REMEMBERING THE GREAT TIDE OF 1927 - Y CYMRO 1 NOVEMBER, 1927
There are a few events that linger long in the memory of an area. An event like that for the people of Talsarnau, near Harlech, is the October storm of 1927, when the seawall was breached. Hundreds of animals were drowned, property was damaged, but miraculously none of the residents lost their lives.
That was exactly fifty years ago, and to remember the occasion a feature program was held by the Urdd Department and Aelwyd, Talsarnau, in the village hall last Thursday night. The CYMRO was over in the area, asking about the memories of some of these people, and had a chat with some of the people who organized the feature programme.
Talsarnau is a small village about two miles from Harlech. It is built on flat land slightly above sea level. Like Cantre'r Gwaelod before, a breakwater had to be built to protect Talsarnau from the fury of the sea.
Friday, October 28, 1927 was a rough day. The wind was howling and the sea churning. So it was across the country. The Storm raged towards the evening, reaching its peak between nine and ten o'clock at night. Not even the 1905 storm saw such a powerful wind and such a sweeping flood.
SUFFER WORST
It whipped across the country in general, but in the north it seems that Cardigan Bay suffered the worst. The force of the water and the wind was too much for the breakwater in Talsarnau and there the most damage was done. Many animals and property were lost and destroyed. but by a miracle not a single life was lost. However several had narrow escapes.
ESCAPE LIMITED
Such was the experience of Humphrey Williams and his son and son-in-law. They were caught in a field under the station, but seeing the danger the three climbed to the top of a haystack. The mighty sea carried the hay stack, and when the water receded the roof lay on the hay and no one was injured.
The hail struck Llys Myfyr without warning. He broke in through the back and Mrs Evans fled out through the front and to Mrs Evans' house, Ty Capel. The water was up to her shoulders and when the door was opened, she was carried in on the front of the cloth.
John Jones, Bryn Street was at work cleaning the school and was caught there by the storm. He escaped by climbing to the top of one of the beams, and managed to ring the school bell to let them know he was safe. He was there at two o'clock in the morning.
ON TOP OF A LAMP POLE
Mr William Owen, Penbryn, was caught by the tide, and had to climb a street lamp pole near Talsarnau Village Hall. He hung there with his feet in the water until he was rescued.
The following morning the aftermath of the disaster was seen. Animals in carnage, like hay that has been broken down and carried far from their habitat; collapsed walls and fallen trees.
Many of the houses, the chapel and the school were under water and thousands of pounds worth of damage had been caused.
HEARTBREAKING
"'The scene was certainly a very heartbreaking one", said Celt Roberts, headmaster of the local school and one of those who was busy preparing the feature program on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the disaster. "Looking back today, it is an unfortunate piece of the history of the area and only a handful of local residents remember the history. Some of these people remember the event well and others only a child's memory". he said.
IN THROUGH THE LOFT WINDOW - THE STORY OF MRS SHANW WILLIAMS (PHOTO)
Serving in Dorchester was Mrs J C Williams (Mrs Shanw Williams in the neighbourhood) at that time. She had come to stay with a friend of hers in Denbigh and had decided to set foot for her home Ty'n y Ffridd, Yr Ynys, Talsarnau.
"It had been a terrible storm across the country", he said "and I remember arriving in Corwen with a train and seeing the cattle in the ditches".
Then on the train to Dolgellau and the station master orders everyone to get off the train and drive them to a hotel in the town.
She knew that the Bermo and Harlech sides had been worst affected by the storm, and naturally she was worried about her parents. "I managed to catch a finger to the Bermo in the end, and walked from there towards home". There was a serious scene waiting for her in Llanbedr - drowned sheep and a terrible mess. "When I got to the top of Harlech and looked for this place, the only thing I could see was the topia of the trees".
Although several people urged her not to go further, Mrs Williams went on. Walking all the way to her knees in water and getting up into the fields every now and then until she reached Ty'n y Ffridd.
Then saw that there was a school against the side of the house, shouted at her mother and was relieved to see that everything was fine and she entered through the bedroom window. "Water had reached nine steps up the stairs at that time", he said.
BORN IN A STORM (PHOTO)
A few minutes after midnight on that unforgettable night in October 1927 a girl was born in Ty Newydd, Yr Ynys. The local nurse and doctor were in the house that night. Mrs Roberts, Ty Newydd, had meant to name the girl Mary Gale, but the doctor suggested the name 'Mordon' to commemorate the night.
Miss Mary Mordon Roberts lives there to this day. "According to my story, my mother's sister from Shrewsbury, came to stay here a while ago, and I was the nurse here too", said Miss Roberts. "It had been stormy for hours. My father heard some noise outside the door, and when he opened it the water came rushing in. There was probably about three and a half feet of water in the house, and I put the fire out".
The nurse and her aunt moved into the bedroom and the father went down to the bottom of the garden to try and save the two pigs. "He brought them both to the house and soldered them on the table in the middle of the dinner dishes", said Miss Roberts, "and there they were until the morning completely gone".
FISHING WOODBINES FROM THE WATER - (The Story of William Defi Jones - Wil Dei)
William Defi Jones - Wil Dei to everyone in the area, who now lives in Harlech but is originally from Dalsarnau, was the link between the items in the Feature Programme. He was seven years old when the high tide came and lived at 5 Bryn Street, Talsarnau.
"One of the things I remember about the incident was seeing packets of cigarettes floating on the surface of the water the next morning. They were two packets of Woodbines at the time - and I remember us lads fishing them out out of the water and take them home to dry them in the oven. I've never smoked since then", he said.