Friday 16th September 2022

FRIDAY 16^th SEPTEMBER 2022:

Wales is a beautiful land but that beauty is not merely to be found within its mountains, valleys and lakes as we saw with His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Consort visiting Wales is a land of beautiful people.

Watching the service in Llandaff Cathedral I found myself singing the National Anthem of Wales along with those in the Cathedral. I was singing in Welsh !

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;

Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd,
Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed.

Gwlad, Gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad,
Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,
O bydded i'r heniaith barhau.

 

Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd;
Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn, i'm golwg sydd hardd,
Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si,
Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.

 

Gwlad, Gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad,
Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,
O bydded i'r heniaith barhau.

 

Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad dan ei droed,
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed,
Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad,
Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.

 

Gwlad, Gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad,
Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau,
O bydded i'r heniaith barhau.

When I was nine years old, attending Junior School, our class was taught the anthem. I do not

remember why but I remember every word all these years later.  The deputy headmaster was so impressed he took the school’s now ancient but then state of the art wheel to wheel tape record to preserve our singing.

I am listening to this wonderful anthem on YouTube as I write these words and tears are filling my eyes. Tears celebrating my memory and tear honouring the time His Majesty has spent today in this special place.

I would have been nine years old when I learned to sing Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi, seven years into the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Seven years, one tenth of her glorious reign.

But the music from Llandaff and the memories it generated for me did not stop there.

Leaving junior school I attended Boldmere High School for Boys in The Royal Borough of Sutton Coldfield. It’s royal charter had been granted by King Henry VIII. I did not like school, that is an understatement ! However, every morning school started with assembly which was a bit of fun. Never mind the headmaster’s announcements and nobody ever listened to the scripture reading but we all loved singing the two morning hymns. On joining the school every boy was issued with a hymn book but very soon they were merely a side line as every boy knew every word of every hymn.

At the front of the assembly hall was a board upon which the two morning hymns were displayed. When the number 508 appeared there was always and air of excitement as we teenagers entered the hall.

Five-O-Eight. Officially Cwm Rhondda but we loved it as 508.

Guide me, O though great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but though are mighty,

hold me with your powerful hand.

Bread of Heaven, bread of Heaven,

Feed me now and evermore,

feed me now and evermore.

Open now the crystal fountain,

Where the healing stream doth flow.

Let the fire and cloudy pillar

lead me all my journey through,

Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,

ever be my strength and shield,

ever be my strength and shield.

 

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside.

Death of death, and hell’s destruction,

land me safe on Canaan’s side,

Songs pf praises, songs of praises

I will ever give to thee,

I will ever give to thee.

It was joked, a joke is half of the truth is it not, that only the Welsh and Boldmere High School For Boys in The Royal Borough of Sutton Coldfield could sing Guide me O though Great Jehovah properly. My old school closed years ago but as we saw in Llandaff Cathedral now only the Welsh can sing this hymn.

We are witnessing something the like of which has never before happened anywhere in the world. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland together with the Commonwealth having the arms of the world wrapped around it is celebrating the live of Queen Elizabeth. There is sadness but celebration is its way of mourning.

The queue to pass by Her Majesty laying in state it is said can be seen from space, so long it is. Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands are passing by. All generations, backgrounds and beliefs are lining up for anything approaching twenty-four hours to pay their respects. It is a queue of happiness, celebration, friendship and dignity.

That laying in state saw Her Majesty’s children honour their mother and tomorrow it will be the turn of her grandchildren to do the same. I

I have not made the journey to London to be part of this celebration. I am simply not well enough to undertake the task. I am no friend of the BBC but I have to praise not only its high standard of coverage but also the twenty-four hour non-stop coverage of the laying in  state.

Our nation has come together in such strength and unity. Queen Elizabeth II, I hope she goes down in history as Queen Elizabeth the Great.

Back to the 1950’s and my time at Junior School. Every week we little kids took either a one shilling coin (5p) or half a crown (12 ½ p) to school to buy a Post Office saving stamp. The shilling stamp had the picture of Princess Anne on it and the half crown had the picture of Prince Charles. We stuck these stamps into a special savings book which when full were exchanged for saving certificates. Through these stamps we learned of these royal children and their roles in our country.

King Charles and Princess Anne are older than me. The Queen Consort is older than both. I have said how, as an old man, I simply do not have the strength to queue for a day in order to pass through Westminster Hall. This task, however, is small beside the physical side of everything this royal trio are currently undertaking.

Beyond the physical side of their duties just look at the way they and all members of our Royal Family are carrying out such. Up close and personal !  After seventy years of service the death of Her Majesty has brought an era to an end. But just look at the special times we are now witnessing being born in the reign of our New King.

God save our King.