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Oriel: The Friends' Newsletter and Magazine

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Two editions of our glossy 20 to 32 page magazine are published each year and posted to members.  In October 2020 it was renamed Oriel.
Each edition contains interesting and informative feature articles relevant to members' interests, written by museum staff, guest writers and speakers
as well as those by members of the Friends.
Articles have covered such diverse subjects as: 15th century wall paintings, Bridges in Wales, Rings, Lady Llanover, St Fagans and the Other Earls,
the National Slate Museum, the Stonehenge Bluestones, Dickens and Merthyr Tydfil,
Shovelhead Worms and South Wales in 1803.
There are regular features which include Museum News, BAfM News, Friends' news, reports on Friends' tours and summaries of talks given to the Friends.


The content and images contained in the Friends' Newsletter and Magazine displayed on this website are covered by copyright
and must not be reproduced in any format without the express permission of the copyright holder.
If you have any queries regarding copyright issues, please contact:  editor@friendsmuseumwales.org.uk


Category Article Page
Art, Painting The Eight: American Artists of the Early 20th Century 14
Art, Sculpture The Sculptor Next Door: Frank Roper (1914-2000) 11
Cymraeg Dewi Sant: “Y Pethau Bychain” 20
Education, Museum Educators and Curators:
The Early days of the Museum Schools Service in Cardiff
22
Geology, Museum The De La Beche Archive at Amgueddfa Cymru 10
History, Artefacts From the Seal Cupboard: Mary Magdalene at Goldcliff 17
History, dress English Silks Worn at Tredegar House 21
History, Wales Gerald of Wales 4
Music, Opera Galuppi and Goldini 19
Science, Botany Drawn from Nature: Botanical Illustrations   6
Science, Creatures Peregrine Update 23
Visits, England
Corsham
15

2010 - February

Category Article Page
Art, Botany A Passion for Plants: Botanical Illustrations by Women Artists 11
Art, Ceramics
English Pottery at Amgueddfa Cymru 16
Art, General Banksy versus Bristol Museum
14
Art, General
Oriel y Parc, St David's 17
Art, Painting Rembrandt in Focus 15
Art, Painting Terry Setch RA 9
History, Archaeology The Pontnewydd teeth 3
History, Food Remembering the White Ox of Nannau 4
History, Wales Cathays Cemetery: Dead Cats, The Spanish Consul’s Daughter
and a Severed Leg
18
Music, Craft Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2009 5
Science, Creatures
Ghost Slug: A Diet of Worms
19

2010 - June

Category Article Page
Art, Botany From the Botanical Illustration Collection: Bryan Poole
16
Art, Jewllery Rings 20
Art, Painting The 15th Century Wall-Paintings of St. Cadoc’s Church, Llancarfan 4
Art, Painting Two Paintings, One Ship 18
Engineering, Civil
Bridges in Wales 7
Engineering, Transport Tom Rolt – Centenary of a rail and canal reviver
15
History, Archaeology Coins at Caerleon: A New Display 19
History, Archaeology Penywyrlod Head:  The Face of a 6000 Year-old Man 14
History, Archaeology Sasanian Seal Stones 23
History, Estates Cyfarthfa Castle 6
History, Industrial Dinorwig ’69: The End of the Line for One of the Largest Slate Quarries in the World 5
Language, English We Are Not Amazed    21
Literature, Print Private Press Books: Recent Additions to the Museum’s Library 17
Museum, St Fagans Making History at St Fagans 11
Science, Creatures Secrets of the Ammonites 22

2010 - October

Category Article Page
Art, Ceramics Miners’ Mural, Llandough Hospital 12
Art, General Enchanted Heritage: Artistic Expression Amongst the Romans 13
Art, Painting Searching for an Idiom: Brenda Chamberlain as Artist 4
Art, Painting Still Life With Poron: A New Acquisition 13
Art, Sculpture Art, Sculpture 14
Engineering, Civil
Watkin George (1759-1822) 19
History, Modern Yanks in the Rhondda 15
Lilterature, Poetry Alun Lewis: A Welsh Discovery 18
Museum, Friends Our President: Pat Kernick 5
Museum, National New post-1950 Galleries at National Museum Cardiff 12
Museum, Politics Protect or Project: Wales’s Cultural Dilemma 17
Science, Ecology Biodiversity and Sustainability 9

2011 - February

Category Article Page
Art, Botany
Georg Dionysius Ehret (1708-1770)         8
Art, General Llandough Miners' Mural - update  5
Art, Painting Every Picture Tells a Story 17
Cymraeg Medi 1966 13
History, Social John Christopher - Man of No Letters 12
History, Social Single Parenthood in the 18th Century 4
History, Wales A Roman Belt Buckle 5
History, Wales Hywel Dda 16
History, Wales Lidos & Public Baths in Wales 18
History, Wales Old Cures: Amgueddfa Cymru's Materia Medica Collection 8
Museum, Galleries Where Shall We Take Them Today? 7
Science, Biology Georg Dionysius Ehret  8
Geology, Fossils
Fossil Reptile From Penarth 15

2011 - June

Category Article Page
Art, Drawing Place in Wales: Reconstructing Drawings from a Sketchbook
by Francis Place
4
History, Social Drinking Punch in the 18th Century 14
History, Social  When Nelson Came to Merthyr  18
Language, English Can I Misquote You On That?  19
Museum, Friends Hugh Jones: A Tribute 17
Museum, Trust A Backward Glance 9
Science, Creatures9 The Cave Spider Hunt 16
Travel, Wales Ogmore & Ewenny 12

2011 - October

Category Article Page
Art, General Stories from the Sea: A New Exhibition at Oriel y Parc 15
Cymraeg Abingdon a Kingston Bagpuize 9
History, Education  Thomas Howell (1485-1537)  12
History, Estates The Mineral Collection of Lady Henrietta Antonia Clive 4
History, Industrial  Children in Mines 14
History, Social  Witch Bottles & Healing Charms 5
Literature, Welsh War Poets: Hedd Wyn 17
Music, Popular Fred Godfrey: Music Maker Extraordinary 18

2012 - February

Category Article Page
Art, General The Emperor’s New Clothes or The Assassins of Beauty 11
Art, Glass John Petts: The Wales Window 19
Art, Painting Francesco Guardi: A New Acquisition 12
Engineering, Mechanical The Pierhead Clock 15
Geology. Fossils Archaeopteryx: Feathers of Stone 16
History, Estates  St Fagans Castle and the ‘Other’ Earls 7
History, Welsh A Genius for Publicity: Lady Llanover (Gwenynen Gwent) 4
Museum, St Fagans The Future Is Now: Collecting Contemporary Life at St Fagans National History Museum  13
Science, Botany  Conserving Kew Garden’s Wax Orchid Flower Collection  10
Science, Chemistry A Skatole Story 6

2012 - June

Category Article Page
Art, General   John Piper: Beginnings 4
Art, Painting Impressionist Painting on Loan 14
Geology Coal Seams & Copper: W. E. Logan and the Geological Map  8
History, Archaeology
Sourcing the Stonehenge Bluestones     12
HIstory, Music Charles Dickens in Merthyr Tydfil 16
History, Social  Hooks, Wheels & Rag Dolls 15
Law Welsh Legal Identity 6
Museum, Personnel  Wales in Miniature: A Memory of Douglas A. Bassett 14
Museum, Slate 40th Anniversary of the National Slate Museum 7
Museum, St Fagans Creu Hanes - Making History: Transforming St Fagans    10
Travel,  Europe
Art & Culture of Valencia  17

2012 - October

Category Article Page
Art, Painting The Artist Mildred Elsi Edridge 4
Dance, Welsh Folk Dancing in Wales 13
Geology. Fossils Fossils in Stone: Acid Preparation of Fossils 12
History, Art Llandaff Diptych 7
History, Industrial  Tynewydd Disaster: Mission Accomplished 11
Museum, Wool National Wool Museum: Made in Wales 16
Science, Chemistry E. A. Moelwyn Hughes: A Lost Welsh Intellectual? 9


Category Article Page
Art, General  From the Abergavenny Workhouse to the V&A and Beyond 9
Art, Painting Maximilian Lenz: A Secessionist in Cardiff 15
Art, Painting Two Paintings of Margam House Acquired 14
Art, Sculpture Edith Downing (1857-1931): Artist and Activist  4
Geology Malachite, Georgeite and Tinned Peas 7
Geology. Fossils  Fossil Turtle Rediscovered Alter 150 Years 12
Science, Creatures Dance Flies from Chile 6
Travel, Europe Alsace-Lorraine & The Black Forest 13

2013 - June

Category Article Page
Art, Dress  Rowan Williams’ Enthronement Robes 10
Art, Painting  Ray Howard-Jones: Retrospective Exhibition 4
Art, Prints  Shirley Jones and the Red Hen Press 14
Cymraeg, Biographeg Cofio Taith Fawr Y Noddwr Hael 11
Cymraeg, Teithio Tro yn Andulucia 17
History, Archaeology The Caves at Cefn: Strange Creatures and Evidence of Wales’ Earliest Humans 7
History, Social China: The Criminal District of Merthyr Tydfil (1830-1840) 9
Music, Welsh The Welsh Crwth: A New Discovery within an Old Instrument  15
Science, Creatures Species New to Science: Shovelhead Worms from Around the World 13
Science, Wildlife Unknown Wales Conference 10




2013 - September

Category Article Page
Art, Painting A Love for Art: The Eric and Jean Cass Gift 12
Art, Painting David Jones (1895-1974) 10
Art, Painting Worktown: The Drawings of Falcon Hildred 14
Geology, Fossils Golden Wonder: Rare Fossil Trilobite 16
History, Estates Fonmon, The St John Family and Bolingbroke 8
History, Science Michael Faraday in Wales 4

2014 - March

Category Article Page
Art, Painting Art, Painting    James Dickson Innes (1887-1914) 18
Art, Print Railway Posters 15
History, Wales Daniel Defoe in Wales 8
History, Wales Ty Mawr and a Bishop of Llandaff 19
Museum, History First World War Commemoration 4
Museum, History T.H.Thomas (1839-1915): A Founding Father of the National
Museum of Wales
9
Science,  Botany  The Ghost Orchid: One of Britain’s Rarest Plants 13
Science, Health Madness not to Stay Safe around Mercury 6


2014 - September

Category Article Page
Art, Drawing A Private Passion – Llareggub: Peter Blake Illustrates Dylan
Thomas’s Under Milk Wood
6
Art, General  Michael Edmonds: A Tribute 21
Geology, Fossils  A New Species of Fossil Crinoid Discovered in South Wales 22
History, Archaeology Healing Power of Dogs 17
History, Estates Who Lived at Stackpole Court? 18
History, Poliitcs Five Days of Freedom: Chartists in Llanidloes 15
History, Wales Benjamin Malkin: A View of South Wales in 1803 10
Science, Biochemistry Energy in Creation, Honeybees and Obesity 4
Science, Plants  Resurrection Plants  13


2015 - March

Category Article Page
Art, Print, History Cartoons of J M Staniforth 4
History, Art Sites of Inspiration 15
History, Music The Romantic World of Ivor Novello 26
History, Wales Henry Tudor’s March through Wales 9
History, War, Mining When Dai Became Tommy 13
Museum, Exhibition British Passion for Landscape 7
Museum, Exhibition The Great War: Efforts and  Ideals 8
Museum, St Fagans Saints in the Window 24
Science, Conservation Preventive Conservation
19
Science, Zoology
The Ghost Slug
11
Travel, Europe
Classic Naples and the Amalfi Coast
30


2015 - October

Category Article Page
Art, History, Wales Medieval Paintings at Llancarfan Church 21
History, Roman Equus - Roman Cavalry 4
History, Wales Pontypridd Bridge and William Edwards 19
History, War Rhondda Coal & the Jellicoe Specials 7
History, Women, Science Women at Work 10
Museum, Caerleon Young Archaeologisits at Amgueddfa Cymru 23
Museum, Patrons Becoming a Patron 9
Science, Palaeontology Wales' newest dinosaur 21
Travel, Europe Turin
19
Travel, World
Celebrating Twenty-one Years
15
Visit, England
Broadway and Sezincote
30


2016 - April

Category Article Page
Art, General
Welsh Artist William Goscombe John (1860-1952)
4
Art, Painting, History
Welsh Participation in the Development of Britain’s Maritime Empire
23
Art, Print,
Natural History
16th Century Books in the Willoughby Gardner Library 9
Art, Sculpture Chinese Jades at Amgueddfa Cymru
7
Engineering, Civil
Proposed Newport Bridge: Almost the Largest Bridge in the World
21
Geology, Museum
William Smith and the Birth of the Geological Map
15
History, Wales Gwell Angau Na Gwarth: The Murder of Annie Dorothy Lawrence
19
History, Wales Henry Williams, Llancarfan: 18th Century Clockmaker
13
Museum, Exhibition Lle Hanes Stand at the National Eisteddfod
17
Museum, Personnel
Trefor Meredith Owen: Curator Welsh Folk Museum (1971-1987)
14


2016 - October

Category Article Page
Art, Botany, Print  Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717): Artist & Naturalist    
12
Art, Ceramics William Burges’s Tulip Vase for Cardiff Castle  
4
Art, Glass, Painting  Heat Smoke & Tears: The Works of Maurice Marinot    
10
Art, Painting Conservation of Thomas Henry Thomas’s Watercolour of Yellowstone Canyon
16
Art, Painting Thomas Henry Thomas Watercolour:
Washing & Tinning Treforest Tin-plate Works    
21
Art, Print The Gregynog Press Collection of Special Bindings    
7
History, Mining Letter in the Lamp: The South Wales Coal-Miners’ Hunger March   
18
History, Wales Hilary Clinton’s Welsh Ancestry   
20
Museum, St Fagans  Saints in the Window: St Margaret and the Dragon
24


2017 - April

Category Article Page
Art, Painting Lawrence Alma Tadema: Poetry & Prose    
4
Art, Painting Brenda Chamberlain and the Carreg Murals, Bardsey 
11
Art, Painting & History, Social 
Rev John Cynddylan Jones and the SS Bala    
15
Art, Textiles Level V, Newport
17
History, Industrial & Social Blaenavon: Percy Carlyle Gilchrist & Sydney Gilchrist Thomas  
9
History, Social 
The Story of Commonwealth Coins    
19
History, Wales Peoples Collection Wales (PCW) Programme
22
History, Wales St Melangell  
7


2017 - October

Category Article Page
Art, Painting Gillian Ayres in Wales
13
Art, Printing & Museum A Display of Remarkable Books
24
History, Archaeology Swansea Bay Dagger 17
History, Numismatics Counterfeit Coins
15
History, Social The Pettigrews: Creators of Cardiff’s Parks
4
History, Social Esyllwg’s Sad Fate
8
History, Social Letter in the Lamp: The South Wales Coal-Miners’ Hunger March   
18
History, Wales Amy Dillwyn: Author, Entrepreneur & Political Activist
19
Museum, Geology 
Mammoths at National Museum Cardiff
21
Museum, History
Amgueddfa Cymru during World War I
9


2018 - April

Category Article Page
Art, Painting Felicity Charlton (1913-2009)
10
Cymraeg, Biograffeg Cadi Iolen: Curadur 
7
History, Books
History in the Margins  
16
History, Social Ladies of Llangollen
14
History, Social Llandudno Revisited 
18
History, Social, Wales 
John Dwnn: Renaissance Welshman   
4
Museum, Exhibition Who Decides? Exhibition
20
Travel, Europe
The Art, Antiquituies and Culture of Ancient Rome
30
Travel, Wales
Visit to North Wales
28j
Welsh, Biography
Cadi Iolen: Curator
7


2018 - October

Category Article Page
Art, History Sir Kyffin Williams (1918-2006)
16
History, Industrial & Social Dr Henry Naunton Davies (1828-1899) 11
History, Social Welsh Suffragists and Suffragettes 21
Museum Volunteering at Amgueddfa Cymru
4
Museum, Friends Pat Kernick: A Tribute
19
Museum, History Searching for Hetty Edwards
7
Science Science and Shakespeare
13
Science, Biology The Importance of Taxonomy
20
Travel, Europe
Highlights of Holland
28
Visit, Wales
Visit to Caerleon
30


2019 - April

Category Article Page
Art,
General & Museum
Commissioning an Artwork
8
Art, Painting & History, Wales Van Gogh: Making Connections
9
Art, Printing  & Museum, Library
Yoichirō Hirase’s Shell Book 17
History, Numismatics
Coin from the Cardiff Mint
18
History, Social Billy the Seal
20
History, Social Walking the Archives: Taking Archives to the People
21
History,  Wales 
The Newport Medieval Ship
13
History, Social & Art
Prints by Elizabeth Phillips Hughes & Kunisada Utegawa
4
Museum, St Fagans
Redeveloping St Fagans: A New Kind of Museum
24
Travel, Europe
Art & History of Belfast 30
Visit, Wales
Cardigan Castle & The National Coracle Centre
29

2019 - October

Category Article Page
Art, Painting Shani Rhys James
8
Art, Painting & History, Social
Andrew Vicari: And Take That Painting Too
24
Art,
Painting & Museum
Poor Taff: A Gift to Amgueddfa Cymru 16
Art, Painting & Museum, St Fagans St Teilo’s: The Weighing of Souls 5
Art, Printing & Museum, Library
Fore-edge Paintings
14
Cymraeg, Cerddoriaeth Y Pibgorn
12
History, Music The Pibgorn
12
History, Social Tea with Burton
22
History, Social & Museum, St Fagans
A Far Cry from the Past
3
History, Wales Ruperra Castle: A Poignant Memorial
19
Travel, England
Art & History in Northumbria
30

2020 - April

Category Article Page
Art, Prints, Botany       
20th Century Women Botanical Artists 6
Art, Painting, Big Pit       
Mining Art of Sakubei Yakamoto 18
Art, Painting, Social History      
TV Review: Botticelli, Virgin & Child with Pomegranate
4
History, Estates
Tredegar House, Newport
10
History, Social     
The Quakers in Wales      15
History, Social    
Visiting R.S. Thomas 24
History, Social, Wales   
Canary Girls  
22
History, Wales   
Drapers' Shops   
19
Museum, Caerleon   
Reopening of National Roman Legion Museum   
20
Museum, Friends   
Friends 50 Years Ago   
14
Travel, Europe   
Dublin Visit   
30

2020 - October

Category Article Page
Art, Painting   
Gwen John: It's Tone that Matters   
6
Art, Painting  
Cezanne: The Francois Zola Dam       
18
Art, Social History
What Art Should Say in 2020: Black Lives Movement   
25
Art, Textiles
Caernarfon Blanket      23
Art, Textiles   
Patchwork Quilt   
31
History, Social   
T.W.E. David: Geologist and Explorer   
11
History, Social   
Collecting Covid Wales 2020   
24
History, Social   
Charles Horace Watkins: Aviator   
27
History, Wales   
Birth of the Locomotive   
21
Literature, Botany   
Dillwyn's Book of Algae   
4
Museum   
Volunteer Projects 2020   
30
Museum, Slate   
Developments at National Slate Museum   
     29
Science, Environment   
Alien Species Rafting on Plastics   
     15

2021 April

Category Article Page
Art  
   Recent Acquisitions
27
Art,History, Ceramics  
  Nantgarw Pottery
31
Art: Painting
  Paul Sandby: 21 Views of  North Wales 8
History, Social
  Rawlins White: His Faith and Fate
     12
History, Social  
  Thomas Mawson: His Legacy in Wales
17
History, Social   
   Making a Difference: Paul Hamlyn
3
History, Wales  
   Pilgrimage to Penrhys: Then and Now
20
Museum 
   Giving a Legacy
14
Museum 
   Minecraft Your Museum
15
Museum, Biography, Science   
   H. A. Hyde: A Life in Palynology
24
Museum, Social History   
   Exhibition: Becoming Richard Burton
5

2021 - October

Category Article Page
  Art, Archaeology
   The Iron Age Stone Head of Caerwent
23
  Art, Painting
   Alfred Sisley in Wales
4
  Art, Painting
  Berthe Morisot
16
  Art:  Sculpture
   The Guardian by Sebastien Boyson
       3
  History, Wales   Gilbern Cars 21
  History, Wales    Love Tokens 26
  Museum
   Keeping Our Museums Covid Safe
9
  Museum
   UNESCO Success
28
  Museum, Art
   The Rules of Art?: Exhibition
13
  Science, Geology, Museum
    Fireballs and Meteorites
19


2022 - April

Category Article Page
Art, History Oriel Môn 5
Art, Museum Reframing Thomas Picton 23
Art, Museum Conservation of a Portrait by Manet 24
Art, Photography, Museum Bernd & Hilda Becker, Preparation Plants 29
Art, Photography, Social History William Clayton's Tip Girl Photographs 20
Art, Social History The Story of Jessie Knight
16
History Who were the Celts
4
History, Social & Architecture Welsh Roots of Frank Lloyd Wright 13
History, Social & Numismatics Margeret Purves: Schoolgirl Hero
19
Museum Generating Income for the Museum
3
Museum, Architecture Museum Models
26
Museum, Exhibition Craft Volunteers: Tip Girls Exhibition
10
Science, Museum The Insect Drawer
28


2022 - October

Category Article Page
Art: Archaeology & Social History The Pencoed-y-foel Neck-ring 25
Art, Music, Social History John Squire: Musician and Artist 8
History, Industrial Newport Transporter Bridge 16
History, Social & Dress Mourning Wear 22
History, Social, & Museum Mortimer Wheeler & Reardon Smith 14
Museum Our Museum Garden 24
Museum, Exhibition On Your Doorstep at Oriel y Parc 19
Museum, Friends Getting Back to Normal: Where Are We Now 3
Science, Biology Shovel Head Worms 12
Science, Museum Arthur the Athropleura 4
Travel, England Liverpool Reflections 29
Visit, Wales Aberglasney House and Gardens 27
Visit, Wales Cyfarthfa Castle and Ironworks 31


2023 - April

Category Article Page
Art, Ceramics, Museum Book Review: Flourish: A Golden Age for Ceramics in Wales 3
Art, Painting, Museum Portrait of Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun 5
Art, Sculpture Museum Attic Sculptures:  National Museum Cardiff 16
History, Social Jim Ede & Kettle's Yard 23
History, Social, Wales Coronation Celebrations: April 1953 9
History, WalesFriends Meeting House, Milford Haven          12
Museum,  Botany Everlasting Flowers at St Fagans 11
Museum, Friends Friends and Museum Intertwined 21
Science,  Palaeontology Unusual  New Fossil from Wales
19
Travel, England Trip to Cambridgeshire 27
Visit, England Visit to Tyntesfield 30


2023 - October

Category Article Page
Art,  Museum Thinking about Design at Amgueddfa Cymru 15
Art, Painting, Museum The Portrait of Katheryn of Berain 4
History, Social & Museum T.C. Evans (Cadrawd) and the "Bygones" Collection 12
History, Social,  Numistics Industrial Heroism Medals 20
History, Social Wales Touring with Cranogwen (Sarah Jane Rees) 23
History,  Wales Y Gaer: Past and Present
  8
Museum New Museum Logo 3
Museum, History Forty Years of Big Pit 21
Museum, Botany St Fagan's Victorian Tree Heritage 25
Science, Botany & MuseumA New Home for Skomer Seaweeds
11
Science, Palaeontology Welsh Treasure Trove of Fossils 18
Travel, England Trip to North Yorkshire 30




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