Help needed to find books on Welsh History

[L.E.]

Hi, I'm a budding writer - don't worry I'm not promoting anything - actually I'm after some help.

I am trying to find information/books on the Welsh town of Carmarthen, particularly in relation to the police force at around or before the victorian era.

Information I have gathered so far was the police force was called the Carmarthen Shilling and the police station (previously a prison) was built in Carmarthen castle (one of the Architects being John Nash).

Any books/essays or pieces of information that you have or can point me to relating to Carmarthen in the georgian/victorian era would be really useful for my research.

Please either post here or you can send info directly to my email lefitzpatrick@hotmail.co.uk

Also any crime and punishment books relating to Wales in the georgian/victorian era would be great as well.

[Tracy]

Try this book. It's not cheap but, hopefully it can help you.

Crime in Nineteenth-Century Wales

[Cary]

The earliest history of Wales is The Agricola by Tacitus. It describes the conquest of Wales by the Romans. Also the important battle at the Welsh Island of Anglesy which was the main Druid stronghold, and home of the sacred Oak Groves. This book also describes the battle with Queen Boudica of the Icenni.

[L.E.]

Tracy wrote: "Try this book. It's not cheap but, hopefully it can help you.

Crime in Nineteenth-Century Wales"

Thanks that is exactly the type of thing I'm looking for. You're right it isn't cheap but I can at least claim it as an expense.

Cary wrote: "The earliest history of Wales is The Agricola by Tacitus. It describes the conquest of Wales by the Romans. Also the important battle at the Welsh Island of Anglesy which was the main Druid strongh..."

Thanks for the info Cary, I'm actually well stocked up on ancient Welsh history, this at least is in abundance (certainly in Wales) but I will check out your recommendations, you can't beat a bit of Boudica after all

[David]

L.E. wrote: "I'm actually well stocked up on ancient Welsh history, this at least is in abundance (certainly in Wales) "

Hi L.E. and Cary, if you could post some recommendations of books and sources on ancient Welsh history, that would be great. I'm helping out on a project involving those stories and would love to learn more about the period, culture and the folk legends as well. Thanks. :)

[Cary]

You should use the title search for Victorian Era History of Wales. That's the rather Sherlock Holmes era of history. Probably the specicfic time line your lookiing for. http://books.google.com/books/about/A...

[L.E.]

Hi David,

I tried to reply to this last night, but unfortunately I have the sloth of all internet connections.

A great book about ancient British History is Everyday life of the Pagan Celts by Anne Ross. In fact look into Ross, her work is very good.

Of course you should read the Mabinogion for the mythology. What are the parameters of your study? Folklore, historical?

[Cary]

Hey L.E. I am confussed as to wether you want ancient Welsh Celt history or more modern history. Julius Caesars Bella de Gallia has some of the best desrciptions about how the ancient Celts lived and fought. He is quite acurate in his discription of the Celts. Plus he was there in person to observe them. Their religeon was Druidism and the center of Druidism was the Welsh Island of Anglesy. Any French or Aquitanian Celt who was serious in studying the Druid religeon to be a priest went to Anglesy for this purpose. Caesars writings have been proven by historians to be quite accurate. He discusses their daily life, and marital social life, and other aspects of Celtic religeon. One difference between English,and continental Celts was the use of chariots. The British Celts used them,the continentals did not.

[L.E.]

Sorry to confuse I want Georgian to Victorian Welsh history (I was just answering another post about ancient history).

I live in Wales and we are all about the ancient pre-English here, but I am specifically looking for books/writings connected with crime, policing and the prison system from 1700 to 1900. In particular anything on the Carmarthen Shilling police force.

[David]

Thanks for the references L.E.. Thanks Cary for mentioning a few as well. Sorry for borrowing the thread.


L.E.'s request is for Welsh history from 1700-1900 (see #9 above) if anyone has any recommendations.

[L.E.]

David wrote: "Thanks for the references L.E.. Thanks Cary for mentioning a few as well. Sorry for borrowing the thread.


L.E.'s request is for Welsh history from 1700-1900 (see #9 above) if anyone has any recom..."

You can borrow the thread whenever you like David. Maybe by the time we've finished we can compile an entire history of Wales from ancient to modern.

[Tony]

my personal tutor write a book in your area i think have a try at this one Cardiganshire: The Concise History

[Cary]

Ah I think I remember you. If you can't say what era of Welsh history. Then you are going to have to figure it out. Wales has a long, interesting, and well documented history. Some of the most famoust people in history were Welsh. Like the Caribbean Pirate Black Bart aka Bartholemew Jones. Who all agree was the most sucessful, and dangerous of all the bucaneers of the Spanish Main.

[L.E.]

Cary wrote: "Ah I think I remember you. If you can't say what era of Welsh history. Then you are going to have to figure it out. Wales has a long, interesting, and well documented history. Some of the most famo..."

My favourite all time Welsh man and pirate (off topic there is a great biography of Bartholomew Roberts
If a Pirate I Must Be...: The True Story of Black Bart, King of the Caribbean Pirateswhich is well worth checking out).

[Cary]

OK Bartholemey Roberts. Anyway he was far and away the most sucessful of the bucaneers. Except for Morgan who was a privater not really a pirate.

[L.E.]

Roberts and his Good Fortune are probably the most romantic of pirate stories. Henry Morgan though, does pack a punch, I particularly like the story of him filling a ship with painted planks of wood and setting it adrift to make the Spanish think the ship was filled with crew. I'm not doing the tale justice, but it's well worth looking up.

[Cary]

Yeah Morgan did well he ended up Governor of Jamaica, and died quiely in Kingston. The carrier of most pirates was short. Little more than one year in most cases. Black Bart a Christian and navigator forced to join the pirates because of his navigation skills. Which also allowed him to sail great distances to reach destinations. Besides having Sunday prayers. He also liberated hundreds of African slaves. About 200 of his pirate army were rescued black slaves. He was also the only pirate captain to have a real ship of the line. A big three mast ship with heavy cannon on both sides stolen from the government of Barbados. All other pirates sailed around in little frigates. Which were small light,fast,with just a few cannon. Pirates would just swarm around big merchant ships with several small frigates armed with a few small cannon. Actually the small boats were better suited for pirates. The could melt into the populace. How do you hide a big powerful war ship? Barts big problem as I see it was not having a safe haven or base of opps. He needed a secret Island or fotified harbor. Somewhere to hide from the British,French,and Spanish navies. Why he did not do this is he liked being at sea. What I wonder is what did they do without women. They must have had women aboard those ships. I would love to hear the story of one of them. A story about a woman pirate. That would be cool.

[L.E.]

Well you could always check out Anne Bonnie and Mary Read who shared together with (I think) Calico Jack. When the three finally got caught only Calico Jack was hung, the women being pregnant. So no guesses what was going on there.

Funnily enough Bartholomew Roberts was suspected to be gay. And a lover of tea over rum. I think Roberts was planning to retire, but he'd spent so long at sea there was nowhere for him to go.