Poetry | Dylan Thomas Birthplace / Family Home 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Swansea, Wales, UK

Dylan Thomas Birthplace scoops major heritage award.

The Dylan Thomas Birthplace has beaten of the challenge of iconic castles and stately homes to win the Special Judges Award for Best Place to Stay in the prestigious Hudson’s Heritage Awards which were made at an award ceremony at Goldsmith’s Hall in the City of London this week (14^th March).

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Geoff Haden who restored the Thomas family home and collected the award from Penelope, Viscountess Cobham, the chair of VisitEngland said “This is a huge honour and a testament to the hard work of our staff and volunteers in making this a unique place to visit and stay.

The house is as it might have been when Dylan lived and work there for 23 years and produced two thirds of his published work so no television or radio but a rare opportunity to escape the 21^st century play games, read and relax.”

“In fourteen award categories we were the only Welsh based business shortlisted so it was a great honour to pull off this major award against quality opposition.”

Lady Cobham & Birthplace restorer Geoff Haden with the award.

The annual awards were established in 2011 and are an independently judged national scheme open to historic houses, gardens, museums and heritage sites and celebrate the very best visitor experiences.

The awards lunch was hosted by an independent judging panel of heritage experts including Chairman Norman Hudson OBE, heritage consultant; Lucinda Lambton, writer and broadcaster; Jeremy Musson, architectural writer; Simon Foster, consultant to Channel 4’s Country House Rescue and Ken Robinson, CBE, tourism business consultant.

Sarah Greenwood, director at Hudson’s and publisher of Hudson’s Historic Houses & Gardens said “The finalists in 2017 showcase an amazing range of experiences just waiting for us all to enjoy at Britain’s heritage places. This year they include three World Heritage Sites but also iconic castles, public buildings, unusual gardens and stunning country houses several of which are not well known. We at Hudson’s would like to congratulate them all on setting the standards for others to follow”.

Take a look at our website www.dylanthomasbirthplace.com for details on how you can create your own unique experiences including tours, overnight stays and dining experiences at the home of Dylan Thomas, Wales’ most renowned writer!

Published in:

on 15 March, 2017 at 2:16 pm Comments (2)
Tags: Accommodation, books, Culture, dylan thomas, Goldsmiths' Hall, Heritage, Historic House, Hudson's Heritage Award, Literary House, London, Poetry, Prose, Radio, Restoration, Special Judges Award, Swansea, Unique, Wales, Writing

Dylan Thomas Birthplace carries Welsh hopes at top heritage awards.

The Birthplace of Dylan Thomas in Uplands, Swansea is the only Welsh heritage attraction shortlisted for a prestigious Hudson’s Heritage Award with the outcome being announced at a presentation lunch on Tuesday 14^th March in Goldsmith’s Hall in London.

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The house which has been restored to its condition as a new house when bought by the Thomas family in 1914 is not only up for an award for the Best Accommodation but also for the Best New Discovery Award.

Geoff Haden, the chair of the Dylan Thomas Society, restored the house and now runs it as a tourist attraction and a unique place to stay overnight and soak up the atmosphere of a place where Dylan lived for 23 years says “This recognition is a tribute to our volunteers and staff who have turned this iconic building into a ‘must visit’ destination for groups and individuals and put this important family home on the literary and cultural map.”

The independent Hudson’s Awards were started in 2011 by publisher Norman Hudson to celebrate the high quality experience enjoyed by visitors to a range of heritage attractions and this year there are ten categories.

In the Best Accommodation category the Birthplace is up against Shropshire duo Western Park and Combermere Abbey as well as Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland while vying for the Best New Discovery with the Birthplace are Blenheim Palace, Eltham Palace and the RHS Lindley Library.

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on 10 March, 2017 at 12:16 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Accommodation, Attraction, Award, Bed & Breakfast, books, Culture, Destination, Discovery, dylan thomas, Heritage, History, Hudson's Heritage Award, Nomination, Poetry, Prose, Swansea, Tourism, Tourist, Unique, Visitors, Wales, Writing

On this date…17th January 1934

The editor of the South Wales Evening Post, J.D. Wiliiams reviewed the Swansea Little Theatre’s latest production. It was the 18th century William Congreve comedy, The Way of the World. Dylan is not mentioned in the review but is listed in the cast as ‘Witwould.’

In his review, J.D.W remarked,

‘brilliant dialogue, the cynic touches, the epigrams hard as diamonds and as cruel as fate.’ This is not to say that he hadn’t found fault, he also commented that the players ‘are acquiring a set of mannerisms that too prominently identify them whatever their part. They need to find new graces with hands and shoulders.’

Take a look at our website www.dylanthomasbirthplace.com for details on how you can create your own unique experiences including tours, overnight stays and dining experiences at the home of Dylan Thomas, Wales’ most renowned writer!

Published in:

on 17 January, 2017 at 9:22 am Leave a Comment
Tags: 17th January, Article, dylan thomas, Newspaper, On This Date, Poetry, Review, South Wales Evening Post, Swansea, Theatre, Trivia, Wales, Way of the World, William Congreve

On this date…16th January 1934

The Swansea Little Theatre began their five night run of performances at Southend, Mumbles, of their latest undertaking, the 18th Century William Congreve comedy, The Way of the World.

Dylan played the part of the foolish young Witwoud. The programme however, listed him as ‘Dilyn’ Thomas.

Mrs. Evelyn Burman a fellow cast mate of Dylan’s at the Little Theatre recalled Dylan’s impromptu trips to the ‘Prince of Wales’ pub or ‘Cheeses’ as it was known locally due to the owner being one Mr. Cheddar. She said…

‘In 1934 I played the very minor role of Mincing..woman to Mrs. Millamant in The Way of the World and as Dylan was Witwoud, a follower of Mrs. Millamant, it meant that we were often waiting in the wings. He would say to me ‘Mincing! I’m mincing off’ (the pub was less than two minutes from the theatre.)

She went on to say,

‘he never failed to appear ready for his next entry’ by all accounts Dylan was a burgeoning great actor and could hold his audience in a transfixed state.’

Of the performances of this Congreve play Evelyn recounted,

‘One of his (Dylan’s) lines, ‘Gad, I have forgot what I was about to say to you’ he used more than once to cover up a whirlwind entry until he composed himself.’

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on 16 January, 2017 at 9:00 am Leave a Comment
Tags: 16th January, 1930s, 1934, Acting, Actor, Comedy, dylan thomas, Fun, Mumbles, Newspaper, On This Date, Performance, Play, Poems, poet, Poetry, Pub, Swansea, Swansea Little Theatre, The Way of the World, Theatre, Trivia, Wales, Welsh Periodical, William Congreve

On this date…14th January 1927

12 year old D.M. Thomas of Swansea had a poem entitled His Requiem published in Wales’ national newspaper, the Western Mail.

Nearly 45 years later it was discovered that he had cribbed the verse from one of his favourite boyhood reads The Boy’s Own Paper of November 1923. Had the act been committed for mere devilment? More likely it had been an attempt by the young boy with aspirations of becoming a poet, to gain the approval from his parents which he so craved.

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The paper would send the Thomases a postal order of 10 shillings as payment but Dylan’s parents were so proud of their son’s achievement that it was never spent.

In 1971, upon publication of Dylan Thomas: The Poems (edited by Dylan’s great friend Daniel Jones) a keen eyed reader by the name of Mr. Richard Parker of London alerted The Sunday Telegraph to this poem which featured in the book’s Early Poems section. It seems that Mr. Parker had a very good memory and remembered His Requiem being published by a Miss Lillian Gard, a regular contributor of poems and stories to the Boy’s Own Paper in the 1920s.

As a result, Daniel Jones book at first carried a publisher’s note acknowledging the new finding and then the poem was removed in later editions.

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on 14 January, 2017 at 12:33 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: 14th January, Book, Boy's Own Paper, Daniel Jones, dylan thomas, His Requiem, Lillian Gard, Newspaper, Plagiarism, Poems, poet, Poetry, The Sunday Telegraph, Western Mail

A Visit from America…Taylor University students seek out the true Dylan Thomas.

In his last few years, Dylan entertained hundreds of American students on his great but gruelling reading tours of America. He famously wrote a humorous piece on his experiences of the USA tours called A Visit to America.

Due to his popularity and legacy, we at his Birthplace are too, becoming very used to hosting travelling American college and university groups.

One such group was the one which consisted of students and faculty members from Taylor University, Indiana, USA whom we had the pleasure of hosting recently.

The group from the English department, are currently on an off campus study tour which combines reading of major British authors (Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginia Woolf, and others) and extensive sightseeing. Most of the trip is spent in London, with the class also travelling to other locations of literary significance. In this case they have chosen to look at Dylan Thomas and his Ugly, lovely town of Swansea.

The collection of culture vultures (as Dylan would term them) naturally acknowledged the importance of 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, the house of his birth and where a near two-thirds of the writer’s incredible works were painstakingly crafted from the snug confines of his tiny bedroom.

We wish them well on their travels and urge them, do not go gentle when exploring the works of Wales’ most renowned writer but to dive in head first!

Published in:

on 13 January, 2017 at 10:31 am Leave a Comment
Tags: A Visit To America, American, Culture, dylan thomas, Heritage, Indiana, Literature, poet, Poetry, Reading, Sightseeing, Students, Study, Swansea, Taylor University, Tour, Tourism, USA, Visit

On this date…12th January 1935

An in depth review of Dylan’s 18 Poems appeared in the Herald of Wales newpaper. Reviewer, A. Spencer Vaughan-Thomas B.A. (Oxon) wrote…

‘No one can read his work without feeling that here is a poet magnificently equipped to achieve great things.’

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Published in:

on 12 January, 2017 at 4:30 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: 18 Poems, 1935, Article, dylan thomas, Herald of Wales, January 12th, Newspaper, Poems, poet, Poetry, Review, Swansea, Writing

On this date…12th January 1935

The Onlooker of the Herald of Wales drew attention to its former staff member, Dylan Thomas’ new book 18 Poems. Dylan’s previous articles from 1932 on the poets of Swansea and the responses that were garnered from the late classicist, James Chapman Woods were also mentioned. The ‘Onlooker’ hypothesised how Woods would now view the modern approach of this rising, young, local poet.

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Published in:

on 12 January, 2017 at 10:22 am Leave a Comment
Tags: 18 Poems, 1935, Article, dylan thomas, Herald of Wales, James Chapman Woods, January 12th, Newspaper, On This Date, Poem, Poetry, Swansea, Writing

On this date…11th January 1935

A highly complimentary review of Dylan’s first published book Eighteen Poems appeared in The Swansea Review section of the Swansea & West Wales Guardian newspaper.
This seems to be the first instance where the book was reviewed in a Welsh periodical.

The reviewer, “20th CENTURY” says of Dylan…

‘Modern poets fall into two categories, those who are the creatures of their age, and those who are it’s creators. In the latter group we find Auden, Spender and Dylan Thomas. It is a fault of both Auden and Spender, that having perfected their technique as poets, they strain themselves to become perfect media for propaganda. Dylan Thomas is too much the artist to allow politics to bemuse his muse. One knows instinctively his politics are correct, but they hover like a faint perfume above the lines of his poetry; they neither intrude or obtrude.’

He closes with…

‘Mr. Thomas is doing with poetry much the same as James Joyce did with prose. He is making a new language, not a Joyce did by making numerous languages to produce an illegitimate literary off-spring, but hammering new meaning into old worlds and phrases; crowning backs with the alchemy of his essentially poetic imagination.

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Published in:

on 11 January, 2017 at 1:25 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: 1935, dylan thomas, January 11th, Newspaper, On This Date, Poems, poet, Poetry, Review, Swansea, Swansea & West Wales Guardian, Wales, Writer, Writing

On this date…10th January 1935

An advert in the South Wales Evening Post gives mention that the first book of poems by Swansea’s Dylan Thomas entitled 18 Poems, will be reviewed in its sister paper the Herald of Wales.

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Published in:

on 10 January, 2017 at 10:28 am Leave a Comment
Tags: 18 Poems, 1935, dylan thomas, Herald of Wales, On This Date, Poems, Poetry, Review, South Wales Evening Post, Swansea, Wales, Writer

Dylan Thomas Birthplace / Family Home 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Swansea, Wales, UK

An inspirational place to stay, explore, dine

Dylan Thomas Birthplace scoops major heritage award.

Dylan Thomas Birthplace carries Welsh hopes at top heritage awards.

On this date…17th January 1934

On this date…16th January 1934

On this date…14th January 1927

A Visit from America…Taylor University students seek out the true Dylan Thomas.

On this date…12th January 1935

On this date…12th January 1935

On this date…11th January 1935

On this date…10th January 1935

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