Books&Poetry NEW BOOK HONOURS DENBIGH’S HEROES Over 100 years after the First World War ended the carnage it wreaked on a North Wales town, and on one street in particular, is commemorated in a new book
“95 children were left without a father” reputation for crime, poaching, drunkenness – but it had a chapel at either end and many were poaching because it was the only way to put food on the table.” The idea for the At the book’s launch: Mayor of Denbigh, Councillor Rhys Davies, book came from work volunteers Enys Davies and Clwyd Wynne from Denbigh Community put in by Denbigh Archive, and Kristin Charlton of sponsors Swayne Johnson Community Archive or Your Tomorrow We Gave Our Today volunteers for the centenary of the end of the war in 2018, when they produced commemorates the sacrifice of over 150 young men from Denbigh who fell in a commemorative booklet for schools. This latest book, sponsored by local law the Great War. Among them, at least 35 came from Henllan Street, a narrow road firm Swayne Johnson, has been a labour winding north out of town. According to of love for the group, who traced the stories of those who never came back. local historian Clwyd Wynne, many joined up to escape lives of grinding poverty. The first to die, William Conway Williams, worked at Boaz Jones’s candle He said: “Henllan Street had one of the highest casualty rates in Wales. It had a factory and lived at 94 Henllan Street
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LOCA L B OOKS Vale of Rheidol Railway in Detail This sumptulous volume is the result of many years spent researching Rheidol Railway’s own archives and archaeological sources dating back to the opening of the line in 1902. Coupled with detailed drawings, precisely measured, the findings present an unrivalled picture of the railway’s history, equipment and infrastructure, including a comprehensive record of locomotives, carriages, wagons and buildings, some now long disappeared. Aided by primary source information and close examination of surviving equipment, the work brings records up to date with extensive details of modern developments. The whole is a unique, behind-the scenes insight into the engineering and operation of a modern, preserved narrow-gauge steam railway. Limited copies of the book are available, priced at £70, from www. rheidolrailway.co.uk/shop
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Clockwise: the military funeral of Pvt David Jones makes its way down Vale Street; Frederick Jones of the Royal Welch Engineers with wife Mary and children; bound for France, one of the first Denbigh contingents to leave
with his wife and three sons. He joined up on 24th September 1914, arrived in France on 1st November and died of his wounds on 28th November at Tournes.
Many mix-ups Many soldiers appeared on different lists of the fallen – one on at least ten – and there is one case of mistaken identity. The Wallace Roberts on the town memorial survived while his namesake was killed. Ninety-five children were left without a father, while some soldiers died without ever seeing their newborn babies.” For Your Tomorrow We Gave Our Today is published by Fineline of Ruthin and is available from Denbigh Museum, £14.95.
Brother Kell’s Book The Little Yellow Boat by Diane Woodrow of Spells by Mike Brain At At 84, Mike Brain, Diane is a local writer living in Abergele, where she also runs writing workshops. who lives in Flintshire, The Little Yellow Boat is her first book for has written and had published two children and is published by Olympia. Diane usually writes gritty short novels, set mostly in Chester in the 8th stories tackling women’s issues. This book, in contrast, century. The Cheshire villages of Eccleston features a little and Dodleston are used as a setting for boat who is always getting the stories, which follow generations of the same family. into a mess when This is the first and involves Cormac she goes off on adventures on and his mother searching for absent her own. She Norse father Skeggi Gunnarson, and comes to realise features a magic Book of Kells, with farmyard creatures and imaginary that if she calls beasts that can be brought to life. on her friends for support, she There is a sequel, Cormac Returns for a Spell. Both books are available can do more and from Amazon. go further. It’s a simple but valuable message about sharing the ups and downs of life, and is accompanied by stunning Calling local authors… watercolour illustrations by If you’re living in the Shire area or have written Danielle Chapman Skaines. about a local person or place, we’d love to Available from local book feature you on these pages. Email editorial@ stores and online. Facebook: shiremagazine.co.uk. @LittleYellowBoatBook
