John Dillwyn Llewelyn 1810-1882 bicentenary events

[Michael Pritchard]

Richard Morris a descendent through his wife's family of John Dillwyn Llewellyn provides details of a series of events to celebrate the bicentenary of his birth in 1810.

12 January 2010 - Bicentenary of the birth of John Dillwyn Llewelyn (b. 12 Jan 1810)

5 February - Launch of the Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn Diaries online, a new resource of the Swansea University Library Historical Collections. Details to be announced.

20 February - Penllergare – A Space Odyssey. Llewelyn Hall, Penllergaer. A family event organised by the Friends of Penllergare in association with Astro Cymru. (Free admission) 10.30am - Exhibition, Workshop and Activities. 2.30pm - Talk. From JDL to the Universe, Paul Haley (Director of Astro Cymru & the Share Initiative 3.30pm - 200th Anniversary Tea

3 March (provisional date) - Swansea Museum exhibition on Fellows of the Royal Society from Swansea

17 March - Residents of the Penllergare Orchideous House – A Botanist’s Perspective, Dr Kevin L Davies (research botanist & orchid specialist). 7.30pm. Llewelyn Hall, Penllergaer, organised by the Friends of Penllergare. (Free admission)

18 March - The Scientific Heritage of Wales: The Way Forward, a one-day conference at Cardiff Museum, 9am-4pm. Speakers include Professor John V. Tucker (Swansea University) whose paper, ‘A National History of Science’, includes work on the Dillwyns. A full programme is here. For booking and more information contact the organisers:Events Office, National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, CARDIFF, CF10 3NP; T: 029 2057 3148/3325 F: 029 2057 3321; [e-mail]

22 April - South Wales: 250 years of Landscape Change, Richard Keen (TV presenter & Chairman of the Historic Buildings Advisory Council). Organised by Friends of Penllergare. 7.30pm. Swansea Museum, Education Room.

15 May - Penllergare - A Paradise almost lost. Joint study day between West Glamorgan Branch of Welsh Historic Gardens Trust and Penllergare Trust. 10.00am - 5pm approx. at the Civic Centre, Swansea. Tickets available from WHGT Branch Secretary, 2 Cwmbach Road, Llanelli SA15 4EF. £30 including lunch etc. £25 for members of the WHGT and Friends of Penllergare. [e-mail], or send an SAE to Rita Lees, West Glamorgan WHGT Branch Secretary, Coedmor, 2 Cwmbach Road, Llanelli SA15 4EF

19th May - ‘The Dillwyns’, Richard Morris.2 pm, at “The Wednesday Club”, Rhossili Village Hall, Middleton. £1.50 admission.. Contact Dudley Thomas, 01792 390242. 29 May - Shooting Stars Astronomy Workshop/ In celebration of the bicentenary of John Dillwyn Llewelyn’s birth, learn about how Victorians viewed the stars in Wales and make your own stellar collage. Waterfront Museum, 11.30am, 1pm & 3.30pm Families 5 - 11. Space Today UK. Families (age 5 – 11) / Free/Delivered by Space Today UK/ pre booking recommended Tel [phone]

30 May - Funky Photograms! How did early photographers make their earliest images - without a camera? Find out and make your own using just shadows and light! National Waterfront Museum 11.30am, 1pm & 3.30pm. Families (age 5 – 11) / Free/book at reception on the day

30 May - Sunday Talk and Demonstration: Early Photographic Techniques with Richard Morris FRPS. Leading John Dillwyn Llewelyn expert Richard Morris will discuss Llewelyn’s pioneering work in the field of photography and bring alive his techniques in a practical demonstration. National Waterfront Museum, 2.30 pm Adults/Free/seating first come first served

25 June - Dillwyn Symposium: Science, Culture and Society. A one-day symposium organised by Swansea University. 9.00 am – 5.30 pm at Swansea Museum, followed by a reception (6pm) and evening lecture. A full programme to follow. Contact Kirsti Bohata at [e-mail]

3 July - John Dillwyn Llewelyn’s Penllergare. A walk round the Penllergare estate. 2.15pm. Meet in the Penllergaer Council Office Car Park, (off the A48). Organised by Friends of Penllergare.

18th September - John Dillwyn Llewelyn’s Photographic Legacy. Leading John Dillwyn Llewelyn expert Richard Morris will give a talk and demonstration of the calotype photographic process of 1841 as used by JDL. [Time to be confirmed], at the Woodland Centre, Penllergare. Bookings only as space limited from Friends of Penllergare, Coed Glantawe, Esgairdawe, Llandeilo SA19 7RT or 01558 650416

20 September - John Dillwyn Llewelyn and Photography, Richard Morris FRPS, MPhil. Swansea Camera Club 7.15pm. Web address for location and details: www.swanseacameraclub.co.uk

13 November - ‘Images of Glamorgan’ Glamorgan History Society Day School. A one-day event at The Orangery, Margam including a talk on John Dillwyn Llewelyn by Richard Morris, a talk on Early Photography in Glamorgan by Carolyn Bloore. Contact [e-mail]

[rita tait]

We ACTUALLY live in Clyro not Hay-on-Wye - a mile apart! I'm just in from 4 days in Snowdonia where I have been reading Hay resident Paul Ferris's Magnum Opus on Dylan Thomas. Confirms that DT enjoyed going to the Friday night Hops at the Royal College of Art when he was living in London mid 1930s. As DT was living with 2 ex Swansea Art Students one of whom was at the RCA it gets more & more likely that DT & Ifor & Joy all mixed socially. I met Paul Ferris just before Xmas but hadn't embarked on this research so will contact him now. ( His new book on Gower is excellent and quite different to what one might expect). There are now pictures of Ifor & Joy on the Photos section here under their names. Only another 600 items to scan!

[Richard Morris]

Hello Rita
Delighted to see your interest in JDL. My MPhil was done when I was working at Brunel Uni and gave me the chance to research JDL properly and add to what I already knew. Its exciting to be able to research someone like this who was a major pioneer photographer and unresearched previously. One of JDLs daughters married and lived near Hay on Wye - Clyro - and her granddaughter only died a year or so ago. Hope to see yu in Swansea.

[rita tait]

As one of your south Walian members (Glamorgan now living in Hay-on-Wye) I am delighted to see all this stuff on offer ref. the great man J D Ll. I hope to get down to several events at Swansea especially as my own research into Ifor Thomas of Guildford School of Photography ( b. Llanarthney, Carms) involves Swansea. I see that you have an M.Phil Richard. Is this in a History of Photography area? Jack's M.Phil is in Colour Measurement - Ifor would have been pleased. Jack thinks I should consider a Ph.D. on the Thomas pair at Guildford but I've not decided yet. I am a graduate University of Wales so I support I ought to give it a go if they'll have me but I feel exhausted thinking about it though the research is now well under way.