As a direct result of the slander action, the Rev Rees had to file a petition of bankruptcy at Merthyr during February 1905. The Conservative Club Company caused an execution to be levied on the 30th January1905, but the debtor filed the petition on the 3rd inst., and the sheriff's officers withdrew on the following day. The result of the libel action was to award the plaintiffs, the Cardiff Conservative Club Company (Limited), damages of £2 plus costs. The statement of affairs showed the Rev.Rees’ liabilities amounting to £627-8s-2d., with assets at nil; £326-12s was due to the Cardiff Conservative Club (Limited) and £250 was due to Mr. J. A. Hughes, Cardiff and Barry, in respect of costs for defending him in the action; £51-5s was owed as a fully secured debt to Mr. David Prothero, furniture dealer, Bargoed, to whom the debtor had given a bill of sale on the whole of his household effects, including his library, in respect of money borrowed and interest. The bankrupt's stipend was only £120 per annum with no other income.

The public examination was fixed to take place at Merthyr Court on 22nd March 1905. In his deficiency account, the debtor stated that his expenses other than law costs in connection with the slander action amounted to only £23-15s.

During the Bankruptcy Hearing, the Rev. Rees was asked about the money raised by Mr. Tertius Phillips of the United Kingdom Alliance to finance his defence, and whether it was correct that Mr. Phillips had given a guarantee to the solicitor for £150 costs. Rev. Rees stated that no money had been passed to him, but that he believed that £80 had been paid to the solicitor by Mr. Phillips. He also believed that Mr. Phillips had given a guarantee to the solicitor for the amount stated, but he did not have certain knowledge of this. After brief questioning the Rev Rees stated that he felt it was his duty not to apologise, the examination was closed.

It would appear that, despite being a declared bankrupt, Rev Rees continued to be very active in the cause, to such an extent that, during September 1907, he was elected at the annual session of the English Grand Lodge of Wales, held in the Cory Memorial Temperance Hall, Cardiff, to represent Wales at the International Supreme Lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars which was held in America during May 1908. At the time he was treasurer of the English Grand Lodge of Wales, treasurer of the Rhymney Valley and District, and Past District Chief Templar of the Rhymney Valley District.

During July 1908, following his return from America, he decided to accept an appointment in Anglesey.  

The following newspaper articles portray the conviction, energy and zeal of those who advocated total abstenance and “the evils of drink”, together with accounts of the slander action and bankruptcy of the Rev. John.A.Rees, Curate of Fochriw. These activities were at the time of the 1904 Religious Revival in Wales.

The last newspaper report that I have seen is that of September 1939, some sixty years on from the first report. Weekly meetings of the “Star of Fochriw” Lodge were held, initially at the Noddfa Chapel vestry and then at the Carmel Chapel vestry where talks on suitable topics were given, together with musical entertainment and associated competitions. Annual outings to Weston by steamer from Cardiff were very popular.

Other like-minded minded temperance societies also existed in Fochriw at the same time as the International Order of Good Templars, these being the Reccabites and the Church of England Temperance Society.

The Merthyr Express, through its pages, not only made the activities of the Fochriw I.O.G.T. well know in the locality, but, also abroad, as the ultimate newspaper report attests to, being from the Rorke’s Drift Lodge which was, at that time, stationed in Tientsin, China.