In the
Mid-day Parade - Monday 5 May 2008
Tom Telford's and Macadam's men?
In the middle of photographing the Monday parade an
interesting pamphlet was given to me. It is a poem recalling the
"Rebecca Riots" of 1839, which played an important role in Welsh
history when men dressed as women smashed the toll gates on the
newly metalled turnpike roads. Toll roads are again appearing here
in Britain.
big boots!
 |
Daughters of
Rebecca - 1839
As I photographed her presence in the Bank
Holiday Parade, Miss Charlotte Peters Rock, a one woman crusade,
charmingly bore down upon me and thrust into my hand this poem grand -
clear message for Tom Telford's imitators:
Four hundred and fifty 'women' With big boots and a small brass band Were off to break the gate at Maesyfelin They broke the Pond Gate - Smashed it up And threw it in the Teifi The Cellan Gate the Cwmmann Gate And back past the broken Pontfaen Then Rebecca's Daughters marched along
With great big feet and a small brass band Rebecca's Daughters marched along to win |
| Tom Telford's and Macadam's
roads Had wooden gates and money men But farmers hadn't got a way to pay them So dressed up as Rebecca's Tribe They smashed the gates in fury The Cellan Gate The Cwmmann Gate And back past the broken Pontfaen Then Rebecca's Daughters marched along
With great big feet and a small brass band Rebecca's Daughters marched along to win
|
Don't think that Toll Roads
are so new They've been around for ages now And Welshman Twm Carnabwth didn't like them He lowered tolls by smashing up With all Rebecca's Daughters The Cellan Gate The Cwmmann Gate And back past the broken Pontfaen Then Rebecca's Daughters marched along
With great big feet and a small brass band Rebecca's Daughters marched along to win Poem: © Charlotte Peters Rock 2002 http://charlottepetersrock.blogspot.com |
a small brass band!?
Tom Telford's and Macadam's men?
 |
Photographs above © 2008 by Noel Walley Then Rebecca's Daughters marched along With great big feet and a small brass band Rebecca's Daughters marched along to win Photograph left © 2008 by Stephen Watson "Alright Sir, that's enough of that! You come quietly now! We know all about you lads dressed up in your sisters' frocks." Compilation © 2008 by Noel Walley Last updated April 2009. Email: Webmaster |