JOHN HUGHES.

John Hughes was born on 24th November 1873 in Ivor Street, Dowlais.  A year later his family moved to Llantwit Fardre where John was to spend the rest of his life.

Once in Llantwit Fardre, his father, became a deacon and precentor (or chorusmaster) at the nearby Salem Welsh Baptist Chapel. This was hardly surprising given his rich musical background. John’s father was a talented singer and violinist; he had played in the string band of the Unitarian Church at Cefncoed obviously becoming a great influence over his eldest son, John showing a great interest in music at an early age and after his father bought him a harmonium in Pontlottyn, which was delivered to Tonteg on a makeshift cart or “gambo”, his interest in musical composition increased.

John was the eldest of collier Evan & Ellen Hughes’s eight children.  The National Census of 1901 names the children as John (colliery clerk), aged 26, David William (engineer), aged 22, Thomas Evan (railway clerk), aged 20, James (council clerk), aged 16, Benjamin (schoolboy), aged seven, Mary Ellen, aged 10, Henry, aged seven and five-year-old Alfred.

He was only 12 years old when he first started work in the mines. Acting as a Door-boy at the Gelynog Colliery. Working in often-dangerous conditions, he was responsible for the opening and closing of the large doors along the underground roads that led to the coalface. The doors were an essential part of the mine ventilation system. They helped control the flow of air through the colliery workings. Whilst still a youngster he caught typhoid from drinking water from a stream and whilst he recovered he was unfit to work underground. He remained in the coal industry for the remainder of his life, later becoming a clerk in the Traffic Department of the Great Western Colliery near Pontypridd. The colliery itself was only a short walk from the chapel where he would give the debut performance of his most famous composition.

On August 16th, 1905 at Salem Chapel, the 31-year-old composer married a Tonteg schoolteacher Hannah Maria David, the daughter of signalman Caradoc David. The couple had two children named Gwyn and Dilys. Like his father, a lifelong member of Salem, John succeeded as deacon and precentor, rapidly becoming an active member of the musical life of Pontypridd and its surrounding areas. He began composing hymn tunes specifically for the congregation of Temple Church on the Graig, Pontypridd and submitted hymns to the annual Sunday School Music Festivals.

He was later introduced to Rhedynog Price G.T.S.C.  of Cardiff who taught him theory and harmony lessons and assisted him in obtaining an 'Advanced Certificate' from the Tonic Sol-Fa College. Such building blocks in musical education proved an asset for the early development of this gifted young musician who flourished over the coming years.

In 1909, the rather modest and humble young man, received an illuminated address from the United Baptist Choirs of the district of Pontypridd thanking him for his work as the honorary secretary of their singing festivals. There are also glowing tributes to him as an organist, conductor and composer in the local press during this period.

Cwm Rhondda remains his most famous work but it was only one of many hymn tunes and songs that he composed.  Many of these lesser-known hymns are now largely forgotten, but at the time they were favourites among congregations the length and breadth of the country.

His vast collection of some forty to fifty Sunday School marches, children’s songs, folk tunes and congregational hymns were named after his own children, other relatives or favourite places and included Frondeg, Darlun Fy Mam, Milwyr Seion, Yr Ysgol Sul, Moliant Plant, Y Sanctaidd Lu, O Argwlydd Fy Nuw, Bethlehem, Tonteg, Llanilltyd,  Gwyn, Dilys, Danygraig, Ceridwen and Tregarth. The tunes were usually written in an exercise book at his home although varying reports suggest he used to chalk pieces of music on coal trucks in the colliery and invite fellow “musical miners” to offer their criticism of the work. If they approved then it was written on paper and sent to the committees of various music festivals. If they disapproved then the truck was shunted away, bearing music destined for obliteration by coal dust.

Hughes’ life would be tragically cut short – his deteriorating health a victim to a lifetime spent chasing back gold. Having been ill for just a few days, he died at Tregarth on May 14th, 1932 aged just 58.

On a cold and wet day Tonteg came to a standstill as hundreds of men donned their black bowler hats and lined the streets to perform Cwm Rhondda while John Hughes’s body was carried into Salem Chapel for the funeral service. Some of the most distinguished musicians in the South Wales area at the time were among the mourners, including founder conductor of Cor Meibion Pontypridd, Gwilym T. Jones and conductor of the Llantrisant & District Choral Society, Dr JCR Morgan along with the Trisant Lodge of Freemasons.