January 20 1936

Gwent Mourns the King’s Passing

Monmouthshire on Tuesday mourned the death of the King and messages of sympathy with ther Queen and the royal family were sent by public authorities and organisations in all parts of the county.

Chepstow joined in the great hush following the news that the King had died. Flags flew at half-mast, many residents wearing mourning.

The news was received with profound sorrow at Abergavenny. People waited up late on Monday night to hear the broadcast messages. There was a strange stillness in the town, and though it was Market Day, there was little activity.

Early in the morning tradesmen were busy having shutters placed on the outside of their windows, and in a short space of time flags were seen flying at a half-mast from public and other buildings.

Later in the day women appeared in Abergavenny wearing black armlets and men wearing black ties. The Town Clerk, Mr W H Hopwood sent the following telegram to Her Majesty the Queen:

“The Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Abergavenny learn with deepest regret of the death of their beloved King. May God in his tender mercy comfort you and all other members of the Royal Family.”

Royal Visit to Monmouth

Monmouth has pleasant memories of the visit of the late King to the Hendre and Monmouth many years ago when he was the Duke of York, and was accompanied by his wife. Deep sorrow at the King’s passing was expressed over the whole Wye Valley at the annual meeting of the Monmouth Chamber of Trade on Monday.

Goytre Hall Blaze

A billiards hall situated in the wing of Goytre Hall, near Abergavenny, the home of Captain L.D Whitehead was completely gutted by fire early on Wednesday morning.

Two brigades, Abergavenny and Pontypool, were called just before five o-clock to deal with the outbreak. After fighting the fire for nearly two hours, the brigades mastered it, and the house was declared out of danger.

Fortunately there was little wind, and the flames were not spreading to the rest of the house, as would have been the case if the fire had broken out on Tuesday. The cause of the fire was the over-heating of the flue of the furnace.

There was an adequate supply of water from a lake in the grounds. The fire-fighting apparatus in the house was not sufficient to put out the fire, and the brigades were called.

Abergavenny, who were called first, were under Captain H Powell and Lieutenant Perry, while Pontypool, who were called a few minutes later were under Chief Officer H Small, Deputy Chief Officer J M Cope and Lieutenant W T Tanner.

The fire was discovered by Miss Lydia Robbins, resident family nurse. She was in a room near the outbuilding when she noticed flames. Miss Robbins roused the maids, who called the rest of the household, including Captain and Mrs L D Whitehead.

There was only one billiards table in the hall, and this was destroyed, as were its fittings.

Undy Favour Sudbrook Water Scheme

A largely attended parish meeting at Undy on Wednesday evening voted by large majority in favour of continuing the water supply from Sudbrook and rejected a proposal to join Magor in a scheme from Wentwood.

Mr H J Ward Inspector to the Chepstow Rural District Council have details of the existing supply to the present area, including Undy, and said the six-inch pipe supplied parishes on the way to Undy, including the tin works. As they were aware there was an abundant supply from the GWR pumping station at Sudbrook, where nine million gallons per day were pumped in the driest period, and the quantity today was probably thirty million.

The question was how to distribute it better than at present. It was proposed to connect up the four-inch main at Caldicot to a nine-inch pipe, the effect of which would be to relieve the speed in the six-inch main and make it very much better for parishes at the Undy end. The scheme was accepted by 44 votes to five.

Ex-Mayoress of Monmouth

The death took place on Sunday of Mrs Frances Elizabeth Edwards, of 19 Beech Road, Monmouth, where she lived with her married daughter. Mrs Edwards was 81 years of age, and had an interesting connection with the old borough of Monmouth where she had lived nearly all her life. Her father was the first town missioner at Monmouth, and was the late Mr William Dearn, one of the pioneers of the Working Men’s Institute in the town, the founder of which was a Mrs Jones, who in her lifetime lived at the Ancre Hill, Monmouth.

She was the widow of Alderman G.R Edwards for a long period one of the best known of Monmouth public men and several times Mayor of Monmouth. Alderman G.R Edwards died in November 1930, and was buried at Llangattock-Vibon-Avel.