Gethin ap Gruffydd
Encyclopedia
Gethin ap Gruffydd is a Welsh political and cultural activist, born in Merthyr Tydfil
to a father from a Gilfach
mining family, and a mother whose family had been hardrock miners for generations. After moving to Bridgend
aged seven, he attended Pencoed Secondary Modern School where he became a Welsh nationalist at fourteen.
. In 1964 he relocated to Fishguard, waiting six months in preparation for Plaid Cymru's summer conference. At Fishguard, Gruffydd's characteristic approach to political action drew the notice of the police for the first time when he tore down Union Jack flags and bunting at a local féte.
At the Fishguard conference Gruffydd first met long term ally, Cwmbran bus conductor Tony Lewis. Together they formed the Anti-Sais Front.
There was some overlap in membership and activities between the Patriotic Front and the Free Wales Army
, with Gethin ap Gruffydd and Tony Lewis members of both, and the latter having designed the FWA uniform. By July 1966 they had publicly dissociated themselves from the guerilla gestures of the Free Wales Army, seeking instead to create a political pressure group within Plaid Cymru. They formed the Patriotic Front, setting out to recruit from the Welsh majority English-speaking populace neglected by the likes of Plaid Cymru and Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg. The Patriotic Front quickly gained support, with several branches set up in Aberdare, the Rhondda and elsewhere. Its main headquarters were at Cwmbran, where Gruffydd and Lewis opened a club, The Patriot's Rest, at Pontnewydd.
Gruffydd explained that the intended place for the Patriotic Front was for it to become "...incorporated into Plaid Cymru to cater for the more militant, or positive elements within the party." However, in July 1966 Plaid Cymru leader Gwynfor Evans
was elected to Westminster as MP for Carmarthen and, following this first taste of mainstream political success, the party was in no mood to accommodate the exuberant strain of uniformed militancy emerging at its fringes. The Patriotic Front sent as many of its members as possible to Plaid Cymru's next conference in Maesteg, with the entire front row of the hall comprising a fully uniformed PF contingent (PF uniform consisted of green sidecap, khaki shirt and black trousers.) Despite a positive reaction from party leader Evans, others within Plaid Cymru took a negative view of the Patriotic Front and, following a dispute surrounding the use of funds generated by The Patriot's Rest, the PF was outlawed by Plaid at its 1966 Dolgellau conference.
Noting how many potential recruits to the cause were put off by the Patriotic Front's uniformed militancy, Gruffydd and Lewis created a number of off-shoot nationalist organizations designed to appeal to particular interests. The Llewelyn Society sought to remember Llewelyn ein llyw olaf (Llewelyn the Last), the last Welsh Prince of Wales; the Young Patriots League was successful in recruiting numbers of schoolchildren and young teenagers; the Lost Lands Liberation League would agitate for the return to Welsh status of areas lost to England, across the counties of Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Hereforedshire, Monmouthshire and Shropshire. Cofiwn Glyndŵr (aka Owain Glyndŵr
League) brought together various organizations, including the Free Wales Army
, the Welsh Language Society and others, for a 1967 parade through the streets of Machynlleth. Anticipating a clampdown on their activities by Special Branch and the British authorities, the Patriots Aid Committee raised funds in support of the families of imprisoned actvists.
. Despite continuing to work with (and later re-joining) the Free Wales Army, in his private correspondence with the FWA's Julian Cayo-Evans
, Gruffydd expressed concern over some of the FWA's modus operandi, rightly predicting that it would eventually prove counter-productive.
Wales had seen a spate of bombings in the lead-up to the Investiture of Prince Charles at Caernarfon Castle on July 1, 1969. The FWA was happy to falsely claim responsibility, and nine members were arrested, including Tony Lewis and Gethin ap Gruffydd. Leaders Coslett and Cayo-Evans were charged with offences under the Public Order Act, including firearms and explosive charges, receiving sentences of fifteen months. Gethin ap Gruffydd was given a not guilty verdict on public order charges; he pled guilty to organising the Free Wales Army and received a nine-month sentence.
Most of those tried gave various undertakings, including never to become involved in paramilitary activity, to never handle weapons illegally, to never advocate the use of violence for political ends, etc. Of the nine arrested members of the Free Wales Army, only Gethin ap Gruffydd refused to give any such declaration.
Following release from prison and subsequent exile in Ireland, Gruffydd returned to Britain and to political activity - a period documented by Class War
's Ian Bone. In his memoir Bash the Rich, Bone describes how he '..got to know (Gruffydd) when I flirted with socialist republicanism in the mid-1970s'. At this time, Gruffydd had set up the Welsh Socialist Vanguard, which included veteran Welsh republican Pedr Lewis and was based at Pencoed near Bridgend.
Bone and Gruffydd went on to find common cause in the newly formed Cymru Goch
. In Bone's words:
'Operation Fire'. On Palm Sunday 1980 fifty-six people were raided and arrested by police; over half of the detainees were involved with Cofiwn. Outrage at the repressive action lead to the creation of the Welsh Campaign for Political and Civil Liberties, which drew support from numerous organizations including Plaid Cymru and the Labour Party, Gymdeithas yr Iaith, and the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement
. Most of those rounded-up were released within a week, but four were prosecuted and imprisoned for nine months.
Cofiwn's last major action was its response to the Wales Festival of Castles. Held in 1983 and sponsored by the Welsh Tourist Board, it was pointed out that the festival concentrated suspiciously heavily upon various of Edward I's castles, built during the Norman conquest. Cofiwn countered with a program of actions, Sarhad '83 (Insult '83).
Continued police interest saw to the group's dissolution by 1984.
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
to a father from a Gilfach
Gilfach
Gilfach is the small district that lies between Bargoed and Pengam, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, seven miles north of Caerphilly, within the historic boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales....
mining family, and a mother whose family had been hardrock miners for generations. After moving to Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
aged seven, he attended Pencoed Secondary Modern School where he became a Welsh nationalist at fourteen.
Anti-Sais Front/Patriotic Front 1964–1970
After leaving school Gruffydd found work at a textile factory in Somerset, England, and whilst there contacted and became a member of Plaid CymruPlaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
. In 1964 he relocated to Fishguard, waiting six months in preparation for Plaid Cymru's summer conference. At Fishguard, Gruffydd's characteristic approach to political action drew the notice of the police for the first time when he tore down Union Jack flags and bunting at a local féte.
At the Fishguard conference Gruffydd first met long term ally, Cwmbran bus conductor Tony Lewis. Together they formed the Anti-Sais Front.
There was some overlap in membership and activities between the Patriotic Front and the Free Wales Army
Free Wales Army
The Free Wales Army was a paramilitary Welsh nationalist organisation, formed in Lampeter, Mid Wales, by William Julian Cayo-Evans in 1963. Its objective was to establish an independent Welsh republic.-History:...
, with Gethin ap Gruffydd and Tony Lewis members of both, and the latter having designed the FWA uniform. By July 1966 they had publicly dissociated themselves from the guerilla gestures of the Free Wales Army, seeking instead to create a political pressure group within Plaid Cymru. They formed the Patriotic Front, setting out to recruit from the Welsh majority English-speaking populace neglected by the likes of Plaid Cymru and Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg. The Patriotic Front quickly gained support, with several branches set up in Aberdare, the Rhondda and elsewhere. Its main headquarters were at Cwmbran, where Gruffydd and Lewis opened a club, The Patriot's Rest, at Pontnewydd.
Gruffydd explained that the intended place for the Patriotic Front was for it to become "...incorporated into Plaid Cymru to cater for the more militant, or positive elements within the party." However, in July 1966 Plaid Cymru leader Gwynfor Evans
Gwynfor Evans
Dr Richard Gwynfor Evans , was a Welsh politician, lawyer and author. President of Plaid Cymru for thirty six years, he was the first Member of Parliament to represent Plaid Cymru at Westminster ....
was elected to Westminster as MP for Carmarthen and, following this first taste of mainstream political success, the party was in no mood to accommodate the exuberant strain of uniformed militancy emerging at its fringes. The Patriotic Front sent as many of its members as possible to Plaid Cymru's next conference in Maesteg, with the entire front row of the hall comprising a fully uniformed PF contingent (PF uniform consisted of green sidecap, khaki shirt and black trousers.) Despite a positive reaction from party leader Evans, others within Plaid Cymru took a negative view of the Patriotic Front and, following a dispute surrounding the use of funds generated by The Patriot's Rest, the PF was outlawed by Plaid at its 1966 Dolgellau conference.
Noting how many potential recruits to the cause were put off by the Patriotic Front's uniformed militancy, Gruffydd and Lewis created a number of off-shoot nationalist organizations designed to appeal to particular interests. The Llewelyn Society sought to remember Llewelyn ein llyw olaf (Llewelyn the Last), the last Welsh Prince of Wales; the Young Patriots League was successful in recruiting numbers of schoolchildren and young teenagers; the Lost Lands Liberation League would agitate for the return to Welsh status of areas lost to England, across the counties of Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Hereforedshire, Monmouthshire and Shropshire. Cofiwn Glyndŵr (aka Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
League) brought together various organizations, including the Free Wales Army
Free Wales Army
The Free Wales Army was a paramilitary Welsh nationalist organisation, formed in Lampeter, Mid Wales, by William Julian Cayo-Evans in 1963. Its objective was to establish an independent Welsh republic.-History:...
, the Welsh Language Society and others, for a 1967 parade through the streets of Machynlleth. Anticipating a clampdown on their activities by Special Branch and the British authorities, the Patriots Aid Committee raised funds in support of the families of imprisoned actvists.
Trial and Imprisonment
In 1966, Gruffydd and several others decided to leave the Free Wales Army, disagreeing with the publicity-seeking antics of leader Dennis CoslettDennis Coslett
Dennis Coslett was a Welsh political activist, best known as a member of the Free Wales Army, who became notorious in 1969....
. Despite continuing to work with (and later re-joining) the Free Wales Army, in his private correspondence with the FWA's Julian Cayo-Evans
Julian Cayo-Evans
William Edward Julian Cayo-Evans , was a Welsh political activist and one time leader of the Free Wales Army.-Life:...
, Gruffydd expressed concern over some of the FWA's modus operandi, rightly predicting that it would eventually prove counter-productive.
Wales had seen a spate of bombings in the lead-up to the Investiture of Prince Charles at Caernarfon Castle on July 1, 1969. The FWA was happy to falsely claim responsibility, and nine members were arrested, including Tony Lewis and Gethin ap Gruffydd. Leaders Coslett and Cayo-Evans were charged with offences under the Public Order Act, including firearms and explosive charges, receiving sentences of fifteen months. Gethin ap Gruffydd was given a not guilty verdict on public order charges; he pled guilty to organising the Free Wales Army and received a nine-month sentence.
Most of those tried gave various undertakings, including never to become involved in paramilitary activity, to never handle weapons illegally, to never advocate the use of violence for political ends, etc. Of the nine arrested members of the Free Wales Army, only Gethin ap Gruffydd refused to give any such declaration.
Following release from prison and subsequent exile in Ireland, Gruffydd returned to Britain and to political activity - a period documented by Class War
Class War
Class War is a UK class struggle based group and newspaper originally set up by Ian Bone and others in 1983. It subsequently mutated various forms, becoming specifically anarchist....
's Ian Bone. In his memoir Bash the Rich, Bone describes how he '..got to know (Gruffydd) when I flirted with socialist republicanism in the mid-1970s'. At this time, Gruffydd had set up the Welsh Socialist Vanguard, which included veteran Welsh republican Pedr Lewis and was based at Pencoed near Bridgend.
Bone and Gruffydd went on to find common cause in the newly formed Cymru Goch
Cymru Goch
Cymru Goch was a left wing nationalist organisation in Wales. It was founded in 1987 and fought for what it described as a Free Socialist Wales...
. In Bone's words:
Cofiwn 1970–1984
Together with fellow activist Sian Ifans, Gruffydd became a principle figure behind the 'non-political nationalist organization' Cofiwn (Remember), which sought to raise nationalist fervour through greater cultural-historical awareness.'Operation Fire'. On Palm Sunday 1980 fifty-six people were raided and arrested by police; over half of the detainees were involved with Cofiwn. Outrage at the repressive action lead to the creation of the Welsh Campaign for Political and Civil Liberties, which drew support from numerous organizations including Plaid Cymru and the Labour Party, Gymdeithas yr Iaith, and the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement
Welsh Socialist Republican Movement
The Welsh Socialist Republican Movement was a short-lived political movement which was born out of frustration with Plaid Cymru's failure to oppose the first referendum on Welsh Devolution in 1979 in order to map out a specific policy of arguing for Independence...
. Most of those rounded-up were released within a week, but four were prosecuted and imprisoned for nine months.
Cofiwn's last major action was its response to the Wales Festival of Castles. Held in 1983 and sponsored by the Welsh Tourist Board, it was pointed out that the festival concentrated suspiciously heavily upon various of Edward I's castles, built during the Norman conquest. Cofiwn countered with a program of actions, Sarhad '83 (Insult '83).
Continued police interest saw to the group's dissolution by 1984.