Cwmamman Silver Band, 1909.
It appears that the above picture was taken outside
Glanamman School. The bandleader (holding the baton), was named Benjamin
Jones, but was known locally as "Benny'r Band". Mr Jones
was born c.1879 and lived at "Pleasant View"; 79 Cwmamman
Road, Glanamman, in the proximity of the village square. His wife
was named Maggie and they had two daughters and two sons. One of their
daughers married and lived in North Wales. The other daughter, Mary
Laura Jones, cared for her father when he suffered from pneumoconiosis,
as a result of working at Gellyceidrim Colliery for many years. Benjamin
was the brother in law of the popular local historian, John Jenkyn
Morgan of Glanberach, Glanamman.
Benjamin Jones was a popular and well known figure in
Cwmamman and an accomplished band master who led the Cwmamman Silver
Band to several victories in South Wales contests. He also won numerous
eisteddfods with his fine baritone voice. He had conducted a number
of "Cymanfa Ganu" throughout the locality and was familiar
with the Folland family; the Cwmamman Silver Band being furnished
with smart uniforms by Mrs Folland in June 1925, as well as being
invited to play at Llwynderw, the Folland home, in Black Pill, Swansea.
Benjamin Jones also knew Mrs Folland through their mutual connections
with Bethesda Chapel, Glanamman; himself being precentor at the Baptist
Chapel.
Cwmamman Silver Band at Llwynderw, Black Pill, June
1925.
Click on the image to enlarge or move mouse over the
image for names.
On the 19th of February, 1927, the Cwmamman Silver Band
were among the participants at the opening of the Cwmamman Workmens
Hall and Institute; Ben Jones, being one of those on the committee,
which was formed to make the necessary arrangements for the ceremony.
The hall became one of the venues in which the band then played from
time to time.
On the 21st of September, 1933, the Amman Valley Chronicle
announced that the new bandmaster for the Cwmamman Silver Band was
Mr Malgwyn Jones, of the Plough and Harrow Inn (Glanamman Square).
He succeeded Mr Ben Jones who had recently resigned. Malgwyn Jones
was the nephew of Mr Stanley Jones, conductor of the Cwmamman Choral
Society and organist at Brynseion Chapel, Glanamman.
The 4th June, 1936 edition of the "Amman Valley
Chronicle", reported that Mr Benny Jones; the "former"
bandmaster of the Cwmamman Silver Band, conducted the massed bands
of the Amman Valley at the opening of the Amman Valley Cottage Hospital.
The massed bands comprised of four silver bands, namely; Cwmamman,
Ammanford, Gwaun Cae Gurwen and Brynamman. The paper reported that
this was a kind act on the part of the hospital committee, as Benny
Jones had been bandmaster in excess of thirty years.
Mr Benjamin Jones died on the 8th of May, 1961, aged
82 and is buried at Bethesda Cemetery on Grenig Road, Glanamman. His
well attended funeral was officiated by five ministers; Rev. T. Ellis
Jones, pastor, Rev. D. T. Evans, Rev. Jenkyn Lewis and Rev. D. J.
Davies, of Glanamman and Rev. W. Mon. Williams of Brynamman. His obituary
in the 11th May, 1961, edition of the South Wales Guardian referred
to him as "One of the most esteemed residents of Cwmamman".
Sadly, the same edition of the newspaper announced the
death of Mr Lemuel Edwin Rees, a well known cornetist with the Cwmamman
Silver Band. He had died suddenly in an armchair at his home; "Brynffynnon",
Tircoed Road, Glanamman, aged 65. The retired ex tinplate rollerman
worked at the Mount and Wernos Collieries when Glanamman Sheet Mills
closed in 1930. Lemuel Edwin Rees does not appear in the picture at
the top of this page as he would have been approximately only 13 years
old in 1909.
Thanks to Dilys Jenkins for the information and to John Madge
for the picture. Thanks also to the South Wales Guardian for allowing
me to use information from the Amman Valley Chronicle and South Wales
Guardian.
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