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The Perils of being Baptised in a River

This is an extract from “How I became a Blacksmith”, some notes written by John Davies, who was born in Talog in 1891. As a child he often frequented the Smithy in Talog where he became interested in the work of a blacksmith. His family moved to Llangain when he was seven years old. As an adult he became a multi-award-winning blacksmith in Carmarthen.

These notes recall an incident involving “Dafi Gof”, the Talog blacksmith who died in 1905.

“He was a stout and short man and kind to children, but he was not a full member of the local chapel until well on in years. I can remember him being baptised in the river which runs through the village, and great commotion was caused in the village that day. They used to baptise in a pool, called “pwll y bedydd1” to this day. But through some misfortune the minister and Dafi Gof got entangled in each other. He pulled the minister with him into the water to the great fright of us children, and we all ran back to the village shouting “Mae Dafi gof wedi boddi2”.

1 (the baptism pool)
2 (Dafi Blacksmith has drowned)

Now that can’t happen again, as they have diverted a stream of water to a brick built Baptistry in the field close by.”

Baptism Chamber

With thanks Jo Kerslake, a grand daughter of John Davies, for supplying the information

You can read more about the life of John Davies in ‘Where did the Anvil first ring for John Davies, Champion Farrier of Great Britain five times?‘, and there is some more information about the baptistry in ‘Blessing the Baptistry‘

Bethania Chapel Graveyard and Memorial Plaques

A few of the gravestones and memorial plaques to be found at Bethania Chapel.

Thomas Thomas, 1854 and his family


Er coffadwriaeth am Thomas Thomas masnachwr Talog o’r Plwyf hwn yr hwn a fu farw Ion
19 1854 yn 41 oed
Hefyd Margaret ei wraig a fu farw Ion 27 1854 yn 39 oed
Hefyd David eu mab a fu farw Ion 5 1854 yn 15 oed
Hefyd Mary eu mherch a
fu farw Chwef 10 1854 yn 17 oed

Edrych ar orchwyl DUW canys
pwy a all unioni y peth a gam modd efe

Two of the memorials to the Jones family, Rhydygarregddu

Plaques in the Chapel to Gwilim Wilkins, Chapel Deacon, and conductor of the Bethania Chapel choir. Also Gwynfor Phillips, Deacon and Chapel Secretary.

Memorial to Professor Henry Harford Williams

Raised in Meidrim, he studied at Aberystwyth University and became an eminent scientist, an expert in fish parasitology. His family said “He was hard working man, with numerous interests, and didn’t know when he should take a break from work. At the end of a hard day’s work, he’d frequently say that he’d overdone it:
“Dw i wedi gorwneud i””

1982 RAF Hunter Plane Crash

Yvonne Herbert remembers a plane crash near Talog which was quite exciting at the time! Apparently, there were two men in the plane: – Written off 05/08/1982: Suffered an engine failure due to compressor failure and crashed 4.5 miles north west of Carmarthen. Both crew – G.Captain. P. D. Oulten, and Fight Lieutenant M. B. Stoner – ejected safely.

The plane landed in a field. There is a write-up in the book “Carmarthenshire Air Crashes”, Bryngold Books, ISBN 978-1-905900-37-4, available to borrow from Carmarthen Library.

With thanks to Gareth and Sylvia Davies for the photographs.