HISTORY ARTICLES

In the year 1902 the body of a young boy was found on the mountainside surrounding Blaenrhondda. It is believed that he has become lost while trying to find his way home and died from sleeping through the cold night. Here is the full article that was printed on May 3 (Saturday) 1902, by the Rhondda Leader.

Mr R. J. Rhys, and a jury, of whom Mr Griffith Matthews was foreman, held an inquest at the Tynewydd Hotel, Treherbert on Monday afternoon on the body of the lad, William Llewellyn, who was found dead on the mountain above Blaenrhondda, on Saturday, after being missing for a fortnight.

The first witness called was Mrs Ann Llewellyn, deceased’s mother, who spoke in Welsh and said she was the wife of George Llewellyn, collier, 100 Heolgerrig, Merthyr. The boy’s name was William and he was five years and one month old. Last Friday fortnight, she took him with her to the Co-operative Stores at Aberaman, being driven thither in the Co-operative Stores cart over the Aberdare Mountain. They started about 12.30 in the morning. She took the boy with her to the shop, but she did not notice him going out, though hardly five minutes had elapsed before she missed him. She immediately went into the road to look for him, and also to another shop where she had been that day, but she failed to see him not got any trace of him. He had been once to Aberaman before with her, but he was only a child at the time, and he had never walked over the mountain with her, although he had been as far as Llwydcoed. He was a very sharp boy, but could not speak English. Later the same day she informed the police. She had seen the deceased and identified him as her little boy by a couple of warts which were on his fingers. Witness turned to her husband, who said there was no mistake as to the lad’s identity.

Mrs Llewellyn, in reply to a question from the jury, said that the shop was full when she missed the boy, and that he did not go to school regularly, as he was not very strong. He was a good walker and at Easter last year he walked all the way from Cwmtaff. She was told he had gone up Mill St. but did not hear this until the next day by a woman named Reynolds. All next day they looked for the boy on the mountain going in the direction of Maerdy.

George Llewellyn, the father of the deceased, had no doubt as to the boy’s identity by reason of his general appearance and clothes. He identified him at once when he saw him.

Alderman W. Morgan, J.P., Tynewydd, stated that he was out hunting with hounds on Saturday morning. He was coming back from Blaengwrach, and took the road toward Carn-y-moesau. Just on top the dogs bolted off, and he turned his mare after them, and found the body of a boy about 200 yds from Carn-y-moesau, which was the highest peak in the country. It was lying about 30 yards from the path.

In reply to the Coroner, witness said: ‘Carn-y-moesau was know as the “Town of Good Manners”. He added that the boy was lying on the groung on his left side with his arm under his head.

The Coroner: ‘As if he were asleep?’

Witness: ‘Yes, he looked quite natural. His top coat was a couple of yards off, his other coat a little nearer, and his cap and handkerchief were also close by. David, the huntsman, and Hywel Llewelyn moved the body, The grass was very dry, and the body looked as though it had been lying there for some time. The party decided to take the lad to Tynewydd, and the huntsman wrapped the top coat around the boy’s body and the other coat around his head. Hywel Llewelyn carried the child in his arms all the way like a new-born baby, and David the huntsman, led the mare. I did not get off my mare at all. The body could not be seen from the path as it was under a hillock, and had it not been for the dogs it would not have been noticed.’

The Coroner: ‘Any number of people might have gone over that path and not seen it?’

Witness: ‘Yes, the body might not have been seen for months and months.’

Asked by the Coroner, how far Carn-y-moesau was from the top of the Rhiwmynach, witness said it was about five miles but the Coroner hardly thought it was so far.

The boots worn by the boy were produced, and a juror said it was a strange thing that they should be so clean as the boy had walked so long a distance.

Another juror was of the opinion that even if the boots had been dirty the rain would have washed them clean.

The Coroner said that the boots were of patent leather which would be cleaned by walking through grass, but if they had been of ordinary black leather, they would have been of a dull colour. He explained that the mountain was a very lonely one, and that a person could walk on the top behind Bwllfa and as far as Resolfen without seeing anybody until he reached Cwmdare and when he used to ride over that distance he rarely saw anyone. The little boy might have easily been confused at Aberdare, and in going up Monk St he might have thought owing to the general appearance of the place, that he was going to Heolgerrig, as he would have to pass a railway in both places.

Dr William Hinde, assistant to Dr Warburton, stated that he saw the deceased at a quarter past one after the body had been brought to the Tynewydd Hotel on Saturday. He clothes were intact, and there was a little blood on the right side of the collar.

Asked whether he could form any idea as to the number of days the child had been dead, the witness said it was at least ten days.

The Coroner: ‘It might have been fourteen days?’

Witness: ‘Yes, quite.’

Coroner: ‘There was no fracture of dislocation?’

Witness: ‘No. There was a slight post-mortem discoloration on the right forehead and right cheek. The eyes were sunken and the countenance presented a placid appearance. There were also marks on the right side of the head caused by insects, but quite superficial, and whilst there were abrasions on the backs of the hands, there were none on the palms. Decomposition had set in, and the clothing was very damp, the shirt being saturated. The stockings were also mouldy.’

The Coroner: ‘What do you think was the cause of death? Exposure?’

Witness: ‘Yes, exposure.’

Asked by a juryman whether he noticed that one side of the clothing was damper than the other, witness replied that the side next the ground was the wetter. The right hand was sodden as if it had been under water for some time.

This completed the evidence.

This Coroner, in summing up, referred to the position in which Alderman Morgan had found the body, and said it was likely that before the boy lay down, he took off his coat and jacket as if he were going to bed, and in all probability it was dark at the time. Very likely he died during the night, and he (the Coroner) did not for a moment suppose he lived to see the following day, because, if he did, the chances were that he would have been seen as there were some houses underneath. Dr Hinde said that death was due to exposure, but the question was, how did the deceased come by exposure in that way? He believed the child had lost his way and walked to the spot where the body was found. There was nothing in the case to suggest foul play.

After a brief consultation, the jury unanimously agreed upon the verdict that ‘the boy was found dead from exposure’.

The body was subsequently conveyed to the Treherbert Railway Station, but previous to leaving the hotel, the crowd that had assembled sang the old Welsh funeral dirge, ‘Bydd myrdd o ryfeddodau’. The coffin was carried and, walking behind were the deceased’s father and some relatives. The procession was headed by the Rev. J. Rees, Vicar of Trehebert, the Rev. John Davies, Curate of St Mary’s, the Rev. M. Davies, Horeb Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, and the Rev. G. Mathews, Blaenrhondda.

An immense crowd awaited the arrival of the mourners and the body at Merthyr Railway Station. The coffin was carried to the residence of Mr and Mrs Llewellyn at Penyrheolgerrig, a large concourse of people joining in or watching the procession.

Before the mourners left the Tynewydd Hotel, a short service was conducted in a private room by the Rev. Mr Mathews. Amongst those who were with the huge body of processionists to the station were: The Vicar, the Rev. M. Evans, Tynewydd, Councillor Enoch Davies, and Mr Richard Price of Merthyr. Several wreaths from Aberaman were laid upon the coffin.