ORGANISATIONS
William James, Chief Ruler of the local Tent of Rechabites, seconded by Mr. Evan Morgan, Secretary of the local friendly society.
SYNOPSIS
The first mention of the Independant Order of Good Templars was in the 6 September 1873 edition of the Merthyr Express as follows
“The Good Templars Order, with branches from Fochriw, Pontlottyn and Twyn Caro have paraded the streets of Rhymney led by the Good Templars Drum and Fife Band.”
During May 1882, 84 persons joined the movement following a meeting in Carmel Chapel and by the end of that month about 200 had signed up. However, the comment was made in the Merthyr Express that
“but judging from the attendance at the meetings, one would imagine that the religious friends at Vochriw have not quite made up their minds to do away with drink just yet.”
The same issue of the newspaper advised that
“Sunday Closing This Act came into force throughout the whole of this parish on Sunday last, and the day passed off in the most quiet and peaceful manner, with no sign of opposition or dissatisfaction of any kind evinced from the habitual consumers of drinks. Sanguine anticipation of temperance reformers as to the immediate and ultimate beneficial results to accrue from the passing of the Act seem justified.”
The movement was a strong advocate of the total abstension from drink and was a leader in the opposition of license applications for the opening of “Clubs” which it saw as a means of circumventing the licensing laws as applied to Public Houses. Many of the clubs were only a room in a house and were established as a drinking venue with little or no other activities taking place.
In June 1903 the Rev. John A. Rees, curate-in-charge of Fochriw, initiated a crusade against the opening of the Fochriw Constitutional Club and, as a result of a speech that he delivered at a temperance meeting at Blackwood on January 5th 1904, was charged with a slander action by the Cardiff Conservative Club Company (Limited), the Club being the subject of the remarks made in his speech.
The action, which went in favour of the Club, was heard at the Glamorgan Assizes at Swansea during August 1904 and, despite the judgement going against him, the villagers of Fochriw gave him an enthusiastic reception on his arrival at Fochriw from Swansea. Mr Rees reached Fochriw about seven o'clock, and was met at the railway station by the majority of the residents, headed by the Fochriw Brass Band. A procession was formed, and having paraded the principal streets, wended its way over the mountain to Pontlottyn, where the reverend gentleman was again received enthusiastically. A public meeting was held in The Square, in the centre of the town. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. Rees and Mr. Tertius Phillips, Cardiff.
I.O.G.T. Regalia
Charles Henry Payne
