Step back in time and explore the rich tapestry of Llandysul’s past.

On Friday, 16 May, 5pm – 8pm and Saturday, 17 May, 10am – 4pm Llandysul Local History Open Days, hosted by the Llandysul and District Local History Society, will take place at Tysul Hall, Llandysul. Entry is free and everyone is welcome.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore 26 years’ worth of local research, including an impressive collection of maps, photographs, census data, farm surveys, records from the Valuation Act, newspaper transcriptions, and fascinating local ephemera. Highlights include various material on the area’s schools, shops, pubs, and the men and women who served in the First World War.

There will also be a table exclusively for the collection of the late Bart Gilbert, a former Llandysullian chemist. This recent donation to the society from Mrs Jane Gilbert. includes ledgers and stationary, some over 100 years old, from some of Llandysul’s pharmacies such as the Golden Mortar and Medical Hall.

Over the winter, the society started the monumental task of gathering information on individual buildings in Llandysul. “It’s a big task,” said society chair Jane Kerr, “but it’s been enormous fun going through census records, documents, and old photographs.

“Our goal is to create easy-to-read folders, so people can browse the information without needing to dig through original materials.

“We’ve only just started, but we’ll have a table showing our progress so far – and we’d love for others to get involved.”

This photograph shows the same building as above in 1953, when it was Hughes & Lloyd Chemist. The street was dressed to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
This photograph shows the same building as above in 1953, when it was Hughes & Lloyd Chemist. The street was dressed to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. (Picture supplied)

The history society’s members have also been busy keeping up with today’s technology because they have created a growing digital archive, which now holds more than 5,000 scanned items generously shared by local residents over the past quarter-century.

“There’s so much here for anyone interested in the history of their home or family in the area,” said society secretary Lesley Parker.

“We also hope people will bring in their own stories and photos to share – and we’re happy to record their memories, too.”

Founded in January 1999 by Ann Owen and Jane Kerr, the society held its very first meeting in the King’s Arms. Since then, it has organised annual speaker programmes and exhibitions at Llandysul Library. The current exhibition, upstairs in the library, is “Leisure Time in Llandysul,” which explores local sports, hobbies, and societies from the early 1900s onward.

Other past projects include:

· Publishing transcriptions of birth, marriage, and death records, along with gravestone surveys on CD

· Researching local shops and businesses

· Documenting those who served in World War One

· Collaborating with the Community Council to install informative signs in the park

· Leading history walks around Llandysul and Pont-Tyweli.

Currently, members are developing a new heritage walk for the Llandysul and Pont-Tyweli Walkers are Welcome weekend in September.

The society also regularly assists with family history enquiries from across the globe – and when visitors come to explore their roots, members are often able to take them to their ancestors’ former homes.

For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.hanesllandysulhistory.co.uk.