Welsh UFO sightings from 1904. For sightings from other years please click HERE.
PRESS
1904
Coedkernew
From a news report reproduced in Man Bites Man:
A poltergeist outbreak afflicted a farmhouse. A bundle of hay was thrown into the yard, pictures on the walls were turned around, two hundred pieces of crockery were dropped in the kitchen but none was broken, beds were moved and some carried partly downstairs, soda was put in a tub of lard, pickled cabbage was mixed with cream, and the name of the housewife's first husband was traced on the glass of a lamp. One night ten people sat up to watch for a ghost, but all was quiet, possibly because the village policeman was in attendance. Then a noise was heard, and a lump of butter hit the policeman right in the eye.
PRESS
September
Ynisawdre
The Cardiff Times and Weekly Mail of September 10th 1904 reported that a party of 12 workmen had been recently spooked by a tall cadaverous form shrouded in white with empty eye sockets, picking up a September 5th report from the Evening Express.
CARDIFF TIMES: A TONDU APPARITION. Strong Men Panic-Stricken.
The inhabitants of the hamlet of Ynisawdre, near Tondy, are busy discussing, with bared breath and furtive glances around them, a report by a party of workmen, whose characters are above suspicion, that the other night they met a ghost on one of the lonely country roads in the neighbourhood. According to those responsible for this ghost story, this latest aspirant for earthly notoriety, unlike the well-known Pencoed ghost, did not reveal itself in any very grotesque state. It had the appearance of a gaunt, cadaverous man, and the only curious feature about it which would identify it with the spirit world was that in the place of eyes were two luminous cavities, which were directed on the startled workmen, seeming to search them through and through. Stalwart men though they were, stout-hearted in any ordinary emergency, it is said that the uncanny experience was too much for them, and they felt a "creepy" sensation about the roots of their hair. Anyhow, they seemed to have made no attempt to strike up a closer acquaintance with the "ghost", and it is either still at large or has returned to the place whence it came.
WEEKLY MAIL: AN APPARITION AT TONDU. GLIDED AMONGST A BODY OF WORKMEN.
Tondu is alarmed! Indeed, this is the only word that can adequately express the feeling manifested in certain quarters of this usually quiet and industrious village near Bridgend over the appearance of a mysterious uncanny apparition. It was first seen in the early hours of a morning last week by some workmen in the neighbourhood of Felinfach, or Ynisawdre, as the parish is called. Tall and shrouded in white, it glided amongst the horror-struck workmen, and keeping what appeared to be its eyes, but which were really sockets of cavernous blackness, straight ahead, silently disappeared in the distance. The feelings of the men baffle description. Some aver that their hair stood on end, while others say that such a sort of "sickening" came over them than they might have been knocked over by thistledown! Altogether twelve workmen have seen the mysterious ghost, and, as their testimony is too strong to be lightly rejected, not a little excitement prevails.
It's ghostly exploits were eagerly covered by various papers; here's an update from the Cardiff Times of September 17th:
THE TONDU GHOST. STRANGE AFFAIR AT MAESTEG.
Interest in the Tondu ghost remains unabated, and reports are to hand that it has been seen in the distance in various quarters in the neighbourhood. The most authentic seems to be that a servant girl saw the gaunt, cadaverous figure gliding about in the vicinity of Ynisawdre Farm. Watchers are still keeping a look-out, but since the story of the midnight attack they are exercising a wise cautiousness, for the supposed spook seems to be an adept at the cach-as-catch-can style, if the sensational narrative told by the man who engaged in an encounter with it is to be accepted.
Two reputable inhabitants of Tondu tell another curious story. While out watching for the famous ghost they heard the sound of a galloping horse approaching rapidly. The sound came nearer until it seemed close by them, but the watchers could see nothing, and the rattle of the hoofs gradually died away in the distance.
The Tondu ghost scare has put into general circulation in the district once again weird stories which have from time immemorial belonged to the local folklore. It is said that every night about the hour of 12 a black dog suddenly appears on the cross-roads on the highway between Laleston and Bridgend. It calmly trots off down one side of the road and seems to melt into thin ar. Many people are said to have followed the mysterious animal, but have never been able to race it far.
A rural postman used to say that every night he met a big black dog on the cross roads near Ewenny, where the road branches off to Ogmore, trotting along silent and mysterious as though on a ghostly errand. At a village not far from Bridgend it is said that on the night before anyone of note dies in the vicinity a phantom funeral passes through the village at midnight to the churchyard. Some of the older villagers claim to have seen the creepy sight.
There are vague rumours of a ghost in the neighbourhood of Maesteg. A local resident was driving in his trap up a hill near Llangynwyd, the home of the Maid of Cefn Ydfa, a district rich in ghosts. Walking up the hill in front of him was a tall, powerfully-built man carrying a stick. Suddenly this man began slashing at something with his stick, seeming to be engaged in a deadly combat with the spirits of the air. Nothing could be seen by the gentleman in the trap. But the man on the road continued to slash out furiously, chasing his spectral assailant up the hill.
Real excitement set in when the ghost began attacking people, earning itself the moniker the 'Fighting Ghost of Tondu'. The South Wales Echo lead on the story which was repeated far and wide. Here's a clipping from the Australian West Gippsland Gazette of November 8th 1904:
FIGHTING GHOST. MIDNIGHT STRUGGLE WITH A SPECTRE.
The ghost of Tondu, Glamorganshire, has reasserted itself in the most aggressive fashion. According to a correspondent of the "South Wales Echo," a respectable resident of the district which the uncanny apparition haunts and terrorises was proceeding at midnight along a lonely, narrow roadway adjoining the deserted buildings and coke ovens of the abandoned Ynishawdre Colliery - an ideal spot for ghosts - when he was actually attacked by the unnatural monster.
The gentleman is muscular, but the sight which suddenly met his gaze at the end of a tunnel-like bridge made him turn hot and cold. An exceptionally tall, cadaverous figure was standing there. A silent, motionless sentinel, it was shrouded in white, the orthodox garb of the genuine ghost.
The head as the frightened observer now describes it, was like a death's-head covered with wrinkled parchment. The eyes were hollow sockets, in which was a cavernous glow. Suddenly the eerie thing advanced towards the trembling man under the bridge. It approached within twenty yards, and then swiftly glided towards him with its long arms outstretched.
It clasped him as though in a vice, and then began an uncanny tussle in the darkness. The man could not grip. There seemed nothing more tangible than air, but he felt himself held as though in the folds of a python, and the glowing sockets were bent full upon him. He turned to flee, but could not escape from the power that held him. With a frantic effort he clutched again at this supernatural assailant, and it was gone. Women and children creep indoors when nightfall comes, and bands of stalwart men sally forth to lay the terror of Tondu. - "Daily Mail."
Illustrated Police News helpfully recreated the scene for its readers...
PRESS
December
Mary Jones, the 'Egryn prophetess', had a vision then began to see lights in the sky which she ascribed to a guiding light from God. The Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times of 29th December 1904 printed a short piece on her visions:
THE WELSH REVIVAL. Prayer meetings still continue to be held in the various parts in the district. A lady who lives in Dyffryn takes a prominent part in the chapel called Egryn in connection with the Calvinistic Methodist chapel at Dyffryn, and meetings are held under her conductorship. It is stated that she has had many revelations at different periods of the night. These visions or spiritual visitations she frequently sees in the chapel, and on several occasions has drawn the attention of the young men in the districts to these signs.
The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard of December 23rd 1904 went into a little more detail:
EGRYN REVIVALISTS WORK.
Whether Evan Roberts is present at the South Wales revival meetings or not, all the ardour and fervour of the revival is still there, and that it is not one man's work is proved by the way this new wave of religion has spread even to most remote places.
Egryn is but a small roadside Methodist Chapel in the country district outside Barmouth and has no minister of its own, but now a married woman, who is a member, has practically taken the lead in the revival movement which is attracting attention to the place. Like Egryn itself, very little was known of the new revivalist in the outside world. She was regarded by the country people as a quiet, unobtrusive woman, but it appears that she has been greatly affected by religious devotion during the past few years, since the death of a younger sister. She declares that she has seen visions and with evident inspiration carries a great influence over the worshippers at Egryn.
Her influence is also apparent on all the countryside and the little chapel is more than crowded at the nightly prayer meetings held there. Crowds gather outside and every available space is occupied. People attend from many miles around and it is computed that on average five or six persons have been converted every night. She is expected to visit Barmouth to-night (Friday). United prayer meetings are being held every night at Caersalem Chapel, Barmouth, and afterward each denomination hold meetings at their various chapels.
The Rev Barrow Williams, Llandudno, who has been a participant in the Revival scenes at Rhos and South Wales, preached at Caersalem on Sunday. English visitors who have attended some of the meetings this week, have been greatly surprised at the spontaneous enthusiasm and earnestness of the proceedings. A sad incident in connection with the revival was the removal of a woman this week from the locality to an asylum.
After interviewing her, Beriah G Evans described the phenomena like so:
"The "star" appeared on the night when her mission actually commenced, and following the night of her vision. It was preceded by a luminous arch like a misty rainbow, one end resting on the sea, the other on the mountain top, and bathing in a soft effulgence the roof of the little chapel where she commenced her work that night. As a rule, the "star," one of unusual brilliance and magnitude, appears in the near southern heavens, and vanishes when appear the weird "lights" which follow, precede, or accompany her on her journeys, and without which she never starts on a mission. She speaks of these as naturally as she would of any matter of everyday life. So does her 12- year-old daughter Annie, who has inherited in a marked degree her mother's recently-discovered gift of prayer."
Howell Elvet Lewis described how the lights guided her work during December 1904:
"She gave many a striking incident of this fortnight’s meetings, which I need not chronicle here. She made no reference to the signs, until my friend and I asked her. She answered as simply as if she were speaking about the fire on the hearth that she had seen, almost from the first, each evening, a fire or light, between her and the hills which rise from the marshy shore – a quickly vibrating light, 'as though full of eyes' so another described it. It had revealed to her what to expect at the meetings? Yes, without fail.
One evening, she had interpreted the sign to mean four converts. But only three responded when the test was made in the crowded little chapel. 'But there must be four', she said. No, there could not be: all the rest, except the three who had declared themselves that evening, were already members. ‘But there ought to be four tonight’, she repeated. No fourth could be found till the door of the little vestibule was opened, and one stood there halting between two opinions. The opening of the door, and a kindly word of invitation brought the inquirer inside. The four were completed ...
She had seen the light hovering over some houses on the hill-tops; she was puzzled, for she thought there was no one in those houses unconverted, or at least out of church membership. But one day she was told by the Wesleyan minister at Barmouth and another friend, who visited her, that there was one old woman in one of the houses, not now on Christ’s side. 'Ah, that must be it', she said. The two friends went up, found the woman in concern for her son. Mrs Jones visited her; she became one of the fifty-one in that marvellous fortnight."
PRESS
Wednesday 14th December
Egryn
Several young men travelled from Caersalem to Egryn to attend a Revival meeting. Cambrian News of December 16th 1904 reported:
The Revival. - United prayer meetings are being held each evening at Caersalem. Prayer meetings are also held on the termination of the first meeting by the young people in both the Methodist (Caersalem) and Wesleyan Chapels. On Wednesday evening, several young men from Caersalem and Park-road journeyed to Egryn. When they arrived, they soon found that the "flame" had reached there before them. They however obtained an entrance with some difficulty and took part in the meeting which was a meeting long to be remembered.
PRESS
22nd December, 17:18
Capel Egryn, Merionethshire
Three observers saw a large light "about half way from the earth to the sky, on the south side of Capel Egryn, and in the middle of it something like a bottle or black person (figure), also some little lights scattering around the large light in many colors." The light finally disappeared into a patch of fog.
PRESS
December, 18:00
Egryn
The Evening Express of 30th December 1904 reported:
WOMAN'S SUPPOSED PROPHETIC POWERS
A curious statement was made by a Maesteg minister in a sermon which he preached on his return from a visit to North Wales. He said that a deacon there had given him an account of a brilliant white light which was to be seen every evening at six o'clock in Capel Egryn, situate between Barmouth and Dyffryn Ardudwy. The deacon referred to said he had seen the light himself, but the most curious part of the store was the statement of a woman who was taking a leading part in the revival movement in the district. Her account was that the light appeared in the form of three stars, and that she could also see the faces of those who would be converted each evening.
One evening she said there would be four converts, and when the meeting was held and the usual appeal was made there were not more than three converts to be seen; but the woman persisted in saying there was to be a fourth, and at last another convert was found standing in the lobby. At other times she would say that there would be no converts on a particular evening, and her statement, it was said, proved to be correct each time. Several ministers and deacons have visited the chapel, and have, it is said, seen the light.
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