Western Mail Tuesday June 10th 1924.
OBITUARY.
The death occurred on Monday in his seventy-ninth year of Mr. William FARR, formerly the
art master at the Cardiff Technical College, and the father of Mr. Harry FARR, Cardiff
City Librarian. Mr. FARR had been in failing health for some time. He was a native of
Salisbury, and he came to Cardiff 50 years ago. After a stay of some years he went back to
his native city, but returned to Cardiff 40 years ago to join the staff of the Technical
College Staff as art master, a position which he maintained until his retirement in 1918.
Mr. FARR was one of the oldest members of the College Staff, and during his years of
service that instution grew from its lowly beginning to the important in Welsh education
it holds to-day.
Mr. FARR was twice married, and his second wife, formerly Miss Rosetta DAVIES, of
Pembroke-house, Conway-road, Cardiff died thirteen years ago.
Mr. John POWELL, metal merchant, who had carried on business for some years at
Gloucester-chambers, Newport, died at his residence, Goldcroft Common, Caerleon, on Monday
at the age of 66.
He was taken ill at Mill-street, Congregational Church, Newport, of which he had been
secretary for thirty years. Mr. POWELL was an ex-president of the Newport Free Church
Council and treasurer of the Monmouthshire Congregational Union. He leaves a widow, one
son, and two daughters.
Mrs. Mary WILLIAMS, the wife of Mr. Edwin WILLIAMS, retired schoolmaster, Arosfa, Risca,
died suddenly. She leaves a large family ; including Mr. Eddie WILLIAMS, B.Sc. (Lond),
F.C.S., F.G.S., F.R.G.S., Miss Muriel WILLIAMS, B.A., Mrs. W.A. WILLIAMS, Mr. S.M.
WILLIAMS, Darjeeling, India, Miss E.M. WILLIAMS, Mr.W.M.M. WILLIAMS, B.Sc. (Lond),
Institute of Agriculture, Oxford, and Mr. R.M. WILLIAMS, Guy's Hospital, London.
Mrs. WILLIAMS had fallen off in health a great deal after the loss of her second son, Mr.
Oswald M. WILLIAMS, a scholar of St. John's, Oxford, who was reported wounded and
missing at Givenchy, with the Cardiff City Battalion in April, 1916. Before the war she
took a prominent part in local life, and was the originator and honorary secretary of the
nursing association and president of the Liberal social council. Mrs WILLIAMS was also for
a time a member of the board of guardians.
The funeral will take place on Thursday at Risca Cemetery, leaving the house at three
p.m., and will be for gentlemen only.
Mrs WILLIAMS was 63 years of age.
Three lives were lost in a bathing tragedy at Langland Bay, near Swansea, on Whit-Monday,
a man who got into difficulties and two would-be rescuers being drowned.
About 6.15 p.m., just as pic-nickers were leaving the beach, cries for assistance were
heard from a swimmer who was some distance out in the bay.
The man in distress proved to be John PEACOCK 18, son of Mr. Russell PEACOCK, architect,
Swansea and Mumbles. He had gone out bathing with a friend, and soon got into
difficulties.
His friend returned for help, and Mr. Tom EVANS, of West Cross, Norton, promptly rushed
into the water, fully dressed. Before he could reach Mr.PEACOCK, however, the latter had
disappeared.
The would-be rescuer then found himself in difficulties, and three others hastened to his
aid.
One man reached him, but within a few minutes had to release his hold and Mr. EVANS was
drowned in sight of his wife, who was carried from the beach in a state of collapse.
Meanwhile two others-one of them Mr. Pat WILLIAMS, son of the vicar of Oystermouth, tried
to get at the second would-be rescuer; but they were to late and the tragedy had become a
threefold one.
Mr. Pat WILLIAMS was so badly affected by his endeavours that it became necessary to apply
artificial respiration to revive him.
Up to an hour later none of the bodies had been recovered.
The tragedy was witnessed by a huge crowd of holiday-seekers.
Mr. WILLIAMS was not very near to PEACOCK when he was noticed to be in difficulties, and
ran to get the life-belts which are kept at the top of the beach. There was a strong tide
running in the bay, and efforts were made by several persons to rescue PEACOCK. Amongst
these was a man named TAYLOR, a workman, living at Mumbles, and another was DOCHERTY, the
golf professional at Langland Bay. They failed to get hold of PEACOCK, and TAYLOR himself
got into difficulties. Other persons went into the water to try and effect a rescue, but
owing to the rough sea and strong current they failed, and both PEACOCK and TAYLOR were
swept away, TAYLOR thus, apparently, losing his life in endeavouring to rescue PEACOCK.
DOCHERTY was much exhausted on leaving the water and had to be attended to before he
recovered.
Owing to the huge crowds present in the bay at the time, most of them strangers, the
police were unable to secure definite information as to the persons missing.
It is suggested that the third man was named HARCOURT of Landore, but there is no
confirmation of this.
Search parties were on the beach until after midnight hoping to recover the bodies when
the tide receded at one o'clock this morning, but up to the time of going to press
there had been no further devolpment.
John Patrick