I WANTED to do something different this week. Since early last year this column has focused on upstanding buildings in Barry and District.

This week I turn to a donation that was made to Barry Museum, by Paul Gough, that being a medallion. The medallion is of fairly good quality, and a similar image is published in the Barry Book. I would also like to take this opportunity to apologise for an omission that was made last week, and thanks to Richard Enos for last week’s image.

Why a medallion? Well, the answer is simple. It is a medallion that really helps us understand the importance of the then ‘new port’ of Barry. On the obverse (front of the medallion), is an array of sailing ships heading along the Barry Island headland eastwards towards the port entrance. Docked in the port is an assortment of sailing ships; awaiting their first load of Welsh black gold. The illustration of Barry Island is even more interesting.

There is only one building shown on Barry Island, a tiny Friar’s Point House, and then we have two flag staffs flying colours at Nell’s and Friar’s Point. The familiar outline of the once ‘island’ is also shown. The background is a hilly landscape on the medallion bereft of any buildings. But there are lines indicated for the railways also. The lettering emboldened on the medallion as, BARRY DOCK AND RAILWAYS. The manufacturer’s of the medallion were Barry and Sons of Cardiff; as shown on the medallion, and the irony of the companies’ name’s sake’ isn’t lost on me.

I have often thought how many of the medallions were produced, and I believe that one must have been issued to each of the worker’s and worn with pride of place as a medal around the neck. But if it was several thousand, I have only ever seen one. A two inch in diameter history time capsule, and from what I can make out is made of pewter.

The medallion not only an artefactual piece of Barry and District history, ‘tells a piece of history also’ for on the reverse we have these details: The outer lettering reads, FIRST SOD CUT BY LORD WINDSOR 14TH NOVEMBER 1884... then we read, OPENED FOR PUBLIC TRAFFIC BY LADY WINDSOR 18TH JULY 1889. For me these very lines are the epitome of the triumph of success over failure, and the success of a venture that made Barry and District to what it is today!

For on the medallion, we have one name that isn’t missed, for the writing continues within the border of writing we have just discussed. DIRECTORS LORD WINDSOR, CHAIRMAN DAVID DAVIES. That name David Davies resonates through the history of the Port of Barry that with his deputies for the Dock scheme, that everything was made possible. For those other names are not forgotten on the medallion. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN The names: J. CORY, E. DAVIES, F. L. DAVIES, L. GUERET, A. HOOD, J. W. INSOLE, R. W. PERKS, J. H. THOMAS, T. R. THOMPSON, and E. H. WATTS. Do some of those names seem familiar for street names around Barry today?

Personally this week I wanted to see this medallion featured, and we have done that, but I would love to hear from others who may have a medallion.

I can be e-mailed via karljlangford@hotmail.com