This blog is a two-part series celebrating the life of George Loyn, Special Constable from Bronant, Aberystwyth area. Part two will feature extracts from George’s police constable notebook, covering the period May 1940 to April 1944.
George Morris Loyn was born on 1 August 1890, in Aberaeron, to Mary Thomas, age 29, and George Loyn, age 33. His father, George, was a tinsmith in Aberaeron and his grandfather, Henry Loyn, established Siop Loyn, the ironmonger store in the building which is now the New Celtic Fish and Chip shop in Aberaeron.
George’s first wife Ethel passed away on 10 August 1917 in Cofadail,Ceredigion, at the age of 31. He married his second wife, Jane Maria Rees, in Bronant in July 1921 when he was 30 years old. Therefore at the time of the diary he was 48 years old, living in the Bronant Schoolhouse.
His son William George Grenville (known as Grenville) was born in 1924 in Bronant. He went to London during the War to train as an anaesthetist. He remained in London for most of his career, returning to his native Ceredigion in1980, to work in Bronglais Hospital until his retirement. He married Elizabeth (Betty) Margery Gent in July 1950.
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| Archifdy Ceredigion Archives holds a copy of Grenville and Betty's wedding invitation |
Grenville passed away in 2007 at the age of 82. Grenville and Betty had three children: Monica Lloyd-Williams, David Loyn and Joanna Loyn, who have very kindly loaned their grandfather’s diary to the project.
George’s schooling was in Aberaeron where he attended the County Intermediate School from 1904-1908. Between 1908 and 1912 he worked as an Untrained Teacher and from 1912 to 1914 attended the Teacher Training College Carmarthen (which later became Trinity College Carmarthen). In 1912, he was recruited to serve in the 4th Welsh Regiment, according to the Territorial Force Attestation, which recruited him at the age of 21 for 4 years’ service.
George Loyn’s first teaching post was on Mynydd Bach at Cofadail School, Trefenter, where he and his first wife Ethel lived in the School House where Ethel died in 1917. From Cofadail school, George moved across the Mynydd to take up the post of headmaster of Bronant CP School. He married Jane Maria Rees of Pentredu, Bronant, in 1921.
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| George Loyn, back left, with Bronant School pupils |
He was a very active beekeeper and a founder member of the Welsh Beekeeping Association in1943. Practical beekeeping was on his school curriculum. Pupils remember assisting him with his hives during the school day, which was a challenge, as Mr Loyn’s bees were known among local beekeepers as wild and stinging. The local beekeeping association still awards the Loyn Cup annually.
George died on 27 August 1952, at the age of 61. The Ceredigion Archives hold a copy of his memorial service sheet in Welsh, below, with its hymns.
George Loyn’s Special Constable Diary 1940-44
The notebook is the typical ‘flip-up’ style of police usage, bound in a thicker brown paper with rounded edges. A printed template is on the front, with personal details completed in handwriting:
Issued to: G.M. Loyn
Date: 19.3.40
Completed: [blank]
Officer in charge: [blank]
Also the unknown code 115.le is written at the top of the book. Inside the front cover are printed ‘Memoranda’ containing instructions on using the notebook. The contents, however, are more accessible as George’s notes are very legible and written neatly on blue-lined note-paper.
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| Front cover of George's diary |
His handwriting is the cursive style typical of that era, a development of Italic style which dates back to the fifteenth century and is neat and clearly legible. This style was taught in primary and secondary schools until the mid-twentieth century and is more elaborate than modern scripts, because of the loops on ascenders, descenders and capitals. The entries were written either with a basic pen with metal nib or a fountain pen, as both produced thicker and darker strokes, depending on the way the letters were formed. The ink changes from black to blue through the diary, which becomes smaller and less expansive towards the end of the notebook, perhaps to save paper.
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| Page from George's diary showing his handwriting |
The notebook starts with 29 May 1940 on p.1 and is added to every few days, so apparently there were no daily or set duty times. It is noted in the diary that timesheets had to be provided, so it is likely that these were more detailed and regular. The final pages 79-80 contain much abbreviated entries, mainly a list of dates and patrol areas.
George’s notebook is dated 19 March 1940, but actually spans the period from 29 May 1940 to 26 April 1944, so it gives a fair coverage of the WWII years in the Tregaron and Bronant areas. Although not centred on Aberystwyth, it is connected with the town in terms of the safeguarding that George’s outlying patrols provided, watching for planes, bombs and fires, preventing unsafe lights and illegal travellers, and training the Special Constables in collaboration with the Aberystwyth police teams.
George records the regular nightly patrols around the Bronant-Lledrod-Blaenpennal areas. These are largely routine patrols, which are interesting for their historical value, though varying in level of detail. George Loyn appears to have had a supervisory role, as he was responsible for ensuring that each Special Constable’s duties were carried out, that the Constables had the kit and bicycles they needed, and that their paperwork was duly completed and returned with accurate records of hours, duties, and incidents.
One entry, for September 4th 1943, includes a lengthy list of Constables to whom bicycles are registered and their service numbers (men and women):
1. Evan James Thomas, Navy Hall (Nafi), Bronant. No.113901
2. Mary Eiddwen James – Rhydfudd, Bronant. 150890. Royal Enfield bike
3. Moses Rees Jones, Panteg, Bronant. 436452. Royal Enfield bike.
4. Catherine M Jones, Panteg, Bronant. 82255. Royal Enfield bike.
5. Grenville Loyn [George’s son], Golygfa, Bronant. [Number missing] Rudge Whitworth bike
6. Kate Edwards, Dolgroes, Bronant. E. 5972: Vindec
7. Jennie Edwards, Dolgroes, Bronant. 9508: Vindec bike.
8. Kitty Williams, Post Office, Bronant. 35162: Elswick bike
9. D. G. Morgan, Ynysfach, Bronant. 7631: Elswick bike.
10. R. D Morgan, Post Office, Bronant. A. 4635. Runwell bike.
11. Tom Harris, Floral Cottage, Bronant. Rudge-Whitworth bike. A.484125
12. Nance Owen, Pentredu, Bronant. Run-well bike. A.3867.
13. Daniel Jones, Pentredu, Bronant. Royal Enfield bike: 357514.
14. Timothy Jones, Pentredu, Bronant. Royal Enfield bike: 83829.
15. T. Jones, Pentredu, Bronant. MZ.1861.
16. Mrs Eirlys Williams, Ynysfach, Bronant. Gazelle bike: 46991. G.
17. Richard Glyn Jones, Lluest, Bronant. Raleigh bike. 27938.
18. David Hughes-Jones, Lluest. Hercules bike: 1565.
The duties of Special Constables included checking that drivers out after nightfall had legitimate reasons to be there, valid paperwork and provable identity. They also had to ensure that no light showed to guide German bombers to West Wales targets. This was particularly difficult on farms, where lights in barns often caused tension between the farmers and the patrols – the much-lampooned Dad’s Army catchphrase ‘Put That Light Out!’ comes to life within the pages!
There is no photograph of George in his uniform, sadly, but Will Troughton, Archivist at the National Library of Wales has kindly provided a photo of his grandfather as an example of a Special Constable’s uniform. He was based in Middlesbrough whilst also working as an accountant for Dorman Long the steel manufacturer. By the time he retired he was Chief Accountant. Dorman Long were one of the original companies in the FT30 index. They were also, apparently, involved in production of the Mulberry harbours.
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| Photo kindly provided by William Troughton |
Part two of this blog will feature selected entries from George's diary
Blog by Lynne Blanchfield
Acknowledgements
The family of George Loyn for making the notebook available to the project. It has been a privilege to work with this valuable primary source.
Mrs Monica Lloyd-Williams (granddaughter) for checking and providing further biographical details, and for being the primary family contact.
Dr Susan Davies for checking and elucidating the handwriting details.
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