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What’s it like to live in a house steeped in history? We talked to Margaret Colley, grand-daughter of former owners Major and Mrs Edgar Jones and also new owners Ken and Ann Bryl on what it’s like to live at ‘Eryl’ in Barry.
HOUSE OF FASHION
Eryl, Porth y Castell has many happy memories for me. Immediately one enters the house one appreciates a great atmosphere of happiness and friendliness.
It was in Eryl that I spent nearly all my school holidays with my grandparents, Major and Mrs Edgar Jones and especially Auntie Winnie whom I always knew as Ninnie. From the outside, the house is a strange looking one, standing like a soldier with two rifles – the chimneys - but its great attraction is that it stands towering on the heights of Porth y Castell overlooking the Bristol Channel and it commands probably one of the most beautiful panoramic views in Wales. It was said to be copy of a house in the Cotswolds.
During the Depression of the 1930’s Gareth, my uncle, the Joneses’ son was in Wall Street working for the ‘founder of public relations’, Ivy Lee who numbered amongst his many clients such companies as Chrysler, Rockefeller and others. Gareth was extremely disillusioned by the poverty he saw in New York - “World situation very grave. Must buy house within a couple of months. Only safe investment.” Letters and telegrams arrived in quick succession from the United States persuading his parents to buy a house and so it was, they bought Eryl for the very reasonable price of £1,250.
Until 1931 the Joneses had lived in rented property in the Colcot opposite the Buttrills. I remember removal day for I was lying in their tester bed with its curtains around me suffering from whooping cough and I had to be carried in a blanket to the new house, Eryl.
As a young child I remember how vibrant the house was – full of fun and laughter. Every Sunday crowds of visitors, both the grand and the humble, would fill the house, many arriving by bus from Cardiff to receive a warm welcome and the hospitality for which the Jones’ were renowned. Conversation flowed and discussions were lively. There would be two sittings for tea provided by Auntie Winnie - thinly-cut buttered bread and home-made jam, apple tart, Welsh cakes and the mouthwatering orange drizzle cake.
The intelligentsia of south Wales would gather including Mortimer Wheeler, Dr Glyn Daniels, Dr Thomas Jones and the famous Miss Davieses stayed at Eryl. The ‘Major’, a courtesy title from the First World War, had been headmaster of Barry County School for Boys and old boys from the school were always welcomed. These numbered Barnett Janner, Baron Janner of Braunstone, Sir Charles Woolley, former Governor of Cypress and Sir John Habbakuk, at one time the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University.
I remembered that Gareth had a number of German friends, some of whom were Nazis and others not. From the Western Mail where Gareth was working he phoned ‘Barry 32’ to speak to his aunt. He advised Winnie who had a lively personality not to give the Nazi salute and say “Heil Hitler” as the Germans left the house.
It is 75 years since the Great Famine in Ukraine and Gareth, as a journalist, endeavoured to expose the ruthless starvation that Stalin imposed on the peasants of the breadbasket region of the Soviet Union when up to 10 million people died. In his endeavour to tell the world he was maligned and denigrated. I was aware of the atmosphere in the house at that time. One day in August 1933 there were excited voices coming from the sitting room. Gareth came from there into the breakfast room and I vividly remember where I was standing as he showed me some pictures. Implanted on my mind vividly are photos of starving Ukrainian children with fat bellies and of thinking how could they be so fat when they were suffering from hunger.
Two years later Gareth was dead. He died in mysterious circumstances in Inner Mongolia investigating what the Japanese were embarking upon in their designs for territorial expansion into North China. He had been captured by Chinese bandits, held for ransom for £8,000, and was murdered after sixteen days in captivity.
It was then that the laughter went out of the house and a silence descended. A light had been extinguished. Life went on as usual, but it was never quite the same. I continued to have happy holidays there, but often pressing my nose at the landing window wishing it would stop raining.
One of my last memories was of standing in the sitting room that lead out on to the balcony. From there one could see the whole vista of Barry - Barry Island, the Old Harbour, Nash Point, and Cold Knap. But this day was September 3rd 1939 and I was waiting for Neville Chamberlain’s speech at 3 o’clock on the radio ‘that consequently this country is at war with Germany.’ These words are permanently imprinted on my mind.
I did not return to Eryl for some time afterwards as I was evacuated to Canada. I do believe that the garage at the bottom of the garden was hit by a German bomb and a cluster fell on Romilly Park tragically killing some people including a small boy.
Winnie Jones died in 1952, Major Edgar Jones in 1953 and Mrs Annie Gwen Jones lived to be 97 years dying in 1965. Their daughter, Gwyneth Vaughan Jones, former headmistress of Barry County School lived on in the house until it was burgled in 1990 and she came to live near my family in Nottingham until the end of her days. Following the burglary the family rushed down to the house to rescue as much as we could. Life had stopped still in 1935 after Gareth’s death and little had changed. Even the wallpaper from the hall up the stairs was William Morris in style and on the wall was the old gaslight. The house was in a very sorry state indeed. Everywhere were books double filed.
The small room on the top floor, known as Master Gareth’s room was untouched and under the bed were Soviet Posters brought back in 1931 when Gareth went to the U.S.S.R. with Jack Heinz taking with them a supply of baked beans. Coming down the stairs from this floor were piles of old magazines dating from 1953. The wallpaper was peeling off and the plaster disintegrating into dust. At the bottom of these stairs was antiquated domestic equipment and there I found Gareth’s diaries preciously kept by his mother. I do not think anything was ever thrown away. In my grandmother’s room I found an old trunk full of interesting documents, but it was covered by inches of dust. Everywhere in the room had a thick layer and I found it difficult to breathe.
Fortunately the burglars had been intercepted by the barking of the dog next door and had taken little. They had piled the expected loot into the sitting room. In this room were cracks in the wall beside the fireplace and water was coming down the chimney. I have not mentioned the kitchen that had four doors into it, a ‘pre-historic’ gas cooker and an old enamel sink. There was no efficient heating and the drafts in the house were indescribable.
Gwyneth had wanted to spend the last days of her life in the old house, Eryl with its many memories, but this was not to be. She died at the age of 100 in Nottingham. On her birthday the Welsh speaking Mayor of Broxtowe read the telegram from the Queen to her in Welsh. There was a memorable Memorial Service held at The Holy Trinity Church, Barry when the church was full to capacity, and even today in Barry if you mention the name of Miss Vaughan Jones, some will say ‘she was my headmistress’.
Now, Ann and Ken Bryl have this lovely home which is so full of memories of yesteryear and a new story and a new era begins. There are certainly happy vibes in the house which I hope will always continue. I’ve no doubt the Bryl’s story will continue from here as they have transformed Eryl into a wonderful family home.
Margaret Siriol Colley
When did you buy the property?
Eighteen years ago having previously lived in Cwm Talwg in Barry.
You bought it as a family home?
Yes, for myself, my husband Ken and our three children Natasha now 29, Lousha 25 and Lewis 23.
What made you buy the property?
That’s an easy one to answer. Definitely the views. It’s also a very happy house. As soon as you walk in, there’s a sense of calm and peacefulness. We also like its unique shape.
Did you know of its history?
No, not at first. It was only when we met Miss Vaughan Jones and started to talk about the house that we learnt of its history. We find it fascinating.
Have you made any changes?
Yes, we’ve extended the kitchen/family room. This room again takes advantage of the lovely views. We spend a lot of time here as a family.
Would you ever move?
Hand on heart, if we won the lottery, we wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
Ann Bryl is the owner of Bryl’s Boutique in Barry’s High Street. The boutique is a mecca for the fashion forward women of the Vale of Glamorgan and beyond who love Sticky Fingers, French Connection, Great Plains, Nougat, Sandwich, Chilli Pepper, Religion, boots by Ugg Australia and jewellery by Melinda Mulcahy.
Bryl’s Boutique
7 High Street, Barry CF62 7DZ
01446 748246
shop@brylsboutique.com
www.brylsboutique.com
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