Denbighshire Record Office has two small, alternating exhibitions over the next few weeks on the theme of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham, concentrating on the eisteddfodau of 1876 and 1912.
One exhibition focuses on the Eisteddfod of 1876, when the most noteworthy feature was the empty bardic chair. The winning poet, Thomas Jones (bardic name Taliesin o Eifion) had dispatched his winning entry on the day of his death. The exhibition includes an account of the dramatic and rather tragic chairing ceremony as well as an early photograph taken inside the pavilion showing the stage and audience members.
More drama was to follow in 1912 when the Eisteddfod was temporarily hijacked by members of the suffragette movement. When the Right Honourable Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was the principal speaker, walked onto the platform and asked “A oes heddwch? (Is there peace?) he was greeted with a shout of “When are you going to give votes to women?”. There is a detailed newspaper account of what followed, including a number of suffragettes being forcibly removed by police, and by other members of the audience, who were disgruntled with the women for ruining the opening speech.
Denbighshire County Council’s Record Office opening times are as follows:
- Monday 10am -12.30 & 1.30 – 4.45
- Tuesday 10am -12.30 & 1.30 – 4.45
- Wednesday 10am -12.30 & 1.30 – 4.45
- Thursday 10am -12.30 & 1.30 – 4.45
- Friday 10am -12.30 & 1.30 – 4.15
