Newspaper extracts for Cilybebyll

There are many references to this area in the 15 million Welsh and English language articles from Welsh newspapers transcribed by the NLW and viewable on Welsh Newspapers Online
Below are English language articles that have been re-transcribed and extracted randomly to illustrate what is available, there are many that are not extracted here that include names of local people

•  From the Evening Express (First Edition) 29th September 1905

CILYBEBYLL COLLIER KILLED. John L. Jenkins, collier, aged 32, of Rhos, Cilybebyll, was killed early on Thursday in No. 2 Drift of the Wauncoed Colliery. He had finished his work, and was on his way out, and when about 600 yards from the mouth he was seen in a manhole by David J. Davies, a rider. A full journey of trams was passing at the time, and the rider was in charge of it. Shortly after Davies heard deceased scream. He promptly stopped the journey, and on going back found Jenkins under a tram dead. The inquest will be held at the Rhos ,Cilybebyll Police-station. It is stated that Jenkins was killed by a runaway tram.

• From the Evening Express (Pink Edition) 11th September 1906

CILYBEBYLL AND EDUCATION  An Anomalous State of Affairs At this morning's meeting of the Glamorgan County Finance Committee, the Chairman (Alderman T. J. Hughes) referred to the position of the parish of Cilybebyll in regard to expenditure on elementary education. The Board of Education, he said, had provided that where any educational authority was expending a greater rate than Is. 6d. in the £ on elementary education, the board would refund three-fourths of the excess. However, the unit for the purpose of this arrangement, he considered, should be the parish and not the county, for while over the whole of the county the expenditure did not exceed a rate of Is. 6d. in the £ the people of Cilybebyll were providing more than 3s. in the £. He moved that the county council be asked again to call the attention of the Board of Education and the various members of Parliament for the county to this matter, and to urge the latter to bring the matter before Parliament. To this the committee agreed.

• From the Evening Express (Special Edition) 8th July 1905

BILLS IN PARLIAMENT. One of the Examiners of the House of Commons on Friday had before him a Bill to confirm Provisional Orders made by the Board of Trade with respect to gas and water facilities. This included an Order authorising the maintenance and continuance of gas- works and the manufacture and supply of gas within part of the parishes of Llanguicke and Cilybebyll, and in parts of the parish of Ystradgynlais Lower. The Bill (which has already been through the House of Lords) proceeded for second reading. In the House of Lords on Friday the Rhymney and Aber Valleys Gas and Water Company's Bill was read a third time and passed

• From  The Cambria Daily Leader 17th October 1919

CILYBEBYLL. — Induction of New Rector to Ancient Parish. There was a good congregation at Cilybebyll Church on Thursday afternoon on the occasion of the induction of the. new rector, the Rev, G. Aubrey Baile, B.A., of Abergavenny. The service was intoned by the Rev. Gwilym Jones (curate), whilst the induction was performed by the Rev. J. D..James, B.A.. Rural Dean of Neath. In the course of an address the latter said that if a list of past Rectors cf Cilybebyll were printed it would be a very long one indeed, and it would date back centuries. In fact the name of the parish was to be found in the earliest charters connected with Neath Abbey, a!though it was doubtful whether the name was spelt or pronounced properly.

•  From the Evening Express (First Edition) 29th April 1899

ALLTWEN CHURCH SCENE POLICE-COURT PROCEEDINGS. THE SUMMONSES DISMISSED. At Pontardawe Police-court on Friday (before Mr. Herbert Lloyd, chairman, and other magistrates) summonses were heard at the instance of the Rev. D. W. Jones, rector of Kilybebyll, Swansea Valley, against the Rev. John Alfred Rees, curate of the parish, and Inspector Meyler. of the county force, for obstructing and preventing him from celebrating Divine service and otherwise officiating at the Church of St. John the Baptist, Alltwen, on February 26 last. Mr. Lleufer Thomas (instructed by Mr. Griffith Morgan) appeared for complainant, and Mr Kempthorne for defendant. Mr. Thomas recapitulated the circumstances of the assault (which have already been published), and explained how the differences arose. The Rector, in the witness-box. said that when the curate sent for the police he took off his surplice and desisted from his object. "I was a prisoner," he said, "to all intents and purposes." Mr. Kempthorne argued that it was a case for the Ecclesiastical Courts, as no force had  been used. The bench retired, and on returning the Chairman said there was no evidence of force, and the summonses would be dismissed. Mr. Thomas said further proceedings would now he necessary, and he had an application to make. Mr. Kempthorne then, on behalf of his client, held out the olive branch, and said the desire was to put an end to the unpleasantness and to fix a rota of attendances. They did not wish to exclude the rector. Complainant (in the witness box): I will rule my parish in my own way. Mr. Thomas applied for summonses for "threats." The Chairman then appealed to Mr. Jones to proceed no further at present, and in this he was backed up by the Vicar of Llanguicke, who went over and interviewed Mr. Jones. The Rector reluctantly consented to adjourn his application for a fortnight.

•  From The Western Mail 14th March 1899

THE CILYBEBYLL INCIDENT.

To the Editor of the "Western Mail.

Sir.—Will you be good enough, as an act of justice to the reporter concerned, to insert the following, in reply to the letter of the Rev. D. W. Jones, the rector of Cilybebyll, which appeared in the "Western Mail" of Monday, stating that "the report which appeared in the 'Daily Post: purporting to be the result of an interview granted by me is a pure fabrication from beginning to end"? "The member of the 'Daily Post' who called upon the rector of Cilybebyll writes in reply to the foregoing letter.-—When I called at the rectory I asked to see Mr. Jones; and I was told by the lady who came to the door that Mr. Jones declined to see any representative of the press. In answer to my questions, the lady, after withdrawing into the house, and presumably consulting the rector,  gave me the information which was used in these columns. The lady, whom I believed to be Mrs. Jones, several times proceeded into the room, where it was clear to me the rector was, to get answers to my questions, and the report which I wrote - and which did not purport to be an 'interview —was an exact reproduction of the information which she gave me.  

1 am, &c.,   EDITOR OF THE "SOUTH WALES DAILY POST. Swansea, March 13

• From The Cambrian 30th June 1905

Alltwen Eisteddfod. An eisteddfod was held on Saturday at the new Council Schools, Alltwen. The adjudicators were ; Brass band contests. Mr. H. Muddiman, Rugby;  and choral competitions, Mr. Thomas Powell, Glais. Mr. F. W. Gilbertson presided. The affair was managed by Mr. Evan Lewis (chairman of committee; Mr. W. Jenkins, treasurer; Mr. E. Skidmore (secretary! and a strong committee.   .....(part extract).....

•  From The Cambrian 27th July 1906

ALLTWEN CHURCH. ANNUAL TEA AND ENTERTAINMENT The annual public tea in connection with St. John the Baptist Church, Alltwen was held on The Graig, and was a signal success. Tea was served in a large marquee.   .....(part extract).....

•  From the Evening Express (Second Pink) 31st August 1893

THE ALLTWEN TRAGEDY. Prisoner Committed to the Assizes on a Charge of Manslaughter. At Pontardawe Police-court on Wednesday (before Messrs. Herbert Lloyd and Reese) *** an ex-soldier, recently working as a collier at Fforchdwm, was brought up in custody charged with the manslaughter of Richard Davies, shoemaker, Alltwen.—Mr. H. P. Charles appeared for the prisoner.-At the inquest held on Tuesday the jury returned an open verdict.

• From the Evening Express (Sixth Edition) 22nd April 1905

CYMANFA GANU AT ALLTWEN,  A highly successful cymanfa ganu was held by the Congregationaliste of Pontardawe and district at Alltwen Chapel on Good Friday, the conductor being Mr. C. Mendwy Davies, Llanelly, who is a native of the place. The singing throughout was of a very high order. The chapel was crowded at each meeting, many failed to get admittance. The presidents were Mr. James Hinkin and the Revs. D. Jenkins and R. Rees.

•  From the Evening Express (Second Edition) 13th October 1908

ALLTWEN BOY'S ESCAPADE. Daniel ***, the thirteen-year-old boy who has been missing from his home at Alltwen, Pontardawe, since Friday week, has been found by a policeman in Neath-road, Swansea. During his disappearance he lived at a Strand lodging-house, and sold matches in the streets at Swansea.

• From the Evening Express (First Edition) 28th October 1910

POPULAR PASTOR'S FUNERAL The funeral of the Rev. Rees Rees, pastor of Alltwen Congregational Chapel. Pontardawe, took place on Thursday, being attended by several thousand people. Nearly a hundred ministers attended from all parts of South Wales,

•  From the South Wales Daily News (Third Edition) 7th November 1894

MINERS' MEETING AT ALLTWEN. At the usual monthly miners' meriting held at Alltwen on Monday, it was decided that nine bona-fide working men should contest nine seats out of the 13 allotted to the parish of Killybebyll, and that two working men also contest for the district council. The names of candidates must be submitted to a meeting to be held on November 17th at Peny- graig Board SchooL, when all working men are requested to attend. It was decided that no priority be given to a particular language—that the same privilege should be given to monoglot Welshmen as well as Englishmen.