The by election for the ward on May 23^rd has provided a brand new councillor in Dean Lewis!

Going from a vastly experienced councillor  of over 30 years in the late Desmond Davies to Dean Lewis who has never run for office previously is a recipe for change in the area .

Councillor Lewis spoke to Resolven District News on various subjects and his enthusiasm for what’s ahead is infectious.

Dean chose to stand as an independent candidate for his own community in the hope that not being part of a recognised political party or group it will allow him more freedom to concentrate on his own ward which is his priority. Dean has a fresh outlook and as an independent offers the ward something new and diverse.  Aged 46  and living all his life in Resolven he believes that had a huge impact on his election result .Even though he has fresh ideas and hopes he has also vowed to continue with the work already started by the previous councillor.  This includes keeping up the pressure on improving public transport to help those needing to attend the new doctors surgery that’s opening this summer and working in collaboration with the Resolven Community Council in their efforts to obtain new land for use as a new cemetery ready for when St David’s churchyard is full.

Dean felt moved to put his name forward for election after talking to friends and family about the changes to resolve that he has witnessed over the years. A once bustling commercial road and amenities for all ages now a distant memory.  It’s true to say many residents feel Resolven has been feels forgotten by the borough council when they speak of regeneration and the spending of funding that is secured for new projects. While he appreciates the cuts to council budgets means the loss of services and amenities he is confident there are other avenues to follow to apply for funding to regenerate the valleys and not only the towns. That is what he intends to investigate.

There was no bigger loss locally than the closure of Clyne school and although it was a sad day for Clyne.  Dean has been impressed how both the pupils from Clyne and Ynysfach primary school as a whole have successfully managed the transition and believes it brought the villages of Resolven and Clyne even closer .

Resolven Clyne and Abergarwed are blessed with a good and productive community spirit of which Dean is proud to be part of and has been active in projects such as the carnival and a member of the trustees at the miners welfare hall and this is what makes him confident going forward in showing Resolven to the borough council as a shining beacon that deserves its voice being heard when applying for funding for future projects.

The newly elected councillor was humbled by the support he received and is now excited at the chance to put Resolven on the borough map.

As has always happened in years gone by local man has put himself forward to represent his community and wants to do his utmost to improve this area and we at Resolven District News wish him every success in his endeavours.

Cllr William H Lewis, Mayor of Rugby

The town of Rugby in Warwickshire has appointed and inaugurated a New Mayor to serve the community.

A Congratulatory hand shake from the outgoing Mayor Cllr Tom Mahoney

William on the steps of the Rugby Town Hall after his Inauguration as Mayor

Cllr William (Bill) Lewis, who hails from Resolven, moved to Rugby 50 years ago. He was married in 1970 where he set up home with his wife Susan and brought up two children, Richard and Rhea.

Richard who is extremely good at electronics and computers is always on hand to help with any technical problems that William might encounter and Rhea is now a fully qualified architect who has a fiancé Matt who is in demolition, making them a most interesting combination.

William attended Neath Grammar School and Swansea University and in 1964 graduated with a Civil Engineering degree. He worked for Civil Engineering Consultants for a total of 44 years, specialising in the design and construction of motorways, then of railway trackbed and the remediation of contaminated industrial sites.

Official Photograph by Jamie Gray (www,jamiegrayphotography.co.uk)

In 1966 he left Wales and moved from one Wales to another Wales, a small village in South Yorkshire called Wales Bar. It was in South Yorkshire that he met his wife Susan, who lived in a small mining village called Dinnington.

It was in February 1970 that William sustained a very serious accident when, due to icy conditions, he drove head first into an oncoming milk tanker. This resulted in a long stay in Cheltenham Hospital where he was treated for eight fractures of arms and legs. He spent five months in hospital and on the day he was discharged, he used the hospital as a qualifying address for a special licence to get married, using two supportive local witnesses.

He first became a member of the Rugby Borough Council in May 2010.  Passionate about the environment, William worked tirelessly to establish the Rokeby Schools Joint Recycling Initiative, raising more than £130,000 for the schools and other local charities.

L to R: Hugh, Herbie, Eunice & William
(A long time ago)

Cllr Lewis was born and raised in Resolven in The Vale of Neath, where he first gained a sense of belonging and commitment to the community.  His parents, Eunice and Herbie Lewis and grandfather, William Rees were all Deacons in Jerusalem Chapel and were a well known and respected family in the village.

Several close relatives of the Lewis family were Founder Members of the Resolven Operatic Society which was an integral part of their village life for over 50 years until it was disbanded in the 1990’s.

William, during his ‘declaration of acceptance of office’ speech in the Council Chamber emphasised that his Resolven village upbringing in a bilingual Welsh/English family home has been a great influence on how his life has developed.

It is therefore, understandable that William has chosen ‘RESPECT’ as the theme of his year in office, which means being considerate, polite and thoughtful, and applies to how we treat each other, the communities we live in, and the environment we all share.

During his year, William (he is known as Bill in Rugby) has decided to support small local charities in the Rugby area – the Dementia Society (http://rugbydementiasupport.org.uk/), the Autism Network (http:/rugbyautismnetwork.co.uk/) and New Directions (http://newdirectionsrugby.org.uk/).

Richard, Susan, William & Rhea
Official Photo’ by Jamie Gray (www.jamiegrayphotography.co.uk)

He is proud and honoured to hold the office of Mayor of Rugby for 2019/20, particularly during the Rugby World Cup year. (https://www.world.rugby/halloffame)

The extended family with William & Susan
Official Photo’ by JamieGray (www.jamiegrayphotography.co.uk)

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The RDN team, and particularly his brother Hugh send their Congratulations and good wishes for his year as Mayor and also to his wife Susan as the Mayoress.

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A Report on the May Meeting of Resolfen History Society

Ray Milland

Former headmaster and BBC Wales Pop Historian, Phil Davies has been a speaker at the meetings of the History Society for several years, and this year he took, Neath film star, Ray Milland as his focus.

He began by describing a visit to cocktail bar in the town of Ray Milland’s birth and was surprised to see that there were twelve cocktails on offer named after famous film stars, of whom only two had Oscars. Notably absent from the list was a drink named after a film star, born in the Cimla who actually DID possess one.  He noted that there was no plaque to him, no recognition in the Gwyn Hall or Civic Centre and even the Milland from which he took his stage name is a natural feature. Much of the details of Milland’s life actually came from his autobiography “Wide Eyed in Babylon”, a well written if a little embellished version of his life.

Reginald Truscott- Jones, was born on January 3^rd 1907 in Neath. He spoke Welsh as a boy but was also of Spanish descent. His father was a former British Army officer who had served in the Second Hussars which relieved the Siege of Mafeking in the Boer War. His mother was described as a typical well to do housewife of the period, who would like to “twitch the curtains” in curiosity. Following their separation, the young Ray, was brought up on a farm in the Cimla with his aunt. Here he became a good horse rider, which alongside his impressive 6 foot, two inches of height and good looks gave him a lot of the skills he would use in his later career. He attended the Gnoll School and came under the influence of Gomer Jenkins the famous headmaster of that school whom he described as his muse.

Later, Ray, went to a private school in Cardiff, and then became a clerk in the steel business. He then decided to join the army and enlisted in the Household Cavalry for some three and a half years, an experience which helped him with another range of skills regarding an acting career since he had already developed an interest in pantomime and general perfoming. On leaving the Army, he remained in London and mixed with the thespian community. He met Estelle Brodie an American actress who encouraged him to find an agent. This led to a small part in the silent movie “The Informer”, in which a fortuitous injury to an Austrian marksman, gave him the chance to usurp the part by showing his prowess with the rifle. Since he then had to apply for an Equity card, a stage name was devised with Reginald becoming Ray, and Truscott-Jones replaced by Milland. A later appearance as a fireman, in “The Flying Scotsman”, in 1949, brought him to the attention of MGM studios and he was offered a contract in Hollywood with the option of an extension.

Even though his first foray in to the American film industry did not prove very successful, he did at least meet his wife Mel, a marriage which lasted all his life. In 1932, Ray Milland returned to London, but owing to the advantageous exchange rate of the pound  to the dollar was able to purchase a return ticket for Los Angeles and this time was signed by Paramount studios. His first film was “Bolero”, where he starred alongside Dorothy Lamour. He specialised in action roles such as aviators (he was a pilot) cowboys and playboys. In those days, a film was completed in a few weeks and there was a multiple turnover of roles. However, in one scene, a saddle broke and gave him a serious injury. Banned from flying for a while, he took up joinery and then managed to give himself a hand injury with a buzz saw!!! This made him unfit for military service during the Second World War, though he did serve (unlike the more famous John Wayne) by training American pilots for the US Army ( which has its own air force, Ed) and by both visiting the troops and general fund raising for the war effort.  His film career, now became playing smooth, suave, characters in a vein similar to Cary Grant.

Mr Davies then turned to his film career. Ray Milland had a part in 165 movies over 40 years and also produced 6 films himself. Perhaps his most famous film is “The Lost Weekend”, in 1945, produced by Billy Wilder. In the film, Milland played an alcoholic alongside Jayne Wyman and several scenes of this powerful film were shown to the audience. This most decorated of movies also gave an Academy Award to Ray Milland. He went on to take parts in “Dial M for Murder” (1954), “Love Story” (1970). He also had parts in TV series such as Hart to Hart and cameo roles in more modern science fiction movies such as “Battlestar Galactica”.

Mr Davies concluded his memorable talk by reading passages from Ray Milland’s autobiography. He returned to Neath in the 1970s and though the book was obviously written for an American audience, Milland is still very much a Welshman and proud of his Welsh heritage and he could quite easily become a Neath boy once again without much effort. For a man who starred alongside George Raft, Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Grace Kelly and Marlene Dietrich it is incredible that his memory is not better kept in his home town. Ray Milland died in 1986, of cancer, and his ashes were scattered the next day in the Pacific ocean off the coast of California.

Mr Trefor Jones, thanked Phil Davies for a most enjoyable evening and hoped that he would return next year.

The History Society will now take a short break over the summer, though there will be an annual trip on June 15^th to the Royal Mint if anyone is interested. It will reconvene on the second Monday in September at the Church Hall, with a new and varied programme of talks. Please join us then.

European Blackball Pool tournament–Bridlington Spa–May 2nd – May 6^th

Welsh Pool squad u23 b1

Geraint Wellstead (front 2^nd left)

Calum Harvey

Dewi Williams

Jake Stebbings

Corey Williams

Sam Fowler

Manager – Gavin Bosworth

It was off to Bridlington for local man Geraint Wellstead to represent Wales in pool in the u23 b1 squad managed by Gavin Bosworth .

Since beginning playing pool at the Welfare Hall for the local league , Geraint has gone on to represent Wales on more than 1 occasion and with his partner Callum Harvey  managed to get as far as the semi finals of the European Blackball Pool tournament. The only team to beat them in the whole competition was the Scottish team who they lost to in the semi finals who then went on to win the tournament .

Newcomer to Resolven Shaun Stebbings who was in the same tournament in the u23 squad was a finalist in the singles and his brother Jake  played in the U23 B1.  So Resolven was well represented in Bridlington Spa .

REPORT BY DIANE SIMS

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