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10 August 1892 — Talygarn, nr. Llantrisant, Glamorgan | |
Wednesday. 10th [August 1892]. Up to 9.30 breakfast. Sat sometime in Mr Clark’s room—then went out in garden with Mrs Clark & Henry. Went to see the kitchen garden &c & in about 1. I saw Mr Hurst late schoolmaster at Dowlais on the lawn with the little Wyndham Clark boy helping him to fly a kite so I went out to have a chat with him. He came to Dowlais schools in 1844 the year after I was born & has been there ever since & is now pensioned by the Dowlais Co & the school made over the School Board. I had a long chat with him about old times. He told me he was a native of Yorkshire. His mother was early left a widow with sons. She knew Lady Byron the poet’s wife, & she took an interest in him & helped to send him to a London school & from there to the college for teachers at Battersea. When he had passed thro’ that Sir Joseph Shuttlesworth Kaly recommended him to my father who was in search of a certificated master for the Dowlais schools. “I went to see Sir John at his house in Spring Gardens—& he at once engaged me & gave me a five pound note towards my expenses. I went down & have been there ever since & I was the first certificated schoolmaster in Wales.” Mr Clark has offered him a cottage at Talygarn & with his pension & something more for teaching the young Clark children he will have near upon £500 a year. We talked over my brothers & sisters & my father & mother for whom he has the greatest affection. He is still quite a young looking man & is going to marry a 2nd wife—Miss Maskeline the head of the girls schools at Dowlais. He was delighted at having had a chat with me. After lunch we took leave of the Clarks & left Talygarn & went by train to Duffryn to stay with Lord & Lady Aberdare. We had 2 changes to make en route but it took us only an hour. It is a very prettily situated place in the valley of Aberdare—& altho’ surrounded by collieries they are so planted out as not to be seen from the house. They were playing croquet—Pamela, Alice & Lily were at home. Also staying there Mr & Lady Mary Ewart—& Miss Sorabji a charming Indian girl with dark complexion dressed in her Indian costume. I walked about the garden with Lord Aberdare for a long time & he told me a long story about the Dowlais Trust wh he & Mr Clark had had after my father’s death. Had tea on the lawn– Dinner at ¼ to 8. I played Halma with Lady Aberdare & beat her in eveng. | |
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