I know it is short notice but some list members in the London area might be
interested in a free talk at the National Archives, Kew.
----- Original Message -----
From: News from the Federation of Family History Societies
To: ffhs-news(a)ffhs-lists.org.uk
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 8:12 PM
Subject: FFHS-NEWS FREE talk on Thursday 14 January 2010, 2pm-3pm at Kew
Angela Owusu, Archive Awareness Campaign Officer has today released the
following notice:
Bruno Derrick, Records Specialist - Maritime and Transport, The National
Archives, will give a FREE talk on Thursday 14 January 2010, 2pm-3pm on
migration of the Welsh to Patagonia. It will focus on mass migration and
will use sources such as the Census and passenger lists/Board of Trade
records/Colonial records.
THE WELSH TAKE FLIGHT TO PATAGONIA
South America may not be instantly associated with Wales however documents
at The National Archives in Kew reveal an unusual story of the Welsh in
Patagonia.
To tie in with the Archive Awareness Campaign
www.archiveawareness.com
theme, Take Flight, The National Archives is hosting a special talk using
material from the archives to highlight migration of the Welsh to Patagonia
over a century ago.
In 1865 a group of Welsh emigrants left Liverpool on the tea clipper Mimosa
bound for the New World to establish a Welsh speaking colony in the valley
of the Chubut River in Patagonia, Argentina. After initial hardships,
including lack of vegetation and food, they successfully established their
colony literally called, Y Wladfa or 'The Colony' which is still a thriving
community today.
Y Wladfa as its name suggests was almost completely Welsh in character; the
language was used in church, schools and by the municipal authority. In time
a second colony was established in the foothills of the Andes, east of the
Argentine border with Chile, and this was called Cwm Hyfryd ('Pleasant
Valley'). For some fifty years, the language and traditions and laws of
Wales remained current across a swathe of Argentine Patagonia, and many
Welsh traditions live on today.
Within the numerous documents detailing the history of the colony at The
National Archives are the names of settlers, their descendents as well as
emigration to and from the colony. It is also clear from these records that
relations between the Welsh and the local native Patagonians were very good
and that the descendents of the settlers regard themselves as Welsh
Argentines.
Bruno Derrick, Records Specialist - Maritime and Transport, The National
Archives, said
"Archives are breath taking in their power to speak across the centuries.
This is a story of hardship and heroism and these documents, some not seen
by public until today will enable visitors to explore the remarkable hidden
history of the Welsh settlement in Patagonia during the second half of the
nineteenth century."
Angela Owusu, Archive Awareness Campaign Officer said:
The Archive Awareness Campaign aims to bring history to life through
documents, photographs, maps and treasures. Archives across the UK are
opening their doors to the public so that people can search for captivating
stories such as this".
Bruno Derrick, Records Specialist - Maritime and Transport, The National
Archives, will give a talk on Thursday 14 January 2010, 2pm-3pm on migration
of the Welsh to Patagonia. It will focus on mass migration and will use
sources such as the Census and passenger lists/Board of Trade
records/Colonial records
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Roger Lewry
(FFHS Archives Liaison)
exec.member.rl(a)ffhs.org.uk
12 January 2010
The Federation of Family History Societies is a Company Limited by Guarantee
Company Number 2930189 (England & Wales) - Registered Charity Number 1038721
Registered Office: Artillery House, 15 Byrom Street, Manchester, England M3
4PF
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Forwarded by Jeff