WI

THE PRESIDENT, Joan Yates, welcomed members to the March meeting.

Meirion was sung and birthdays celebrated before Joan read the county newsletter, bringing attention to a number of forthcoming events, among them the date of the county show on 24 August.Geraint Williams, the guest speaker, was introduced.He had been invited to inform the group about the history of Welsh gold mines.His interest began when, following his dog, he discovered an enormous cave.He started to explore and research gold mining in Wales and soon dis-covered that much of the gold had been excavated by the Romans.This was especially the case in the Dolaucothi Mine in Carmarthenshire, he told the group, which is thought to be the oldest gold mine in Wales and operated between 1872 and 1938.In 1942 it was opened as a mu-seum by the National Trust.

Clogau St David’s Mine, near Bontddu, operated between 1862 and 1911. Ben Roberts has since reopened the mine and it is producing gold once more. The Queen’s wedding ring is crafted from a nugget of pure Welsh gold.Mr Williams said that people go panning for gold in the Mawddach estuary and at various times in history the estuary has been the subject of gold rushes.

Judith Morris thanked Mr Williams for his talk and the committee for providing the refreshments.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 12 April, when the topic will be recycling.