happy? - July 31 (Dic Penderyn hanged)

31 Jul 05 - 11:50 AM (#1532076)
Subject: happy? - July 31
From: Abby Sale

"It took a week for the forces of the Crown to finally bring order to the area. Punishment was severe: Lewis Lewis, after first receiving the death sentence, was exiled for life and Richard Lewis, known as Dic Penderyn, was executed on a charge of wounding a highlander.


On 3l July, l83l, he was hanged in Cardiff Gaol, despite the appeal of many thousands of people for his life. Forty years later, Ieuan Parker of Cwmafan, a Welshman living in the United States confessed to the charge. Lewis thus became a martyr of the Welsh working class. A popular ballad of the time ran:"

          I saw the Merthyr riots,
          And the great oppression of the workers;
          And some of the soldiers wounded. . .
          But dear heaven! the worst trick
          Was the hanging of Dic Penderyn

[from A Brief History of Wales]

Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved
What are Happy's all about? See Clicky

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31 Jul 05 - 05:11 PM (#1532230)
Subject: RE: happy? - July 31 (Dic Penderyn hanged)
From: Susanne (skw)

Thanks, Abby. 'The Merthyr Rising' by Gwyn A. Williams is a good source of information.

Also, there are two songs I know of:
'Merthyr Riots' by Rod Shearman, sung by Mabsant on the compilation album 'Valley Lights' (1986).
'Dic Penderyn' by John Stuart Williams and Geoff Cripps, sung by The Chartists (the authors' band) on 'It's Not Right' (1987).

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31 Jul 05 - 05:54 PM (#1532240)
Subject: RE: happy? - July 31 (Dic Penderyn hanged)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Posted in thread 83387- "Who Is Dic Penderyn?: Dic Penderyn

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31 Jul 05 - 09:41 PM (#1532337)
Subject: RE: happy? - July 31 (Dic Penderyn hanged)
From: Abby Sale

Good work, Q.
Added.

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