My great great grandfather Thomas Davies was a first generation American from the the coal mines of the Rhondda Valley (Pontypridd). My grandfather Gildas Eurfryn Davies was extremely proud of his Welsh heritage. He had an incredible voice, as did all his siblings, and loved to sing. He slept with a window open over his head, even in the dead of winter. As a child, I once tiptoed in and saw frost on his bushy eyebrows! I'm 60 years old and may never walk those lovely valleys. But I have a wall full of Welsh love spoons I've collected over the years and immerse myself in your wonderful videos. I almost feel like I'm there!
Hi Jason! I just found your channel. I was born in neath hospital and brought up in Port Talbot before we emigrated to NZ when I was only 4. I never got to learn welsh. My Mam just died a week before Xmas and this brings back all the little welsh words she used to say. I wish I could speak it fluently but now live in Australia with no one to practice with. Thank you for your content. I would love to come back and learn my heritage after this awful COVID goes away!
My grandmother Olwyn (from Tonyrefail in the Ely Valley) always asked if you wanted tea and a cake. Sparse with hugs but quick with jokes. She didn't mention a jumper, but kept the window open all year round telling us it was "for the fresh air" . She never paid attention to the cold, often reading a book outside in freezing weather.
@Michael, your Mam-Gu sounds exactly like me pertaining to the cold, I only pay £3pcm unmetered for my gas and £11pcm for my electric (SSE) I cannot stand the heat; as for reading a book outside I do this six days a week. Thank you for your post as it has brought back so many childhood memories! 🏴
This list could have come from the Lancashire valleys! My Nan made scones though, not Welsh cakes and was always out scrubbing the pavement! Sunday was church, Monday was wash day, Tuesday was Ironing day, Wednesday was window cleaning day (inside and out), Friday was thoroughly cleaning the house day, and Saturday was shopping day. Never missed a day 😂
My Mother was born and raised in Cilfynydd and I remember visiting my Mam who always washed the sidewalk in front of her home and made the most stunning Welsh cakes! My Father, who was born and raised in Cardiff, always used cwtchy up instead of hugging. This vlog brought up wonderful memories from me. Thank you for posting this xoxo
I grew up in the Rhondda and I had bopas. Bopa is a Rhondda word for an auntie. We would also cwat things away in the cwtch and run up and down the gwli.
My mamgu and dadcu lived in Ystradgynlais, along with most of the family dotted around the place, and it's interesting to get the pangs of recognition from various points raised. Some of the things didn't really happen, to my knowledge, but a lot of it - the plethora of aunties, the stopping to chat, the cakes and all the rest - wiped away about 40 years...
As an aside - amusing or not is your affair - I have English relatives who sometimes pronounce Ystradgynlais as I strangled Alice, Where's an over-zealous policeman when you need one? Doesn't it just!
Same here in Denmark, the one with the youngest ones born in the family. Even though, I myself, had two kids, at my parent's house my two youngest brothers, who are now 23 and (almost) 28 respectively, are "the young ones/the kids", and they'll probably always be. 😅
For the answer number 18 i still say the word mam but i dont say it often cos ive lived in london since 3 but i still use other welsh words like cutch i just dont say it round my friends here cos things we say in wales is slightly diffrent here in england
My Nan made fantastic welshcakes. In her lifetime we worked it out she had made over a million of them. She would brown them for me and only put sultanas in for me. Because i dislike current,s. My nan was born in 1894. In 1910 she walked from Welshpool with her family to Treorchy in the Rhondda to get work in the park and dare pit. The journey took them about two weeks and they slept by the side of the road. She never smoked or drank alcohol. Followed the quaker faith all her life. Mark Jones
I’m Dutch American and I can never get rid of my mom’s plates . I have no idea what a welsh cake is, but now I’m hungry ( and I just finished off most of a pizza by myself. So that’s saying something) Tea with 3 sugars? What am I 9 and am only drinking tea as a vehicle to consume sugar, ( don’t go to the American south sweet tea (a kind of iced tea) will put you in diabetic coma ) 👍👍👍👍
Phil, Welshcakes are kind of like a biscuit you cook on a griddle in butter. They have sultanas in them. There’s probably videos on here with the recipe. They are Yum.
Some interesting Welsh History to the cleaning the front with pride comes from the development history of modern day Wales. They used to tell us that we are responsible for an area a few feet in front of the house upto the old brick stone pavements and into the road, although it is likely part related to the coal board selling off of old mining villages where soot, coal, mud, bin rubbish, outhouse toilets and ownership of land and homes purchased from the coal boards who built them, hence extra pride in cleaning up and decorating given some homes housed multiple families that possibly relates to the war/s refugees of England and maybe some Europeans such as Jewish people fleeing the nazis much like some people have taken in Ukrainian refugees now who somehow are the only refugees to be accommodated in such a way, possibly due to the housing sector banking/debt issues as seen around the world now, possibly something else being sold off in secret. Back to the front sweeping the land deeds likely extended to meet in the middle of roads and lanes, perhaps with exception to a communal segment for access in a terrace lane by coal deliverers who filled garden coal sheds via the lanes, which implies land deed records may have skimmed a strip of land to build roads on, and charge us for travelling on them rather than pay residents rent or commission for the mutually beneficial but formerly public owned land and tax payer funded and public sector worked roadways, gas, telephone lines, water, gas and electricity supplies, all of which are now sold (despite being publicly owned and funded), technically without the publics knowledge and likely against our will/consent, and against our best interests now they are sold off due to governments neglecting to reinvest in them, running them so badly like the NHS they were sold off cheap and seem to now spend tax money on them after selling them. We have essential gone from public owned land of our fathers to privatised without having anything to show for it, apart from soaring tax inflation, inflated everything, speed cameras, motoring fines and excuses to fine in general, floods and energy price rises and a new sewer system for London and diversion of wales' water to somewhere in England with dirty rivers, probably near and into london. How can we regain Independence after so many of our key assets sold to Scotland, seemingly to spite us Native Brits, well, the TuDwr (Tudor Royal family side) - (Scotland was the same family but rivals known as the House of Stewart who allegedly murdered the Male Tudor Heirs and forced marriage to unite the houses to take the Throne under King James 1 of England who was King James the 5th or 6th of Scotland I think it was). I can't say for sure what's fact or not but like all history, it's all important and interesting to read about...
My great great grandfather Thomas Davies was a first generation American from the the coal mines of the Rhondda Valley (Pontypridd). My grandfather Gildas Eurfryn Davies was extremely proud of his Welsh heritage. He had an incredible voice, as did all his siblings, and loved to sing. He slept with a window open over his head, even in the dead of winter. As a child, I once tiptoed in and saw frost on his bushy eyebrows! I'm 60 years old and may never walk those lovely valleys. But I have a wall full of Welsh love spoons I've collected over the years and immerse myself in your wonderful videos. I almost feel like I'm there!
You must make it, you’ll not be disappointed! Make it a special birthday wish and let everybody know 😉
Hi Jason! I just found your channel. I was born in neath hospital and brought up in Port Talbot before we emigrated to NZ when I was only 4. I never got to learn welsh. My Mam just died a week before Xmas and this brings back all the little welsh words she used to say. I wish I could speak it fluently but now live in Australia with no one to practice with. Thank you for your content. I would love to come back and learn my heritage after this awful COVID goes away!
My grandmother Olwyn (from Tonyrefail in the Ely Valley) always asked if you wanted tea and a cake. Sparse with hugs but quick with jokes. She didn't mention a jumper, but kept the window open all year round telling us it was "for the fresh air" . She never paid attention to the cold, often reading a book outside in freezing weather.
@Michael, your Mam-Gu sounds exactly like me pertaining to the cold, I only pay £3pcm unmetered for my gas and £11pcm for my electric (SSE) I cannot stand the heat; as for reading a book outside I do this six days a week. Thank you for your post as it has brought back so many childhood memories! 🏴
I’m American born and raised, but my grandparents were from Wales. It’s amazing how much of this still holds true!
This list could have come from the Lancashire valleys! My Nan made scones though, not Welsh cakes and was always out scrubbing the pavement! Sunday was church, Monday was wash day, Tuesday was Ironing day, Wednesday was window cleaning day (inside and out), Friday was thoroughly cleaning the house day, and Saturday was shopping day. Never missed a day 😂
When a child I called my Dear grandmother Gran-Gran, now I am called Gran-Gran by my grandsons and it's lovely.
My Mother was born and raised in Cilfynydd and I remember visiting my Mam who always washed the sidewalk in front of her home and made the most stunning Welsh cakes! My Father, who was born and raised in Cardiff, always used cwtchy up instead of hugging. This vlog brought up wonderful memories from me. Thank you for posting this xoxo
I grew up in the Rhondda and I had bopas. Bopa is a Rhondda word for an auntie.
We would also cwat things away in the cwtch and run up and down the gwli.
Yes I remember the guli
When I heard "Ivor William L*****", I knew that I was "in for it".
My mamgu and dadcu lived in Ystradgynlais, along with most of the family dotted around the place, and it's interesting to get the pangs of recognition from various points raised. Some of the things didn't really happen, to my knowledge, but a lot of it - the plethora of aunties, the stopping to chat, the cakes and all the rest - wiped away about 40 years...
As an aside - amusing or not is your affair - I have English relatives who sometimes pronounce Ystradgynlais as I strangled Alice, Where's an over-zealous policeman when you need one? Doesn't it just!
That said, I have also heard Maenclochogddu pronounced mine-a-clock-a-doodoo
At 47, I'm still 'the baby' on my mother's side of the family. 😐
Same here in Denmark, the one with the youngest ones born in the family. Even though, I myself, had two kids, at my parent's house my two youngest brothers, who are now 23 and (almost) 28 respectively, are "the young ones/the kids", and they'll probably always be. 😅
For the answer number 18 i still say the word mam but i dont say it often cos ive lived in london since 3 but i still use other welsh words like cutch i just dont say it round my friends here cos things we say in wales is slightly diffrent here in england
My Nan made fantastic welshcakes. In her lifetime we worked it out she had made over a million of them. She would brown them for me and only put sultanas in for me. Because i dislike current,s. My nan was born in 1894. In 1910 she walked from Welshpool with her family to Treorchy in the Rhondda to get work in the park and dare pit. The journey took them about two weeks and they slept by the side of the road. She never smoked or drank alcohol. Followed the quaker faith all her life. Mark Jones
Bopa is Valley’s Welsh for Auntie. 😊
Bopa is S, Walian welsh for aunty
Do anyone remember seeing babies carried welsh fashion in Ponty (Pontypridd ) market.
I think Bopa must be used in certain parts of South Wales as I was brought up near Swansea and never heard of it. I like it though.
@@lizzygriffith7730 my mother is from Aberbargoed and showed me how to wrap a baby on you. So sweet. 😊
Very similar to how it was in the Midlands
Anywhere in the UK is the same on this level!
I come from the cynon valley and My next door neighbour was known as Auntie Rollins and she not my auntie
I'm in my 30s and I still don't know where all my aunties come from 😂
I’m Dutch American and I can never get rid of my mom’s plates .
I have no idea what a welsh cake is, but now I’m hungry ( and I just finished off most of a pizza by myself. So that’s saying something)
Tea with 3 sugars? What am I 9 and am only drinking tea as a vehicle to consume sugar, ( don’t go to the American south sweet tea (a kind of iced tea) will put you in diabetic coma )
👍👍👍👍
Phil, Welshcakes are kind of like a biscuit you cook on a griddle in butter. They have sultanas in them. There’s probably videos on here with the recipe. They are Yum.
Some interesting Welsh History to the cleaning the front with pride comes from the development history of modern day Wales. They used to tell us that we are responsible for an area a few feet in front of the house upto the old brick stone pavements and into the road, although it is likely part related to the coal board selling off of old mining villages where soot, coal, mud, bin rubbish, outhouse toilets and ownership of land and homes purchased from the coal boards who built them, hence extra pride in cleaning up and decorating given some homes housed multiple families that possibly relates to the war/s refugees of England and maybe some Europeans such as Jewish people fleeing the nazis much like some people have taken in Ukrainian refugees now who somehow are the only refugees to be accommodated in such a way, possibly due to the housing sector banking/debt issues as seen around the world now, possibly something else being sold off in secret. Back to the front sweeping the land deeds likely extended to meet in the middle of roads and lanes, perhaps with exception to a communal segment for access in a terrace lane by coal deliverers who filled garden coal sheds via the lanes, which implies land deed records may have skimmed a strip of land to build roads on, and charge us for travelling on them rather than pay residents rent or commission for the mutually beneficial but formerly public owned land and tax payer funded and public sector worked roadways, gas, telephone lines, water, gas and electricity supplies, all of which are now sold (despite being publicly owned and funded), technically without the publics knowledge and likely against our will/consent, and against our best interests now they are sold off due to governments neglecting to reinvest in them, running them so badly like the NHS they were sold off cheap and seem to now spend tax money on them after selling them. We have essential gone from public owned land of our fathers to privatised without having anything to show for it, apart from soaring tax inflation, inflated everything, speed cameras, motoring fines and excuses to fine in general, floods and energy price rises and a new sewer system for London and diversion of wales' water to somewhere in England with dirty rivers, probably near and into london. How can we regain Independence after so many of our key assets sold to Scotland, seemingly to spite us Native Brits, well, the TuDwr (Tudor Royal family side) - (Scotland was the same family but rivals known as the House of Stewart who allegedly murdered the Male Tudor Heirs and forced marriage to unite the houses to take the Throne under King James 1 of England who was King James the 5th or 6th of Scotland I think it was). I can't say for sure what's fact or not but like all history, it's all important and interesting to read about...
Bopa is auntie