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22 July 1899 — Dowlais House, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan | |
Saturday. 22nd [July 1899]. We breakfasted at 9.45 & all day long there were conferences between the gentlemen in pairs & altogether to discuss the remodelling of the Dowlais Co. So I sat & read & worked. A Mr Young of an accountant firm was here & he lunched with us. He talked much, seemed clever & was evidently very rich for he talked of his collection of pictures, Corots, David Cox &c &c. It was a very hot day & we sat in the afternoon in the shadow of the house on the E. side & had 5 o’cl tea out there. We took a walk round the works. Abt 6 o’clock a band of musicians marched into the garden heading a body of miners who came on Ivor’s invitation to make his acquaintance. They were about in number abt 2000 & sat about on the mound & on his lawn while a choir gave us some excellent music. After that a chair was brought out on which people stood & made speeches. Young Ivor Guest began—& then a miner followed—after wh old Ivor Guest addressed the men—welcomed them & said he thought it a good thing they should get to know each other better. Then a miner made a flowing speech in Welsh—there was more singing—Duncannon spoke– The Welsh National Anthem was sung “Wales Wales, my father’s dear home is in Wales” after wh Ivor asked for God save the Queen wh they sang somewhat reluctantly– The most striking thing they sang was “Jesus lover of my soul” in Welsh in which everybody joined– At abt 8 o’cl they all departed in a quiet & orderly manner & we came in to dinner. At lunch I got a letter from Merthyr saying the lawsuit which he had thought was at an end by Theo having consented to wait for the sum due to her until Adeline’s death was unsettled as Rhuvon demanded that Merthyr should pay his costs– Merthyr refused to do this & suggests that the family should not come forward & do so– As the action is settled for next Tuesday there is little time to be lost. I spoke to Edward Duncannon about it as I went up to bed & he agrees we ought to do something. I was very much upset at the whole thing & had a good cry wh was very stupid of me but I could not help it. | |
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