet another to Penrhos.

-Fair play to her, she'd make sure

-there was tea on the table for me.

-I'd have a cuppa

-and then half an hour of singing...

-..before catching the bus

-back to Bangor.

-If I didn't reach Bangor by 6.30pm,

-I'd miss the bus.

-I would have to wait 'til 9.30pm.

-I wouldn't arrive back home

-'til 10.00pm.

-When I was 16,

-I went to Mr Bradwen Jones.

-The brilliant composer

-lived in Holyhead.

-I caught the school bus

-to Menai Bridge.

-But it was an hour's journey

-on another bus to Holyhead...

-..for my 30-minute singing lesson.

-I always missed the 6.30pm bus,

-and was never back 'til 10pm.

-I did that from when I was 13

-'til I married at 22.

-I was constantly on the road

-to singing lessons during the week.

-The weekends -

-and occasionally midweek...

-..meant further journeys

-to eisteddfodau or concerts.

-Bless her,

-Mam came with me everywhere.

-We didn't miss a single eisteddfod.

-I always enjoyed the eisteddfodau.

-Fortunately, I won most of the time.

-Charles Williams was the compere

-at Llannerch-y-medd eisteddfod.

-Hywel Gwynfryn, Trefor Selway,

-Stuart Jones were there...

-..all winning

-their various competitions.

-I won five first prizes.

-I had a go at everything because

-that meant more prize money.

-That night - I was about 20 -

-I won a total of 9.

-Charles Williams said I'd won

-more than he earned in a month.

-The money paid for singing lessons,

-clothes and sheet music.

-We had a hard time of it

-financially.

-My father had tuberculosis.

-He went to Llangwyfan Sanatorium

-for quite a while.

-Financial reasons prevented me...

-..from attending

-College of Music in Manchester.

-I had been accepted when I was 16.

-Anglesey Education Committee

-refused to give me a grant.

-They said I'd be eligible

-when I was 18.

-I suppose that was fair.

-It was either a 4-year,

-or 6-year course.

-I desperately needed money

-when I was 18.

-I was accepted

-to Bangor Normal College.

-I'd always wanted to be a teacher.

-It wasn't a great hardship -

-I was quite happy to go to Bangor.

-But I remember

-the headmistress saying...

-..I was there to be a teacher,

-not a singer.

-I was constantly performing

-in concerts and eisteddfodau...

-..or recording at the BBC in Bangor.

-I was often taking part

-in college productions, too.

-I tried to keep everyone happy.

-But I was destined to be a teacher.

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-After leaving college,

-I got a teaching post in Anglesey.

-I returned to Beaumaris

-junior school.

-It was a relatively new school.

-The view of the Menai Straits

-and the mountains was wonderful.

-I taught 20 children.

-Two were Welsh speakers.

-I was surprised that I,

-as a Welsh speaker...

-..was sent to an English medium

-school.

-I think they wanted me

-to concentrate on the language...

-..as well as music.

-The highlight

-of my competitive career...

-..was winning the Blue Riband at

-Swansea National Eisteddfod, 1964.

-The same year...

-..I won the under-25 soprano solo

-at Llangollen Eisteddfod...

-..and the same competition

-at the Urdd National Eisteddfod.

-It was a competitive grand slam!

-And I got married that year!

-All in all, it was quite a year.

-I was teaching in Beaumaris

-and still keeping up the singing.

-I found it hard to cope with

-constantly being on the road.

-We decided to move

-to Cardiff for my work.

-When I started singing

-professionally on TV...

-..one of the first series

-was called 'OS GWELWCH YN DDA.'

-The renowned Rae Jenkins conducted

-the BBC Welsh orchestra.

-I was also being booked

-to perform popular music.

-I remember singing on a satirical

-series called 'STIWDIO B'.

-That's where the Ifas y Tryc

-character first appeared.

-I only sang one song, and took part

-in occasional sketches with them.

-Because it was a new,

-satirical series...

-..the press were highly critical.

-My parents were furious

-that I sang in the series.

-"We've paid all this money

-for singing lessons...

-"..just so you sing this rubbish!"

-That's what they said.

-After the first series, I refused

-to take part in the second.

-Mari Griffith took my place.

-I appeared on a series

-called 'BE NESA?'

-It was another

-light entertainment series.

-I just sang on the series.

-It was Ryan's first series, too.

-We sang a duet

-from 'The Merry Widow' together.

-Light entertainment

-became my bread and butter.

-Phyllis and Mered wondered...

-..if I still hankered

-after a classical career.

-But Light-Ent

-suited my family commitments.

-I'd married young and was a mother.

-If I'd entered a different world...

-..pursuing a career in opera...

-..would have meant

-being away from home.

-I think had Margaret chosen opera...

-..she would have been

-the Kiri Te Kanawa of Wales.

-She had - and still has - the

-voice.

-She has the beauty and charm.

-She chose to follow

-the trail of a popular singer.

-# I may as well tell the truth,

-# You're the gentlest man

-in the world.

-# You've already had two,

-# I'll give you another fifteen.

-# In a word -

-and that's the truth. #

-In my opinion,

-she did more for Wales...

-..by following that trail...

-..than had she chosen

-to be an opera singer.

-She's given popular music

-a certain class.

-That's important.

-There's a difference between

-popular and classical singing.

-You mustn't abuse your voice

-by singing popular music.

-If I had done that, I certainly

-wouldn't still have a voice today.

-By the 1970s, I'd appeared

-on hundreds of TV programmes.

-I was offered my own series.

-Cilla Black, Lulu, and Dusty

-Springfield had their own series.

-But I was the first Welsh woman.

-That was a thrill.

-Recordings of those early programmes

-have been destroyed.

-It would be lovely

-to look back at them.

-# There is no tomorrow.

-# Love me now,

-# Love me now,

-# Love me now.

-# My love knows no boundaries,

-# It's as big as the world,

-as deep as the ocean,

-# As strong as the current.

-# By now, I can see it all clearly,

-# You're a fact,

-# Not a foolish dream,

-# You are real. #

-During this time,

-I attended auditions in London.

-I had a show in Bournemouth,

-a panto in Birmingham.

-It was one of the three most

-important pantos in Britain.

-A London agent who represented

-Tom Jones contacted me.

-He was looking for someone to play

-the leading lady in the musical...

-..'Rose Marie.' I was with

-the musical for six months.

-I did a few pantomimes

-in Cardiff's New Theatre.

-I sang to the armed forces

-in Belize and Cyprus.

-# My little darling,

-# The gentle pipes are calling.

-# The lovely notes

-# Drift over hillsides,

-bushes and valleys.

-# The summer's gone,

-# The roses have all died.

-# You are going

-# Leaving me behind. #

-I know what you're thinking.

-'Doesn't she look good?'

-'How old is she now?

-She must be at least 72!'

-I don't

-try

-to look young.

-There's nothing worse than mutton

-dressed as lamb. I'd hate that.

-I don't do anything. I'm overweight.

-My friends have wonderful figures.

-I know I'd look better if I was

-slimmer and looked after myself.

-I don't. I enjoy eating out!

-# There is a balm

-# For every broken heart.

-# There is a balm

-# To heal a saddened soul. #

-The series received

-a great deal of praise.

-But more recently,

-they've been criticised.

-I accept that - good or bad.

-I've been

-in this business for years.

-I'm still working,

-and still enjoying it.

-# My horned sheep

-has a thick woollen fleece. #

-People think that because

-I'm a serious singer...

-..I don't enjoy a joke.

-To the contrary -

-I love doing comedy.

-I can't swim.

-Mrs Williams. Have you dipped them?

-Yes!

-Stay for tea.

-I have to go.

-Oh!

-You know me, lads!

-I just dip and go.

-I think what I enjoyed most

-of all in front of an audience...

-..were the National

-Eisteddfod concerts.

-I first sang solo there

-when I was 14.

-I've done numerous concerts

-since then.

-Nothing can beat

-that feeling of being on stage.

-It's a fantastic experience.

-# And then, through the darkness,

-# I see your face.

-# Remembering the romance,

-# My eyes close,

-# When the night is long. #

-Thank you very much.

-S4C Subtitles by

-GWEAD