I first encountered Herbert Dyer in a 1928 article on the so-called Llanhilleth Poltergeist. Herbert was then being touted as a boy medium, in touch with the spirit of dead brother Leslie. Before long his little sister Marie was also appearing at Spiritualist meetings, praised as a promising young medium, while Herbert began getting into trouble.
As I followed the newspaper trail I became increasingly invested in Herbert's story - it just went from bad to worse. His father kicked him out after moving the family from Llanhilleth to Cinderford in 1931, openly flouting the authority of the courts by refusing to be responsible for his son's actions, and Herbert started racking up convictions for motoring offences. In the 1930s he was making front page news again, this time for his alleged mistreatment by the guards at Pentonville Prison. So far I've been unable to find out what he was doing between his release from prison in '38 and his sending flowers to the funeral of his older sister Bertha in '59...
(ETA: Thanks to an email it appears he and wife Nellie emigrated to Western Australia - Herbert died on June 22nd 1995 and Nellie on September 14th 2007. They are both buried at Fremantle Cemetery, Palmyra. I haven't found any AUS newspaper references to them yet, so perhaps Herbert really did turn over a new leaf... or maybe he just got better at not getting caught!)
If you know more about Herbert - or the rest of the Dyer clan; I've got a family tree section at the bottom of the post - I would love to hear from you! (You can drop me an email at jess@babiafi.co.uk)
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The Daily Herald of August 15th 1928 reported:
A HOUSE OF MYSTERY. MOVING FURNITURE AND GHOSTLY VOICES. THE DEAD SON. FULFILMENT OF A MEDIUM'S PROPHECY.
Strange, very strange, manifestations in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, who live in the mining village of Llanhilleth, Monmouthshire, have caused much perturbation. Mrs. Dyer's family and friends and a score of neighbours swear they have seen: Tables move, door-latches lift of their own accord, and ghostly voices speak in the dark. They have also felt the touch of ghostly hands and heard strange noises. Mr. Dyer attributes the ghostly noises and voices to the spirit of his dead son Leslie. [Some regionals carried the line at this point: Mrs. Dyer declared that before the funeral her dead son appeared to her and she saw a light about his head.]
TOLD BY MEDIUMS
Not long after his death Mr. Dyer went to a spiritualist seance in Abertillery, where a medium whom he had never seen before told him the circumstances of his son's death. Later another medium assured Mrs. Dyer that she saw "Piccaninnies hanging blue garlands about her, and that when the blue flowers came she would have strange manifestations." Bluebells, it appears, were the favourite flowers of the son. This prophecy was fulfilled in the spring, when, according to Mr. Dyer and his family and friends, the strange visitations began. Mr. Dyer has never held direct communion with his son, nor has Mrs. Dyer, but in their son Herbert, a boy of 17, they believe they have a medium with great psychic powers. When this boy is absent they can get no contact whatever with the dead; when he is present they say they have never failed to do so.
MOVING LIGHT
One evening, in the presence of a number of neighbours, a strange light appeared in the darkness of their doorway and moved towards the table. Another time they heard the tapping of the spirit and the boy Herbert went out into the hall. He seemed to be frightened at what he saw, and they followed him out. They saw nothing, but they heard footsteps descending the stairs as though from a great height. The door of the kitchen was latched, but swung open. They shut it and it opened again. Again they shut it and it was flung violently open.
A banjo belonging to the dead boy was seen to move in broad daylight from where it is kept on the floor and back again. It played tunes as it lay in the lap of the boy Herbert, who cannot himself play a note of music. Mrs. Dyer cannot keep a table-cloth on the table. Whenever she puts one on the table is violently shaken, and the contents upset. Watches are taken from pockets and then reappear. Tin cannisters leap across the room, and on one occasion a walnut table was smashed to pieces in the dark, and the splinters were found on the floor when the light was put on. Visitors say they have heard bells ringing over their heads and all about them while sitting in the house of the Dyers, who celebrated their golden wedding last February.
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On August 18th the Nottingham Evening Post reported:
Intense interest has been aroused by the phenomena reported in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, of Hafodarthen-road, Llanhilleth, Mon. Mr. Dyer said yesterday that many people are sceptical, and at night crowds gather outside the house. Because he has refused admittance disturbances have occurred, and police intervention has been obtained. Two years ago Mr. Dyer's son Leslie died, and is said to be communicating through the medium of Herbert, another son.
A Chronicle correspondent writes: Mrs. Dyer agreed to a demonstration, and, with the boy Herbert, I went into a dark room under the stairs, where Herbert asked me to take hold of his hands and place my feet against his. I had not been there more than a few seconds when Herbert said, 'Are you there, Leslie?' and there was a loud rumbling noise along the wall. This was followed by strange, heavy knocking, and Herbert said that he had felt Leslie touch him on the head, and asked me if I could feel it. I replied 'No,' whereupon Herbert said, 'Touch the gentleman on the head for proof, Leslie,' but there was no response.
This was tried several times without effect. Herbert called in his father, who said, 'Are we testing you too much, Leslie?' and immediately there were three loud knocks, which Mr. Dyer took to mean that Leslie was getting weaker. Therefore the demonstration ceased. Visitors are expected from the National Laboratory of Psychical Research. Mr. Dyer has been out of work for two and a half years. His son Herbert has undergone several operations.
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On August 19th the Birmingham Weekly Mercury devoted almost an entire colum to the story:
EERIE NIGHT WITH A HAUNTED FAMILY. GHOSTLY VISITATIONS IN A WELSH VILLAGE. A STARTLED CYNIC.
Newport, Saturday. The crags and hills that gloom down on a mining village in the western valley of Monmouthshire are shrouded in angry rain clouds, and from the midnight hour the downpour lashes the little groups of houses, huddled together as though for protection. Inside one of the houses, almost indistinguishable in the gloom, sit several rough miners, some of their women folk, a boy and - the cynic (myself!) Driven in maddened gusts the rain beats a devil's tattoo on the window panes, while the crooning notes of a low pitched hymn - "Rock of Ages" - rises within the room and is heard between the buffets of the storm outside. A childish voice joins falteringly in the singing; it is the voice of no one present; it is a voice from the grave! The members of the little group strain every sense to catch some token from another world, nor are they disappointed.
A PROPHECY FULFILLED! In April, 1926, Leslie Dyer died from tubercular meningitis at the age of 12 at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport. He was taken home to 28, Hafodarthen-road, Llanhilleth, where he lay until the day of the funeral. His mother says, as she said then, that before the funeral a strange light played about his head. His father was later told at a Spiritualist seance that there would be strange manifestations when "the blue flowers came" and the prophecy has been strangely fulfilled. Mr. Bert Dyer, the father, lives today in a house at Llanhilleth which everyone believes to be haunted, and even the cynic came away from that strange midnight sitting on Friday half-convinced of the truth of the statement. Leslie Dyer, his parents state, is always present in the house, and wherever they go, but the manifestations only occur when his brother Herbert, a boy of 17, who is thought to possess great psychic power is present.
The cynic sat on a bench with his arms around two other members of the party. Silently a chill small hand brushed his forehead - and was gone. The hand of Death, said the onlookers, for it was the touch of Leslie Dyer, who lay buried in his coffin. The room was in utter blackness, and the sounds of ringing bells was in the air. Then gradually could be distinguished the sound of tappings, which grew in volume until it attained the force of sledge-hammer blows - a large tin canister was flung across the room, and fell with a resounding clatter. Then the table moved! Gradually it sidled towards the cynic, who gave it a push. It retreated across the room and raised its one end from the floor. (This was repeated in broad daylight many hours later.)
GHOSTLY FOOTSTEPS. From a drawer in the table knives and forks were taken by an unseen hand and were thrown on the table. I felt the touch of a hand on mine, and grasped hurriedly for it, but it slid from my clutch and left in my hand - a tin opener! The seat on which I sat was bodily moved and thunderous banging recommenced in a dark cupboard. In the hall could be heard the sounds of footsteps, apparently of a multitude of people descending the stairs. A number of coats hanging in the hall swayed as some bodies passed them and someone brushed past the cynic, although he saw nothing. From a banjo, lying across the knees of Herbert, the strains of "The Old Bridge" could be heard proceeding from the twanging strings. No earthly fingers were picking out the chords!
These were but a few of the things that impressed the cynic, and he is still quite at a loss to supply any reasonable solution to the mystery. Mr. Will Watkins, of Victoria-terrace, Llanhilleth, states that he saw the table on one occasion attract like a magnet a crucifix which stood on the mantlepiece. On another occasion a walnut table was smashed in the dark, and the splintered pieces were on the floor when the light was turned on. Once, when the table drawer was opened and the knives were thrown out, a tattoo was played with them. Leslie Dyer was formerly in the boys' brigade, and the next time the tattoo commenced somebody called out "Halt!" and the tattoo stopped with the sound. There are a score of other remarkable stories - the overturning of a great settee, the disembowelling of a clock, the disappearance of electric light globes, and other extraordinary happenings. Many who doubted have attended meetings at No. 28 and, like the cynic, have come away.
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On August 20th the Western Mail printed the results of Laboratory's investigation, under the title, "TRANSPARENTLY CHILDISH" PHENOMENA. They went on:
Mr. Harry Price, honorary director of the National Laboratory of Psychical Research, London, and Mrs. H. Lewis, a well-known London medium, were present at a seance in Llanhilleth in the early hours of Saturday morning to investigate phenomena that were stated to have occurred at the house of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Dyer, of 28, Hafodarthen-road. Among others who attended were half a dozen journalists (including a representative of the Western Mail), Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, some friends, and the medium, Herbert Dyer, aged seventeen, who claims to have received messages from his dead brother Leslie.
The seance was held in pitch darkness. As directed by Herbert, sometimes the circle held hands, and sometimes were quite free. When the light was switched on two photographs, one of the dead Leslie, and the other of his uncle, who was killed in the Great War, were found on Herbert's lap. Some hours earlier they had been seen in frames in the next room, and when the investigators looked after the occurrence the photographs were not in their frames. The light was again turned off, and Herbert said, "Leslie is pulling at my throat." A noise was heard on the table, and a scraping sound on the floor. Light revealed Herbert's tiepin and handkerchief on the table.
The movements of an electric torch, which had been on the window ledge behind Herbert, created a hitch. The torch was passed to three reporters in turn, and everyone was asking, "Who passed it?" Eventually, Herbert said, "Leslie tells me that he was going to pass the torch to everyone in the room, but the third person was sceptical, and it stopped with him." Unfortunately, the torch was actually passed by the reporters concerned, so Leslie could hardly have had anything to do with it. The proceedings concluded when Herbert stated tha the "power was getting weaker."
Afterwards Mr. Price, in an interview, said that he was convinced that the manifestations were not genuine. "It was transparently childish, and I was able to see through all the tricks. They were of an elementary character," he added.
Price was brutal in his assessment of Herbert's abilties. Paul Tabori, in his 1950 book Harry Price - The biography of a Ghost-Hunter, wrote:
He was less kind to Herbert Dyer, the young Welsh boy, and his family. The Dyers pretended that their son, young Leslie Dyer, who had died in April, 1926, was haunting their Llanilleth house and that throught his brother, Herbert Dyer, he was communicating with the world of the living. Harry Price travelled up to the small Monmouthshire village, attended a seance in the house and then declared roundly that the whole thing was a farce; the tricks the Dyers employed were the crudest he had ever seen. He advised them and especially Bert Dyer, the father, to stop this "foolish nonsense" which might do him and especially young Herbert considerable harm. His advice was apparently taken, for after a few weeks nothing more was heard of the Llanhilleth "ghost." (quoting: Why I Suspect a Boy Medium: Herbert Dyer. (Empire News. Manchester. 26-VIII-1928.)
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On August 24th the South Wales Gazette reported on another seance held by Herbert:
An Abortive Seance. In connection with the recent unusuals occurrences at a house at Llanhilleth, as reported at length elsewhere in this issue, a seance was held on Tuesday night at the house of Mrs. Hone, a well-known Abertillery spiritualist, in Blaenau Gwent. No members of the Press were invited to attend, althought the object of the proceedings was presumably to test the genuineness of the manifestations at Llanhilleth. As a well-known public man, Councillor M. Sheean was asked to be present, however, and the circle included others. The medium was Herbert Dyer, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Dyer, of Hafodarthen Road, Llanhilleth. It is stated that after attempts had been made for some time to establish communication with the unseen through the agency of the boy, failure had to be admitted.
In addition to devoting an entire page to the story!
LANHILLETH "SPIRIT" MYSTERY. REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES AT ALL-NIGHT SEANCE. BOY'S ALLEGED MEDIUMSHIP. CHALLENGE BY FATHER WITHDRAWN.
Remarkable happenings which were stated to have occurred at the home of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Dyer, 28 Hafod-arthen Road, Llanhilleth, were investigated during a seance which commenced a couple of hours before midnight on Friday and lasted until about 3.30 next morning. It is stated that in the presence of the boy Herbert Dyer, who is 17 years of age, tables and other objects have moved in broad daylight, without the application of any visible force, mysterious rappings and rumblings have been heard, and Herbert has given what purported to be messages from his brother Leslie, who "passed over" a couple of years ago at the age of 12, dying in hospital as the result of an accident.
It was at the invitation of Mr. Dyer that a "South Wales Gazette" reporter attended the seance, and there were also present at the commencement Mr. Harry Price (hon. director of the National Laboratory of Psychical Research, London, and foreign research officer of the American Society for Psychical Research), Mrs. Lewis (a memmber of the National Laboratory), the medium, Herbert, his parents, four other Press representatives, a photographer, and a friend of the family. Later the photographer left, and still later another neighbour was called in and joined in the proceedings. Mr. and Mrs. Dyer's two other children had previously been put to bed.
PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES. To while away the interval of waiting for one of the party to arrive, Mr. Dyer told how, on another occasion, Herbert stated that "Leslie" prophesied that a crucifix would break into two pieces as they watched it, and that this actually occurred. Mr. Dyer said that he himself had seen "lights," and the boy Herbert told our representative that his dead brother had often appeared to him, with a blue halo round his head. Herbert also said that his brother, before he died, claimed that he "could see angels."
THE SEANCE. No sooner had the circle been formed round the table in the little kitchen, and the electric light extinguished, than, with dramatic suddenness, something fell upon the table, close to the edge, between Herbert and his left-hand neighbour, a London pressman. The light was immediately switched on, revealing a couple of postcard photographs which had earlier in the evening occupied frames in the adjoining room. The photos were immediately placed beneath the strings of a banjo on a small table behind Mr. Price, Mr. Dyer expressing the hope that they might be removed thence by spirit agency, and the banjo played. (Neither of these expectations, however, was realised.) A prayer and a hymn followed, and after a few moments' waiting something clattered on the table, and the lectric light revealed the boy's tie-pin lying on the table.
Darkness again, another hymn, and two buttons wrenched from the lad's waistcoat fell on to the table and thence to the floor. Herbert had complained that "Leslie" had him by the throat - a remark at which Mr. Dyer expressed surprise, as Leslie had never before hurt him. Herbert then took off his collar and tie, apparently for his own comfort, and laid them on the table. There were one or two loud knocks on the table, which was pushed about, and occasionally a peculiar scraping sound was heard, and the suggestion was then made that perhaps Leslie desired the presence of Mr. Thomas Hambley, a local believer in Spiritualism, and an officer in the local Boys' Life Brigade, to which Leslie belonged in this life. Three raps on the table were said to convey "Leslie's" assent.
PHYSICAL - OR PSYCHIC? After supper the sitting was resumed with Mr. Hambley, and at Herbert's suggestion (prompted, he claimed by "Leslie"), his father, Mr. Price and one of the Pressmen examined Herbert's bedroom - for what reason no one seemed to know. At all events noting unusual was found, but when the trio returned there were some very violent manifestations - manifestations either of some occult power, or of sheer physical strength. A wooden form on which the young medium and two men of average weight were seated, was moved backwards, and all attempts to draw it nearer the table failed. This curious tussle with an inanimate seat in the darkness continued for several seconds, and eventually the two men confessed themselves beaten, and gave up the struggle. The light was then switched on, and the other sitters were amazed to find the form standing on its end!
Another long interval of waiting and "Leslie" then directed that one of the sitters, a Mr. Morris, should be tied with rope, but though his injunction was obeyed it was counterminded shortly afterwards. More waiting, the tedium being lessened by the singing of a hymn, and then Herbert said the spirit of Leslie wanted Mr. Price to loose his hands. Mr. Price asked Herbert to make sure that this was "Leslie's" desire, and on the request being repeated Mr. Price obeyed. There was then more violent movement of the form, and a large electric torch, the property of one of the journalists seated on the form, was thrown on to the table, and later transferred from hand to hand, each person who received it disclaiming knowledge of having passed it to the next. Shortly afterwards, the sitter on the right of our representative received three eerie taps on the left side of his chest, which could be distinctly heard, and for which he could not account. Two of the guests then accompanied Herbert into the next room, and afterwards stated that the sofa had moved, apparently of its own volition, all three denying complicity.
HERBERT CROSS-EXAMINES. On their return, the remainder of the sitters were requested to leave the room while those who had handled the torch were closely questioned by Herbert (apparently on the instructions of "Leslie"), who said that but for the action of one of the sitters he would have caused the torch to be passed to all in turn. There was apparently a rift in the lute, suspicion was in the air - and it was not all suspicion of the medium. However, Herbert's cross-examination was met by a barrage of denials, and the seance was resumed.
Soon a knife appeared on the table with a very material noise. The table drawer in which the usual implements were kept was opposite the "Gazette" representative, and could not have been opened without his cognisance. At the request of Herbert, hands had been unlinked, but there was a difference of opinion as to whether it was not preferable to hold hands, and in endeavouring to re-establish connection our representative touched one of the sitters on the hand. "Thank you, Leslie!" exclaimed this person, and our representative was so surprised that he hesitated about disturbing his belief, and decided not to undeceive him, thinking that a statement as to the origin of the "ghostly" touch in the presence of the whole circle might make the sitter (a firm "believer") look somewhat foolish (if one can look foolish in the darkness!)
The seance was now drawing to a close, the lengthy sitting having been a severe strain upon all, despite the hospitality dispensed by a genial hostess. Herbert announced that the communications were ended, and in response to questions as to whether anyone present was having a disturbing influence on the sitting, replied in the negative, but said that the cause was beer. A sitter admitted the "soft impeachment," and confessed to having consumed a little of that beverage. He was requested to leave the circle for a while, but his absence did not appear to improve matters, and he rejoined shortly afterwards. Jocular questions were put to Mr. Price as to whether "Leslie" objected to cider, and the reply was again in the negative. Mr. Dyer protested against the note of levity which had been introduced, but Mr. Price pointed out that it was not due to himself but to "Leslie's" reference to beer, and, moreover, stated that he had attended many seances at which intoxicants were drunk without inhibiting genuine phenomena. The subject dropped, and the sitting was about to close when Mr. Dyer expressed his disappointment with the results, and suggested that the boy should accompany Mr. Price and others to a recess under the stairs, where mysterious sounds are said to have been heard when Herbert is present. Mr. Lewis, Mr. Price, Herbert, and one Pressman, then entered the recess, and a loud noise was heard. They changed their positions and the noise was not repeated.
"VERY INSTRUCTIVE." Evidently feeling that his distinguished guests, who had come down from London in great haste to investigate, were not satisfied with the results achieved, Mr. Dyer asked Mr. Price and Mrs. Lewis what they thought of the seance. "It has been most interesting," said Mrs. Lewis. "A very instructive to evening," said Mr. Price, evidently choosing his words carefully. Further pressed, Mr. Price said he would require a number of sittings before coming to a definite conclusion, and on being asked to pay a further visit, said he would be glad if Mr. Dyer would acquaint him of any further unusual happenings which might take place.
LESSONS OF THE SEANCE. Walking to his hotel after the guests had made their farewells, Mr. Harry Price expressed the opinion that the time and trouble he had taken to investigate had been wasted, and he attributed the various so-called phenomena to quite natural causes. Certainly it was possible for the photographs which fell on the table on the side next to Herbert to have been extracted from the frame in the adjoining room by someone prior to the commencement of the sitting. Nearly all the other curious happenings are attributable to human agency, the outstanding exception being the violent movement of the form on which two other persons beside the boy medium were seated. Looking at this slight and rather under-sized lad with unbiased eyes, no one would suspect him of the possession of great physical strength. On the other hand, decpetion on the part of some of the sitters has been admitted in newspaper accounts of the affair, which state that the torch was passed along as a trap for the young medium, who alleged that the spirit of "Leslie" had himself passed the instrument.
If Herbert was guilty of the deception implied, it does not rule out the possibility that other phenomena - not necessarily all, but at least some - were genuine. If not, then a tribute must be paid to his wonderful acting: few lads of his age could have simulated surprise so successfully when the earlier happenings were revealed in the glare of the electric light. Even the apparently mysterious movement of the wooden form, however, need not be put down to extra-human agency without further evidence, except by those who are willing to believe anything which seems to support a cherished theory. For example, though it might be difficult to believe that Herbert moved the bench, the possibility of its other two occupants having done so by their joint efforts, with the idea of deceiving the medium, must not be ignored. If the medium was deceived in this way by the other occupants of the form no reflection can be cast upon his honesty, since the movement was not prophesied by "Leslie." The case of the transference of the torch, however, lies in a different category, for this "phenomenon" was predicted by "Leslie" through Herbert, whereas subsequent newspaper admission proved it to be no phenomenon at all - for, alas! in this wicked old world deliberate deception by human beings is not unusual.
CONCLUSIONS. The lesson of the whole affair appears to be that the conditions under which the seance was held were not stringent enough to rule out the possibility of deception by anyone present. No search of the medium was made, and during part of the seance, at least, the boy's hands were not held by those seated next to him: and it is to be noted that on one occasion this release was effected at the medium's (or "Leslie's") own request. The lack of more convincing phenomena, as compared with the alleged abundance of previous happenings, is thought by many spiritualists to have been due to the adverse conditions from the medium's point of view. Mr. Dyer afterwards complained privately to our representative that the room was reeking with smoke, but it is only fair to state that in setting the example in this respect Mr. Price sought the usual permission to "light up," and was assured that it would have no detrimental results.
Apparently beer, and not tobacco, is the special taboo of the mysterious forces beyond the grave. Mr. Dyer also thought the investigation was not being treated with sufficient seriousness, though here he crossed swords with a more experienced believer in Mrs. Lewis, who credits the unknown visitants with a sense of humour and a love of fun around a "circle." That the sitting was frequently interrupted by switching on the light was another cause of complaint, though this was generally done with the specific object of ascertaining what had happened. The fact that one sitter was deceived by the touch of our representative into the belief that it was a ghostly caress, as already related, was, of course, no evidence of dishonest on the sitter's part, but was strongly indicative of of the self-deceptions of which many spiritualists are victims. The sitter in question stated, either that evening or later (the writer forgets which) that the touch was that of a cold hand. As a matter of fact, his hands were uncomfortably hot all evening, though he suffered from cold feet (literally not metaphorically), for "Leslie" was said to object to the presence of a light from a fire during the seance, and the room became very cold as the night advanced.
INTERVIEW WITH MR. DYER. It should be noted that our representative was among those (and they were probably the majority of the guests present) who were struck by the obvious sincerity of both Mr. and Mrs. Dyer. They had evidently been convinced by earlier happenings at the house and outside, and in an interview with our representative on Saturday morning when the "South Wales Gazette" man had occasion to call at the house, Mr. Dyer stated that nothing would shake his conviction as to the genuineness of occurrences of that morning and the previous night, and told of other incidents. Half-a-dozen men had once failed to hold down a table. A cushion on the kitchen sofa had been lifted by an invisible hand and dropped to the floor, and when replaced seemed to resent the interference, for it rose again, sailed across the room, and struck Herbert on the chest. Mr. Dyer invited our representative to question his daughter Lena, aged nine, on the matter, and she told the same story.
Himself and Mrs. Dyer and Herbert (said Mr. Dyer) were on the sofa in the kitchen on the night prior to the seance, when the chair in front of the table drawer was mysteriously moved back in the darkness, the drawer was opened, and on switching on the light a knife and a newspaper which had been on the drawer were found on the table. Mr. Dyer said the drawer and the chair were too far away for Herbert to have moved either. On another occasion, said Mr. Dyer, just before putting the children to bed about 10.30 p.m., the table moved about a great deal in the presence of himself and his wife, Herbert, and the other two children, and they realised that "Leslie" wanted Herbert.
Mr. and Mrs. Dyer went under the stairs, and Marie (aged 8) and Lena (aged 9) asked permission to come into the recess also, but were refused. "Leslie" then knocked three times, signifying "Yes," and the children were accordingly allowed to enter. They had hardly closed the door before the younger girl exclaimed, "Oh, God bless you Leslie! He has shaken hands with me!" At Mr. Dyer's invitation, our representative spoke to the two girls, who were obviously impressed by their experiences. Mr. Dyer did not object to any question being put to them. "Was the hand warm or cold?" was the first question. "Warm," replied Marie - rather to the surprise of her father. Marie explained, in her childish way, that the hand retreated after shaking hers. "He pulled me right across the stairs by the pinafore," she added.
A CHALLENGE WITHDRAWN. The "South Wales Gazette" representative had previously been requested to express his opinion of the seance, and had stated that he believed it to be inconclusive. Mr. Dyer then invited him to attend at the house on Sunday morning with a friend to witness a demonstration of his son's strange powers, and expressed his conviction that remarkable things would happen. Our representative accepted the invitation, which it would be hardly inaccurate to describe as a challenge, but when he presented himself at the house on Sunday with a spiritualist friend, both were refused admittance, and were informed that under no circumstances would any Pressman be allowed over his threshold in future.
This change of attitude was obviously due to critical accounts of the seance which had appeared in various papers the previous evening, and after a few moments' further conversation our representative thanked Mr. Dyer for his courtesy and withdrew. Mr. Dyer complained strongly of rumours that he had been receiving payment from sitters at seances, and said there was not the slightest truth in such suggestions. Hundreds of people, he said, had congregated outside his door after reading the accounts of the seance in the Press, and had become very hostile, stones being thrown at the door. "I am determined to have my son tested," he said, "as I am convinced he is not as 'clever' as he had been credited with being."
A seance would be held at a house in Abertillery, and the boy would be thoroughly tested, but he had no fear of the result. Speaking of the Press accounts of the seance, Mr. Dyer strongly criticised the conduct of some of the sitters in passing the torch with the object of setting a trap, and said that such a confession inclined him to the belief that when the boy stated that "Leslie" had him by the throat the feeling must have been due to the action of an adjacent sitter. The interview, during which Mrs. Dyer joined her husband, served but to strengthen the impression previously formed of the sincerity of the parents' belief in their son's integrity.
OTHER EXPERIENCES. It would, perhaps, not be out of place to describe a couple of previous experiences which befel our representative who was present at the seance, and which occurred on earlier occasions while attending spiritualist meetings at Abertillery. At one of these gatherings, held one summer's evening, the medium stated that the spirit of a deceased person was present in the room, and had caused a certain delightful smell of flowers to appear for the comfort of a certain member of the audience. There was no doubt about the odour of flowers. A bunch of lilies of the valley, worn by a young woman only a yard or two away from our representative, was distilling its lovely fragrance throughout the hot and stuffy room, in which not a single window was opened. When the meeting was over the young woman expressed her amusement with regard to the incident. Was this not a case of unconscious deception on the part of the medium?
The second incident occurred during a similar meeting, also at Abertillery, at which a young woman who was alleged to be "under control" gave an address which was nothing more nor less than a curious jumble of words, with only here and there a glimmer of meaning. The strangest part about the whole proceedings, however, was the speaker's use of the word "vendetta," while still supposed to be "under control." The word was not used in its correct sense of "a feud," but as though it indicated a dagger or similar weapon, for the alleged spirit, speaking through the mouth of the medium, described a person whe held a "vendetta" in his hand, ready to strike.
The meeting concluded, our representative, wishing to be fair in his judgement of the medium, enquired of her whether she was actually "under control" when delivering her address. "Yes," was the reply. "And in that state, are you yourself aware of what you are saying?" "Oh no!" was the ready answer. "What is the meaning of 'vendetta'?" was the next question. "Oh, a dagger, or a knife, or something like that," was the reply, and then, apparently realising that she had by some means giving herself away, the "medium" became very angry. It was of course, a very curious circumstance, hardly consistent with genuineness, that the "medium" both in her normal state and when "under control" (and presumably not responsible for her words) should have used the word "vendetta" in an incorrect sense - and with the same incorrect meaning on each occasion. This medium had the reputation among local spiritualists at the time of being "wonderful." She certainly filled at least one listener with wonder - that she should have been able to "get away with it" so often.
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Even the Lahore Civil & Military Gazette printed commentary on the story (14/09/1928):
"Who will declare a close season for our dear old friend the Poltergeist? Something in that direction really should be done. His last appearance at the Welsh border town, Llanhilleth, was by no means a success. On the contrary it was what the Americans would describe as a "flop." He, she, or it, as the case may be, began quite well. It was said that this cheery little fellow could snatch ornaments from a shelf, move chairs, rap tables, shake hand, flip buttons off your waistcoat, jingle the keys in your pocket, and even play the "Old Brigade" on a banjo when the lights went out. So accomplished, a poltergeist deserved and obtained a really good send-off in the London press. But as usual, when the psychical research experts began investigating, the banjo player from the gloomy shades proved to be a crude fraud, in the person of a seventeen-year-old boy, who had performed just a few ordinary and clumsy conjuring tricks."
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Or, just maybe, there was something to the story and a spirit truly had been awoken... A couple of months previously, on May 28th, there had been a loud mystery bang at Llanhilleth. The Evening Dispatch of the same day reported:
"Considerable alarm was felt in the western valleys of Monmouthshire, particularly at Llanhilleth, by a muffled bang, says a Newport (Mon.) messenger. People rushed out of doors fearing that something serious had happened at a colliery, but immediate inquiries by mining officials elicited that nothing untoward had occurred. Several houses and other buildings in the district were badly shaken, and it is assumed that there has been a slipping of strata underground at Llanhilleth."
More quakes were reported in the Western Mail of September 12th, "Earth tremors have again been experienced at Llanhilleth, where much damage has resulted from subsidence in recent years. In one house a dresser threatened to topple over, whilst artciles on the counter of a shop were set dancing." Followed by still more that December.
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On October 17th the Daily Herald reported on the continuing saga:
CONTROL BY THE DEAD. STRANGE CASE OF WELSH BOY MEDIUM. SEANCE TESTS.
From our Special Correspondent. Cardiff, Tuesday - A 17-year-old boy medium, stated to be under the "control" of a younger brother who is dead, is shortly to attend seances at which distinguished spiritualists will be present. This is the outcome of extraordinary happenings which have taken place at Hafadarthen, Llanhilleth, in the Western Valley of Monmoutshire, and the Pear Tree Stores, Abersychan. In the past six months, Herbert, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Dyer, of Llanhilleth, has been the medium through which strange manifestations have occurred. At these seances musical instruments have been played, such as a banjo and a flute; the "control" has written his name in pencil on paper provided for the purpose; articles of furniture have been thrown about the rooms and pictures have rattled on the walls. Not only have these things occurred at seances, but I am assured that they have taken place in broad daylight and when as many as a dozen persons have been present.
A SECOND "CONTROL". "I am anxious to get at the bottom of these things," said Mr. Dyer, the father, "and because of that I have allowed the facts to be brought to the attention of the British College of Psychic Science, of which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is president, and of the Psychical Research Society, with which Sir Oliver Lodge is connected." It is understood that as a result arrangements will be made for for the boy Herbert to appear at seances at which distinguished investigators of psychical phenomena will be present.
It is asserted that the boy Herbert comes under the "control" of his brother Leslie, who died at age twelve and half years about two and half years ago. Herbert is a delicate lad, and, like his dead brother, shows symptoms of menningitis - and he has undergone five operations at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, for this trouble. Latterly, the "control" of Leslie has been weakening, according to the boy Herbert, and he has come under the direction of his dead twin sister, Florence, who died when she was five and a half years of age.
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This wasn't Herbert's first mention in the newspapers. Back in 1927 his father, George Herbert Dyer, was involved in an altercation with a local woman over a disagreement between Herbert and the woman's child. The South Wales Gazette of March 18th 1927 reported:
"Woman Assaults Man. Mary Magg (49), married, Llanhilleth, was summoned for assaulting George Herbert Dyer, collier, Llanhilleth, on March 7th. Prosecutor said that defendant struck him in the face and also spat in his face, in the street. Tom Hill, Abertillery, and another witness gave corroborative evidence. Complainant stated that after a quarrel between her child and the prosecutor's child, Dyer came to her house and was very abusive. A woman deposed that she saw no assault by Mrs. Maggs. Mrs. Maggs was bound over for six months and ordered to pay the court fees, 4s."
By October 1928 Herbert was in trouble with the police himself - for riding his bicycle without a light. The South Wales Gazette of November 9th reported:
"Without a Light. Herbert Dyer (17), a Llanhilleth labourer, was summoned for riding a bicycle without a light at Llanhilleth on October 26th. P.C. Price proved the case, and said defendant pleaded he had only got on the machine a short distance away. Defendant said he was taking the machine home to get a light. He was ordered to pay 4s. costs."
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Despite Harry Price's dismissal, other investigators had continued to work with Herbert. The South Wales Gazette of April 19th 1929 published a letter from Walter J. Jordan:
PSYCHIC RESEARCH. Sir, Saturday's issue of the "Westminster Gazette" reports Mr. Harry Price, of South Kensington, London, has made for the testing of a young Austrian medium. It is all very interesting from a psychic researchist's point of view, and I as a researchist anxiously await the final result of this test. Some months ago there came to public notice a young medium in Llanhilleth, Herbert Dyer by name, whom I took in hand to test in my own research laboratory, and came to the only conclusion possible, that the boy was an extraordinary medium.
After some months of supervision in my own offices, I decided to take the lad to London to be tested by the London Research Offices, Tavistock Square, London. In the presence of Dr. Woolly, and Sir Ivor Clarke the lad was tested in my presence on three separate days, and was proclaimed by the office, over which Sir Oliver Lodge is President, to be a great medium, so I claim that we have in our own locality sufficient material for investigation without looking abroad. Yours etc., Walter J. Jordan, Welsh Research Officer. (Psychic Research Laboratory, Snatchwood Road, Abersychan. April 14th 1929)
Jordan had a few letters published in the Gazette that year, all relating to spiritualist matters.
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For all this show of support, things only went from bad to worse for Herbert. On May 23rd 1929 the Western Mail reported:
DISMANTLING CRAZE. LANHILLETH YOUTH'S GREATEST DELIGHT. A youth stated to have a mania for pulling things to pieces was placed on probation at Abertillery on Wednesday accused of stealing part of a magneto, value £1. the property of Ralph's Garage (Limited), Abertillery. The youth was Herbert Dyer, aged seventeen, of Llanhilleth, the "medium" who created a stir some months ago by claiming to receive spirit messages from his dead brother Leslie. Police-Sergeant Argue said that he interviewed Dyer, who at first denied knowledge of the affair, but afterwards admitted taking the parts and hiding them in his father's workshop at Llanhilleth.
In reply to more questions, Dyer told the sergeant, "I don't know what made me do it, as the parts I took are no good to me." Dyer told the magistrates that he had no intention of stealing the parts. He only wanted to take the magneto to pieces. The boy's father, G. H. Dyer, said that his son was "very impulsive," and was never more delighted than when pulling things to pieces. The boy had had four operations to his head. The doctor had said he was developing the same symptoms of tubercular meningitis that his brother had died from."
The South Wales Gazette of May 24th 1929 went into more detail:
YOUTH AND MAGNETO PARTS. Herbert Dyer (17), labourer, Llanhilleth, was summoned for stealing parts of a magneto value £1 the property of Ralphs Garages Ltd., Abertillery. He pleaded not guilty, and said he had no intention of stealing it. Abner Ralph, a member of the firm of Ralph's Garages Ltd., said he missed parts of a magneto off one of the firm's motor lorries. He did not know the defendant. P.S. Argue said that on the 9th inst., in consequence of a complaint from the last witness, he made inquiries and interviewed the defendant informing him that he had reason to believe he knew something about the magneto parts. Dyer admitted that he was in the garage with two other lads the previous evening, but at first denied the theft. When witness suggested the lads should be produced, he admitted he had taken the parts and had hidden them in his father's workshop, adding, "I don't know what made me do it, as the parts I took are of no good to me."
Defendant said he did not take them with the intention of stealing, but of putting the parts together and returning them. The Chairman: are you interested in mechanism? - Yes, anything like that. You took them apart for the pleasure of putting them back? - Yes. Mr. Beynon: Do you attend the Central School? - No. P.S. Argue: I believe he did at one time. The lad's father said he was a very impulsive boy, and liked putting things together. He had never known him to steal anything. The boy had four operations to his head in Newport Infirmary. He did not think it was a case of theft. Replying to the Chairman, he said the lad was too delicate to work. He suffered badly from hemorrhage. Defendant was bound over in the sum of £5 and placed on probation for 12 months.
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While Herbert was causing headaches, the South Wales Gazette of May 24th also reported on his older sister Bertha's wedding.
Wedding. Christ Church, Aberbeeg, was the scene of a very pretty wedding on Whit Monday, the bridegroom being Mr. Frederick George Pratt, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick C. P. Pratt, "Dan-y-graig," Aberbeeg, and the bride Miss Bertha Dyer, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert G. Dyer, 28 Hafod Arthen Road, Llanhilleth. The Rev. Daniel Felix, recter, officiated.
The bride, who was given away by her father, was attired in a white embroidered silk dress with veil and orange blossom, and carried a sheaf of narcissus. She was attended by the Misses Marie and Lena Dyer (sisters), who wore frocks of white embroidered voile, and carried bouquets narcissus. The duties of best man were carried out by Mr. Bernard C. Pratt (brother of the bridegroom), while Mr. George Randle and Mister Kenneth A. Pratt acted as groomsman and page respectively.
The reception was held at the home of the bride's parents, and among the large numbers of guests present were Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Pratt, Mr. and Mrs. W. Sailes (Abertillery), Mr. and Mrs. Emlyn Giles, Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Hambly, Mrs. C. Johnson, Mrs. A. Lane, Mrs. O. B. Matthews, and Messrs Ray Edwards, Arthur Evans, G. Randle, and W. Baker.
Later in the day Mr. and Mrs. Pratt left for Torquay, where the honeymoon is being spent. The bride's going away costume was of navy blue. Both bride and bridegroom are well known in the district. The latter is a member of the Great Western Railway clerical staff at Abertillery, and an active worker at St. Mark's Church, Llanhilleth. His father has been employed in the clerical department at Messrs Webbs (Aberbeeg) brewery for a great number of years.
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The Daily Herald sent a reporter to a seance at the house, publishing their account on September 4th 1929:
WEIRD INCIDENTS IN A HOUSE. PICTURES AND FURNITURE MOVE MYSTERIOUSLY. FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.
Abertillery, Tuesday. Strange things are occurring at the house of Mr. G. J. Dyer, Hafodarthen-road, Llanhilleth, who claims psychic powers for his son Herbert, aged 17, and his daughter Marie, nine. Mr. Dyer claims to have received spirit messages from his dead son Leslie, and states that pictures and articles of furniture are being continually moved about. At a seance, at which the sitters were roped up, a tambourine, harp, dulcimer and bell were played together, and afterwards the bell and tambourine, with a bunch of artificial flowers, were thrown on a reporter's lap. The medium was the little girl Marie, who was found securely roped up at the end of the seance, as were all the other sitters. Mr. Dyer said he was convinced that a strange power was working in the house.
The South Wales Gazette of September 6th published more detail:
LLANHILLETH SEANCE. GIRL'S POWERS AS A "MEDIUM."
About 12 months ago public interest was aroused by the claims of Mr. G. H. Dyer of, 28 Hafodarthen Road, Llanhilleth, that his sixteen-years-old son possessed remarkable powers of "mediumship," and a full report of a seance held at the house was at that time fully reported in the "South Wales Gazette." A similar claim has since been made by Mr. Dyer regarding his nine-years-old daughter, Marie, and on Monday evening a demonstration of her powers was given in the presence of several investigators in an empty bedroom at the house. There were present in addition to the medium, Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, and Mr. T. Morris, Llanhilleth.
According to a story told by one of the investigators, they were asked to arrange chairs and tie up Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, Mr. Morris, and the medium Marie. Marie was tied hands and feet on a chair in the centre of the room, and seven ordinary chairs were arranged around her. Mr. and Mrs. Dyer and Mr. Morris were all securely roped hands and feet to the chairs, while the four other chairs were occupied by the "investigators," who were untied. On Marie's lap was placed a small harp, a dulcimer, a tambourine, and a handbell, a toy violin, and a bunch of artificial flowers. The candle was then extinguished, and after Mr. Dyer had opened in prayer the hymn "Rock of Ages" was sung.
There then followed a scuffling noise on the floor, and when the candle was lighted it was found that the flowers had been scattered all over the room. Marie's hands were still tied. The flowers were put back on the medium's lap and the candle again extinguished. Suddenly the dulcimer began to play to the tune of "Rock of Ages," and at the same time the harp was twanged and the violin was thrown across the floor. The light revealed that the flowers had again been moved to the four corners of the room. Marie's hands and feet were still tied, as were also those of Mr. and Mrs. Dyer and Mr. Morris.
All the articles were put back on the medium's lap and the light again extinguished. Immediately the instruments started to play, the bell rang violently as if it had been flung about in the air. It was then flung on the lap of one of the investigators, closely followed by a tambourine and a bunch of flowers. The candle light showed that Marie's chair had been moved. She was lying on her back with her hands still tied behind her. After several similar demonstrations the seance ended, and it was found that all ropes were as they had been tied originally. Mr. Dyer said he was fully convinced that there was some strange power working in the house.
Marie was becoming ever more involved in mediumship. The South Wales Gazette for September 20th 1929 reported:
"Spiritualists' Thanksgiving. Harvest thanksgiving services were held at the Central Spiritualists' Rooms, Market Street, on Sunday and Monday. On Monday evening Miss Marie Dyer, of Llanhilleth, was the "medium" at a seance, when successful demonstrations were reported. A sale of fruit and a social were also held the same evening."
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The South Wales Gazette for November 1st 1929 reported on Herbert's latest court appearance:
"LLANHILLETH BOY IN TROUBLE. Herbert Dyer (18), of Llanhilleth, was summoned for stealing a coal bag, the property of William Butcher, coal merchant, at Crumlin. William Butcher said the bag was worth 3s. 8d., and was taken from the Millbrook Colliery. P.C. Bishop said he interviewed the defendant who said, "I don't know what made me do it." Mr. G. H. Dyer, the lad's father, said his son had four operations to his head, and he was sure the boy was not responsible for his actions. Witness had let him work on a coal lorry for 3s. 3d. a week in order to keep him off the road. "I would rather let him go to a home," he added, "as I can't hold myself responsible for his actions. He has a genius for machinery." Mr. T. R. Jenkins: And coal bags, too. Supt. Spendlove said the defendant was still on probation for stealing a magneto at Abertillery. Mr. D. J. Thomas (Probation Officer): He is very impulsive. The case was adjourned for two months to give the Probation Officer as opportunity of reporting on his conduct in that period."
The Western Mail of the same day chose to remind readers of Herbert's history:
MEDIUM'S ALLEGED COAL THEFT. ABERTILLERY FATHER'S PLEA FOR SON. Herbert Dyer (18), the Llanhilleth medium, who some time ago claimed to have received spirit messages from his dead brother, was accused at Abercarn Police-court on Thursday of stealing a coal bag belonging to William Butcher, coal merchant, at Crumlin. When interviewed by Police-constable Bishop, it was stated, Dyer said, "I do not know what made me do it."
Mr. G. H. Dyer, the father, said that the son had four operations to his head and was not repsonsible for his actions. In order to keep him "off the road" he had let him work on a lorry for 3s. 3d. per week. He would rather him be sent to a home, as he could not be responsible for his actions. "Sometimes he has the mind of a child," said Mr. Dyer, "and other times he is as intelligent as a man. He has a genius for machinery." Mr. T. R. Jenkins (a magistrate): And for coal bags, too.
Superintendent Spendlove stated that the boy was at present on probation on an accusation of stealing a magneto at Abertillery. Mr. D. J. Thomas, the probation officer, told the magistrates that the boy was impulsive. The Chairman (Dr. E. M. Griffith) said the case would be adjourned for two months and in the meantime the probation officer would report as to the boy's conduct.
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I was stumped for a while because it seemed as though Herbert had cleaned up his act, what with the lack of continuing mentions in the Welsh newspapers. But, actually, it looks like the family moved to Cinderford in the Forest of Dean. First I came across this March 20th 1931 article in the Gloucester Citizen:
BENCH AND PARENT'S RESPONSIBILITY. CINDERFORD COLLIER AFRAID OF SON. A remarkable case was heard at Littledean Police Court today - before Mr. Ivo W. Baldwin (in the chair) and Mr. W. S. Davids - when a father declared that he was afraid of his 19-year-old son and absolutely refused to accept responsibility, and denied him the right ever to enter his house again. The defendant was Herbert Dyer, 19, an unemployed labourer, of Littledean, who was summoned for sleeping out without visible means of subsistance at Cinderford on February 16. P.C. Boughton said he found Dyer sleeping in the practice shed of the Miners' Rescue Station at Dockham-road, Cinderford. Witness disturbed him and in reply to a question, Dyer said he had nowhere to go, and added that he was not going to sleep on the roadside, he would sooner "do away with himself."
ALWAYS DISOBEDIENT. The youth's father, George H. Dyer, an unemployed collier, said he did not understand why his son slept out, because he had a good home. Referring to another instance when his son returned home on a Tuesday morning, he questioned him where he had been all night, and his son said he had been to a party at Drybrook. He found this to be incorrect. His son had always been disobedient and had threatened the other children. In fact he had threatened to "do the father in." After an incident which took place in the house he did not feel justified in ever having his son in the house again. He would like the magistrates to send his son away and get him some work to do.
REFUSED TO BE BOUND. After the magistrates had deliberated in private, the chairman said they had decided to place the defendant on probation for 12 months, and the father would be bound over in the sum of £10 to be responsible for him. The father: 'I refuse to be bound. I cannot accept the responsibility. He will never enter my house again.' Supt. Shelswell suggested that the case should be adjourned for a week to enable the police to make inquiries into the lad's conduct, and the magistrates agreed to this. Addressing the father, the Clerk (Mr. M. F. Carter) said that as the lad's parent he had a responsibility towards him. He would have to accept the responsibility for the next seven days or he would get in trouble.
Herbert Senior was not for turning. The Gloucester Journal of March 28th 1931 reported:
FATHER REBUKED IN COURT. LITTLEDEAN CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS. Adjourned a week ago to enable the police to make enquiries into allegations made by the father, who refused the responsibility of his son, the Littledean Bench Friday heard a case against Herbert Dyer, a 19-years-old unemployed labourer, residing at Littledean Hill, Cinderford, who was summoned for sleeping out at Cinderford without visible means of subsistance on March 16. Supt. Shelswell said that it had been ascertained that there were previous convictions against Dyer for stealing.
Mr. Westbury, the probation officer, said that Dyer first came under his notice on February 12, 1930. He was pleased to say that Dyer had behaved himself. Dyer told the Bench that he been offered a situation but Supt. Shelswell said it would not be in the boy's interest to accept the job. The Chairman remarked that Dyer would be placed under the probation officer, and would have to live where the officer and work as he ordered. He was bound over to be of good behaviour for twelve months.
MOST UNNATURAL. Addressing the father, the Chairman said: You did not help us very much. You had had the boy's money, and yet you absolutely refuse to accept the responsibility. You left him to the charge of someone else. The father: I did not have any money of his. The Chairman: You said in the witness box that you were receiving 14s. per week money belongin to the boy. The father: That was before. I did not have his money last week. The Chairman: You are a most unnatural father. You acted in a most unnatural way by refusing to do anything. You are ordered to pay costs.
(None of this is conclusive evidence that they are the same people, though it seems highly likely. A funeral notice in South Wales Gazette of 20th January 1933 for Mrs. Martha Berry listed Mr. and Mrs Dyer of Cinderford among the mourners, and another on 8th September 1933 for Mrs Mary Catherine Meyrick, a native of Abertillery, gave me further confidence as amongst the mourners were listed Mr. and Mrs. Bert Dyer of Cinderford, as well as "Jane, Bert and family" in the senders of floral tributes.)
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Herbert then goes off radar again for a bit. The Eastern Counties's Times of 25th February 1932 is possibly referring to him in this story about a Herbert Dyer who was caught stealing from a Dagenham firm he had been working for since September '31. Then again, it could have been another Herbert Dyer entirely...
"FINES NO GOOD." DAGENHAM FIRM'S HEAVY LOSSES FROM THEFTS. "The next man who comes from these works and is proved to be guilty of stealing these parts will not be given the option of a fine, but he will be sent to prison." This statement was made by Alderman F. H. Dane (Chairman) at Stratford Police Court on Thursday, when imposing a fine of £25 or three months imprisonment on Herbert Dyer, aged 22, a wireless mechanic, of 4, Melford-road, East Ham, for stealing wireless parts valued £1 on February 17th, and further with stealing other parts between September 10th and February 17th, to the value of 10s. 6d., the property of the Gramophone Co., High-road, Dagenham.
Mr. J. C. L. Sharman, prosecuting, said the Bench were aware that there had been a great number of thefts from the firm, and despite the recent numerous prosecutions, and despite extra assistance from the police, there was no diminution in the number of thefts. On Wednesday, the accused was stopped as he was leaving the works and, asked if he had anything in his possession which did not belong to him, he said "No." When he was searched, however, the articles, the subject of the first charge, were found on him, and he admitted stealing them. In consequence of information which came to the knowledge of the police, accused's house was searched, and the articles that were the subject of the second charge were found.
He had only been employed at the firm since September, and it seemed he had been helping himself to the firm's property almost from the beginning of his employment. "Fines," Mr. Sharman said, "apparently are no good. They do not act as a deterrent to these thieves. These young men seem to think that because they have never been in trouble before they are bound to be treated under the First Offenders' Act. We do ask in all sincerity for the Bench to take steps that will stop these thefts."
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Another story I initially ascribed to our Herbert on the balance of probabilities and later found corroborating evidence, from the August 1st 1933 edition of the Gloucester Citizen:
CINDERFORD FASCIST. BOUND OVER FOR DRIVING AWAY A CAR. Oxford city court was crowded with black-shirted fascists to-day, when a 21-years-old Fascists recruit, Herbert Dyer, of Cinderford, Glos., was bound over for driving away without permission, a woman organiser's car. Dyer, who said that he found the car unattended in an Oxford street, and was going to return it to its owner, was stated to have a mania for driving.
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By December 1933 Herbert was working as a garage attendant in Bournemouth. Or, at least, he was until he was charged with stealing a car and taking it on a Christmas joy ride. Various newspapers carried the story, but the fullest account was published in the Western Gazette of December 29th 1933:
JOY RIDE TO LONDON. BIRMINGHAM VISITOR'S CAR STOLEN. EARLY MORNING ARREST AT BOURNEMOUTH.
A sentence of four months' hard labour was imposed on a young Welsh chauffeur named Herbert Dyer at Bournemouth Police-court on Wednesday. He was found guilty of stealing a motor-car belonging to a Birmingham lady who visited Bournemouth for Christmas. He admitted that he drove a party of three other men and three young girls to London on Saturday evening. He was arrested through the smart observation of P.C. Joyce, a Bournemouth police officer. The car was the property of Mrs. Gwendoline Annie Brown, of 135, Russell-road, Moseley, Birmingham, and she said she arrived at the Burlington Hotel, Boscombe, on Friday afternoon, December 22nd. She left the car in charge of an attendant, and he was to inform her if there was no room for it in the garage. When she went for it on Saturday the car was missing. On Sunday she was informed it was in the possession of the police. The value of the car was £170.
Cyril Alfred Coleborne, an attendant at the garage of Messrs. Ewens, Roumelia-lane, Boscombe, said that the prisoner left the car in their garage at 6 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday morning he took it away and said the owner did not want anyone but he to drive it. Prisoner brought the car back at 12.45 p.m. and fetched it at 2.30 p.m., and he did not see him or the car again. On the second occasion prisoner told him he was an attendant at the Burlington hotel.
P.C. Joyce was on duty at Tuckton at 5.15 on Christmas morning when he saw the car, which answered the description of the stolen one, go by. He was not in a position to stop it then but he followed on his bicycle and saw it in Irving-road, Southborne. He went up to the prisoner, who had been driving it, and questioned him. Prisoner said, "I have it with the permission of the owner." As he was not satisfied he took him to the Police-station, and in reply to the charge he said. "I didn't intend to steal it. I was going to take it back when you stopped me." Supt. Deacon: Did he admit that he had driven it to London and other places? Witness: Yes.
DEFENDANT'S STATEMENT. Defendant said he was a chauffeur but was now out of work, having been discharged from the Burlington garage on Saturday. He lived at 881, Christchurch road, Boscombe. He was the attendant to whom Mrs. Brown handed her car. There was no room for in the garage and he waited until he had finished work and then took it to Messrs. Ewens. He could not remember the lady's name, but he was going to take the car back and leave it ready for her when she came for it. Asked about the trip to London, he admitted that he took two men and three young girls and a boy, and that he brought back an extra passenger. He did not know who it was. One of the men was stated to have been recently brought before the Christchurch Bench.
Supt. Deacon put it to prisoner that he had never intended to take the car back. Prisoner said he could not afford to part with the car as he had no log book for it. Questioned as to what he was doing with it at five o'clock in the morning, he said he was coming back from London. George Alexander Dunn, a general labourer, of 881, Christchurch-road, said prisoner had lived with him for five or six months past. He had always found him honest. On Saturday prisoner told him he took the car "to slip up home in." Supt. Deacon said prisoner was 21 years old and a native of Nelson, South Wales. He was employed at two hotels in Bournemouth for a few weeks each place. In 1929 he was charged with larceny but after a period was dismissed. On August 1st last he was again bound over for six months on a charge of unlawfully taking a motor-car, and there was also a conviction for larceny against him.
[Supt. Deacon says Herbert is a native of Nelon, South Wales. There were a family of Dyers there - Claude and Jane (nee Thomas) and children including Edith and William - but no match for a son this old, and based on later reports for a George Herbert Henry Dyer for similar crimes, it is possible Herbert was happy for the police to misidentify him and so not bring in his earlier offences.]
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Herbert served his time and then appears to have gone back to live with the friend in Bournemouth, where he was fined for riding a bicycle without a light. The Swanage Times of July 13th 1934 reported:
AFTER MIDNIGHT. The magistrates took the unusual course of retiring to consider their decision when George Herbert Dyer, 881, Christchurch-road, Bournemouth, was summoned for riding a bicycle without proper lights or a reflector. He admitted the offence. P.C. Baker said that a quarter of an hour after midnight he saw defendant carrying a girl on the carrier of the machine without a light or a reflector. Dyer said the light went out just before he saw the constable, and that the reflector must have fallen off. He was fined 7s. 6d.
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In October Herbert 1934 was back in court. The Western Mail of October 18th reported:
CAR THEFT CHARGE. George Herbert Henry Dyer, aged 23, described as a motor-driver, of Bournemouth; Leonard J Sydenham, assisstant colliery repairer, aged 19, of Mardy; Albert Edward Roberts, labourer, aged 27, Mardy; and Thomas Edwin Chaney, aged 22, coal cutter, Ferndale, were charged at Pontypridd Police-court on Wednesday with stealing a motor-car at Hopkinstown, Pontypridd, on September 30. Dyer was committed for trial at the Assizes, the charges against Roberts, Sydenham and Chaney being dismissed.
The Pontypridd Observer of October 20th went into greater detail:
STOLEN CAR SEQUEL. FOUR YOUNG MEN CHARGED. A Tylorstown police officer's suspicions of a story told him by a motorist who asked him to ring up a garage for assistance, led to Herbert Dyer, aged 23 years of Bournemouth, being charged with stealing an Austin-seven motor car from Rhondda Road Garage, Pontypridd, on Sunday, September 30th. Jointly charged with him were Leonard J. Sydenham (19), Maerdy, Albert Edward Roberts (27), and Thomas Edwin Cheney (22), Ferndale. Wm. Beynon, Gyfellion Road, Hopkinstown, said he garaged his car at one p.m. on September 30th. The next morning he discovered it was stolen.
Sergt. D. M. Jones, Tylorstown, said that at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 30th, he was on duty at Pontygwaith police station, when Dyer called and asked him to phone to a garage at Onllwyn asking the proprietor to tow a motor cycle from Canton, Cardiff, to Tylorstown. He stated that he had gone to Canton with a girl from Edmund Street, Tylorstown, and they had a breakdown. Witness asked Dyer where his home was and he replied that he had been in lodging with his father in Pearl Street, Cardiff, and had been employed with him at a garage as a mechanic. After reviewing the case he became suspicious and conveyed defendant to Ferndale Police Station. Witness told him he would be detained pending enquiries being made regarding the theft of an Austin-seven car and he replied, "I know nothing at all about it. I wouldn't do a thing like that."
James Kidner, Ynysboeth, Abercynon, said that on Saturday, September 29th, in company with a friend Wm. Hickey and Dyer, he went to Cardiff in a car. They picked up Roberts, Sydenham and Cheney at the Alexander Hotel, Cardiff. At Cross Inn they had a breakdown and were towed back to Cardiff, where they left the car. They had a lift to Pontypridd in a van and in Pontypridd started walking towards Hopkinstown. Hickey, a girl, Cheney and witness walked up the road and the others left them and went towards a garage. Later they stopped an Austin Seven car which Dyer was driving and proceeded on their journey. Cheney got out at Ferndale and the car stopped at Maerdy for lack of petrol. Roberts and Sydenham left them at Maerdy, Dyer and the girl left them at Tylorstown. Witness and Hickey walked to Pontypridd and then to Ynysboeth. Wm. Ronald Hickey corroborated the evidence of Kidner.
Inspector Doolan said that while detained Dyer told him, "I stole the Austin car. I went to get it over. The other men are innocent." On October 3rd he received the other defendants into custody and Sydenham and Roberts made statements to the effect that they met Dyer in Cardiff and he picked them. They had a breakdown and had to go back to Cardiff. They came to Pontypridd and Dyer obtained the car. The charges against Roberts, Sydenham and Cheney were dismissed and Dyer was committed to take his trial at the next Assizes. The Chairman asked Dyer if he did not have someone with him to help him and defendant replied, "No." He did not know where his father was and he had no friends locally. Bail was allowed for himself in the sum of £50 and one surety of £25.
The Western Mail of November 13th 1934 reported that a George Herbert H. Dyer was scheduled to be heard at the Glamorgan Assizes before Mr. Commissioner Kennedy on "alleged theft." The 14th November edition reported: "Pleading guilty to the theft of a motor-car at Pontypridd in September last, George Hubert Henry Dyer aged 23, a motor-driver, was sentenced to five months' imprisonment with hard labour. Mr. Kenneth Thomas (instructed by Mr. D. J. Parry) prosecuted."
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The East End News and London Shipping Chronicle of 7th February 1936 reported:
"JUST HAVING A RIDE ROUND." A LORRY WHICH DISAPPEARED. POPLAR MAN DISCHARGED. A charge against a Poplar man of being concerned with another person in stealing a motor lorry laden with fruit total value £300, was dismissed at Old-street Police Court on Tuesday. A further charge of taking away the lorry without the consent of the owner was also dismissed. Albert Howlett (22) an electrician, of Northumberland-street, Poplar, was discharged. Herbert Dyer (25), a chauffeur, of no fixed abode, who had appeared with Howlett, was reminded in custody for a week on the charges and two other charges of using a motor vehicle without there being a third party insurance in force, and driving a motor vehicle without a licence.
Louis Kosky, of Highgate-road, Birmingham, said that Dyer worked for him and they came to London. At 1.15 on Monday he left the lorry in Brushfield-street in the charge of Dyer. He was away half an hour and on his return the lorry was missing. At 9.30 p.m. it was recovered with nothing missing. Evidence was given that a constable stopped the lorry in the West End. Dyer was driving and Howlett was sitting next to him. Howlett said, "I was just having a ride round."
When charged Dyer said, "I deserve all I get." Howlett said, "I don't know anything about it." Det.-sergt. Hine said that he believed Howlett was picked up by Dyer, and was innocent. Mr. Metcalfe said there was no case against Howlett and discharged him without calling on the defence. It was stated that Dyer had been convicted for stealing motor-cars. Dyer told the Court that he had no intention of stealing. "It was a joy ride," he added.
The February 14th edition followed up on the story and revealed that Herbert was sentenced to prison for six months with hard labour. "Mr. Metcalfe sentenced him to three months consecutive imprisonment on the charges of taking the lorry away and not being insured for third party risks. ... Dyer who was stated to have been previously convicted for stealing motor vehicles, was told by the Magistrate that it would be in his own interest if he went to prison. He added: "You are certainly not fit to be at large driving a car at any time when you are a peril to yourself and everyone else."
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January 1937 and Herbert was in trouble again. The Conventry Herald for January 2nd reported:
WARRANT FOR VAN DRIVER. The Magistrates issued a warrant against a London van driver who was due to appear before the Bench on three motoring summonses, and who wrote: "It is with deep regret that I cannot get down to appear in person ... The fare is 30s. ... Please arrange for my case to be heard in London." The defendant, George H. H. Dyer, of Crellin Street, Stepney, E1, was summoned for driving a motor van while disqualified, driving while not insured, and exceeding the 30 m.p.h. speed limit. The Clerk (Mr. H. E. H. Hobley) said it was undesirable that the summonses should be heard in Dyer's absence, and they had no process for transferring cases of that nature to London.
Inspector Russell pointed out that there might be some difficult in securing Dyer's appearance if the case were adjourned, and he applied for a warrant for the man's arrest. The Clerk: He says that he cannot affford the fare. If a warrant is issued he can then be brought here at the county's expense. It would be doing the man a service. The cases were adjourned until January 13, and the Clerk suggested that the warrant should be executed so as to secure Dyer's appearance on that day, and the man should be told that it chiefly in his own interests that such a course was being taken. Summonses against Dyer's employer - for employing an unlicensed driver and for permitting a motor van to be used when not insured - were also adjourned for a fortnight.
The Conventry Evening Telegraph of January 13th followed up on the case:
DROVE WHILST DISQUALIFIED. STOPPED AT MERIDEN. SENTENCED TO THREE MONTHS IN SECOND DIVISION.
A 25-years-old London motorist, George H. Dyer, of Crellin Street, Stepney, E1, was sentenced to three months in the Second Division, at Coleshill Police Court, to-day, on each of two charges of driving a motor van whilst disqualified from holding a licence, and for driving without an insurance policy in force. The sentences are to run concurrently. It was stated by P.C. Hale that when he stopped defendant on the Coventry Road, Meriden, on September 14 last, and asked him to produce his driving licence, he was unable to do so. It was subsequently found that Dyer had been disqualified from holding a licence last February.
PLEA FOR ANOTHER CHANCE. Dyer, who pleaded for another chance, said in a letter to the Bench that he had always tried to go straight in life, but unfortunately the Magistrates before whom he had been brought had never given him a chance. "I have never had that one chance which would make a man of me and also make my mother proud of me, and myself a happy man." The letter went on to say that Dyer had written the Home Secretary respecting his case, but he was unable to help in any way. "What I want is to lead an honest life, but if I go to prison again I shall have all my spirit taken out of me," concluded Dyer in his letter.
A long list of previous convictions was put in against Dyer, including two terms of imprisonment, one of which was for taking a car without the owner's consent, and the other for driving a car whilst being disqualified. It was stated that the last conviction was in February of last year, when Dyer was automatically disqualified for holding a licence for a year.
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In August 1937 Herbert was again convicted for driving without a licence. Many newspapers carried snippets of the story, focusing on Herbert's defiant attitude, with the most detailed write-up appearing in the East End News and London Shipping Chronicle of 20th August 1937:
FIVE YEAR'S BAN ON STEPNEY MOTORIST. PRISON FOR FLOUTING THE LAW.
"You seem determined to flout the law. All I can do is to protect the public from you as long as I can." Mr. John Harris, the Thames Police Court Magistrate, addressed these remarks to George Herbert Henry Dyer, of Edwards House, Lindley Street, Stepney, whom he sentenced to six months hard labour and fined £20, or three months' hard labour, consecutive, for driving a motor cycle, in Commercial Road, Stepney, on June 20th, whilst disqualified. Dyer was sentenced to a further three months' hard labour, to run concurrently with the other sentences, and disqualified from driving for five years for driving without a third party insurance policy.
DISQUALIFIED THREE TIMES. Mr. Sharpe, prosecuting, said that Dyer was disqualified for a year at Coleshill, Warwickshire, on January 13th, for driving a motor vehicle while not insured against third party risks. Since 1933 he had been convicted on several occasions and had been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment for stealing motor vehicles. He had been disqualified three times for driving without a third party insurance policy and convicted on two previous occasions for driving while disqualified.
When seen by a police officer Dyer said, "They keep on diqualifying me and I keep on driving and I will keep on doing so." Dyer told the Magistrate that the justices at Coleshill told him he would not get his licence back until the period of disqualification had expired. Through the Prisoners' Aid Society he got his licence back, so he thought he was entitled to drive. Sentencing Dyer as stated, Mr. Harris said, "Driving as you do without an insurance policy, it means that if an unfortunate person is injured by you they cannot recover a penny from you. I am not going to allow people like you to do that sort of thing."
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Herbert is still in prison when he next makes the newspapers. Above is the Weekly Dispatch for November 21st 1937, picturing the Stepney MP and Mr James Olivey, Commissioner for Oaths, with two released prisoners who made statements about an alleged assault on Herbert by prison warders. The Daily Herald of November 22nd 1937 reported:
M.P.'S JAIL INQUIRY TO-DAY. Serious allegations concerning the treatment of a Pentonville prisoner are to be investigated to-day by Mr. D. Frankel, Labour M.P. for Stepney. Three other prisoners have made sworn statements about the man, who is serving six months' hard labour for driving a motor-cycle while disqualified. He is George Herbert Henry Dyer, of Lindley Street, Stepney. Miss Nellie Graham, his sweetheart, appealed to Mr. Frankel to investigate the statements. Formal requests for information have been made, but no reply was received from the Home Office. Mr. Frankel told the "Daily Herald" that he is making further inquiries at the Home Office.
The Daily News of December 22nd 1937 reported that Frankel had been granted permission to visit Pentonville and investigate conditions for himself because: "Miss Graham claimed that Mr. Dyer - in prison for a motoring offence - went about Pentonville in bandages for some time as a result of warders' treatment." The Daily Mirror of December 24th reported on Frankel's visit:
PRISONER MADE IT UP WITH ACCUSED WARDERS. An M.P. went to Pentonville Prison yesterday to investigate an accusation that warders there had assaulted George Herbert Henry Dyer, serving a six months sentence for driving a motor-cycle while disqualified. Accusations were first made by Dyer's sixteen-year-old sweetheart, Miss Nellie Graham, of Stepney, and the M.P., Mr. Dan Frankel (Mile End), left Pentonville yesterday convinced that the prisoner had been assaulted.
"I spoke to Dyer, and he told me that one warder had held his arms while another punched him," said Mr. Frankel. "It was a dispute about dinner. Dyer has since made it up with the two warders and promised not to tell their names. I talked an hour with him but he would not tell me. 'Not while I am in here,' he said. 'I want the matter dropped.' He seemed in fair health, though he was nervous and was in hospital with stomach trouble - nothing to do with the assault. I want to talk the whole thing over with the Home Secretary."
To the Weekly Dispatch of December 26th Frankel said of Herbert: "Mr. Dyer is no 'tough' criminal, but a young man undergoing punishment for a motoring offence.'
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After his release from Pentonville, Herbert married Nellie in Stepney in March 1938. Nellie was born on 28th September 1921 in Gateshead.
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This could be Herbert referred to in the Hampshire Advertiser of November 5th 1938:
MOTORISTS FINED. Herbert Henry Dyer, Christchurch-road, Boscombe, was summoned for having a driven a motor-van and trailer without a rear light and without the rear identification plate illuminated. He was fined £1.
If it is the 'right' Herbert, he had clearly learned nothing from his time in prison!
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Either way, Herbert was back to his usual antics soon enough. The 1939 register finds Nellie and Herbert living at 178 Hight Street in Hackney. Herbert is listed as working as as a "Motor Driver Ambulance Stock."
Herbert Senior and Jane were also on the 1939 register, living at 36 Littledean Hill Road in Cinderford:
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In the 1940s Herbert and Nellie were living in Birmingham. In the fourth quarter of 1941 Roy Clifford Albert Dyer was born. Denis Herbert Dyer was born in the second quarter of 1946. Other potential Dyer children: Lawrence T M Dyer (fourth quarter 1942 - second quarter 1943) and Lawrence C A Dyer (first quarter 1944).
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After the war, Herbert and Nellie took their young family to Australia.
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Herbert's older sister Bertha died in 1959, and he was listed as being in attendance at the funeral by the South Wales Gazette of March 20th 1959:
MRS BERTHA PRATT. The funeral took place at the New Cemetery of Mrs Bertha Pratt, aged 54, of 1, Brace Avenue, Abertillery. Rev. F. Lines officiated. Mrs Pratt was the wife of Mr. F. G. Pratt, who is chief clerk at the Abertillery branch of British Railways. The mourners were: Messrs F. G. Pratt, husband; Norman Pratt, son; H. Dyre, brother; K. A. Pratt, brother-in-law; H. L. Islip, cousin. Messrs B. Pratt, J. A. Hill, H. Stone, brothers-in-law, were unable to attend because of illness. The bearers were: Messrs M. Harber, R. Napier, J. Price, G. Horswell.
Mouners at the house were: Mesdames L. Stone, G. Hill, E. Islip, E. Mason, G. York, G. Price, V. Ranch, N. Bouts, G. Harber, P. Edmonds, S. Horswell, M. Jones, Misses J. Price and J. Chivers. Among those present were: Councillor G. R. Shingler, Messrs W. J. Williams, A. H. James, W. S. L. Evans, I. Barrington, W. Gort, Len Hill, K. Chard, G. Mason, A. York, W. B. Phillips, E. Davies jnr, G. Edwards, E. Edwards, J. Williams, K. Williams, F. D. Lewis, G. Wall.
Floral tributes were sent by: Fred and Norman; Mam; Brother Herbert; Gwynneth, Reg, Clive and David; Lena, Nobby and children; Bern, Lil and Tony; Ken, Ethel and boys; Aunty Ethel (Blaina); Uncle Trevor and family; Elsie, Len, Joyce and David; Mrs V. Ranch and family; Nancy and Reg Boots; Mr and Mrs Williams (Cottonwood); Mrs G Mason, Mrs Heath and Maureen; Mair and Gwen; Jennifer and family; Mr and Mrs Bruten and family; Mr and Mrs Williams and family; Polly and George; Mr and Mrs James and Zilla; Doreen, Terry and children (Birmingham); Sheila, Glyn and family; Mr and Mrs T. Mason; Melville, Gwyneth and children; Friends and neighbours of Brace Avenue; Colleagues and friends of British Railways, Abertillery. The arrangements were carried out by Messrs G. A. Fairclough and Sons Ltd., Undertakers, Abertillery.
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Herbert died in Australia on June 22nd 1995. Nellie died on September 14th 2007. They are both buried at Fremantle Cemetery, Palmyra.
Family Tree Research
Lot Dyer. Born 1855 in Newport; died in 1928. Worked as a carpenter and was a long time member of the Abertillery branch of the Amalgamated Society Of Carpenters & Joiners. Married Bertha Parry in 1874. In 1891 the family - already with seven children - were living at Church Street in Chepstow. The Chepstow Weekly Advertiser of January 29th 1898 reported: "Lot Dyer, of Abergavenny, formerly of Chepstow, was summoned for non-payment of General District Rate. Mrs. Dyer represented her husband, and stated that he was only working half-time and had eleven children, and was not in a position to pay anything. A warrant for the amount claimed and costs were ordered to be issued when applied for."
At the time of the 1901 census they were living at 15 Chapel Road, Abergavenny, with nine children (not counting those who had already left home!). They spent a lot of their married life in Abertillery - the couple were mentioned in the South Wales Gazette of October 11th 1907: "An Amicable Settlement. Lott Dyer, Carpenter, Duke-street, Abertillery, surrendered to his bail on a charge of unlawfully wounding his wife, Bertha Dyer, at Abertillery on October 5th. Mr A. H. Dolman, Abertillery, appeared for the woman and said that the parties had agreed to separate and had already arrived at an agreement in the matter. He therefore asked for leave to withdraw the summons. The Bench granted the application." The separation couldn't have lasted too long as on the 1911 census they were living together at 42 Duke Street with five of their younger children.
George Herbert 'Bert' Dyer. Born in Bristol on February 2nd 1881. On October 17th 1889, along with a number of siblings, he was baptised at the Beula Baptist Chapel. Herbert Senior's interest in Spiritualism might have been ignited by his own near death experience: on Saturday June 9th 1894, at about 6:30pm, the then 13-year-old Herbert fell from a footbridge into the Wye, and swept some 150 yards downstream. He was saved by the vallant actions of James Morgan, a 16-year-old the South Wales Daily News of June 11th described as working at Mr. Tamplin's shoe-repairing shop, who jumped in after him. Herbert was carried to the Bridge Inn where he briefly regained consciousness after about two hours; he was then in a fairly critical state until around 10am the next morning when he came around apparently little the worse for wear. Alternatively, Bert also served in the 2/7th (Cyclist) Battalion of the Welsh Regiment during WW1, service number #1897. He died in the first quarter of 1956.
In the first quarter of 1903, at Bedwellty, Bert married Jane Edwards. Born 18th March 1881.
Bertha Dyer. Born March 7th 1904 and named for her paternal grandmother. In 1909 she was recorded on the roll of Abertillery Church Infants School; in 1912 she was at Ty'r Graig Junior School in Aberbeeg - her address is recorded as #47 Partridge Street. Bertha married Frederick G Pratt in 1929, had one son - Norman C. F. Pratt - and died in March 1959.
Claudia Dyer. Born first quarter of 1907 in Pontypool district. Died first quarter of 1908.
Gwyneth Cora Dyer. Born in the fourth quarter of 1908 in Bedwellty district.
Margery/Marjorie Dyer. Born in the third quarter of 1910, Margery died in the fourth quarter of 1911.
The 1911 census was taken on Sunday April 2nd, at which time the Dyers - George, Jane, Bertha, Gwyneth and Margery - were living at 43 Somerset Street in Abertillery. George was working as an insurance agent, and his sister Margery (b. 1886) was also staying with them while she worked as an opener at the tin works.
Twins Herbert and Florence Dyer were born on August 15th 1911 in Bedwellty district. Florence died on December 23rd 1916 in Pontypool district. Herbert married Nellie Graham (b. 1921) in 1938; the pair emigrated to Western Australia.
Leslie Dyer. Born first quarter of 1913 in Pontypool district. Died of TB at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, on April 30th 1926.
Lena Dyer. Born first quarter of 1919 in Pontypool district.
Marie Dyer. Born third quarter of 1920 in Pontypool district.
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