The International Impact of the Penrhyn Estate
Welcome to the final episode of Podlediad Penrhyn. In this episode, Kayla explores the future of the Penrhyn estate, how it has evolved across the 21st century, and how its impact in the slate industry has reached other parts of the world.
First up, Kayla speaks to Dr Robert Llewelyn Tyler, a lecturer at Khalifa University whose research focuses on Welsh immigration around the world. He speaks to Kayla about Welsh families from quarrying communities like Gwynedd immigrating to states like Pennsylvania and New York in the United States.
Through his research, Dr Tyler found that people who had immigrated from places like Bethesda, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Bangor would set up new Welsh speaking communities in the US with their own churches, shops, events, and societies. Dr Tyler found documentation in these communities on events like Eisteddfodau, poetry competitions and St. David’s Day celebrations from the late 19th century-early 20th century.
Communities such as Bangor, Pennsylvania were established by quarrying families from north Wales, who immigrated during striking periods at Penrhyn Quarry. Bangor was established by Robert M. Jones, who immigrated from Bangor in Wales and helped grow the slate industry in the area. A statue was erected in his honour in the area and still stands today.
Monument of Robert M. Jones in Bangor, Pennsylvania. Photographer William Fischer, Jr via the Historical Marker Database.
The Welsh in America had their own Welsh-language newspapers, like Y Drych which was established in 1851 until it merged with Ninnau, which is still published today. Newspapers would report on local events in Welsh communities like local Eisteddfodau, and other competitions, and are great indicators of how strong the quarrying communities were in the USA at the time. If you would like to explore past issues of Y Drych, check out the online library at the National Library of Wales. Go to their website to read the current newspaper, called Ninnau.
Though the use of the Welsh language in the USA faded out over time, many traditions remain in these former slate communities. Welsh festivals, choirs and St David’s societies are going strong, with descendants of quarrying families from north Wales playing an active role in keeping Welsh traditions alive. The Slate Belt Heritage Center in Bangor, Pennsylvania, is a museum and historical society that pays tribute to the immigrant quarrying communities. They have a Welsh exhibit in the museum and hold talks and events about the Welsh in the area.
The University of Pennsylvania put together an extensive research project on the slate industry in the area, on the history of the quarrying families, the geology of the sites and the industrial heritage of the area. To learn more about the project, visit The Slate Belt’s website.
If you want to learn more about Welsh immigration to the US, Dr Tyler suggests books such as Americans from Wales by Edward G. Hartmann, which chronicles Welsh immigration to the US since the American Revolution. He also suggests Cymry America, written by R. D. Thomas in 1872, which details his experience of traveling around Welsh communities in the US.
The Legacy of Côr y Penrhyn in Wales Today
Côr y Penrhyn rehearsal in Bethesda, north Wales
Back in north Wales, Kayla attended a rehearsal session with Côr y Penrhyn at Neuadd Ogwen in Bethesda. In episode four, Kayla explored the history of the choir, its origins in Penrhyn Quarry and its role in the Great Strike. For episode five, Kayla spoke to two current members of the choir and their experience singing in the group. Elfed Bullock, who was eighty-two at the time of the interview, has been in the choir for more than 50 years. He described his favourite performance, a song called “The Creation” which was performed at the Chicago Cultural Centre in 2006. Below is a video from that performance.
Kayla also spoke to Rheinallt Davies, one of the youngest members of the choir. He speaks about their many international performances, as well as their notable collaborations, such as performing at Glastonbury with Damon Albarn’s Supergroup in 2017. Below is a video of that performance.
Côr y Penrhyn has two albums, one of which was recorded at Penrhyn Castle, with some songs performed at Penrhyn Quarry. Throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, the choir has also held virtual performances that have been watched around the world. Below is a video of their powerful rendition of Mor Fawr Wyt Ti, filmed in Snowdonia. To explore their music or check out their upcoming performances, visit the Côr y Penrhyn website.
The UNESCO World Heritage Bid and the Future of Tourism in north Wales
From land being sold or given to the National Parks in Snowdonia, to portions of the quarry now being a part of adventure parks, and buildings and farms associated with the estate transformed into local businesses and homes, much has changed on the Penrhyn Estate since it was in the hands of the Lords Penrhyn. Despite these changes, the influence of the slate industry is still strong in north Wales, proven by the recently successful UNESCO World Heritage bid that was achieved in July 2021. Kayla spoke with Dr David Gwyn about the world heritage bid that has been in development for the last twenty years.
UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, and is an international corporation that awards sites across the world with protected and specialised status with funding for preservation and education. Some of the most notable sites are the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, and the Pyramids. With a stringent list of criteria, the process from application to receiving the bid can take years. The slate industry in north Wales was initially chosen out of a list of 41 bids from the UK. At the time of the interview with Dr Gwyn, there were eleven bids still in competition, and a year from the final announcement.
Photograph of Snowdonia, a part of the slate landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in north Wales
In July 2021, north Wales received UNESCO World Heritage status. Dr Gwyn hopes that this recognition can help bring visibility to the slate industry that locals and tourists alike can learn about when exploring the area. To learn more about the world heritage status and the bid, check out the Wales Slate website.
Kayla rounded up the final episode with an interview with Sean Taylor, the director and founder of Zip World, which is an adventure park in north Wales, partially located in Penrhyn Quarry. Zip World has the longest zip line in Europe and over one million visitors have visited the attraction. Sean talked with Kayla about the inception of Zip World, how it began with a vision of having people flying down the quarry and experiencing the landscape from above the ground. Sean hopes that with experiences offered by Zip World such as the Quarry Tours, that people will learn more about the history of the slate industry and its significance in tourism today.
Thanks for listening!
Thanks to All Involved in Podlediad Penrhyn
Kayla would like to take the opportunity to thank all the interviews who contributed their time, expertise, and personal stories to this digital project. Thank you to the Drapers’ Company for sponsoring this PhD project. Special thanks to Kayla’s supervisors, Professor Andrew Edwards, Dr Shaun Evans and Dr Steffan Thomas for their guidance and encouragement throughout the creation of the podcast. Thanks to Joshua Glendenning for providing the music and sound effects for the podcast, and Bethan Scorey for the original artwork. This project is a part of the research conducted at the Institute for the Study of Welsh Estates at Bangor University. Visit the ISWE website to learn more about this project and others at ISWE.