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Reminder Assistant Editor SOUTH HADLEY Many know of Henry Morgan, the Caribbean pirate more commonly referred to simply as Captain Morgan (whom the rum is named after). What many don't know is that Morgan along with two more infamous pirates was Welsh. "Welsh Pirates of the Caribbean" was the title of Tom Bernard's program at the Annual Fall Gathering of the Welsh Society of Western New England (WSWNE) on Saturday at All Saints' Episcopal Church. Bernard is the president of the society, which includes members from Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire. Founded nearly a decade ago, WSWNE's goal is to celebrate all things Welsh: the land, language, ancestry, music, arts, food, history, folklore, literature and cinema. All things Welsh come from Wales, a country about the size of Massachusetts which is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England on the east and the Irish Sea on the west. It's most well known celebrities are singer Tom Jones and actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, but in the early 18th century, Morgan, Howell Davis and Bartholomew Roberts were the big names on the high seas. Davis (1690 - 1719) started out in piracy in 1718, but lasted just 11 months. He was captured by Roberts, more commonly known as "Black Bart," before his death. Roberts (1682 - 1722) managed to capture 470 ships in three years along with over one million pieces of Spanish gold. He was also the first pirate to come up with a contract, or pirate's code. Many other captains modeled their codes after Roberts', according to Bernard. Morgan (1635 - 1688) was one of the lucky few who retired from piracy. He helped the British Navy capture Jamaica and Panama before being named an admiral, the governor of Jamaica and a knight. "For most, it was a short but merry life," Bernard noted. The program on Welsh pirates of the Caribbean was one of many that have been offered by WSWNE. Beth Roberts Brown, secretary of the society, is the coordinator of the Genealogy Group, which helps members discover their roots and where in Wales their families came from. She said she only became interested in her heritage after a life-changing event. "Like so many, I only got into it after my father passed away," Roberts Brown said. "I just didn't know a lot about my family." She discovered her family was commonly referred to as Roberts Cwm Dyli Cwm Dyli being a town in north Wales. "The society is made up of a loyal band of people," Veronica Chapman, vice president of WSWNE, said. She added that the society is open to anyone of Celtic descent who "wants to be connected" to Wales. Chapman herself was born in Wales but didn't know she had any Welsh blood in her until later in life. She said it was "wonderful to find it in my sixties." Nearly 80 families have memberships with the WSWNE, and Bernard said it would be good for younger people to get involved. "We're all getting a bit long in the tooth," he stated. Upcoming WSWNE events include the Christmas Gathering, also taking place in South Hadley, with featured performer Jodee James. The event will be happening Dec. 6 at noon. Tickets are discounted for members. There are four different levels of membership, ranging from Red Dragon at $100 to Welshcake at $15. For more information on the society, visit www.welshwne.org or contact Bernard at tomobear@verizon.net or 536-4290, Chapman at ticachap@comcast.net or 532-5252 or Ed Brown and Beth Roberts Brown at edbethui@comcast.net or 562-3990. | ||||||
