Rowland Playing Rugby and other footage

From the collection of

Archif Sgrin a Sain Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / National Library of Wales Screen and Sound Archive
Established in 2001, the National Library of Wales Screen and Sound Archive holds an unrivalled collection of films, TV and radio broadcasts, video tapes and sound recordings relating to Wales and the Welsh, from 1898 to the present day. The collection spans multiples formats and genres, both professional and amateur.

Rowland Playing Rugby and other footage


Variety is the spice of life: footage here ranges from Ceredigion farm animals to a tortoise, from Machynlleth school rugby to a wedding.

Gwen Davies of 'Dolclettwr' farm, Taliesin, captures her family's life on film, proving that unedited home movies provide an infinite variety of footage and tantalising glimpses of people and places. The original audience had no need of inter-titles identifying people and places as they knew well enough who was who and where they were. This title ranges from farm animals to school rugby, from hospital visit to wedding and the last steam train bound for Machynlleth.

Footage of animals includes shots of Dolclettwr's prize bull being chased by dogs. The film-maker's children – Rowland and Kathryn – enjoy Castell y Bere, a Welsh castle, and also visit a relative (who could tell fortunes) in Llanidloes Hospital. A film crew is at work at Dyfi Junction [?] and children seek autographs from actors [?]. Members of the local Farm Women's Club (run by Farmers Weekly magazine) gather on the steps of The National Library of Wales, on the trail of bygone cookery books. Rugby is played by boys of Machynlleth's County Primary School as the last local steam train passes by, and this title ends with a beginning: the wedding at Soar Chapel, Tre'r-ddôl, of mature bride Nancy Bond of Taliesin.


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