This Thursday, April 9th at 7.00pm I'll be at Denbigh Town Hall discussing the #BelgianRefugees who stayed there. This is the final part of the annual Denbigh Heritage Lectures. If you're in the area, please come an join us, you'd be most welcome.

The picture shows an ornate wooden fireplace carved in a linen-fold style. There is a painting of Edward Breese, father of the man who commissioned the fireplace, embedded in the centre. Surrounding the fire itself, which is lit, are teal coloured tiles. The top of the fireplace has carved leeks and the Prince of Wales feathers.

We're always on the lookout for more work by Emile De Vynck, a Belgian Refugee woodcarver based in Pentrefelin who made several Bardic Chairs. This week, we found a magnificent fireplace in a house in north Wales. Photo © Andrew Yale. See more: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/chairs/ #BelgianRefugees

Llangollen Advertiser 22/1/15 The Belgian Refugees at Bethlehem Schoolroom, Rhosllanerchrugog, have expressed a wish to learn the Welsh language. Arrangements have been made to give them lessons. Mrs. Smith, of Ponkey Infants’ School, will act as instructor.

Sat. 14 Feb, Bangor Music Festival: Llŷr Williams will play "Prelude and Fugue on Louvain." Inspired by Dr. Caradog Roberts' 1916 hymn tune "Louvain" and #BelgianRefugees at Bethehem Chapel schoolroom, Rhosllanerchrugog.
More here: tinyurl.com/BMFest
Listen here: tinyurl.com/LlyrWilliams

The Writers and the Refugees Robert Graves (Robert von Ranke Graves, July 24th, 1895 – December 7th, 1985) was a serving officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers during the First World War. He’s also one of the country’s mos…

Merry Christmas! A new chapter published today looking at the "War Poets" and their involvement with #BelgianRefugees especially in Harlech & Penmaenmawr where Robert Graves & Wilfred Owen's families hosted Belgians. Also a brief look at Belgian Poets-in-Exile: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/writers/

Tracing the Belgian Refugees of the First World War In this interactive workshop led by a panel of expert historians you will learn more about the history of Belgian refugees and how to research it further.

An interactive workshop exploring the 250,000 #BelgianRefugees who came to Great Britain during the First World War will be held at The London Archives on October 23rd, 2025.
More here: www.thelondonarchives.org/whats-on/tracing-the-belgian-refugees-of-the-first-world-war

Flintshire Historical Society has invited me to talk about "The Belgian Refugee Monks at Talacre."
If you'd like to come along, we'll be at
Talacre Community Centre, Gamfa Wen, Talacre, CH8 9RT, on Saturday, September 27th at 2.40pm.
All welcome!
#BelgianRefugees

Along the Cambrian Coast The coastal area of the former county of Meirionydd hosted many Belgian Refugees, primarily in Barmouth where at one time it was reported that there were over 400 – so many so that the town n…

Published today! The largest chapter we've ever written - by far. It has taken so many years to research and write. Much information here about the #BelgianRefugees in #Barmouth and #Tywyn. Take a wander along the Cambrian Coast here: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/cambrian-coa...

Joseph De Kock at Llandudno Joseph Pierre De Kock was a Belgian Refugee who was employed as a charabanc driver in Llandudno, working for the Royal Red Motor Company. He started working for Royal Red on December 11th, 1915.

Here's the story of Joseph Pierre De Kock of Antwerp, one of the #BelgianRefugees in Llandudno. He was a driver for the Royal Red Motor Company, but seems to have spent more time in court than on the roads... sway.cloud.microsoft/f2zTymDltTLL...

Sister Victoria and the Convent What do we know about the Sister Superior of St. Mary’s Convent High School – the lady who was the driving force behind bringing the Belgian Refugees to Rhyl, and looking after them when they were …

Yesterday we received more information about #BelgianRefugees who stayed in Wales (primarily Barmouth.)
Also therein was information of Belgian girls who boarded at St. Mary's Convent in Rhyl during the First World War, which prompted a page update: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/sister-victo...

Baby's frock | Peoples Collection Wales Baby's white cotton lawn frock with high waistline, square neckline, full skirt and short sleeves. The bodice, neckline, cuffs and hemline are trimmed with...

Very happy to see @pplscollection.bsky.social here on BlueSky. Give them a follow! They've loads of great stuff to show you, like this baby's frock made by Belgian Refugee nuns in Newport, Gwent: www.peoplescollection.wales/items/414612...
#BelgianRefugees

A photo of a group of ten people of various ages enjoying a picnic in a garden, taken in Prestatyn, North Wales. The goup includes the family of the the photographer J. T. Burrows and some of the Belgian Refugees who were staying in Prestatyn. Photograph taken around 1916.

A collection of photographs by Prestatyn-based photographer J.T. Burrows was recently acquired by the North East Wales Heritage Forum. Around 80 photos have been published, among them one photo of the photographer's family with #BelgianRefugees
See the collection here: tinyurl.com/BurrowsPrest...

New College commemorates Belgian Refugees housed during the First World War | New College

Plaque unveiled at New College, Oxford, to commemorate the #BelgianRefugees: www.new.ox.ac.uk/news/new-col...

A gold-painted, ornate, wooden mirror frame. Carved by Emile De Vynck in 1916. Measures 127cm tall, 70 cm wide.

Just found this this mirror with a frame carved by Emile De Vynck, one of the #BelgianRefugees in Pentrefelin (He lived there 1914-1924). Mirror sold March '25 in Froncysyllte. Size: 127cm x 70cm. Auction note states 1916 as year of manufacture. More here: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/chairs/

St. Asaph There are two Belgian Refugee graves in the old Mount Road church yard in St. Asaph: The first is that of C. L. Brack. The inscription reads “In loving memory of my dear husband, C. L. Brack,…

Yesterday we had the great honour of welcoming the Family Van Goey to St. Asaph, to visit the grave of their ancestor Constant Van Goey, one of the #BelgianRefugees who stayed in the city. See here: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/st-asaph/ for an update.
#StAsaph #VanGoey

The Committee As with most towns preparing to accept Belgian Refugees, a committee was formed in Rhyl to raise much-needed funds and ready the house for their arrival. Somewhere in the region of 18,000 ch…

#Onthisday in 1945, Rhyl’s Marjorie Ashbery worked as a volunteer at the liberation of Bergen-Belsen. She helped care for the surviving internees. Her father, Percy, had also dedicated himself to humanitarian efforts as the treasurer of Rhyl's #BelgianRefugees Committee. tinyurl.com/3sr8hz64

Overnight, a huge amount of information arrived from Belgium: It ties together all the north Wales #BelgianRefugees communities and importantly contains the numbers of Belgians in each town.
Much work to disseminate it all. It's an incredible find. I'm beyond excited.

The Country Estates of Maelor Saesneg Maelor Saesneg, or “Flintshire Detached” was an exclave of Flintshire County that was completely separate from the main body of the county, and surrounded by Denbighshire, Cheshire and Shropshire…

Two new chapters published today! Both concern the area once known as Maelor Saesneg in north-east Wales. The country estates took in some noble families from Belgium - tinyurl.com/saesneg and one family of #BelgianRefugees who came to Penley stayed and made a life here: tinyurl.com/famdoex

The programme for the annual Heritage Lectures series in Dinbych/Denbigh has been published. If you're interested in hearing about Denbigh's #BelgianRefugees, please join me at 7pm on March 20th 2025 at the Town Hall. All lectures are free to attend. See you there!

Remembering a Pembrokeshire town's hidden past with Belgian refugees This week, Jeff takes a look at when Milford Haven welcomed Belgian refugees during the First World War

There's a really interesting report on Milford Haven's #BelgianRefugees on the Western Telegraph website. Includes photos. Have a look! www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/2495411...
@westerntelegraph.bsky.social

Croesnewydd Military Hospital Wrexham and the surrounding towns and villages currently form Wrexham County Borough, but in 1914 they were part of Denbighshire. It remained this way until the reorganisation of the county borders…

Thanks to a huge effort researching by our friend Mireille in Belgium, there is a major update to the info about the wounded Belgian Soldiers in Croesnewydd Hospital in #Wrexham. Take a look at the updates - there a new photos too: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/croesnewydd-2/
#BelgianRefugees

Sanctuary at Penmaenmawr In Penmaenmawr, Belgian Refugees lived a house named “Noddfa,” which translates from Welsh to “Sanctuary,” “Refuge,” or “Asylum.” This house is not the same house as the one called Noddfa which tod…

A brand new chapter published today - about the #BelgianRefugees who found a home in #Penmaenmawr at a house called "Noddfa" which is Welsh for "Sanctuary"... Take a look: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/penmaenmawr/

The Belgians and the Bardic Chairs Belgian wood-carvers made a significant contribution to our cultural life in Wales. From creating what is probably the most iconic Bardic Chair to filling our churches and country estates with carv…

One of the bardic chairs carved by #BelgianRefugees appeared on BBC's Antiques Roadshow on Sunday. Emile De Vynck wasn't mentioned, but it's worth a look to see his work. Visit www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b... and click the "Beaumaris 2" link.
Read more: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/chairs/

Brynkinalt Military Hospital Lady Rosamund Trevor of Brynkinalt Hall in Chirk, the Countess of Bantry, realised very quickly at the start of the war that there was a need for people at home to do all they could to support the …

A brand new chapter published today - all about the Belgian Soldiers at Brynkinalt Military Hospital and the #BelgianRefugees who stayed in Chirk.
We've had loads of help from Mireille in Belgium and Lady Trevor at Brynkinalt Hall. Have a look: refugeesinrhyl.wordpress.com/brynkinalt/

I agree my friend. I'll never forget making a #Barnsley connection, (in the other place) with #Harry.I'll have to look for the picture. #BelgianRefugees who arrived there in 1914.

New to Blue Sky. Do hashtags work? #belgianrefugees