About

The choir were much involved in centenary celebrations surrounding the composing of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and the bicentenary of the building of the famous Pontypridd “Old Bridge”.

Amongst many concerts in 1959, two were certainly memorable; Stuart Burrows was the guest artiste in the first one and in the annual concert Sir Harry Seacombe and Geraint Evans appeared together for the first time in their careers and with W.J. Evans (Geraint’s father) conducting the choir,there was quite a family feeling about a successful evening.

Joyce Durston was appointed musical director in 1964 and Dorothy Ingram (nee Davies) was appointed accompanist, thus bringing together two musicians who started their connection with the choir to many successes both on the concert and competitive platforms.

At this time arrangements were well advanced for a nine day visit to Germany as guests of the Liederkranz Oberensingen and this visit turned out to be the start of an on-going friendship In fact the building blocks of the association were firmly put together the following year when the Liederkranz came to Pontypridd for a very successful stay.

1970 Was the 21st birthday of the choir and a celebration dinner was arranged with patrons Sir Geraint Evans and Stuart Burrows, together with president P. Raymond Jones and many vice presidents and civic dignatories attending.

1973 Saw the choir take part in the H.T.V. Male Choral Competition. Twelve choirs were in the opening knock-out round and the finalists were Cwmbach and Pontypridd. The final of this competition was held in the H.T.V. Studios and after a tense wait for the adjudicators to deliberate Pontypridd emerged as clear winners and it was a win that reflected very well indeed of the high standard expected from the choir by both their conductor and accompanist.

1974 Was a high point in the history of the choir, when we won the National Eisteddfod of Wales, our Silver Jubilee year. The musical teams Durston and Ingram were carried shoulder high by enthusiastic and excited choristers. This was the first time for the trophy to come to Pontypridd at its second attempt(the previous attempt was at Newtown in 1966 when the choir came second).

1975 A polish choir “Zzk Henjau” visited Pontypridd and were given a warm welcome and started on a busy week of visits and concerts. Pontypridd choir visited Poland in 1976 as guests of “Zzk Henjau”, which was a memorable 10 days full of action and friendship.

1977 Brought another change to the musical team when Dorothy Davies Ingram became musical director and Jonathan Gulliford joined as accompanist it was with great delight that the choir brought home the knight of St. David memorial bowl from the Rhymney Valley Eisteddfod. In actual fact this notable success was repeated the following year when the cup again came to Pontypridd.

In 1989 Dorothy Davies Ingram became the first woman to conduct the 1,000 voices in the royal Albert hall and after 11 years as conductor to Côr Meibion Pontypridd,changed her role to become deputy conductor and accompanist, with Jonathan Gulliford taking up the position of director of music.

A very interesting initiative has been the launch and success of the john tree award scheme which has been made possible by the generosity of R.T.J. Tree Esq., choir president at the time of the launch in 1991. The objective of the scheme is to forge links with the schools and the choir and to award annually a sum of money to the musician/singer of the most outstanding ability and promise in each of the four comprehensive schools in the Pontypridd area. The pupil nominated to receive the award will be encouraged to take part in public at the choirs annual celebrity concert.

“With the 50th birthday celebrations in 1999, it is very gratifying to find the level of work for the choir being maintained and the demand for the choir’s services is very satisfactory indeed, Here’s to the next 50…”

The Choir continued to entertain and perform wherever they were asked including a return to the Royal Albert Hall in 2015 to take part in the Festival of Male Voice Choirs where Dorothy was again invited to conduct massed choirs.

As the new century progressed into its third decade, tragedy struck when our dear Dorothy was taken up to glory in 2020 after 36years continuous service both as accompanist and conductor. 

Corona Virus (Covid 19) hit that same year and the choir along with most of society entered “lockdown” only fully emerging in the Autumn of 2022.

In the interim, Darya Bryll-Williams took over as Accompanist and the choir remain extremely grateful to her for stepping in at a very difficult time in the choirs history.

Another blow followed in the spring  2022 when long time accompanist and conductor Jonathan Gulliford decided to retire after 43 years continuous service, a service record. 

A frantic period of searching for a replacement MD began and in September 2022, the choir were fortunate to attract the service of Meryn Williams. (pictured)

Rising 35 feet (11 m) above the level of the river, the bridge is a perfect segment of a circle, the chord of which is 140 feet (43 m). Notable features are three holes of differing diameters through each end of the bridge. The purpose of these was to reduce the weight of the bridge, although their aesthetically pleasing nature is a bonus.

It is thought that this bridge is one of the most dangerous and least-used of all the Welsh bridges. Work on the bridge began in 1746 at the small village of Pont-y-ty-pridd, as it was known at the time. Edwards made four attempts to build the bridge before completing it in 1755. The whole project (including the three failed attempts) cost the architect a total of £1,153 18s. 2g., and he made a loss of some £600. The lastest survived by putting three cylindrical holes graduated in size at either end, the largest at the bottom.

Edwards was also responsible for building bridges at Usk, Pontardawe, Bettws, Dolauhirion, Wychtree, Aberafan, and Glasbury. Some of these bridges were similar in design to the bridge at Pontypridd, in that they consisted of one single span, but were not as steep. A plaque, designed by the sculptor W. Goscombe John, was erected in memory of William Edwards on the wall of his old chapel at Groeswen.

Some time afterwards, Pontypridd became known as Newbridge after the bridge, and implying the existence of the old footbridge referred to earlier. The road bridge alongside, known as the Victoria bridge was built in 1857 as the Old Brige presented deifficulties due to itsd steepness of the design making it difficult to get carts across it.

From the bridge looking up the river on the left is Craig-yr-Hesg headland, which once gave its name to another footbridge, built of timber, across the river known as Pont-yr-Hesg. Reference was made to the beauty of this headland centuries ago. Craigyr-Hesg quarry, famous for its blue pennant stone, is alongside.

Tabernacle Chapel near the Edwards bridge was built in 1861 and has been purchased by Pontypridd Town Council and has been converted into a Historial and Cultural Centre which will eventually house the town’s first museum. Note the steps leading down into the river, once where people were baptised

The history of Pontypridd is closely tied to the coal and iron industries. Sited as it is at the junction of the Rhondda and Taff valleys, it became an important location for the transportation of coal from the Rhondda and iron from Merthyr Tydfil, first via the Glamorganshire Canal and later via the Taff Vale Railway, to the ports at Cardiff and Barry. Because of its role in transporting coal cargo, its train platform was at one time the longest in the world.