Tredegar 2009There is a Documentary out on CD this month about three men from Tredegar who changed the course of American history. It seems local filmmakers have made this film which is called 'Go West Young Man'. It explores the story of three young men from the town who went to America at different points in time, and played their part in the shaping of that country.
The first man, Rhys Davies, helped build the Tredegar Ironworks in Richmond, Virginia, a development which changed the course of the civil war after making Richmond the capital of the Confederacy.
The second man, Daniel Gooch, was recruited by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to work on the Great Western Railway. He later moved to America where he was instrumental in laying the first trans-Atlantic cables for messaging by Morse code overseas.
Henry Hughes travelled to America after surviving the Tredegar cholera outbreak. He travelled to Minnesota where he was renowned as an 'Indian Fighter'.
I received a cutting from the local paper via email from a friend containing all this information. It seems that 'Green Valley Film Productions' have made other documentaries in and around Blaenau Gwent. The filmmakers said ' we thought these three stories were worth putting on film, it's part of the rich archive of this area.' Their next project is titled 'Bevan's Tredegar' and they are looking for people with memories, second hand memories, old photographs or archive footage to come forward and contact them. Anyone reading this Blog, if you think you can help please contact the following:
Mr. Morgan Jones
The hour long DVD is now on sale for £10 from Tredegar Development Trust's 'In The Pink' shop, entirely for the benefit of the voluntary organisation. Well I keep being surprised by Tredegar and it's history, and I would bet money there is still a lot out there I don't know.
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