Top 50 un-sung Welsh Heroes.

 

 

 

Let's keep this list going - just discovered Robert Recorde No 51

 

 

   

 

This Blog is in response to the Walesonline Top 50 Sexiest Welshmen http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/sexiest-men-wales-2013-who-6281164 which is what it is. It just struck me that we do have un-sung heroes in Wales, and we certainly have un-sung female heroines out there, so just to kick things off I will start (in no particular order and certainly in no particular order of importance) with Gwilym Cowlyd.

Ideally we get the "public" to vote for our un-sung Welsh heroes, and as long as they are obscure, unheard, unseen, unrecognised, heb eu hurddo - they have a good chance of getting in !

1. Gwilym Cowlyd
Horse meat eater, book publisher and book seller from Llanrwst, writer and poet/bard who with his gang of fellow Dyffryn Conwy bards established Arwest Glan Geirionydd (the gwrth-Eisteddfod). A true visionary / radical / maverick / and the only man I know of to interrupt the Gorsedd cry "A Oes Heddwch ?"
http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-ROBE-JOH-1828.html

 

 

2. Niclas y Glais

Suggested by Ani Saunders's mum (who is also a member of Cor Cochion Caerdydd)

 

Niclas y Glais was a poet, a minister of religion and a communist. I presented a show on BBC Radio Cymru called 'Rebels Cymreig' and we did a programme on Niclas y Glais - see link

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radiocymru/safle/rhaglenni/pages/rebels_glais.shtml

 

http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s8-NICH-EVA-1879.html

 

 

 



3. Paul Davies
Suggested by Mark Rees Jones

Radical Welsh artist, founder of Beca art group / movement. Sadly Paul is no longer with us. One of my funniest moments / memory was doing a gig with Anhrefn in Wrecsam Library as Paul covered us and tied us up in old film. A true visionary and maverick.

http://www.culturecolony.com/artlogs?p=3591

4. Dr William Price
suggested by Gerallt Llewelyn

Dr William Price, Llantrisant is up there with the most radical / visionary - Chartist, vegetarian, nudist, called his son Jeasus Christ and introduced us to modern day cremation.
Again Price was featured in Rebels Cymreig, BBC Radio Cymru

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radiocymru/safle/rhaglenni/pages/rebels_william_price.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

5. Owen Rhoscomyl

gan Bethan Mair - gweler sylwadau isod

 

Awdur digon di-fflach ar nofelau antur i fechgyn, heblaw am un gyfrol hollol allweddol, sef Flame-Bearers of Welsh History (Merthyr Tudful, 1905). Ei deitl llawn yw: Flame-bearers of Welsh history, being the outline of the story of The sons of Cunedda. Cyfrol i fechgyn ysgol oedd hon, ond roedd ei nod yn uchelgeisiol. Dymunai Rhoscomyl adfer ei le priodol i hanes Cymru yn ysgolion y wlad a dileu'r agweddau Seisnigaidd ar ei astudiaeth trwy ddod ag arwyr y gorffennol yn fyw o flaen llygaid ei ddarllenwyr.

 

http://www.archiveswales.org.uk/anw/get_collection.php?inst_id=1&coll_id=521&expand

 

 

 



6. William Henry Preece

A Caernarfon man, chief engineer to the Post Office, his commemorative plaque can be seen on the wall of the Post Office on Y Maes Caernarfon. A great supporter of Marconi. His grave is in Llanbeblig Churchyard near the boundary with the new school Ysgol yr Hendre.

 

 http://www.100welshheroes.com/en/biography/williamhenrypreece

 

 



William Henry Preece, memorial plaque on Post Office wall Caernarfon.

7. Llygod Ffyrnig
We should have some Welsh language Punk Rock in there. Seminal band from Llanelli who self released a single 'N.C.B' in 1978. Also NCB was featured on Cherry Red compliation LP - taking Welsh culture out to the masses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK5kMhWJnms

http://www.boredteenagers.co.uk/LLYGODFFYRNIG.htm

 

 

8. Robert Everett

awgrymwyd gan  Robert Humphreys

 

Wedi'i eni yn Sir y Fflint yn 1791, cafodd Robert Everett ei urddo'n weinidog gyda'r Annibynwyr yng Nghapel Lôn Swan, Dinbych, yn 1815. Derbyniodd alwad i ofalu am achos Cymraeg yn Utica, Efrog Newydd, yn 1823 felly ymfudodd i'r Unol Daleithiau gyda'i wraig Elizabeth a'u plant bychain.

 

http://www.s4c.co.uk/americagaeth/c_diddymwyr-re.php

 

 

 

9. Brian Lustmord

suggested by Alan Holmes (Fflaps/Ectogram)

 



Brian Williams may not be a household name in his native north Wales, but is renowned across the world as the inventor of the 'dark ambient'

genre of music. One of the very first punks in north Wales, he was encouraged to make his own music (as Lustmord) by early 'industrial'

pioneers Throbbing Gristle and SPK and released his debut self-titled LP in 1981. Since returning to live performance after almost 30 years (the previous events being mostly in Bangor pubs!), he now consistently sells out headline shows in theatres across Europe, America and Australia. In the intervening years, he has released over a dozen influential albums of his own music, collaborated with American rock legends Tool, Isis, Puscifer and The Melvins, contributed to the soundtracks of over 40 Hollywood films (The Crow, Underworld etc...) and designed the sound for many successful video games. A box set of his early Bethesda recorded material from 1981-1983 is due to be released in early 2014.

 

 

10. Llwybr Llaethog

 

Still going strong, Welsh dub and hip-hop pioneers Llwybr Llaethog, from Tan y Grisiau / Blaenau Ffestiniog via Grangetown. Part of the 80's Welsh Underground Scene.

See review of 'Dub Cymraeg' http://rhysmwyn.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/llwybr-llaethogdub-cymraeg-welsh-dub-12.html

 

 

11. Nia Melville

 

DJ on a late night show on BBC Radio Cymru called 'Heno Bydd yr Adar yn Canu', often described as a Welsh language John Peel show. Early supporter of Gorky's and Catatonia. Then just vanished .... you don't really get a career doing Welsh language underground music shows do you ? If only we had 6Music in Welsh she would be most welcomed back !

 

http://soundcloud.com/patricia-m-morgan/datblygu-yn-fyw-ar-rhaglen-nia

 

 

12. Malcolm Neon

 Cardigan pioneer of Welsh language electronica. A true visionary and so ahead of his time he was not really accepted or given due credit. He should have lived in Sheffield - he would have been a star !

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2XDU-Abuhk

 

 

13. Buddug

 

But she was an 'Essex Girl', should she be in the list at all ? Was she ever in Wales even ? Do we appropriate false heroes ? I love this statue, (Cardiff City Hall) not quite as good as the one outside Palace of Westminster but still pretty good .....

 

 

Jamie Reid's cover for Shamanarchy album - with Boudicca.

 

 



14. The Lovely Wars
Best new Welsh band of 2013 FACT 'nuff said !

Young Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRPKy42ojXo

Let's Blow The Whole Thing Up  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbqQqMh7EGs

My review of the EP is here http://rhysmwyn.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/lovely-wars-ep-review-and-lipstick.html

 

 

 

 

15. Rhiannon Tomos

 

Rhiannon surely should be here, during the Dark Ages of 70's Welsh Music, when the Denim Dinosaurs dominated, Rhiannon was a lone female voice, she had image and attitude - I had many an argument with her for sure but I include her also for writing one of the best soul songs ever produced in Welsh which is 'India'r Prynhawn' which is featured on the Legless Records album 'Yn Dawel Hyd Nawr' (DRNK 102)

 

 





16. Christopher Williams (Artist)
Those of us who live in Cofiland will be familiar with 'Deffroad Cymru' which hangs in a small committee room in the Institute or Mamez Wood which is in Caernarfon Castle
http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/art/online/?action=show_item&item=1955
Williams is the forgotten Welsh artist - a true genius but too normal and straight compared to his contemporaries Augustus John and J.D Innes.

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/art/online/?action=show_works&item=821&type=artist

Christopher Williams 'Hwfa Mon'

 

 17. Pat Morgan (Datblygu)

 

David R Edwards (Dave Datblygu) has rightly been given more respect and credit in recent years but in conversation with Dave recently I did make the point that Pat has been overlooked. She was (is) cool, an iconic bass player, one of the key players of the Welsh Underground Scene of the 1980's early 90's. The Welsh Kim Gordon. Had The Face covered Welsh bands, then Pat would have been the cover star !

Vintage pics :

 

Diolch i Pat am yrru'r ddau lun yma draw.

 

pic taken recently at BBC Bangor during recording Sesiwn Un Nos with Gwenno Saunders (see below).
Diolch i Gareth Iwan Jones am y lluniau. A diolch i Gwenno am gael Pat yn nol i'r stiwdio !

18. Fflaps

This band were definite John Peel fav's. A glorious racket, real post-Punk noise stuff and a cover version of the Slits's 'Love and Romance' in Welsh to boot. I loved the fact that they smashed,  pushed and extended the paramaters of Welsh Pop Culture. Releasing an album on legendary Probe Plus label, this lot were on John Peel while the Denim Dinosaurs at BBC Cymru debated their musical skills, well it was one bloke at BBC Wales back then, an Eagles fan at that ...... that truth will be in Clancy Pegg's book we hope.

Drummer Johnny Fflaps was one of the good guys. (Pagan God Bless him)

here's the classic 'Dilyn Dylan'  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhf6WoPDdAo

 

19. Princes Gwenllian 
suggested by Mandy Whitehead

 

Not to be confused with Gwenllian the daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and Eleanor de Montford who ended up in Sempringham. This is Princess Gwenllian, daughter of Gruffydd ap Cynan and sister of Owain Gwynedd who had married in to the Deheubarth family. Gwenllian led a revolt against the Normans in 1136 while her husband was gathering support in Gwynedd. She neded up beheaded either at Maes Gwenllian the site of the battle or later after capture at Kidwelly.

 

 

                                               Cofeb Gwenllian ger Castell Cydweli.

 

20. Frances Elizabeth Hoggan
 suggested by Robert Humphries

Frances Elizabeth Hoggan MD (née Morgan), born in Brecon on 20 December was the first British woman to receive a doctorate in medicine from a university in Europe and the first female doctor to be registered in Wales.
http://americymru.net/profiles/blogs/20th-december#.UrWYDcfuPIV

21. 'The Man in the Moone" book by Francis Goodwin, published 1638.

OK we are going to challenge our own list, this was suggested by Alan Holmes and we agree to have Welsh ownership on the first Science Fiction Novel. So it's the book not the bloke just for the sake of argument.
The very first English language sci-fi novel was penned by a former Bishop of Llandaff, according to a Welsh academic.
Author and former professor Mark Brake says Francis Godwin’s 1638 book The Man In The Moone, which predated the likes of Jules Verne and HG Wells by several centuries, told the story of a character called Domingo Gonsales who ends up on the lunar surface after trying to reach China by goose.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/how-welsh-cleric-penned-worlds-2018485

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_Moone

22. Maffia Mr Huws
At the beginning of the 1980's Bethesda band Maffia Mr Huws kept the whole Welsh language rock scene alive, playing over a 100 gigs per year. The older bands had all but given up and the Welsh rock stars all turned film makers and got on the S4C train. I have always argued that the whole thing could have died there and then had it not been for Maffia. It was 1984 onwards that bands like Cyrff and Datblygu kick started a new scene but from 1980 - 83  Maffia and the whole Pesda Roc scene kept things going. Maffia are definitely a band who have not been fully recognised for the work they did. They still play. They are un-sung heroes.

 

 

 

23. Llew Llwyfo.

 

The first Welsh singer to Tour America, in the C19th. Llew Llwyfo is classic un-sung hero, today his grave remains un-cleared, covered by Japanese Knotweed in the old part of Llanbeblig cemetery. He died poor, led astray, and shunned by the Welsh Society that had once held him in such high regard. Today, Llew would be a Rock'n Roll casualty. Hywel Teifi, Hywel Gwynfryn and author Eryl Wyn Rowlands have all made efforts to bring "y Llew" to wider recognition in recent years. His portrait hangs in the Institute in Caernarfon and his Eisteddfod Llanelli 1895 crown is also held there

 

http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-LEWI-WIL-1831.html

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/lewis-william-lewis-llew-llwyfo-18311901-178341

 

http://www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk/item/1710-lewis-william-lewis-llew-llwyfo-1831-1901

 

 

 

 

 

24. Margaret Lloyd George

 

For putting up with David Lloyd George. Strong Welsh 'Mam'.

 

 

 

25. John Wyn Tomos aka Ioan Einion

 

One of the pioneers of electronica of the Welsh Underground Scene. A regular face at those early gigs, John became Ioan Einion a 'White Witch' and managed to wind up the entire population of Trefor. He also created Celtic art, sadly missed, I bumped into his mother recently and asked after him and found he'd been lost to AIDS. His music was released on cassettes in true underground fashion. He worked and recorded with Malcolm Neon and Gorwel Owen. Ioan Einion well and truly should be on this list.

 

 



26. Gwendoline and Margaret Davies.

Actually, the Gregynog sisters are not that "un-sung" but they did make a huge contribution to the art collection at the National Museum of Wales and it's thanks to them that we enjoy Renoir's 'La Parisienne' or Turner's 'The Beacon of Light' etc today when we visit the museum. Noted Gregynog Press and the arts centre at Gregynog - these ladies were true cultural beacons. And from Sir Drefaldwyn. Inspiring.

27. Lemmy.

OK so Lemmy was born in Stoke on Trent, bonafide English, but had he not come to live on Anglesey when he was 10 years old and attend Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch, he would never have been nick named 'Lemmy' because of his habit of asking 'lemmy (lend me) a quid". Now is the time to start a Blue Plaque Campaign for Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones. "Lemmy from Motorhead attended this school ....." We argue that Lemmy was christened on Ynys Mon !

Lemmy with L.A Richards - she will be on this list soon.

Iago of Wales.

This next entry does not get a number and is not in the list as such but was suggested by Allan Kelly - so bizzare here's the link. I don't quite get the whole thing ?????

http://althistory.wikia.com/wiki/Iago_of_Wales_%28Welsh_History_Post_Glyndwr%29

 

 

 

28. Leila Megane

 

Born in Bethesda as Margaret Jones, she married composer T Osborne Roberts and went on to sing in Paris, New York and Milan and made the first recording of Elgar's Sea Pictures with Elgar conducting. Gave her last concert at Pwllheli Town Hall in 1945. Her memorial slate can be seen on the wall of Pwllheli Police Station.

 

Sain Records have a CD on sale http://www.sainwales.com/en/artists/leila-megane

 



29. Elaine Morgan
suggested by Sam James from the band Blaidd.

Elaine Morgan, author of the international best-seller The Descent of Woman, a feminist view of evolution, enjoyed a brief celebrity shortly after its publication in 1972, mainly on account of her brilliantly argued thesis that humans had their origins in the sea and that women are not biologically or socially inferior to men.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/elaine-morgan-author-whose-most-celebrated-works-expounded-the-aquatic-ape-theory-of-evolution-8762170.html

http://io9.com/rip-elaine-morgan-popularizer-of-the-aquatic-ape-hypot-802800472

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Descent-Woman-Elaine-Morgan/dp/0285627007

30. Victor Parker

So pleased to see there are clips on you tube of Butetown / Tiger Bay jazz/blues singer Victor Parker. He was immortalised in a song by Meic Stevens but is a bit of a well kept secret outside Butetown. One of my 'rants' these days is about the appalling lack of focus on Welsh Pop History - from all directions - Media, Academia, Musicians, Welsh people in general, rest of the World etc. Know your History. Note Kerdiff accent. Brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM2bDaeMuJ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEk_zHj1X20

Meic Stevens tribute http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4Zgki1Ag40

31. Henry Rowlands.

Rowlands published the first Archaeological survey of Anglesey in 1723 'Mona Antiqua Restaurata' and almost singlehandedly created the image of the Druid as we know it today - that iconic drawing that appears in his book. He was also quite right that Meini Bryn Gwyn were in fact parts of a stone circle - recently confirmed by Gwynedd Archaeological Tust. True Antiquarian.

32. Darling Buds

Before 'Cool Cymru' and before Newport was 'the new Seattle', bands like the Abs and Darling Buds were blazing trails, creating great punk-pop and linked were with the whole TJ's / Rockaway Records scene. Ahead of their time. Hardly ever heard or played these days. Again this is a case of know your Welsh Pop History.

See how cheap vinyl LP's were back in the late 80's.

 

 

 

33. Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees

 

His slate memorial plaque can be seen near the barbican at Porth yr Aur, Caernarfon. Apart from being awarded the VC and sailing across the Atlantic he was a pioneer of archaeological aerial photography in the inter-war years working in Jordan and publishing in journals such as Antiquity

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/major-lionel-wilmot-brabazon-rees-18841955-vc-135846

 

34. L.A Richards.

Our very own heroine of the Blitz Club and the New Romantics. From Cricieth to Soho. Member of Shock, star of many a video and all round cool Blitz Kid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnoqGBjTH3Q&list=PL4D1F6A011800D190

 



35. Joseph Harris (Gomer)

The father of the Welsh newspaper, publishing the first all Welsh weekly 'Seren Gomer'  1814 -15. This venture is described as a "failure" in terms of business but he set the scene. All pioneering acts in the Welsh language run the risk of costing you money - God that's nothing new - just that he did it in 1814 !

http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-HARR-JOS-1773.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gweithiau-Awdurol-Diweddar-Joseph-Harris/dp/1273339533

 

 

 

36. Heather Jones.

 

Heather is definitely someone who should be on the list. Singing since the Swinging  60's, she is well and truly an icon of the Welsh music scene but still unable to fill theatres or go on full concert tours of Wales. I suggest this is because the Welsh speakers in general are not very good at supporting Welsh music and the non-Welsh speakers have not grasped how wonderful artists like Heather are. This is the reality (not a criticism of Heather).

 

 

 

 

37. Emyr Price

An expert on Lloyd George and the editor of Y Faner from 1983. It is quite true to say that if it wasn't for Price I would not be writing today and have had the career that I have had as a columnist. He never once edited all the rubbish I spouted about Welsh Culture during 1984/85 - I think he must have enjoyed the challenges to the "Welsh Cultural Establishment". His Obituary in the Independent say's it all.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/emyr-price-historian-of-the-early-career-of-david-lloyd-george-1658948.html

 

 

 

 





38. Dr Lyn 'The Atom' Evans
Suggested by Ifor Williams

The Aberdare-born scientist Dr Lyn “The Atom” Evans, a physics graduate from Swansea University, is a finalist in the Innovation and Technology award category for his work leading the Large Hadron Collider project at CERN, in Switzerland, which led to the discovery of the Higgs boson - dubbed the “God particle”.

http://www.swansea.ac.uk/physics/news/drlynevansnominatedforaward.php

39. Edward George (Taffy) Bowen [1911-1991]
Suggested by Ifor Williams
Developer of radar and an early radio astronomer.

http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s8-BOWE-GEO-1911.html

http://www.csiropedia.csiro.au/display/CSIROpedia/Bowen,+Edward+George+(Taffy)

40. Tom Pryce, Formula 1 Driver
Suggested by Ifor Williams
Welsh speaking Thomas Maldwyn Pryce was a British racing driver from Wales, famous for winning the Brands Hatch Race of Champions, a non-championship Formula One race, in 1975 and for the circumstances surrounding his death

Y diweddar Tom Pryce o Ruthun. Yr unig Gymro Cymraeg a fu ym rasio ceir Fformiwla 1, ac i ennill ras.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Pryce

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3C_M5H9oe0

41. Martyn Joseph.
In a nutshell, great singer, great songwriter, great bloke - Martyn seems to be under the Welsh radar but he truly is an exceptional talent and great, great performer. I had the privilege of doing some press work for him a few years back and always enjoyed the gigs - he always inspired and he introduced me to that great line
"I wonder who would lead us then
if none of us would vote"

http://www.martynjoseph.net/

 

 

 

42. Tich Gwilym

suggested by Dewi Bowen. Fair comment, Tich should be there - obviously one of the best guitarists Wales has ever known and a Rhondda boy, non-Welsh speaking, in one of the great Welsh language bands - Geraint Jarman a'r Cynganeddwyr. This was culture breaking down the barriers. I first saw him live with Jarman at Gwyl Werin Geltaidd Dolgellau 1980 - Tich wore green combats, a red 'Sgrech' T-shirt and a Harrington bomber jacket - he did look kinda cool to a young 18year old ....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnJJcjyZYag

 

 

 



43. Mandy Rice Davies

 

"Mandy Rice-Davies is a British former model and showgirl best known for her association with Christine Keeler and her role in the Profumo affair, which discredited the Conservative government of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1963".  But she was born in Pontyates near Llanelli as Marilyn Rice-Davies.

We've never thought of Mandy as Welsh or have we ?

Thanks to my good friend Peter Wynne Davies for enlightening me on this little fact during one of our recent jaunts around Sir Gar.

 

 

 



44. Y Gwefrau 

 

Effortlessly cool, Gwenllian and Beca Gwefrau from downtown Cardiff were our very own Welsh language Bananarama - mainly for that reason, they were just cool and never seemed to bothered. The track 'Miss America' still stands out as an anthem. I still have the 12" vinyl (Ankst 010). The tracks are Willi Smith / Miss America / Gwlychu / Get Down '90.

 

There was also a pull out poster in an issue of Sothach - I'll try and dig it out and scan it.

 

'Miss America' see it here on you tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRkV38G-vuQ

 

 

 

 

45. Iwan Gwyn Parry.

 

Easily my favourite contemporary Welsh artist, and that's for several reasons. One is that he looks so damned good - he look's like an artist, secondly because he took part in that documentary 'The Mountain that had to be painted', the documentary about the painters Augustus John and James Dickson Innes who, in 1911, left London for the wild Arenig Valley in North Wales.

Iwan is from that tradition of big bold landscapes and not afraid of weather and rugged, boggy, dark walks - that's reason number three then.

He's also doing the cover for my new book on archaeological sites off the beaten track in North Wales !!!!

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01173rm

 

Here's the programme  http://vimeo.com/25791348

 

 

 

 

46. Moses Griffiths.

Described by Pennant as "an able artist", Moses Griffiths accompanied Thomas Pennant on all his tours of Wales between 1769 and 1790 and much of Griffiths's work was used to illustrate pennant's books.
Born in Bryncroes, Llyn at the foot of Mynydd Rhiw.

http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-GRIF-MOS-1747.html

http://www.llgc.org.uk/collections/digital-gallery/pictures/journeytosnowdon

 

47. Mici Plwm

The original Welsh language DJ o'r 'troellwr'. He was also a proto-manager, working with acts such as Tepot Piws.
I think he was invited to DJ at Festival No 6 last year - I hope so - I'll ask him next time I see him. The History of Welsh language Pop Music is rather overlooked, mis-understood, un-heard and un-seen. Mici was a log haired lover from Penrhyndeudraeth who spun those tunes and understood the vocabulary of youth.

 

 

48. Gaynor Morgan Rees

 

One of our most iconic and delightful Welsh actresses - she really has been there since the early 70's and is still going strong.

 

 

 

49. Crud.

 

Crud fanzine should be in here for the simple fact that it didn't half stir the soup up, something that we always require in North Wales and Wales in general but Neil Crud has gone on to document and archive am amazing amount of stuff about Welsh music in general - the more alternative stuff - but the link2wales website I think qualifies also as an under-valued, under-used resource. One of the great complaints about Welsh Pop Culture is the lack of historical knowledge and analysis - Crud in it's many forms is one of the few to address this.

 

www.link2wales.co.uk

 

50. Sgrech.
Kind of suggested by Marc Roberts, (he suggested the editor Glyn Tomos).

During the early 1980's 'Sgrech' provided the Welsh language music scene with an independent pop magazine. It was a great supporter of new and young bands and put on showcase events under the banner of 'Sesiwn Sgrech' at the Eisteddfod each year. Some of their views challenging the Cardiff-centric and out of touch nature of the Welsh Media were probably valid, probably necessary and much of this fight our generation as the Welsh Underground Scene went on to inherit.
On the other hand by the time bands such as Cyrff, Datblygu, Tynal Tywyll etc were emerging around 1985,  Sgrech had probably had it's day.

I think the politics of Sgrech and the alliance many of it's writers had with 'Adfer' should be the subject of analysis as a piece of socio-political history. It's quite fascinating.

Sgrech I think would have been a bit lost with the politics of Datblygu and John Peel Sessions - so it remains 'of it's time'.

Finally we have reached 50.
This has taken far longer than expected.
No reason to stop here.
So I will add as and when.
There must be more.

51. Robert Recorde

Tenby born and Oxford educated - this Welshman was the inventor of the equals = sign. As somebody pointed out, good to see that Wales was at the forefront of promoting 'equality' he he.
Seriously tho', not many people know this ..... So we shout out for Robert Recorde. He also had roots on one side of the family in Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn).
Also check this Blog http://www.cymruculture.co.uk/featuredarticles_84700.html

 

 

52. John Cowper Powys.

Author, anarchist and anti-fascist. Moved to live to Corwen in 1935 and learnt to read Welsh. Wrote 'Owen Glendower' (sic)  here, published in 1941. Died at Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1963.
Maybe not a fully fledged Welsh dude but let's call him an 'honorary' member / citizen. (Recognised by Bill Britnell of Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust as part of the 'Cultural Landscape' of Llangollen area which I think is impressive archaeology !!!!)

http://www.powys-society.org/The%20Powys%20Society%20Society%20John%20Cowper%20Powys.htm