Welsh UFO sightings from 1908. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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PRESS
June 1908
Carmarthen

Not a UFO, but the very first airship to ascend in Wales went up at the Carmarthen Whitsun Sports, giving us some idea of how unusual it would have been to see something flying in the sky at this time. The Carmarthen Journal of June 12th reported:

"The main attraction was an air-ship's flight by Messrs. Spencer Bros., London, as this was the first time that an air-ship has ascended in Wales, although the famous French wind-driven dirigible balloon, "La Patrie" passed over West Wales. Unfortunately, during the inflating process, the silk of the long cigar-shaped balloon somehow got rent, and two women had to be got to sew it up. The result, was that instead of making the flight at 4 p.m., it was nearer 7 o clock when it went up, and a large number of people who had to catch early trains, were disappointed. However, it was a pure accident, and Messrs. Spencer at the last named hour made a very fine ascent.

The ship made several revolutions, and it was clearly demonstrated that mastership of the air was possible in a slight degree, although the ship could not be propelled against the breeze blowing. After making several semi circles, the air-ship gradually drifted before the wind in the direction of Llanddarog, and after being within sight of the crowd for about twelve minutes, descended between Llanddarog and Paxton's Tower, Llanarthney, some eight miles from the town. There was, luckily, no mishap. The airshp was inflated with coal gas, and had in it a cigar-shaped balloon 80 feet in length, carried a bamboo structure with a 12-horse power motor propeller 10ft. in diameter, and a sail-like rudder."

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PRESS
December 26th 1908
Monmouth - Blaenavon

Another identified flying object, this one piloted by the famous pioneer aviator Charles Rolls - at this point he owned three balloons and had made over 130 ascents. The first issue of Flight magazine (Jan 2nd 1909) reported:

Ballooning Home. On Saturday last the Hon. C. S. Rolls gave an exhibition of the possibilities of ballooning by taking his mother, Lady Llangattock, home by balloon. The ascent was made at Monmouth in the balloon "Mercury," the occupants of the basket being Lady Llangattock, Hon. S. Rolls, Hon. Mrs. Assheton-Harbord, Mr. Claud Crompton, and Mr. Charles Freeman, and the balloon landed on the lawn in front of Lord Llangattock's house, 'The Hendre'.

After lunch the balloon again ascended, Lady Llangattock relinquishing her place to Mr. Benham Smith, and after crossing the mountains, the peaks of which were covered in clouds, the balloon was finally brought down at Blaenavon. All the ropes, etc., attached to the balloon were frozen.

Variations on this article appeared in various newspapers in late December 1908 / early January 1909. The other interesting thing about including these early IFO reports, in my opinion, is that they're *not* accompanied by UFO reports. Even if people haven't personally seen these things before, they're not mistaking them for anything weird and wonderful.

Welsh UFO sightings from 1907. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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PRESS
Sunday 1st December 1907

IFO: early airship over Wales...

La Patrie, as summed up by Wikipedia, "was a semi-rigid airship built for the French army in Moisson, France, by sugar producers Lebaudy Frères. Designed by Henri Julliot, Lebaudy's chief engineer, the Patrie was completed in November 1906 and handed over to the military the following month. The Patrie bears the distinction of being the first airship ordered for military service by the French army."

After various successful tests the ship was moved to her very own operational base in Verdun, near the German border. Due to a mechanical fault she was put in temporary moorings on November 29th - then a storm on the night of Sunday November 30th resulted in the ship breaking free and being carried away by the wine, despite the efforts of some 200 soldiers. By dawn of December 1st La Patrie was sighted over Wales.

The Cambrian of December 6th described one of the first sightings. "SWANSEA NIGHT WATCHMAN'S GLIMPSE. CIGAR-SHAPED OBJECT OVER BRYN-MILL. The balloon's course, it appears, took it over Swansea. Chas. Morgan, night watchman, in the employ of the Swansea Corporation, was on duty at Brynmill, where some pipe-laying is in progress, on Sunday morning. At about quarter past seven he was somewhat surprised to see a cigar shaped balloon, travelling in the direction of Llanelly. 'It, was a light morning,' said Morgan to one of our reporters, 'and I saw it from Park-place, Brynmill. It was going over the Singleton Grounds, and was travelling at a fair pace. It was a good distance up, and I watched it for about twenty minutes.' "Anybody in it!" 'I could not tell that, but the shape was like a big cigar, about the size of my watch- box - that is about six feet long. I called the attention of several people to it.'"

The Cardiff Times of December 7th reported on the ship's continued journey across Welsh skies. At "about 7 a.m. Mr William John, the under-manager of the Waunhir Colliery, Trimsaran, reported having seen a large airship flying over Trimsaran. The same was also witnessed by some two dozen repairers and labourers engaged at the colliery. Mr John describes the airship as a big balloon shaped like an old fashioned boiler with rounded ends, and having a large car hanging below it. It was not light enough to see the occupants of the car or the details of the propellers or steering gear. The ship was some half a mile distant from the point were Mr John stood, and it travelled in a north-westerly direction at the rate of about 8 miles an hour. The airship was subsequently seen passing to the east of Kidwelly and under the Wenallt in the direction of Carmarthen."

At about 7:30 it was over Llanelly. "It travelled at a high alititude. When right over the town, which of course is near the sea, the airship, which had been going at great speed, descended some scores of feet, and people were running in the direction of the place where it seemed likely to alight. It, however, came to a standstill in midair, and changed its course away from the sea towards Five Roads."

"Our Carmarthen correspondent says: At twenty minutes before eight o'clock on Sunday morning the residents of Carmarthen district were astonished to see an air-ship passing with great velocity over Carmarthen borough. The hour was naturally a quiet one, and consequently spectators were few. These mainly comprised policemen, postmen, boy vendors of newspapers, milk carriers, and early churchgoers. Although when seen by the naked eye the airship looked only like a big cigar, still, with a good marine glass, the heads of some three or four occupants, it was said, could be distinctly seen.

A county constable informed the representative that the airship came gliding along nicely, but swiftly, over Penbryn, the residence of the late Sir Lewis Morris, the poet, and when coming from the direction of Carmarthen Junction one of the manipulators of the ship released a carrier pigeon. The altitude was so great that the pigeon, which was a mere speck on the horizon, was soon lost to view. Several people say that two airships were seen. However that may be, one was seen passing with great rapidity over Penllwyn Park, apparently endeavouring to escape Carmarthen Bay. Others state that an airship at the same hour was seen going in the direction of the Travellers' Rest, an inn on the St. Clear's road, and near the racecourse. It was then generally conjectured that the airship was taking a course hither from Pembroke Dock or Fishguard, and that it was either from France or our war balloon, Investigator or Surveyor."

A Boncath correspondent says: "At about 8 o'clock a large air-ship passed over Boncath, from the direction of Carmarthen. It was at the time I saw it about 300 yards from the earth, and I could see the frame, and the machinery in motion. I watched its progress for at least 30 miles. It seemed at times as if it were going to make a descent, and it seemed that when St. George's Channel came to view the air-ship became stationary, and was manoeuvred. The vessel afterwards rose to a considerable height, and left the Cardigan coast for the open sea. The vessel was of khaki colour, and was sailing with the wind."

By 8:15 a.m. the balloon was over Cardigan. "Our Cardigan correspondent says:—A large airship passed over the town of Cardigan about 8.15 on Sunday morning, almost in, the direction south to north. It was of a light-brown colour, and, being at a moderate altitude, the car was plainly visible. There was very little wind going, and the balloon passed slowly towards Cardigan Bay." A wire from Beulah, Cardiganshire, says:— "Airship passed over here, going north-west towards sea, 8.30 a-m."

The ship was afterwards sighted over Ireland, passing over Belfast and then Killyleigh, County Down, at 13:30. The Patrie continued northwards, where the last sighting was reported by Captain Buchanan of the steamship Olivine at latitude 58°N near the Hebrides, after which she was lost without a trace. The discrepancies in sightings - one or two balloons, occupants or no occupants - prove that investigators of strange things in the sky have never had a straightforward time of it!

Here is a picture of Patrie leaving her hangar for the last time on November 29th 1907:



Back in October, Baden-Powell gave a lecture at Cory Hall to the Cardiff Young Men's Christian Association on ballooning and flying machines. He illustrated it with numerous slides of La Patrie, the Zeppelin, and the British military balloon. The Evening Express of October 22nd reported that "the lecturer said be was very anxious to see the British public take an interest in the important subject of aerial navigation, so that at least England might be on equal terms with other nations who were showing great enterprise in that direction. There was not the slightest doubt that aerial navigation was to be a factor of vast importance in Imperial defence."

Welsh UFO sightings from 1906. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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PRESS
March 1906
Tregaron

MYSTERIOUS LIGHTS

EGRYN SEERESS AT TREGARON

Tregaron, which is situated in the heart of Cardiganshire, was visited by Mrs. Jones, the Egryn seeress. She conducted a meeting at Llwynpiod, and all the way from Llwynpiod to Esgenhendy (writes a correspondent) the party were accompanied by a mysterious light, which in some places burst forth into a bright flame. The next evening she was at Blaenpenal. The meeting here again was full of the revival fervour, and it was ten o'clock before Mrs. Jones was given a chance to address the meeting.

Light was to be seen at Tregaron after the meeting there, and it continued for about three hours. It appeared in the sky right above Gwynfa, where Mrs. Jones if the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Mrs. Jones spends the day-time visiting the poor and the old and sick of the districts which she visits.

Source: 'Evening Express' 29 March 1906 and 30 March 1906.

These lights were soon determined to be reflections from burning gorse, as detailed in the Weekly Mail (07/04/1906) and the London Welshman (14/04/1906).

Welsh UFO sightings from 1905. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

Most of the 1905 sightings are directly linked to the revival movement, particularly Mary Jones 'the Egryn prophetess'. (For more info on her - and the revival more generally - there's a great article HERE and a contemporary piece from The Welshman of 24/02/1905 HERE and HERE.) In May she claimed during a service at Trealaw that the lights had once assumed the shape of a dove. (Cardiff Times, 20/05/1905) At another she thanked God for not letting pressmen see the lights:

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PRESS
January and February 1905
Lampeter

The South Wales Daily News for Thursday 16th February 1905 reported on the ongoing case of an alleged poltergeist in Lampeter.

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The short version can be summed up by this report from the Aberystwyth Observer (16th Feb 1905):

GHOST AT LAMPETER. MYSTERIOUS RAPPINGS. For some time past there have been mysterious rappings at the house of Mr Howell, registrar of the County Court. One of Mr Howell's sons, Jack, eleven years old, is looked upon as the medium, as the rapping follows him from one bedroom to another. The lad's little bed has also been seen to move.

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PRESS
January and February 1905
Towyn

Mr Bowen, station master at Towyn, saw a strange star in the night sky with a yellowish ring around it over a period of a few weeks.

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PRESS
February 1905
Porthmadoc

The Aberystwyth Observer of March 2nd 1905 reported:

THE PORTMADOC GHOST. For six weeks Portmadoc has been greatly disturbed over ghostly doings in a butcher's shop. Night after night movable things were thrown about, and great damage done. Watch parties and police were utterly baffled until one night a tin can fell in a back yard. On the can was scrawled a message that the ghost would trouble the occupants no more. The police tested the writing, and finding it similar to that of a servant girl named Mary Hughes they charged her. Frightened, she confessed to playing ghost, and that she threw the can through the skylight window. The magistrates fined the ghost 65s., including costs, for malicious damage.

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PRESS
February / March 1905
Rhymney

The Bargoed Journal of February 18th reported on a ghost that was creating a stir at the Salvation Army barracks:

The Rhymney Ghost has been the cause of much, excitement during the last few days. Hundreds of persons assemble nightly to watch for it, but up to now only a few persons have been favoured with a visit. One of these persons is a young lady Captain in the Salvation Army, and this lady has been under raedical attendance ever since. The "ghost" is dressed in yellow (rather an unusual colour for a supernatural visitor) with wide open eyes, and finger uplifted heavenwards.

The Rhymney tradesmen had evidently not compared stories with the captain, for his ghost was dressed in black silk. This gentleman asked the visitor was it in trouble, but the ghost only opened his eyes wider and vanished. "I would not go through the same experience for £100," said the gentleman. Both persons are equally certain of receiving a visit. The haunted house is now the Salvation Army Barracks, but originally was an old inn, called Mount Pleasant. The Army are not desirous of making the acquaintance of this supernatral visitor, and have changed their lodging. Someone is laughing grandly over his good joke.

The February 25th edition of the Bargoed Journal opined on the lack of ghostly action, despite the return of the Salvation Army:

The spectral form, which was alleged to have made an uncany appearance on two occasions, has once more disappeared. Undoubtedly it has relegated itself to a merciful oblivion with respect to its numerous would-be admirers and has repaired to Mars or some other higher civilised world to give an account of its nocturnal visits to one of this earth's most beautiful spots.

But on March 11th the Bargoed Journal reported:

The startling story in connection with the Salvation Army ghost has been brought prominently before the public by Mr. C. Spencer, Pengelly, a prominent member of the Army. Mr. Pengelly, who is alleged to have seen the "woman in yellow," has made a written statement re-affirming his previous assertions regarding the true witnessing of the spectre and all efforts to shake his version of the mysterious affair have proved utterly futile.

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PRESS
1905
Bryncrug

Mr Beriah G. Evans invesigated claims linked to Mrs Jones for the newspapers. The Llandudno Advertiser (18/02/1905) carried his report:

"On the preceding night [to events at Bontddu], at Bryncrug, between Towyn and Abergynolwyn, twenty-five miles from Dyffryn, the chapel where the meeting was held became bathed in mysterious light, illuminating the gallery within. After the meeting a professional gentleman returning homeward suddenly saw a gigantic human figure rising over the hedgerow [in Penybont Field], with the right arm extended over the road. Then a ball of fire appeared above, and a long white ray, descending, pierced the figure, which vanished. Only this long ray was white; the other shorter rays were blue. This extraordinary manifestation - apparition and light - was witnessed simultaneously by a prominent local farmer from another standpoint. The same light again appeared to both."

Naysayers claimed the 'professional gentleman' had simply mistaken a horse looking over the hedge... (Merioneth County Times, March 2nd 1905.)

The same night other attendees of the meeting saw a ball of fire in the sky:



Evans defended his report against various naysayers in the 03/03/1905 edition of the Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria, though declined to give any further details.

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PRESS
1905
Abergynolwyn

The Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times (16/02/1905) reported that "whilst a young man was proceeding in the direction of the Cemetery, which is beyond Aber in the direction of Talyllyn, a brilliant light shone upon the graves in the Cemetery, which enabled him to read the names on the tomb stones quite plainly. But he thought discretion the better part of valour, and took to his heels, and reached Abergynolwyn in an exhausted state."

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PRESS
Saturday 11th February 1905
Bontddu

"A brilliant effulgence of stars paled the lights of a room she (Mrs Jones) occupied. Returning homewards after the meeting her carriage was suddenly bathed in brilliant light, descending from a radiant ball from the heavens above."



The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard of February 17th reported: "The light was distinctly observed on Saturday evening when Mrs Jones was driving home from Bontddu and it appeared to envelope the carriage which she occupied, although at first she herself thought it was the illumination of a bicycle lamp coming behind. This phenomena was witnessed by a special correspondent, who had requested Mrs Jones to extinguish the carriage lights but, together with other explorers, he confessed himself bewildered and those who pride themselves on being free from superstition and supernatural notions have acknowledged that there must be something unnatural.

There are conflicting opinions as to the origin of the light, ranging from beliefs in spiritual consciousness to scoffing allusions at ignii fatui."

Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times of 16th February reported:

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PRESS
Tuesday 21st February
Talybont

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PRESS
February
Glanynant, Llanidloes

MORE STRANGE LIGHTS

Mysterious Star at Llanidloes.

On Friday night two young revivalists of Llanidloes, Mr D. Lloyd and Mr Fred Jones, were visiting the chapel at Glanynant, a few miles from Llanidloes. They noticed a very bright star above them, but put the fact down the nothing extraordinary.

When, however, the star lowered and rested above the building which they were now approaching they became rather alarmed. The star increased in brilliance, and in its light there appeared the figure of a man with arms outstretched. This only appeared for a moment, and then the star vanished. Many others noticed the extreme brilliance and exceptional magnitude of the star, but as yet we only know of these two men having seen the figure. The story was told our representative by each of the revivalists unknown to the other. Neither Mr Lloyd nor Mr Jones knew that his friend had also seen the supposed manifestation.

Source: Aberdare Leader, 25/02/1905 and Cardiff Times, 25/02/1905.

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PRESS
Thursday 23rd February, night. Dyffryn

Police-constable Jones, of Dyffryn, has an interesting tale to tell of how he saw the phenomenon near Dyffryn. He had been to a conference with another constable, when, a few hundred yards on the Dyffryn side of Egryn Chapel, he saw a flashing light on the road. He at first thought it was a bicycle lamp, but he was soon disillusioned by seeing the light on the top of the hill on the left hand side and radiating in all directions. The flash lighted up the spot as if it were midday. There rose also from the top of the wall three columns of fire of brilliant copper colour, each of them about three feet in height and about six inches wide.

The constable, as befitted his occupation, boldly approached the light, which, however, suddenly disappeared. Being without superstition, nor, perhaps, devout enough to believe in supernatural phenomena, the constable inquired at the next farm whether any of the occupants bad just then been out of doors with a lantern or an open lamp, but none had been, and to Police Constable Jones, as to many more of the residents of that district, the Egryn lights remain a mystery.

Source: Evening Express, 11th March 1905

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PRESS
Thursday 2nd March
Caernarfon

STRANGE LIGHTS IN CARNARVON

Sir, - About four o'clock on Thursday afternoon, at Carnarvon, I observed two or three flashes of light, somewhat blueish in colour and in appearance something like stars. They appeared with extraordinary rapidity, and were accompanied by considerable noise. I can give the names of any number of persons who observed the lights, if necessary. I neither affirm nor deny anything, but have these strange lights any connection with the Revival? - Yours, OBSERVER.

Source: 'Caernarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent' 10 March 1905.

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PRESS
April 1905

I found this article from the Cambrian of April 7th really interesting for its (tongue in cheek!) suggestion that strange lights might be a "Martian airship" visiting Earth. The go to explanation at this time is still very much ghosts.

Here is a story from Cherbourg:— "A ball of brilliant light rose at eight o'clock in the evening over the sea. Its apparent diameter was about seven inches and it was surrounded by a glowing halo extending to some fourteen inches from the circumference of the orb. The latter sailed majestically towards the land, passing over the forts commanding the roadstead, over the harbour and the inner basin, then over the town itself, remaining at a considerable height. Then it slowly circled round, and was wafted away in the direction whence it had come.

All Cherbourg was out in the streets to watch the phenomenon. Was it a luminous balloon, some mysterious signal, a kind of slow travelling meteor, or a Martian airship come to prospect the Earth? The ball of light remained visible for three hours and a half. During the time the naval authorities kept marine glasses pointed at the phenomenon, but failed to determine what it was. It was stated that the admiral has reported on the occurrence to the Ministry of Marine in Paris, and meanwhile has ordered a torpedo-boat to be in readiness to pursue the luminous orb out to sea if it should re-appear.

The lights have evidently gone from Arthog across the Channel. By the way, we heard the other day of some very vivid lights on a tributary of the Dovey. They were explained by salmon poachers.

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PRESS
Wednesday 29th March
Cardiff

A STRANGE LIGHT

Mr. Arthur Mee writes: "I have received a number of communications relative to the curious light seen in the sky on the evening of March 29, I did not see the light myself. The evening was a clear one, according to my note-book, and I observed a meteor in the east at 9.15; but was not on the look out at the time of the phenomenon. Moreover, anything seen in the southern sky at Llanishen is interfered with by the glare of Cardiff and the Dowlais Works.

The first I heard of the light was from my friend Mr. Gunstone, of Llanishen, who saw the strange beam of light at the time specified in the south-east. He and others watched it for some time, and he was sure it was neither from the works nor a searchlight. Mr. T. Skeats, of Whitchurch, watched the band of light for sometime, and was much struck by it. Mr. Ansaldo, of Llandaff, writes that on the evening in question about ten o'clock he saw in the south-east what at first looked like a long cluster of stars obscured by a thin film or mist.

It gradually grew brighter and brighter until it looked like an incandescent light, and lasted for about 25 or 30 minutes. Mr. Ansaldo saw several people watching it. Mr. J. Havard, Peterson-Super-Ely, says he and several others saw the light, which looked like an iron bar heated to an orange-coloured glow, suspended vertically. These accounts are explicit but other less on, or referring to other lights or on other dates, are to hand from Mrs. James Thomas, Haverfordwest; Mr. Jesse Williams the chemist, and Mr. Wm. Yeo Talbot-street, Cardiff. I confess I am unable to explain the above phenomenon, and only wish I had seen it for myself. Perhaps some other correspondent can help to clear up the mystery."

Source: 'Weekly Mail' 15 April 1905.

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PRESS
March, night
Barmouth

A young local woman in Barmouth was reportedly visited for three consecutive nights in her bedroom by a humanoid figure totally dressed in black. The figure supposedly delivered a message to the girl, which was too 'frightening' to reveal.

Source: 'Humanoid Encounters 1900 - 1929' Albert S. Rosales 2016 page 44 citing 'The UFO Encyclopedia' Vol. II Jerome Clark and 'Barmouth Advertiser' 30 March 1905.

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PRESS
Monday 17th April
Zion Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Wrexham

The Cardiff Times of April 22nd reported that at the afternoon meeting a number of women saw a light hovering over Mary Jones while she was speaking and praying. At the evening meeting there were three flashes like lightning while she was talking. Later on 'a beam of light and a star' were seen over Bron Haul, where Mrs Jones was staying.

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PRESS
Friday 21st April
Ruabon

A sighting of strange lights turned out to be an oil lamp in a shop window... (Fuller story in the Evening Express 24/04/1905 and North Wales Times 29/04/1905)

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27th May, 22:00
Tylorstown

A doctor from Tylorstown recounted for the SPR enquiry this incident:

"About 10 pm on Saturday night I was coming home with my wife, when she drew my attention to a bright light over the Libanus Chapel, towards the side of the mountain. It appeared as a ball of fire about the size of a cheese-plate; it was perfectly fixed. As soon as I saw it I marked its position, in order to be sure that it could not be someone with a light on the road which passes over the mountain, but its position was far enough away from the road."

Source: The Unexplained 1980-83.

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PRESS
Monday 10th July, 23:05
Abergele

Lights were seen above the bridge by multiple witnesses. They moved in a westerly direction and disappeared suddenly.

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PRESS
Wednesday 19th July
Pontycymmer

Mr. Beriah Evans writes: - The mysterious lights which were seen in connection with the early missions of the Welsh seeress, Mrs Jones, Egryn, are once more in evidence. Recently the seeress went to South Wales, but even in the crowded Rhondda Valley the lights appear to have been visible as in the quiet seclusion of Merionethshire.

Now she has left the Rhondda and commenced a mission in the colliery districts in the Bridgend area, and here again the lights have been repeatedly seen.

Stranger still, Mr Evan Roberts, having returned from North Wales and been associated with Mrs Jones in this her latest mission, is now visited by the lights.

The Rev. David Hughes, a well-known Welsh minister, who resides at Pontycymmer, Glamorganshire, contributes to the current Genedl newspaper a signed article, in which he gives an account of the combined mission. Mrs Jones addressed a crowd of between 3,000 and 4,000 people, in the open air, and when darkness fell the audience proceeded to the Tabernacle Chapel, where Mr Evan Roberts conducted the meeting, which lasted until midnight.

Mr Davies goes on the say:- "We were given to understand that the lights had now visited the neighbourhood, and of this my wife and myself are living witnesses. We each saw the lights about the house where Evan Roberts stays. A little after one o'clock in the morning of Wednesday last my wife and myself saw a strange lightsimilar in appearance to the upper segment of the setting sun, and throwing out sparklets of light from its circumference crossing from side to side of an old quarry where the youths of the place had held nightly prayer meetings for a week, and where, as I subsequently learnt, a prayer meeting was then in progress.

"It soon vanished, and was followed by a ball of fire about the size of a cricket ball, which rose vertically instead of travelling horizontally as had the first seen.

"Then we saw a bar of light, apparently about nine inches (? in width), climbing the wall of the house where Evan Roberts was then staying.

"Our sensations may be better imagined than described; but that which our eyes saw; that do we testify."

Source: 'The Welsh Coast Pioneer and review for North Cambria (Abergele edition) 4 August 1905.

The 'Evening Express' of Tuesday 18 July 1905 gives an account of the meeting at Tabernacle Chapel and states that this was held on Monday (which would be 17 July 1905) and states that Evan Roberts will be staying in Pontycymmer for several days. The Wednesday referred to above would have been 19 July 1905.

The 'Evening Express' of 21 July 1905 gives an account of Evan Roberts' meeting which lasted until midnight, but states that the meeting was held at Bethel Chapel in Pontycymmer.

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Sunday 23rd July
Ynysybwl

A group of young people returning from a prayer meeting at Ynysybwl, near Pontypridd, Glamorgan, had a remarkable experience. They told local reporters: 'There appeared in the heavens a very large and bright ball of fire. It had two brilliant arms which protruded towards the earth. Between these arms appeared lights resembling a cluster of stars, quivering with varying brightness. It lasted for ten minutes.....'

Source: 'The Unexplained' 1980-83

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PRESS
July
Treharris

The Evening Express (02/08/1905) reported that "Mrs. Jones on her visit to Treharris has been followed thither by the lights which have been inseparable from her mission from the start. To the prophetess herself they were visible inside the chapels where she preached, but other people only saw them outside. Now it is time this mystery should be cleared up. If there are lights to be seen at all, why cannot ordinary people see them where Mrs. Jones asserts she sees them? A believer in visions some time ago tried to explain the phenomenon by saying that the lights were subjective—that is, lights visible only to the mental eye of Mrs. Jones. In ordinary language such visions are called delusions."

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2nd September
Llangollen

The Cambrian Natural Observer recorded a strange sighting of a black object, at least 10ft in width, resembling 'a huge pig with webbed feet'.

Here is another mysterious phenomenon, reported in the S.W. Daily News of Sept. 4th:— Shortly after four o'clock on Saturday afternoon a crowd of persons noticed a remarkable object approaching in the heavens from the direction of Merionethshire and crossing the town of Llangollen. The unknown and puzzling object glided majestically over the Vale of Llangollen, and was evidently about two miles from the earth's surface.

When over the district of the School House at Vroncysyllte powerful field glasses were directed to the object, which travelled at a speed of approximately 20 miles an hour and was intensely black. It possessed short wings and evidently gained impetus to its progress through the air by casually inclining sideways. The curiosity possessed four legs apparently, and disappeared over Wynnstay Park towards Overton and making for Cheshire.

The strange object was at least 10ft. in width, glided along with a strong wind. It resembled a huge pig with webbed feet, averred several witnesses. Much speculation is rife as to what the mysterious object was. [We have not heard it claimed as an outcome of the Revival. Ed. C.N.O.] Colonel Markwick suggested in the English Mechanic, 86-100, that people were actually seeing a balloon of some kind...

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PRESS
Friday 6th October
Abergele

A sighting of strange lights turned out to be a chimney fire...

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The first issue of the Fountain Journal from Easter 1976 had a feature on the 1905 lights:

Welsh UFO sightings from 1904. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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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.

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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...

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

Welsh UFO sightings from 1903. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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PRESS
1903
Llanelwedd

The Brecon County Times of February 13th 1903 reported on a ghost sighting:

A LLANELWEDD GHOST. Rumour bath it that aghost was seen in Llanelwedd fields the other evening. Three stalwart men hailing from Builth Road declare they saw the apparition. So frightened was one of the party that he dropped on his knees, whilst another bolted over the bridge into the town to tell the tale.

(Possibly related to this tale from the Brecon County Times of June 26th 1908, from the Weyside Girls Friendly Society's visit to Llanelwedd Hall. Mr. Gilbert told them "there was no need for them to be afraid of the "Llanelwedd ghost" as it was daytime. The last one seen there was some years ago and was supposed to be the ghost of one of the servants of the hall dressed in white. It was said that she had been keeping company with a young man tor a time and with the object of ending his visits she made her appearance on the road one night dressed in white; and the young man vanished, not to return any more.")

Welsh UFO sightings from 1902. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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Welsh UFO sightings from 1901. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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PRESS
March 1901
Aberystwyth

The Aberystwyth Observer of March 7th 1901 reported on a story that had appeared in the Daily Mail:

AN ALLEGED GHOST STORY. On Monday the London Daily Mail stated that a ghost, or a persen masquerading as a ghost, has been frightening and attacking people on a lonely road near Aberystwyth. One man is said to have come ruuning into the town bleeding from the nose and bruised about the face and body, and was quite unable to account for his injuries except that he felt himself being knocked down and kicked about the body, the assailant being invisible.

There is just as much truth in this story as in several others which have emanated from Aberystwyth. For some weeks past some lads have been playing ghost, and that is all. The version given to the police by the man alleged to have been maltreated is that one night he was coming home from Waun Fawr, and at the cross roads he saw a man dressed in brown clothes, at a distance of fifteen or twenty yards. The man did not touch him or say anything to him, but he was frightened and stumbled against the hedge. That is all. So far as the police have been able to find out no one has been attacked.

The Aberystwyth Observer of March 14th 1901 reported:

THE ALLEGED GHOST. —It has been well said that "one fool makes many." It is reported that one night a week or two ago the members of the Drill Class - all young men, and mere lads - set out in a body with the view of catching the local spiritual De Wet, with one of their number wearing women's clothes, it being supposed that the feminie dress would act as a magnet and attract the ghost - who they evidently thought would be as simple as themselves.

At a given point the person in skirts was sent in advance, and the would-be captors moved forward in extended order along the fields on each side of the road ready to surround the culprit if he had happened to fall into the snare. The embryo volunteers evidently forgot that "in vain is the net set in the sight of any bird," and the alleged ghost kept out of the way. But he will doubtleas re-appear as long as he can induce a suficient number of simpletons to notice his vagaries and write about him.

Welsh UFO sightings from 1900. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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July 1900, dusk
Caddwst, Merionethshire

A 12-year-old girl was walking home to her family's farm through some meadows, when a huge oval object rose from behind some trees and crossed the meadow at very low altitude, rising to 8m. No markings were visible, and no sounds were heard save that of air displacement. Suddenly something came soaring over her head scaring the daylights out of her. The swooping object looked like an inverted sugarbowl and was fourteen feet by ten feet in size and more round than high. The craft then rose twenty feet to thirty feet and sailed across a meadow before it vanished. The only sound was the whoosh of displaced air.

Source: UFOs: The Whole Story - Coral and Jim Lorenzen, 1969.

Welsh UFO sightings from 1827. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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PRESS
1827
Llanfyllin, Montgomeryshire

The North Wales Chronicle (08/11/1827 - reprinted from the Cambrian, 03/11/1827) told the tale of a man who moved into the area and took on a house the locals believed to be haunted... It turned out that the inhabitants of an old rabbit warren were finding their way inside.

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- This story did the rounds fairly regularly. Here's a query in the August 15th 1873 edition of The Cambrian asking for more information on it:

QUERIES. TY-GWYN, LLANFYLLIN.—An old story has been revived in the local pages of Mr Rice's Oswestry Journal for this month, entitled The Montgomeryshire Ghost.' The story goes that once upon a time Mr Thomas, an excise supervisor, took a haunted house near Llan-fyllin, from which he derived much profit, the ghosts' turning out to be rabbits Can any of your contributors give the origin of this story ? I first read it five-and-twenty years ago, and it was by no means a new one then. Where is Ty-gwyn, the house in question ?

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The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality of November 29th 1827 reported an interesting snippet in their 'Scraps, Local and General' section:

"Those places on fields and commons, of a circular form, vulgarly called the "rings of the fairies," are supposed to proceed from lightening, the second circle arising from the grass growing more plentifully where the first grass was burnt up."