H M S Vulcan

(Y Gymraeg ar gael isod)

Reading between the lines is an activity frought with danger. But it is such good fun! Having opened the back of a little framed photo, I discovered the penciled message on the back of this picture. It reads…(I think!)

G John, Swansea House, Goodwick. No 1 Gilt O M L ,  2 for 2/-,  Thursday

What do you make of this? Maybe a customer from Goodwick had called at a picture framing shop and had chosen a gilt frame for their HMS Vulcan phoyo.  The price had been agreed and the framed photo was to be picked up on Thursday….? Is it possible for us to discover more about the connection between the John family of Swansea House and the ship. Was ‘G John’ a girlfriend, longing for her sailor love? Or was he a proud father, displaying this picture of his son’s ship and hoping for his safe return?

We can be more certain about the history of the ship itself.

HMS Vulcan was a British torpedo boat depot ship launched on 13 June 1889. She was later converted to a submarine tender in 1908-09.  As a training ship, she was renamed HMS Defiance III in 1931 and used for training in Cornwall. She was scrapped in Belgium in 1955.

As a specialist support ship, Vulcan could carry six torpedo boats on her deck and had repair workshops and equipment stores. She had an armoured deck and could act as a light cruiser.

So, who was G John of Swansea House who framed H M S Vulcan? Well, a little more research is required there….

An update……

Here is a description (translated from the original Welsh, County Echo 11-11-1910) of a special service at Goedwig Chapel in respect of Mr John, Swansea House –

GOODWICK.

Thursday night, October 27th, the Goedwig church held a public meeting to show its appreciation for the labour and effort of its faithful and energetic secretary Mr D. John, Tailor and Draper, Swansea House, Goodwick. This brother has served Goedwig chapel for 29 years, before and after it was incorporated into an independent  church. The chapel was built in 1873, under the patronage of Hermon, Fishguard, and Harmony, Pencaer. It was a branch of the two churches above until November 22nd, 1897, when it was incorporated as a church on its own. At the time indicated, sixty members were released from Hermon, Fishguard, and twenty-eight from Harmony, Pencaer, to form a new church at Goedwig, and the cause has succeeded from then until now. One of the  deacons mentioned that it is not surprising that it is a strong and fertile branch as it has absorbed the opinions of two such excellent mothers.

The meeting began, as witness to Mr D. John, through praise and prayer. Rev W Rees (Arianglawdd), Harmony, was elected to the chair. The program was organized by the Reverend J S Davies, a respected and faithful minister of the church. After an opening address by the chairman, there were reports from Mr D Bateman, Misses M A Morgan, L M Miles, and B Morgan and Mr Gwynn Morgan, and solos by Miss Beatrice Evans and Miss Blodwen Evans, Manorowen, and a poetic address by Mr J Evans, Main Street, Then Miss Ethel Morris was called forward to present a beautiful alwar containing a sum of gold to Mr. John, which the young sister did in a short but substantial speech, and was gratefully answered by Mr. John.

Following there were very complimentary addresses from the Reverend J S Davies, the minister, Capt Bewan, Mr Morris Evans, Arthur Davies, Shem Morgan, E Anthony, and W Bateman. Everyone spoke in the most respectful way about Mr John as a good deacon, a faithful member, an active writer, and an excellent brother in every sense. We wish the beloved brother a long life to do good, and may the blessing of the Most High rest upon him and his respectable family.

ANOTHER MAJOR UPDATE is available here.

Mae darllen rhwng y llinellau yn weithgaredd dansherus, ond, mae’n gymaint o hwyl! Wedi agor cefn llun mewn ffram, darganfyddais neges mewn pensil. Mae’n darllen … (dwi’n meddwl!)

G John Swansea House, Goodwick. No 1 Gilt O M L, 2 for 2/-, Thursday

Beth ydych chi’n ei wneud o hyn? Efallai bod cwsmer o Wdig wedi galw mewn siop fframio lluniau ac wedi dewis ffrâm gilt ar gyfer HMS Vulcan. Roedd y pris wedi ei gytuno ac roedd y cwsmer am ddod i’w mofyn ddydd Iau….? A yw’n bosibl inni ddarganfod mwy am y cysylltiad rhwng y teulu John o Dŷ Abertawe a’r llong? Oedd ‘G’ yn gariad i forwr, ac yn hiraethu amdano? Neu a oedd e’n dad balch, yn arddangos y llun hwn o long ei fab ac yn gobeithio ei weld nôl yn Wdig cyn hir?

Gallwn fod yn fwy sicr am hanes y llong ei hun. Llong ddepo cychod torpido Prydeinig oedd HMS Vulcan a lansiwyd ar 13 Mehefin 1889. Yn ddiweddarach cafodd ei throsi i fod yn dendr llong danfor ym 1908-09. Fel llong hyfforddi, cafodd ei hailenwi’n HMS Defiance III ym 1931 a’i defnyddio ar gyfer hyfforddi yng Nghernyw. Cafodd ei sgrapio yng Ngwlad Belg yn 1955.

Fel llong gymorth arbenigol, gallai Vulcan gludo chwe chwch torpido ar ei dec ac roedd ganddi weithdai atgyweirio a storfeydd offer. Roedd ganddi ddec arfog a gallai weithredu fel criwser ysgafn.

Felly, pwy oedd G John o Dŷ Abertawe fu’n trysori’r llun o H M S Vulcan? Mmmm…. mae angen mwy o waith ymchwil fanna….

Diweddariad –

Ymddangosodd yr erthygl yma yn y County Echo 11-11-1910, yn disgrifio noson dysteb i Mr John, Ty Abertawe yn Nghapel Goedwig yn Wdig.

GOODWICK. Nos lau, Hydref 27ain, cynnaliodd eglwys y Goedwig gyfarfod cyhoeddus i ddangos ei gwerthfawrogiad o lafur ac ymdrech ei hysgrifenydd ffyddlon ac egniol Mr D. John, Tailor and Draper, Swansea House, Goodwick. Y mae y brawd wedi gwasanaethu y swydd hon yn nglyn a chapel y Goedwig am 29 mlynedd, cyn ac wedi iddi gael ei chorffoli yn eglwys.

Adeiladwyd capel y Goedwig yn 1873, o dan nawdd Hermon, Abergwaun, a Harmony, Pencaer. Bu yn ganghen o’r ddwy eglwys uchod hyd Tachwedd 22ain, 1897, pryd y corffolwyd hi yn eglwys ar ei phen ei hun. Ar yr adeg a nodwyd, gollyngwyd trigain o aelodau allan o Hermon, Abergwaun, ac wyth-ar-hugain allan o Harmony, Pencaer, i ffurfio eglwys newydd yn y Goedwig, ac y mae yr achos wedi llwyddo oddiar hyny hyd yn awr, ac fel y dywedai un o’r diaconiaid, nid rhyfedd ei bod yn ganghen gref ac iraidd gan ei bod wedi sugno barnau dwy fam mor ragorol.

Dechreuwyd cwrdd tystebu Mr D. John, trwy fawl a gweddi. Etholwyd y Parch W Rees (Arianglawdd), Harmony, i’r gadair. Trefnwyd y rhaglen gan y Parch J S Davies, gweinidog parchus a ffyddlon yr eglwys. Wedi anerchiad agoriadol gan y cadeirydd, cafwyd adroddiadau gan Mr D Bateman, Misses M A Morgan, L M Miles, a B Morgan a Mr Gwynn Morgan, ac unawdiau gan Miss Beatrice Evans a Miss Blodwen Evans, Manorowen, ac anerchiad barddonol gan Mr J Evans, Main Street, Yna galwyd ar Miss Ethel Morris yn mlaen i gyflwyno alwar hardd yn cynnwys swm o aur i Mr John, yr hyn a wnaeth y chwaer ieuanc mewn araeth fer a sylweddol, ac atebwyd yn ddiolchgar gan Mr John. Yn canlyn caed anerchiadau canmoliaethus iawn gan y Parch J S Davies, y gweinidog, Capt, Bewan, Mri Morris Evans, Arthur Davies, Shem Morgan, E Anthony, a W Bateman. Siaradai yr oll yn y modd parchusaf am Mr John fel diacon da, aelod ffyddlon, ysgrifenydd gweithgar, a brawd rhagorol yn mhob ystyr. Dymunwn oes hir i’r brawd anwyl etto i wneyd daioni, a gorphwysed bendith y Goruchaf arno ef a’i deulu parchus.

CEWCH DDARLLEN am ddatblygiadau pellach am y teulu John fan hyn.