Little Known Fact

Peter Burgess

New member
Clogs having been mentioned elsewhere today, it brings to mind something few cavers probably know.

When caving in Wales some years ago, we got to know a man, Ritchie Evans, now deceased, who lived in Glynneath. He was a champion of local history, and had an amazing collection of old photographs with which he used to do slide presentations. One of the things he told us was that in Ystradfellte, the villagers used to cut the alder trees, and make blanks for clogs out of the wood. These blanks were put into the Afon Mellte, and would be carried downstream to Pont Nedd Fechan and Glynneath where they were caught in nets, and then finished, presumably for use by the miners and others in the area. Ritchie showed us a picture of the cottage where the clog-makers lived, and it was the same cottage we were actually having the slideshow in - Godre Pentre, Croydon Caving Club's cottage. Not only that, but in the photo was a tool that the clog-makers used - an adze. The hut warden promptly disappeared out to the tool-shed and returned with it in his hand. "We dug this up in the garden" he said.

An unforgettable evening. Better by far than any pub session.
 

Peter Burgess

New member
This isn't the photo, but it might be the tool.
http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/subjects/4772

27257_2.JPG
 

gus horsley

New member
If they're going to float them down the river why are they arranging them in neat piles?  Did they have sponsored clog races?  How did they fish them out again?  With a clog net?  Am I asking too many silly questions?
 

Peter Burgess

New member
It could be that by the time these photos were taken, there was a reasonable road to take the clogs away. I don't know enough about the area to be sure. Perhaps the river story is a local myth?
 

Hughie

Active member
graham said:
Linda was surprised they used Alder as it has associations with bad luck.  :unsure:

I thought that was Elder? Welcome back, btw. If you are back, that is.
 

graham

New member
Hughie said:
graham said:
Linda was surprised they used Alder as it has associations with bad luck.  :unsure:

I thought that was Elder? Welcome back, btw. If you are back, that is.

Hi. No that's the story that Judas hanged himself from an elder. Something to do with jew's ear fungus growing on dead elder, or so she tells me. Different story.

I'm still away & will be back on Sunday.
 

kay

Well-known member
See also
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DBY/BygoneIndustries/ClogBlock.html

where it says that alder was favoured for clogs as it is hard wearing and does not warp even after repeated wetting. 

also
http://www.the-tree.org.uk/TreeCultivation&Uses/Uses/usesofwood.htm
 
D

Dep

Guest
Maybe the clogs were stacked on a tarp or canvas, bundled up as one mass and THEN floated down the river.
I doubt they threw them in one at a time.  :LOL: :LOL:
 
H

hoehlenforscher

Guest
Yep Alder was the prefered clog making wood. Was a huge industry all over South Wales during the industrial revolution

If the clogs were floated from Croydon then they would have had to pass right through Porth y ogof. Wonder how many foundered in the resurgence pool!
 
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