Vancouver Welsh Society
Celebrates Centenary Dinner
VANCOUVER
The Vancouver Welsh Society's 100th Anniversary St. David's Day dinner was held at the Cambrian Hall on March 3.
Following a bilingual blessing by David Llewelyn Williams, President Jane Byrne welcomed the guests and introduced the head table. The excellent meal was catered by Jordan's, who maintained their usual high standard.
The secretary, Eifion Williams, read out a number of greetings from fellow Welsh Societies around the world. Special greetings on the 100th anniversary were also received from the the Honourable Michaëlle Jean, the Governor-General of Canada; the Honourable Iona V. Campagnolo, the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia; Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper; B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell; and Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan. Part of his annual message to Welsh expatriates from Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for Wales, was also read out.
The honour of cutting the large birthday cake to celebrate the occasion was given to 94-year old Phyllis Owens, who has been a faithful and active member of the Vancouver Welsh Society throughout her life.
Phyllis Morgan, as she then was, was born in Vancouver to an English mother, who she describes as "a very Victorian lady," and a Welsh father born in the beautiful rural surroundings of Llanwrda in Carmarthenshire. Her parents emigrated to Vancouver in 1907 and Phyllis remembers being imbued with Welsh culture from a very early age, especially the traditional Welsh love of music.
Phyllis married her husband Ken in 1942 in Point Grey United Church, where they have been lifelong members. Ken's father's family goes back five generations to Welsh immigrants to Nova Scotia, while his mother was a Campbell from Ayrshire. Throughout their married life they have played an active part in the Vancouver Welsh Society, of which Phyllis is an Honorary Life Member.
Following the dinner, the honour of offering the traditional toast to Canada was given to Victor Griffiths, a relatively new member of the Welsh Society who has recently moved to Vancouver from Gaiman, one of the communities in the Chubut valley of Patagonia that was established by Welsh settlers in the mid-Nineteenth Century.
Although not himself a fluent Welsh speaker, Victor is proud of his Welsh heritage. He is also proud of the fact that Canada has afforded new opportunities and a bright future for himself and his family. He also reminded his audience that it was Saskatchewan that welcomed many settlers from Patagonia in 1902 following a dispute with the Argentine government.
In giving a toast to Wales, long-time member John Pritchard emphasized the contributions made by the Welsh to improving social conditions in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. He reminded the audience that it was Welshman David Lloyd George who first introduced old-age pensions to the UK and fellow Welshman Aneurin Bevan who first brought in a National Health Service.
Following the dinner, the celebrants were entertained by singer Sharon McIntee-Birrell, accompanied by Bea Blackford on the piano. Jane Byrne thanked all those who contributed to making the evening a success, especially Gaynor Evans for organizing the event. The evening ended with socializing and singing around the piano in the Red Dragon Lounge.
The Welsh Society is now looking forward to the anniversary celebrations during the first week in November, the highlight of which will be a Grand Concert featuring the Vancouver Welsh Men's Choir and the Orpheus Choir.
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