Roberts Roots & Branches

Two children wander, hand in hand entwined, On scented turf, and where the laughing flowers Dye, with rich sunset hues, the beds and borers, And touch with perfume every loitering wind.  Oh! ye, to whom the elements are kind! Fair boy! whom graceful fancies fairer make; Fair girl! whom never earnest smiles forsake What happier, holier lovers can we find? Pause in your play, and be eternal now! Still mix your hair where golden sunlight gleams O'er peach-like cheeks, amid the lustrous glow Of eyes, like two blue heavens in sleepy streams! We gaze; the earlier Eden blooms below, The loves of angels are no longer dreams. --Children's Summer.  Monmouthshire Merlin, 18 March 1853 (Supplement) page 2 http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/page/view/3395614/ART9

ST . DAVIDS DAY . [On the day of St . David, the Patron of Wales, the Welsh gained a victory over the English. In the battle, every man distinguished himself by wearing a leek; and the leek is still worn by Welshmen on the anniversaries of St . David, in memory of their conquest.  IT is the day of battle won, The good St . David's Day , When Britons chased, at set ef sun, Their Saxon foes away But why, where Victory weeps her gain, Should verdure wreathe the brow? The record of the conquered slain Should be a withered bough! Such days are fled Time grows too old, His out-worn sword to wield;  And braver words than e'er were told, Show graven on his shield. Now, round his temples bare he binds A crown, that saints might wear; And, casting down the laurel, winds The olive in his hair. Now, by the leek the red rose flowers, And hate and strife are o'er A better, noblei badge is ours, Than e'er St . David wore! Each quaint dev...

Impress your friends on St David’s Day with these handy phrases. Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David’s Day Pwy sydd ar y blaen yn yr Eisteddfod? Who’s winning in the Eisteddfod? Tîm y Cennin Pedr neu Dîm y Cennin? ‘Team daffodil or Team leek?’ Cymro i’r carn  ‘Welsh and proud’ Cawl a bara lawr i swper heno, ie?  ‘Cawl and laverbread for tea tonight then?’  Pryd mae’r dawnsio gwerin yn dechrau? What time does the country dancing start? Mam, ble mae fy siôl i? Mam, where’s my shawl? Oes wir raid i fi wisgo’r het yna? Do I really have to wear this hat? Hen Wlad fy Nhadau Land of my fathers Ife Tom Jones sydd draw fan’na Is that Tom Jones over there?         Gwnewch y pethau bychain Do the little things Pob dydd, pan dwi'n deffro, dwi'n dweud diolch i Dduw dros bod yn Gymraes Every day, when I wake up, I thank the Lord I'm Welsh. Cymru am Byth Wales forever Pryd ydyn ni’n canu Sosban fach? When are we singing Sos...

On the first of March our Welsh fiends are to celebrate St. David’s day in Elgar’s opera house by giving a musical entertainment and talk.  Those who are to take part are practicing careful and constantly.  The principal feature on the programme (sic) will be Welsh sons, that well-known vocalist, Ben (unreadable)well , being listed for several solos.  The arrangements are about completed.  We are informed the admission is to be $1.00 for gentleman, ladies admitted free to both entertainment and dance. Wyoming Newspaper online, Rock Springs Miner, 17 February 1892, page 4.

“During St David's last sermon he said words to his followers were 'Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.' 'Do the little things' has become a well-known inspirational saying in Wales.” Wales.com http://wales.com/about-wales/facts-about-wales/national-symbols-wales

Daffodils symbolize rebirth and new beginnings and are virtually synonymous with spring.  In Wales, it’s said if you spot the first daffodil of the season, your next 12 months will be filled with wealth.  Daffodil is the March birth flower and the 10 th wedding anniversary flower and it is believed that a gift of daffodils is said to ensure happiness.  Daffodils when given in a bunch are associated with good fortune, but when given as a single bloom, a daffodil can foretell misfortune. Daffodils I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did ...

"St. David’s Day is celebrated by the Welsh people in honor of the patron saint, David.  This great and good man, it is said, was born in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, in the latter part of the fifth century.  Historians claim for him a royal lineage on both sides and trace it on his mother’s side through seven generations to a sister of the Virgin Mary.  He was extraordinarily endowed by nature and received a very liberal education, besides being a pupil of the eminent scholar Paulinus for 10 years." "St. David was a religious and devout man, and he consecrated his life and energy to the work of the ministry.  Being a very magnetic man and an influential and gifted public speaker, also a possessor of large means which he liberally divided with the needy, made him the most respected a popular man of his time.  He was the organizer of religious movements, established monasteries, etc,. and also was in various ways a public benefactor.  With all these wo...

For this third month, RR&B’s theme is Wales, of course, since March 1st is St. David’s Day.  So, for this month, we will share a few facts and interesting details about St. David's Day.  Hugh (1) and Margaret (2) were both born in Wales and married in Wales.  Soon after their marriage they moved to England, never to live in their homeland of Wales again.  Although none of their children were born in Wales, the Roberts children identified themselves as proud coal mining “Welshmen” and women! We may never know what it was about this country that held their hearts, allegiance and loyalty.  And, we may never know why their love of Wales that ran through their blood.

Two words you N.E.V.E.R want to hear together are: fire and archives or flood and archives or mudslide and archives So, my heart dropped when I saw the headline,  "National Library of Wales identifies fire-damaged archives" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo Apparently, on 26 April a fire broke out when workers using a blowtorch started a fire.  In addition to fire damage, there was some water damage.  According to the BBC the fire and water damaged few records, but "few" is relative if they pertain to your ancestors! According to the article there were no Flintshire records destroyed.   You can read the entire story here . Source:  BBC  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-22770260

from here From Wiki : "Saint David's Day (Welsh: Dydd Gŵyl Dewi) is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on the 1st of March each year. The first day of March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Tradition holds that he died on that day in 589.  The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century." (Thank you Adam for the heads up on this holiday!)